The summer transfer period...

He said so either on Dee Dah or

in the press, can't remember which.

 

On Radio Sheff, last Thurs

he stated that he'd given the board a list of players he wanted to keep and those he wanted to bring in, and it was in the hand of the board basically. some agents have already been contacted, or at least he intimated that. but as always, it'll depend on what league we are in next time.

if we're shrewd, I would hope we've identified the players that we want regardless of promotion eg McPhail, and are making them offers to sign early.

 

In all honesty..

I can't see McPhail being here next season, mainly because of wages. He has played some of his best football in a Barnsley shirt recently, all he needs to do now is bang a few goals in and we'd have a match winner.

That said, I get the impression that he was touted round big style by his agent last summer and no-one wanted him, and hey presto he was happy to stay a Oakwell.

I'd expect a number of players to move on, eg the agent talk has already started re Colgan,linked in papers with Huddersfield recently.

I'd certainly go for experience in the summer..add a couple of winners to our younger players and we might have a good chance of either stopping up or going up.

The question is, will Ritchie sign experienced players, or does he really "only want to coach kids"?

 

Cant see them moving North

for similar wages. we're better off looking at local sides, that have either got promoted or relegated and are restructuring their squads. Blunts, Sunderland and Leeds all have large squads of experienced quality players that would improve us greatly.

our Academy production line has been nothing short of disasterous.

 

Fletcher is not a regular in AFC Bournmouth's side. Hayter didn't look special against us. As for going for Dyer.........

 

One player

of value in what seven years.

Fully Expect Flinders to leave in the summer for say 250k

 

I think if we make the playoffs

but dont get promoted, it could turn out to be worse than missing out altogether, cos the 'over achievement' line can be used for perhaps another season. if we miss out this time, I should imagine Ritchies target for next season will very much be playoffs at least. and he'll have learnt enough, I'd hope, from the points we've lost down to missed chances or lack of experience.

his mate Windass still has a promotion in him I reck. I'm prepared to bet good money he's one of the names on the list.

 

Nick Montgomery

Blunts always moaning about him, would he be good enough for us?

 

Maybe so...

not sure that "over achieved" will wash for much longer with the masses and neither will "flirt with the championship"

Excellent chance this season and I hope we do it. The division is bound to be different next season and if we don't go up we need to be ready

 

Best deal for us

would be sell him to highest bidder and loan him back for the season. although I should imagine they will want him to do more than warm the bench.

The Academy has been an unmitigated disaster. commercially unviable for a League 1 club. time to close the doors once and for all.

 

Yes.

 

If that happened..

selling him off and loaning him back, he would have to be number one choice,surely.

As for closing the Academy, I just wonder what the costs are these days and what we would save by downgrading. It seems to me that lots of clubs have "academies" these days, be they up to our standards or not.

Lack of investment and proper coaches have fecked the Academy from the original vision. It's quite telling that the only position we have a specilaist for (to my knowledge) has produced a lad with the potential to go to the top.

By the way, the start of the previous sentence is not a slight on Mr Shepherd and Mr Cryne. The Academy has been the biggest indicator of the club's demise.

 

Will they want him int premiership?

 

Don't know..

seen him play a couple of times and he's been okay, nowt special but perhaps not quick enough for Prem

 

Don't know..

seen him play a couple of times and he's been okay, nowt special but perhaps not quick enough for Prem

 

Isnt Flinders only still at the club due to an injury to Turnbull

If Turnbull hadnt got injured Flinders would never have seen the light of day and would no longer be at the club.

 

Not sure...

says a lot for the "best developer of young talent in the country"

twit