Squad for next season

[valiant_593]

The first two sentences sum your thoughts up. Release a player who is linked with bigger clubs and a six figure transfer fee but keep the enigma that is Dodds.

 

Is linked??

 

Pretty sure he isnt any more.

 

Pope was linked with 1 bigger club in Millwall. And yes your correct the first two sentences do some my thoughts up, hence why I wrote them... Pope has been very poor all season and I think we look far better without him (baring Preston). Im not Dodds's biggest fan but I think he is a decent enough squad player.

[TheSage]

With half the players under contract you can't just go out and swap 20+ players and change everything for the new season.

 

Players like Pope and Dodds will hopefully stay because they have something to offer. There are many worse players in the squad than those two!

 

What we need is that extra bit of quality in all three areas of the pitch. It would make a massive difference. Class players help those around them to improve too. A good centre half and full back, an enegetic box to box midfielder, and a nippy striker up front, would improve the team enormously. But those 3-4 players would cost money and don't grow on trees, although the likes of Grigg and Bradshaw didn't cost fees, just wages.

 

As I said a few days ago, to economise and try and be careful with money, I'd have a smaller squad of say 18 players, boosted by 3-4 loan players, but loan players who could make a difference not youngsters who are here for the ride (like Luer).

 

Next year, we need quality not quantity.

[PV1993]

If you look at Bristol City, they had a relatively small squad that was full of quality. We need to do this and supplement the team with Young Premier League talent.

 

However, you can't get rid of the whole team, unfortunately. Not only are half under contract, but completely rebuilding wouldn't do the team any good with regards to gelling together and the morale etc. The only time I think rebuilding completely is necessary is when a team gets relegated. If you look at the teams that went down last year, only Shrewsbury have had a fully great season - and they were the team that had a complete overhaul of their squad. You could argue Stevenage have done well too but it's only a late run of form that has lead them to where they are.

 

Therefore, from the players out of contract I would:

 

Keep - Brown, Dodds, O'Connor, Pope, Veseli, Marshall, Johnson, Smith, Lloyd, Boot

 

Release - Birchall, Mohammed, Nimely, Robertson, Yates, Williamson

 

I'd look to loan the young players out straight away - Johnson, Smith, Lloyd, Boot, Deen Conteh, Andoh, and any other player that gets promoted from the youth this season. Send them on 6 month/1 year loans to conference sides and see what they can do. If we're not going to do that, or we're not going to seriously look to play them ourselves, then what's the point?

 

After loaning these players out, this should take our squad total to 14.

 

Then I'd suggest getting 4 quality signings in:

- A commanding centre half

- A right sided full back

- A defensive/holding midfielder

- A striker

 

Then get young premier league loans to double up on all positions.

[Rampant Zebra]

Sounds like a plan!

[bookworm]

lets see which division we will be in next season before talking about squads and size of them because that will give the club some idea of who to keep and who to bounce.

[SourceOfTheTrent]

If you look at Bristol City, they had a relatively small squad that was full of quality. We need to do this and supplement the team with Young Premier League talent.

 

However, you can't get rid of the whole team, unfortunately. Not only are half under contract, but completely rebuilding wouldn't do the team any good with regards to gelling together and the morale etc. The only time I think rebuilding completely is necessary is when a team gets relegated. If you look at the teams that went down last year, only Shrewsbury have had a fully great season - and they were the team that had a complete overhaul of their squad. You could argue Stevenage have done well too but it's only a late run of form that has lead them to where they are.

 

Therefore, from the players out of contract I would:

 

Keep - Brown, Dodds, O'Connor, Pope, Veseli, Marshall, Johnson, Smith, Lloyd, Boot

 

Release - Birchall, Mohammed, Nimely, Robertson, Yates, Williamson

 

I'd look to loan the young players out straight away - Johnson, Smith, Lloyd, Boot, Deen Conteh, Andoh, and any other player that gets promoted from the youth this season. Send them on 6 month/1 year loans to conference sides and see what they can do. If we're not going to do that, or we're not going to seriously look to play them ourselves, then what's the point?

 

After loaning these players out, this should take our squad total to 14.

 

Then I'd suggest getting 4 quality signings in:

- A commanding centre half

- A right sided full back

- A defensive/holding midfielder

- A striker

 

Then get young premier league loans to double up on all positions.

 

That's the best post I've seen as regards this topic BUT I also agree with bookwork that we should wait until we know exactly which division we'll be playing in before making calls on the squad members.

[Black and white]

If Page, Dodds, Birchall or Yates are here next season we are seriously f****d! I won't be renewing my season ticket either and if Smurf wants to no why me and others aren't then it's because I ain't paying good money to watch awful football run by a muppet watching the same old useless faces getting paid for being s***

[werstayinup]

If Page, Dodds, Birchall or Yates are here next season we are seriously f****d! I won't be renewing my season ticket either and if Smurf wants to no why me and others aren't then it's because I ain't paying good money to watch awful football run by a muppet watching the same old useless faces getting paid for being s***

 

Yates is hopeful of agreeing a deal to stay at Vale after initial talks(tbh i think Yates is a decent full back to keep as back up),also says that initial talks have taken place with other players too

[Howjy04]

Yates is hopeful of agreeing a deal to stay at Vale after initial talks(tbh i think Yates is a decent full back to keep as back up),also says that initial talks have taken place with other players too

 

Smurf will probably give him a slap for revealing that Karl.

[Rampant Zebra]

Let's hope it doesn't discourage the players who haven't had initial talks yet, if there are any.

[The Kalamazoo Kid]

Yates is hopeful of agreeing a deal to stay at Vale after initial talks

 

Utterly ridiculous that talks have been held about renewing Yates' contract - have we got no intention of improving quality in the squad and getting rid of poor/mediocre players, or is it all about cheapness?!

 

We've already got 6-7 players under contract for next season that are arguably only good enough as reserves/backup (with 2-3 of them 'chancers' that may or may not come off), so why the hell are we talking about keeping more players that are blatantly not good enough to be first-team regulars?

[valiant_593]

Utterly ridiculous that talks have been held about renewing Yates' contract - have we got no intention of improving quality in the squad and getting rid of poor/mediocre players, or is it all about cheapness?!

 

We've already got 6-7 players under contract for next season that are arguably only good enough as reserves/backup (with 2-3 of them 'chancers' that may or may not come off), so why the hell are we talking about keeping more players that are blatantly not good enough to be first-team regulars?

 

I agree, said it all season that Yates isnt good enough, if we want to progress players like Yates need moving on.

[andy jones]

Yates is not the problem...

 

Take a look a the goals conceded crosses from our left will be top of the list.

[bookworm]

I wonder how a back 4 of

 

........VESELI............INNIS........STREETE........DEEN-CONTEH would do next season

 

that sounds mighty fine but add Collins into the mix/

[andy jones]

A strike force of Pope and Le Fondre would sell some STs