With our back 3 being so poor ...

I wish we could recall shepherd and lopata.
Surely they can't be any worse than our current defenders

 

At least in the summer Shepherd will be like a new signing, that’s if we don’t sell him.

 

I love this structure of signing players. They're immediately scapegoated, sent out on loan. They come back, do well and "think f cuk Barnsley I've been treat like rubbish I'll run my contract down and collect a signing on fee".

 

I suspect there is a decent amount of truth in that, probably even more so if they return after loan and its another new coach with different ideas and they aren't getting as much game time as they'd like.

I think one of the biggest shifts in recruitment mindset needs to be that any signing should be to make the first team better now, not hopefully in 2 or 3 seasons time, when that player probably won't be here anyway.

 

Could see Bradford definitely making a bid for him, especially if they go up.

 

There's definitely that to factor in.

 

Surely that just comes down to man management?
If the player understands it’s for his benefit to go out on loan he wouldn’t think like that.

 

Shepherd been playing in the middle of the 3 lately and been getting rave reviews. So if he comes back as the main centre half and mdg on the right, we sticking with Earl on the left? Or put Shepherd on the left and get another year out of Roberts?

 

When a player signs a contract they do so with the intention of playing for said club. More so if they signed from another club.

 

Shepherd can head a ball. Donny don't.

 

And he still can but by sending him out on loan it can speed his progress into the first team.
Like I said all about man management big difference between “m8 Ronaldo is currently in your position, I want you to go out and play regular so you can challenge him next season” and “ you’re not wanted so I’m sending you away”.

 

With the club talking about free agents, ought to have brought this lad in for a trial.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/charlie-wiggett/profil/spieler/586832

Former Newcastle under 23's. When you look at his stats they look half decent in for a centre half in terms of netting a few goals. I know it was only in the Premier League 2 setup but no harm in taking a look.

 

If/when Bradford come up of course he will want to sign for them. He’s worked under Clarke at Cheltenham and he didn’t play him and was happy for him to go down to league 2 so he clearly doesn’t rate him all that much and if I was shepherd I would go somewhere that he’s appreciated and not seen as ready or good enough.