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2015/16 Ins & Outs


Well Up For It!
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Nothing against the players mentioned, but is it possible that we are repeating mistakes here? The transition/rebuilding should have started two or three seasons ago. Our squad core is now another year older and the cracks are becoming more and more obvious. For whatever reason, inept management, laziness, sentiment, we have stuck with "tried and tested" and regressed because of it. If our budget will allow us the luxury of keeping all of these older players on while bringing in the necessary new blood then okay, sign them up, but times are hard and money tight. Thes players will have to be replaced sooner rather than later and that process has to begin sometime.

Good post. I'm not entirely sure if we have regressed but at best we've stood still. Like you say plans should have been put in place several years ago to replace Dads Army. Keith Lasley is now slowing up and struggles to last 90 minutes and he'll be 36 at the start of the new season. Stevie Hammell is 34 and has had a jekyll and hyde season - good on the attack although slowing a bit but poor defensively and has cost us a few goals. No serious attempt has been made to replace him. Francis Angol was meant to be a long term replacement but never quite made it. Straker was a short term emergency signing nothing more; and Joe Chalmers was presumably seen as a longer term replacement but hasn't quite made it. It doesn't surprise me that Stephen McManus might be offered a new deal as both Ian Baraclough and Mark McGhee seem to rate him and he is "only" 33. Faddy? A year older and slower. Scott MacDonald is a no brainer and deserves another deal or take up of his option.

 

At worst the team will finish in a credible 6th position and now is the time to bring in fresh blood, although it ought to have been done a few years ago. Pearo too isn't getting any younger and our engine room will require an overhaul sooner rather than later.

 

Time will tell though which players will be offered new deals and which won't. Ideally, even a successful squad needs about 3/4 new faces a year to keep the team developing and the time to do it is when you're doing well not when you're struggling.

 

We may well require a new goalie unless Craig Samson steps up and the striking department will require additions if Fletcher, Clarkson and possibly Moore move on.

 

Still no word on Ben Hall?

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if we dont punt Lasley and Hammell I really do despair. Las has been miles off everytime Ive seen him this season, he does his usual of turning it on for 1 game but now its the following 7 or 8 games where he is pure gash! We need a younger midfield unit, to keep Las means we need to try play 3 in there to compensate for his shocking lack of pace now

How much have they been offered to stay and who could we get for the equivalent? I assume you must know.
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I just read the interview and he seemed a bit more non-committal than the headline suggested. He's not ruling it out and seems positive about it but at the same time he clearly fancies getting a shot at the Riverside and he's said he'd prefer to stay in England to be closer to his family. Which is fair enough.

 

 

Boro will be in the premier league next season. As much as i like Ripley, i don't see him ready to be an EPL number 1yet.

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Probably not but he's expressed a preference to be nearer his family so if a Championship club is interested and likely to pay more then I don't see him coming back. I'd be happy to see him back which shows how well hes developed as I really wasn't impressed by him at the beginning of the season.

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Boro will be in the premier league next season. As much as i like Ripley, i don't see him ready to be an EPL number 1yet.

Nor do I but I could easily see him being happy to be on Boro's bench, playing in their cup games and being around their first team squad next season.

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