TrueBlueArmy Forums

According to today's News we have 17 players out of contract.  

My opinion on each of them is .... 

Raggett - do all you can to keep, but it will be hard to do with Championship interest
Williams - release, this was always going to be a one year swansong
Thompson - I'd give him a one year contract with an extension based on fitness
Harness - I'd cash in to fund new signings 
Jacobs - I'd keep him if he can be persuaded to stay
Hackett - I'd let him go, at least on loan for a season, he's not good enough yet
Downing - release
Johnson - assume he will want to stay up north so let him go 
Reid - keep to give him the chance he missed this season
Mingi - release (looks like he was only given a contract to sort out a legal wrangle)
O'Brien - depends how he does
Webber - keep as number 2
Bazanu - no point pretending he'll stay
Carter - must be a chance of signing him permanently and I would if he keeps up early promise
Romeo - can't see him being in our price range, but maybe another year's loan ?
Walker - was rumoured to be loan with a view to sign, on past form yes but not on what he has shown so far 
Hirst - send him back, not good enough. 

This means the only players not out of contract are Bass, Freeman, Robertson, Mnoga, Ogilvie, Vincent, Hume, Morrell, Tunnicliffe & Curtis. So a massive rebuild needed in the summer, even bigger than last year.

If a massive rebuild is needed. Hopefully it will be another manager doing it backed finacially by the owners. The Cowleys have managed to take us backwards albeit without significant backing from the owners. Aside from arguably Morrell they haven't made a single permanent signing which is an improvement on what we had last season.

Out of that lot I’d only keep Raggett , Webber and Jacobs ( though I doubt Jacobs would want to stay). The others on short term contracts I’d wait until the end of season. I’d also offer Curtis to other clubs.

Although a massive rebuild will happen in the summer. I bet at least 5 or 6 of those we need will be loanees. So no real advancement in team building/ morale or long term bonding with the fans

(03-02-2022, 04:11 PM)bluetagagain Wrote: [ -> ]Although a massive rebuild will happen in the summer. I bet at least  5 or 6 of those we need will be loanees. So no real advancement in team building/ morale or long term bonding with the fans

I don't see anything wrong with short term bonding with the fans if the loan players are good enough. I'd say Bazanu  has achieved that status, and in years past  Ben Thompson & Matt Clarke did the same. 

I'd also argue that the fans have bonded more with Romeo on a one year loan than they have with Williams on a one year permanent contract.  Being on loan is not necessarily a problem at all.

It is a problem if half your starting XI are loans. How are you supposed to build for the future with SEVENTEEN players out of contract? Especially when the idiots making the decisions don't seem to want to keep the good ones either.

We are fucked in terms of being competitive this season and next.

It's been said before, but if we have any young players of our own, might as well chuck them in and give them a chance. Borrowed mediocrity isn't ok.

if we are fixated on wingbacks then all three wingers might as well go as all we are doing with them is playing them out of position. Never mind that they are three of our best players, another modern manager who only wants the yes men that he signed himself.