Our retained list

expect it to be revealed sometime next week as it has to be submitted by May 18th.

 

Great how we can do it year in, year out. Without the input of a Head Coach.

 

According to Doug O'Kane it could be as early as today.

 

It will have been decided this week. Players will know. So unless the club want it leaked as a means of communication i would expect them to want it out asap.

 

It will have been on going for weeks even months.

 

That's quite efficient.

 

Both player and club will have had an idea of what is going to happen for a while. The majority of us could probably have a good guess at it.

No doubt some comment on Williams, Kane, Cole and Cadden all being offered new contracts but ‘evaluating their options’. Cundy and Wolfe released. Marsh, Ackroyd and Killip having their optional year extensions taken up.

 

The list will already be done.

Replacements will be identified for most positions already - and talks will have been held with potential players already. Some transfers take a year to do for the right player making sure we’re in pole position when the right circumstances happen.

That’s how professional clubs are run - of which we are. We employ a lot of people whose remit this is. I know the club get hammered at times (and rightly so), but we’re not as slack as people think, and there’s talented back room staff at the club.

With the DOF and CEO in place, as well as a highly regarded Secretary, we’re in a strong position going forward. But these things take time to bear fruit. Same in any company - some things can change quickly, some things take longer.

 

This all sounds very complimentary and one would expect this is how things are run.
Then there's Thalhammer.

 

Thalhammer made complete sense - short term. His record for turning things round quickly can be seen. Long term not so much.

The club would have known, and probably appealed/failed for work permit, so moved on. It was the media and the man himself who commented, only the club knows the facts.

 

Heard yesterday Ackroyd got released so not sure how true that is

 

The fringe players from the academy will almost certainly have been told who is staying and who is released as early as possible to help them find new clubs. To make way for others coming through. Sadly most will not within the full time professional structures.

The head coach will have little say. Here or not. But if here would accept the advice of the coaches. It was same in respect of managers. Nothing new really.

Frightening statistics.

So many talented players are being given false hope of becoming a professional football player. only 0,012% of them succeed in 21st century.

Premier League reveal 97% of players who come through top academies never play a minute of top-flight football
EXCLUSIVE
The analysis shows that 70% are not even handed a professional contract at a Premier League or English Football League club

 

Ackroyd been released

 

I was speaking to the dad of a player just released by Pompey last week, he said the academies need 7 players in a team for each player they think might make it, so a squad of 14 to possibly make 2 players. That’s in a good year intake too.

These 2 are usually identified early and the other 12 players …. the club usually know from the age of 14 who is going to make it

 

Sounds about right. Had loads of school friends who were on the books of various clubs. The furthest anyone ever got out of our peers was two substitute appearances for Mansfield.

Paul Holland (Mansfield, Chesterfield, Sheffield United) went to my school but was a few years older. Before that, you have to go back as far as Mark Wallington for anyone who made it in the professional game. It's a tough, tough world.

 

Good luck to em all,

 

Don’t they get a lot wrong though?

Wasn’t Brad Kilburn more highly thought of than Stones at a young age. I remember him having premier league interest.

 

I understand Doris the tea lady has signed a new contract!

 

Is that a fact? if so a little unfair to reveal that before the official list comes out.

 

Thats probably, inly how the fans will get to know, because the board, ceo or whatever else they are called just don't seem to want to let the fans know anything