The thread on Pritchard got me thinking, we really do have a huge rebuild (again) this summer but a huge opportunity to shape our squad to fit our future plans. It's also a banana skin because if we get it wrong we could hamstring ourselves on long contracts for utter shite, like we did with Dong Ren.
Not everyone we sign is going to be aged 20-26 and either a bright prospect or about to hit their prime. We're going to have to sign a couple of shorter-term players. If you exclude youth team players who are yet to start a competitive game for us, assume all loanees return, contracts aren't renewed (I'd give Sunjic a new one) and we don't sign anybody in Jan (we will and I reckon Drameh will be one), it looks like this:
Goalkeeper:
None- Ruddy/Etheridge and I think Jeacock all out of contract
Centre backs:
Sanderson- long term deal
Left backs:
Longelo- not convinced he'll feature/be around in future
Buchanan- mustard
Right backs:
Laird- never fit
Williams- can't get a game for Cheltenham
Central midfielders- all types:
Bielek- fine
Bacuna- love the bastard
James- probably off
Chang- will he recover ok? Probably.
Attacking midfielders- wide and central:
Miyoshi- ace
Dembele- ace
Hall- never fit
Roberts- never fit
Donovan - promising but a kid
Strikers:
None
So you're left with:
Sanderson
Longelo
Buchanan
Laird
Williams
Bielek
Bacuna
James
Chang
Dembele
Roberts
Miyoshi
Donovan
13-14 'first team' players at a push, with no goalkeepers, one centre back, two kids who've been out injured most of the season, another kid who's likely off for big money, Laird and Roberts who are very injury prone and no strikers.
Absolutely massive job this summer. For me we have to sign a couple in January to just give ourselves a head start.
The starting point for me would be:
- Kevin Long another 12 months
- Drameh permanently
- See if Ruddy wants to stay as number 2
- Give Sunjic a new, cheaper contract
Given how hard we find it to sign one striker, I'm not sure how we're going to be able to sign 3 in the same summer.
There's probably some errors in that, contracts taken from Transfermarkt but still, looks a huge job to me.
Hopefully I've done it correct but a helpful graphic
Going to be a busy summer window for us of incomings and outgoings.
So we will probably need:
- 2 x goalkeepers
- 1 X right back
- 3 x centre half
- 2 x central midfielders
- 1 X attacking midfielders
- 3 x striker
13 players. There has to be some contract renewals or a couple this Jan really.
Think one or two may come in this month.
Have we an option on Anderson. If so I’d take that up. He was probably our most consistent player early part of the season.
Mowbray May see Beilik as a better option at centre back.
Long is worth a one year deal as back up and hopefully one of the two promising defensive prospects in the U21 will be pushing. Same with Sunjic the way he’s oplaying maybe 2 year he’s at a good age .
Think we should push the boat out Stansfield if there’s a chance Fulham might let him go. We then need another forward.
Mowbray knows this league inside out there will be plenty of players at other clubs out of contract to choose from.
Add 2 or 3 loans.
I’m not concerned most of our better players are contracted.
First things first though get the points to stay up.
the out of contract lot can all go.....thanks and all the best finding new clubs
the only exception would be Sunjic who has stood out with his performances this season (is it overly cynical to think thats in part because hes playing for a new deal) probably...regardless he deserves to be offered some sort of deal if he keeps it up
NouCampLots of us want Sunjic to stay but does he want to stay? He probably would on his existing terms but I think we could get much better if we are going to stretch to those kind of wages.the out of contract lot can all go.....thanks and all the best finding new clubs
the only exception would be Sunjic who has stood out with his performances this season (is it overly cynical to think thats in part because hes playing for a new deal) probably...regardless he deserves to be offered some sort of deal if he keeps it up
Ruddy, Long, M Roberts have to stay as backup imo.
Sunjic will continue to thrive with players around him, and under a proper manager like Tony. Lock him down for as long as we can. Eff the naysayers.
Hopefully we sign Drameh and Aiwu permanently.
JJ will probably stay.
So, we need:
- First choice keeper, maybe a second backup if none of the kids are up to it
- New backup left back unless TM thinks Longelo is worth coaching
- One, maybe two centre halves as good as or better than Sanderson/Long/Aiwu
- A couple of centre mids in a mold we don’t currently have. GG but better would be nice
- Three bloody good forwards. Hopefully Stansfield back on loan as one of them. We need a Juke replacement and a proper proven goalscorer who can get about the pitch.
That’s the minimum I think.
I don’t think Mayo is too far away from being 2nd keeper given he’s been on the bench a few times now. Although maybe a loan would benefit him more. Would be good to see a few other under 21s go on loan this month to see how close they could be the squad on return.
We’re really missing a leader so that would be first priority, obviously a striker, keeper and a left footed centre half. If we’re gonna stick with Beilik at CDM we need someone quick next to him. Those are the key ones for me, then adding quality/depth when a decent deal can be done.
Of this seasons loans I’d only want Drameh, yet to see what Aiwu offers.
If Sunjic could come down to 10k a week or so I’d take him, and happy to see Ruddy stay as a 2nd. Other than that not fussed on those expiring but would be sad to see Juke go.
BlueSteveNouCampLots of us want Sunjic to stay but does he want to stay? He probably would on his existing terms but I think we could get much better if we are going to stretch to those kind of wages.the out of contract lot can all go.....thanks and all the best finding new clubs
the only exception would be Sunjic who has stood out with his performances this season (is it overly cynical to think thats in part because hes playing for a new deal) probably...regardless he deserves to be offered some sort of deal if he keeps it up
I don't think he's even on that much. It's under 20 p/w I believe.
I heard around £17k a week but that was some time ago so it may have gone up due to appearances/annual increases.
Is that bad for a player who can play 90 minutes every game, 50 games a season? Performing as he is now - I don't think so.
I feel with Sunjic a lot will depend on Mowbray and how he wants the team to play in the future.
Sunjic has done well this season and felt key to Eustace's style alongside Bielik but Mowbray might want a better ball player in there when he is evolving the team to his preferred style.
BlueSteveNouCampLots of us want Sunjic to stay but does he want to stay? He probably would on his existing terms but I think we could get much better if we are going to stretch to those kind of wages.the out of contract lot can all go.....thanks and all the best finding new clubs
the only exception would be Sunjic who has stood out with his performances this season (is it overly cynical to think thats in part because hes playing for a new deal) probably...regardless he deserves to be offered some sort of deal if he keeps it up
Nobody else is going to offer Sunjic the contract he's on now, it's mental.
If he's offered similar money here to elsewhere he may well be happy to stay.