Michael Wimmer Discussion Thread

[Spiderpig]

9 minutes ago, El Grew said:

Sorry Kmcalpin but I have to disagree with you on that point. Our first team squad of 32 players is way too big and needs to be culled. We’ve got 10 players on loan so once they return to their parent clubs the squad size reduces to 22. Then I would offer up the following 9 players as dead wood that needs to be gotten rid of: O’Donnell, Seddon, Blaney, Zadrovski, Halliday, Callachan, Paton, Nicholson and Robinson so that reduces the squad size down to 13 which is obviously too small. I believe our first team squad size should be 18 and that we add quality and not quantity to get there.

In theory you need cover for every position and a bit of extra leeway so as a minimum a squad size of at least 22 should be the starting point.

The main problem we have is whoever takes over from MW has not seen us play, formed their opinion of do we currently have the players to play whatever style of football they prefer etc so recruitment is difficult.

That's why we need a new manager in ASAP, and I suspect it will be a rebuild over the summer and winter transfer windows to get anywhere near a settled team.

[wellfan]

5 minutes ago, Spiderpig said:

In theory you need cover for every position and a bit of extra leeway so as a minimum a squad size of at least 22 should be the starting point.

The main problem we have is whoever takes over from MW has not seen us play, formed their opinion of do we currently have the players to play whatever style of football they prefer etc so recruitment is difficult.

That's why we need a new manager in ASAP, and I suspect it will be a rebuild over the summer and winter transfer windows to get anywhere near a settled team.

To negate the need for a huge squad, we should probably start to sign utility players who can cover multiple positions. Eg. Jordan McGhee. And then focus on signing quality over quantity, with a sprinkling of youth players as extra cover. You’re right that it’ll take (at least) two transfer windows to sort this squad out.

Some updates from the club on the managerial and squad situations next week would be welcome. 

[Kmcalpin]

1 hour ago, El Grew said:

Sorry Kmcalpin but I have to disagree with you on that point. Our first team squad of 32 players is way too big and needs to be culled. We’ve got 10 players on loan so once they return to their parent clubs the squad size reduces to 22. Then I would offer up the following 9 players as dead wood that needs to be gotten rid of: O’Donnell, Seddon, Blaney, Zadrovski, Halliday, Callachan, Paton, Nicholson and Robinson so that reduces the squad size down to 13 which is obviously too small. I believe our first team squad size should be 18 and that we add quality and not quantity to get there.

We're not that far apart in reality. 100% the squad need serious pruning down to an overall size of 22/23 or thereabouts, with an emphasis on quality over quantity.  Although we haven't heard officially yet, the likes of Callachan, Paton, Blaney, Zadrowski and maybe Seddon will be off most likely before the new man comes in, as contracts expire on 30 June I believe. Return of loanees to parent clubs will account for a fair proportion of the cull. Like it or not, we won't cut loose injured players like Robinson and Nicholson just yet although I agree long term.  That then leaves O'Donnell and Halliday from your hit list. We do need some continuity and experience going forward, but the former's deal was signed quite some time ago. The new man will want to assess his squad first and will have time to do that before the window closes. It might well be that he wants to move on 1 or 2 players fairly quickly.

One aspect I'm uncertain about though is progression young players. In theory I'm 100% behind this but they have to be good enough to make the step up and I simply don't know the youth squad well enough to form any opinion.

[El Grew]

16 minutes ago, Kmcalpin said:

We're not that far apart in reality. 100% the squad need serious pruning down to an overall size of 22/23 or thereabouts, with an emphasis on quality over quantity.  Although we haven't heard officially yet, the likes of Callachan, Paton, Blaney, Zadrowski and maybe Seddon will be off most likely before the new man comes in, as contracts expire on 30 June I believe. Return of loanees to parent clubs will account for a fair proportion of the cull. Like it or not, we won't cut loose injured players like Robinson and Nicholson just yet although I agree long term.  That then leaves O'Donnell and Halliday from your hit list. We do need some continuity and experience going forward, but the former's deal was signed quite some time ago. The new man will want to assess his squad first and will have time to do that before the window closes. It might well be that he wants to move on 1 or 2 players fairly quickly.

One aspect I'm uncertain about though is progression young players. In theory I'm 100% behind this but they have to be good enough to make the step up and I simply don't know the youth squad well enough to form any opinion.

Good debating this with you, and yes I don’t think we’re miles apart on where we’d like to be with our 1st team squad.

[fizoxy]

6 hours ago, El Grew said:

Sorry Kmcalpin but I have to disagree with you on that point. Our first team squad of 32 players is way too big and needs to be culled. We’ve got 10 players on loan so once they return to their parent clubs the squad size reduces to 22. Then I would offer up the following 9 players as dead wood that needs to be gotten rid of: O’Donnell, Seddon, Blaney, Zadrovski, Halliday, Callachan, Paton, Nicholson and Robinson so that reduces the squad size down to 13 which is obviously too small. I believe our first team squad size should be 18 and that we add quality and not quantity to get there.

Seddon, blaney, callachan, paton, and davor are out of contract, so not much work to do there, and based on their lack of minutes in the last few months, Seddon is the only one we look remotely like wanting to keep around..

SOD and halliday just signed contracts, so that's not happening regardless of how shite some folk think they are. We'd have to pay them off as well as pay their replacements. 

Robinson and Nicholson both have a year on their contracts and are injured (on our watch). No one in their right minds would take a payoff any less than what they're owed when they are not fit enough to secure another gig any time soon, as well as losing the rehab facilities they currently have. This isn't the same as giving an OOC injured guy a short deal to do right by them, they're our players.

I know the inclination is to always go for shiny new players, bit I can absolutely guarantee that a proportion of the group we sign this year will be next year's "dead wood".

We need a squad, and just like any other football squad, there is a drop from the nailed on starters to the squad players. In an ideal season everyone stays fit and you don't have to use the second (or third) string as much.