2024/25 Ins & Outs Discussion

[David]

Oxborough signing with us again so soon tells me he's been told he'll have a good chance of being the new number 1. Otherwise, why not wait and see what else is out there? I doubt he'd sign to be our number 2 again.

[FirParkCornerExile]

4 minutes ago, Kmcalpin said:

Some strange decisions.

If Oxborough wasn't deemed good enough to step in when Kelly was in poor form, why has he been offered a new deal? Will he be back up or No 1? Matty Connelly? Where does he stand? Will he be back up or be No 3 at his age?

I really don't get why Bevis has been offered a new deal and Callum Butcher? Maybe it was to help the latter to recover from injury? Callum Slattery offered a deal to do thr right thing by him?  Presumably Ross Tierney won't be in SK's plans?

No mention at all of the invisible man, aka Jon Obika.

Overall though I'm gobsmacked at the loyalty shown to our defence after a very poor season. I assumed that was in line for a major overhaul. Was it all Liam Kelly's fault after all!

Some answers but more questions!

as someone mentioned on twitter we offered contracts to nearly every defender that could only muster 3 clean sheets all season. Thats a worry for me.

[FirParkCornerExile]

1 minute ago, wellgirl said:

Was pretty well known to be fair that McGinn had been offered new terms - and some fans do rate him. 

i have no objection to McGinn im pleased hes signed, it its all the rest 

[David]

1 minute ago, wellgirl said:

As regards Ox I suppose if you are offered decent terms you'll take them - whether you are back up or not. Potentially he's not had any better offers.

His last contract hadn't even expired, so I'm not sure how many offers he'll have gotten as yet. I would have to believe that if the club had made it clear to him that they didn't fancy him as a number 1, as was evidenced by his not getting a look-in since he joined us two years ago, he'd have surely wanted to explore his options this summer.

At the very least he'd likely have gotten a backup deal at a team closer to home down south.

This tells me that he's possibly been told that there's a good chance he'll be our number one next season. That's the only reason I can think of why he'd sign a new deal so quickly.

[FirParkCornerExile]

1 minute ago, wellgirl said:

Hopefully we'll have some new signings in the mix as well so that folk have competition for places. 

if everyone offered has resigned the big reset / rebuild wouldnt be on , SK would be happy to go again with pretty much the same squad which I find baffling. . 

[FirParkCornerExile]

1 minute ago, wellgirl said:

I would hope not tbh. Caldwell said the other day a number of offers have been made to players who don't play for us. 

yeah but these offers may be made on the basis that SK wasnt able to keep all the ones he made offers to stay.

[David]

So, basically, if the players who have been offered new deals decide to stay on, our squad before we sign anyone new or potentially sell anyone will be:

Aston Oxborough

Matty Connelly

Stephen O’Donnell

Bevis Mugabi

Paul McGinn

Dan Casey

Shane Blaney

Callum Slattery

Sam Nicholson

Andy Halliday

Harry Paton

Ross Tierney

Davor Zdravkovksi

Lennon Miller

Theo Bair

Moses Ebiye

[wellfan]

Kettlewell is a fucking idiot. He's clearly not learned anything from this past season. 

[David]

1 minute ago, wellfan said:

Kettlewell is a fucking idiot. He's clearly not learned anything from this past season. 

I wouldn't be 100% sure that the contract situation is all down to Kettlewell. It's rare in this day and age that football managers or coaches are the ones who make the sole decision on player retention, contract offers and so on. 

It's never really been clarified how much final say Kettlewell has on the player retention or recruitment side of things. There's a CEO involved now, and obviously a Head of Recruitment Operations. 

I doubt both of them will be sitting on their hands while Kettlewell goes around handing out new deals and sanctioning budget spending.

[grizzlyg]

29 minutes ago, wellgirl said:

That's a bit too close to home pal 

Whoops!! Sorry 

[Mad Dog]

If The Ox is up to the task then I'm more than happy for him to have a shot at being first choice with a young understudy. Having two goalies on a high wage is a waste in my opinion.

[steelman1991]

Knew I should have delayed my season ticket renewal for another day - Mugabi offered a new deal 🤬.

[joewarkfanclub]

35 minutes ago, David said:

I wouldn't be 100% sure that the contract situation is all down to Kettlewell. It's rare in this day and age that football managers or coaches are the ones who make the sole decision on player retention, contract offers and so on. 

It's never really been clarified how much final say Kettlewell has on the player retention or recruitment side of things. There's a CEO involved now, and obviously a Head of Recruitment Operations. 

I doubt both of them will be sitting on their hands while Kettlewell goes around handing out new deals and sanctioning budget spending.

Not sure what your point is here.

Surely nobody has been offered a new contract if SK doesnt rate them and wants to move them on?

We are talking here about players that have been offered new contracts.

Id agree with you that the CEO may not sifn off on a player if SK wanted them but their terms were unreasonable.....

[Kmcalpin]

9 minutes ago, joewarkfanclub said:

Not sure what your point is here.

Surely nobody has been offered a new contract if SK doesnt rate them and wants to move them on?

We are talking here about players that have been offered new contracts.

Id agree with you that the CEO may not sifn off on a player if SK wanted them but their terms were unreasonable.....

Agreed. Of course the Head of Recruitment will have a role, but he'll have been working to SK's instructions. Likewise, the CEO will have a technical role in setting the overall budget and checking contract details to ensure they're in line with the club's best interest. However neither should be interfering  as such, in SK's team building plans or player recruitment. 

[steelboy]

Now it's confirmed we are wasting tens of thousands if not a 6 figure sum on Andy Halliday anyone at the club or Society who give us any pish about low budgets or shortfalls should be tar and feathered.

It's actually funny that they are too feart to announce that they will still be paying Obika next season.

McGinn is absolutely done, the idea that he might be here for another two years is mental. Kettlewell is actually thick enough to start with the exact same defence that only kept 3 clean sheets in 41 games. This season he got the good will from his initial KVV led turnaround. That's well and truly gone and if we keep the same shitty form with no Livingston there as a cushion we need to get shot of him at the first opportunity.

 

 

[Mootherwell86]

I think I’ll spontaneously combust if Mugabi signs that contract. 

[weeyin]

26 minutes ago, steelboy said:

Kettlewell is actually thick enough to start with the exact same defence that only kept 3 clean sheets in 41 games.

Even if you ignore the fact that Gent returned to his club and Butcher is gone, even you must have noticed Kelly is moving on - the only man to have started in defence 100% of those games.

I also wouldn't be suprised to see Blaney or Casey move on over summer. Under contract today doesn't mean they won't be punted tomorrow.

 

 

 

[texanwellfan]

I’m ok with SK signing most of the defence again as he knows them well, but of course, he needs to sign upgraded new players that will be first choice. We need a squad of players not just a first team. Going to be hard enough finding 1 upgraded replacement for each position. So at least keeping current players on board he has a group of players that he knows exactly how they can perform and also they know exactly how SK works

[texanwellfan]

Mugabi is a difficult one. Had some great games and some terrible games. Played in some specific roles, with specific tasks he can do well and perhaps he can excel with the right players around him. So I’m not really fussed either way should he stay or go

[David]

59 minutes ago, joewarkfanclub said:

Not sure what your point is here.

My point is that this isn't solely Kettlewell's decision. While he'll have a say, the decision will be a collaborative one, taking into account the opinions of everyone I mentioned. Various factors will be considered, such as the availability of alternatives for that position this summer, the budget, and the costs associated with bringing in someone new compared to keeping someone familiar with the club who the manager believes can improve with different personnel around him.

Therefore, calling Kettlewell "a fucking idiot" is unfair, as the final decision won't rest on him alone.

[santheman]

If its a choice between Mugabi or Obiley as has been rumoured then Big Bevis gets my vote.

[Mootherwell86]

1 minute ago, santheman said:

If its a choice between Mugabi or Obiley as has been rumoured then Big Bevis gets my vote.

Alternatively, don’t sign either. 

[grizzlyg]

37 minutes ago, steelboy said:

Now it's confirmed we are wasting tens of thousands if not a 6 figure sum on Andy Halliday anyone at the club or Society who give us any pish about low budgets or shortfalls should be tar and feathered.

It's actually funny that they are too feart to announce that they will still be paying Obika next season.

McGinn is absolutely done, the idea that he might be here for another two years is mental. Kettlewell is actually thick enough to start with the exact same defence that only kept 3 clean sheets in 41 games. This season he got the good will from his initial KVV led turnaround. That's well and truly gone and if we keep the same shitty form with no Livingston there as a cushion we need to get shot of him at the first opportunity.

 

 

I wouldn't say McGinn was done, been one of our most consistent performers. Still got a role to play. 

As for Halliday, you don't like him, we get it.   I am not convinced either but let's see how next season pans out

[dennyc]

1 minute ago, weeyin said:

Even if you ignore the fact that Gent returned to his club and Butcher is gone, even you must have noticed Kelly is moving on - the only man to have started in defence 100% of those games.

 

 

 

Perhaps he is alluding to the fact that the entire defence of last season were good enough to be retained as far as SK is concerned.  Kelly, Butcher, McGinn, Mugabi, SOD and Oxborough offered new contracts, Gent retained on loan and Casey and Blaney under contract. Matchday threads would suggest that not many would agree with Kettlewell.

Unusual as it is for me agree with Steelboy , that does suggest our Manager was happy with their contribution last season. I find that concerning. I took that to be the point that was being made. Even as back up I would question the merits of retaining several of that list.

As a fan, do you think our defence was anywhere near good enough last season? And would you have been happy to continue with all of those players?

 

[Kmcalpin]

28 minutes ago, dennyc said:

Unusual as it is for me agree with Steelboy , that does suggest our Manager was happy with their contribution last season. I find that concerning. I took that to be the point that was being made. Even as back up I would question the merits of retaining several of that list.

Good point. Most of us would agree that our defence was poor last season. That also involves the midfield but we'll leave that aside for the time being. SK also commented about this weakness  so he knew about it. Presumably coaching was not successful in improving our rearguard. That being the case, I simply cannot comprehend why the defence is being left pretty much as is. The only reasonable explanation I can come up with is the one which Weeyin has proposed; that is some defenders, currently under contract will be shipped out. 

Quite simply  I'm scratching my head.