Asked Kitching to wait while Jan. Brought in experienced league 1 defenders, rather thsn a lad from Ponte Colliers.There were options
Football doesn't work like that if kitch gets injury or his form dipped cov won't pay it. We should have recruited better simple as
Fair point, but we still didn't bring in sufficient quality last summer in defensive positions to replace what we were losing. Up front also, too much of a scattergun approach, hoping they'll work out (with saleability in mind no doubt).
Seems to me there's been an ongoing reduction in the quality of the squad over a number of years. I fear we are "re-tooling" as a permanent 3rd division side. A function of using player sales to cover operating costs rather than seriously re-invest. Only so many undiscovered diamonds out there available for a relative pittance. And we are not the only club looking for them.
This. We have a massive rebuilding job to do, but we do have a core of good players on the books. The next managerial appointment & summer signings are crucial. We have had one of the best squads in L1 since relegation, but there will now be a massive rebuilding job. If we don't get it right we are a L1 / L2 team potentially.
Can’t remember TBH, but I believe my point remains we shouldn’t be in a situation where we are ‘panic buying’ as players left. There should be a continual pipeline with strategic additions to compliment.
I agree we didn’t last summer but that was as a result of not doing previous years. We shouldn’t be needing to ‘panic buy’ our replacements should already be here and whilst it’s not realistic to have perfect replacements for Mads etc the people coming in should be L1 ready or very nearly..
1 reason. The Defence. Individuals not good enough, certainly before the transfer window but also after. Sometimes the sum of its parts are better that the component pieces but sadly our defence didn’t manage that either.
I do agree we should be planning ahead like that, however, it won't always work out as intended. We have bought CBs in previous summers, but they've either proved not good enough or have been injured. So last summer when it was apparent we were losing all or quality from those positions we should have looked to replace there and then with some proven quality. Not to say we should have spent a few million on one, but we certainly should have brought replacements in that were proven at our level.
Hmmmm, I partially agree. But I'd add that the style of play Collins' team played heavily influenced fans view of him. Imo the passing back and forth across the back line was boring to watch and out of character with the DNA of the club and the town. For as long as I can remember Barnsley teams have worked hard, tried to get on the front foot and 'have a go' at the opposition - at it's most extreme under Ismael and perhaps to a slightly lesser extent Michael Duff. I know the team this year scored a lot of goals but I think in contrast it appeared less aggressive / ambitious. Then add in a lack of physical stature and strength and pace at the back which led to us conceding so many poor goals and fans became more and more disillusioned. I was right behind him at first but became increasingly frustrated by the style of play. I didn't want him to be sacked as a) I thought he deserved another transfer window to address some of the weaknesses in the squad and b) we're desperate for some continuity, but I understand why there was so much negative sentiment.
If the club has hung on to Helik, Pinnock, Moore, Morris, Chaplin, Isted, Big Val, Mowatt etc we’d be looking down at a few clubs in the championship. we’d be skint, well in debt but hey we’d be happy.
And by first few games you mean first game. **** marking in his second game giving a goal away, and his third, and gifted two goals to Wycombe away from home. And that was all in his first month of joining us. He had one great game on his debut but has been absolutely **** ever since.
As I've said in this thread the recruitment was poor MDG, Shepherd mccart, lopata not good enough but a club like ours gets offered 5 million for a defender who wouldn't be in the top 20 defenders I've seen at oakwell we have to sell.