First team squad size..

Not trying to spoil anyones New Year but in this January Transfer widow I feel this needs pointing out.
On the official site the latest first team squad photo is from October. We have 30 in that picture and it still doesn't include Kane, Marsh, Dallas Shaw Lofthouse and Chapman. Now Dodgson is on there and he's gone but that's still 35 with a first team squad number.
And a backroom staff of, including the head coach 16..
Then the academy teams and the new ladies team, I know they're not professional ( ladies yet) but they still incur a cost.
Then splitting Khalid's job, one into two..!

So to all the ' lets work within our means' brigade. Seriously... fuuuuukin ell. No wonder they've had to put 10 million in just to run the club..
Big reset needed, surely this is totally unsustainable.. in the Championship you've half a chance, but in L1... narr.

 

We need 22 first team players supplemented with the academy players. Squad way too big.

 

I think there’s plenty in there who won’t be on big money. I’ve no issue with us having young players around the squad who can go out on loan like Marsh, Ackroyd, Lofthouse etc.

The big problems when you’ve got players on first team wages who are offering nothing like Leya Iseka & Oulare.

Obviously Dallas & Shaw are looking like bad signings but I doubt they’ve cost a lot.

 

Yep so before we start.. including me.. banging on about ' we need this player in, why don't we go out and get him?'
We really need to be looking at thining this squad down. Without promotion this season, we could be in for an awfully big awakening.

 

They've played about 50 mins of football combined since they stepped back down to the SPL. Not a great omen ......

 

Are you saying they're both babba?

 

Cundy, Benson, McCarthy Wolfe obviously injured, but will they ever return?

 

Regarding incoming players. Some might have to leave for the greater good. I'd happily sell Williams and put the money towards another centre back. Likewise I'd listen to offers for Mccarthy, Cundy and Benson.

I'd even consider selling Russell and Styles if we had replacements lined up. I don't feel we can afford to be carrying people both financially and on the pitch.

 

Was in agreement with ya last time mate and ya spot on again. I've been banging the drum of buy one decent player instead of 3 punts most of this season. This is why I think were still player trading as a strategy. Can understand taking the money for Kitch but how many Shaw/Dallas buys and wages do we do to find one Mads..
Still really angry about the Iseka and Oulare fiasco and think Conman should have been investigated by the club..

 

He was. They reported him to the Football League and we're waiting their judgement.

 

There's about 7 players on the photo that are under-23 players and have barely featured for the first-team. Not to mention Cundy and Wolfe who are both still out injured, and McCarthy who started the season off the back of a long-term injury.

It sounds as though Lofthouse is going back out on loan and McCarthy may follow. Take those out, along with the above, and it doesn't really look that big.

 

It's like my willy.

 

Thought it was for not declaring people who he was representing therefore having part owners who were not passed by the right and proper person rules..Ah could be wrong tho..

 

You've got to wonder if we will be stuck with the likes of Cundy, McCarthy, Dallas, Shaw as who in their right mind would want them for a fee?

 

If you're injured Mex your still being paid..the number 20 -40 is actually irrelevant.. its finding the money to pay em.
As for the under 23s.. its just something that's been invented because of the amount of players
.I'd say if you're not in the first team at 21 or there abouts then it's time to move on.

 

I keep looking to see what they’re doing and like you say….absolutely zilch. Terrible signings the pair of them. Not sure what contracts they signed but imagine we’re saddled with them for at least another 18 months.

 

The number of people employed by the club in relation to ‘footballing activities’ was 148 at 31/5/2022.

That number excludes matchday staff and commercial.

Whilst we all can see areas that need improvement the club has a large playing squad that needs addressing.

 

Benson’s a problem as we paid good money for him & he’s presumably a top earner. I doubt the others are but obviously no good paying wages to lads not featuring. I hope Wolfe can get out on loan soon. I think it was last February he got injured & it can take a year to come back from it. Guessing the other two are pretty much wrote offs with their contracts finishing in the summer

 

According to today's Chronicle only Cundy and Wolfe are still injured.
McCarthy fit but not being picked and Benson back in training and could be available for next game.

 

Can people remember back to the early days of the spreadsheet & the type of signings we’d make?

Most of our players seemed to be a lot more robust back then.

We need to remember that the biggest attribute a player can have is to be fit for the vast majority of games.

We shouldn’t be forking out substantial sums of money on players who seem to constantly get muscle injuries e.g. Benson.