With January transfer window fast approaching, who will be getting there marching orders?. what areas do we need strengthening?
Me personally:
Outgoing
Gary liddle - release
Rory Holden - Return Bristol
Rory Gaffney - Return Salford
Elijah Adebayo - send out on loan
Cameron Norman - send out on loan
Danny Guthrie - Terminate contract
Incoming
1 X premier league/ Championship team youth striker loan.
1 X Danny rowe type striker Permanent
2 X wingers 1 loan 1 Permanent
1 X Right back loan
1 X creative midfielder loan.
I thnk you’ll be disappointed, personally speaking.
Out of those you’ve listed I can only see Gaffney getting sent back, and even then it’s not clear cut because DC loves him ffs!
Liddle will stay as backup
Holden will continue to play because of his assits column (similar to Leahy last season IMO)
Adebayo - Backup to Gordon / Lavery
Norman - Backup to Facey
Guthrie - No point releasing - I imagine he’s on a decent wedge and wouldn’t imagine he would terminate without being paid. May as well carry on until the end of the season if that’s the case and utilise him for whatever amount of game time he’s capable of unitl then.
We won’t be an attractive prospect to most players either, even those youth kids in the Prem / Championship Those days are long gone, unfortunately
If DC and LP are to get the fans back on side, they need to be ruthless this window, so fingers crossed it’s a busy one, DC’S credibility and job are hanging by a thread.
i know some might disagree and thats fine but i see absolutely nothing in holden he cant beat a man gives the ball away far too much and is not that good at anything in my opinion if we can i would let him go back in january.some thought he played well saturday but he frustrated the hell out of me with his bad decision making in the second half i was in the family stand so was very close to him.
Danny Guthrie? Good one. No way he goes. Might be a crock but at least we will get a few games where we have a midfielder capable of making even the most basic of passes.
One midfielder, who will create something in offence and striker, who knows how to score and can play +90 mins per week. But of course a lot will depend on position in the league. Now I see there are 12 points to automatic promotion spot. When there will be few (max 7-8 I think), there can be some spending. More points, less chance to sign more players, except maybe one young hope. And releasing players? Sorry, wrong window.
The only thing we need in January is a right winger, and if he continues to pick ridiculous teams, possibly a new manager, but I hope not because I like DC and want him to succeed.
Can’t see much changing in January and why people think it’s gonna be different I don’t know mark my words DC will ■■■■it up again we will miss out on target number 9 out of his 10 targets and we will be scrating round waiting for phone calls on crap players with an hour of the window to go same old same old I’m afraid
Explains why most of your posts are critical. You seem to have completely unrealistic expectations.
There is no chance of anything like that happening, on either side of the equation…
I agree with that I’ve been extremely impressed with Alfie who has really took his opportunity well and shown a few of these so called experience pro’s how it’s done brilliant talent as far as I’m concerned.
I do believe Clarke saying if a player isn’t pulling there weight or isn’t upto the task they will be shipped out in January, therefore I’ve based my opinion on that statement, the players I’ve mentioned in the post have met that criteria. And not all my post are critical I’ve stayed positive alot longer than most, but I’m failing to see much improvement from certain players.
I dont necessarily disagree with your views on how to improve the team, just that it won’t happen in my view.
For example, cancelling Guthrie’s contract would mean paying it up. What is the benefit to the club of such a move?
Sending loan players back is the the same. We will have binding agreements with their parent clubs which will cost us to exit from.
On the incoming side, we are not an exciting proposition for established players or youngsters and I would be concerned about their motivation for moving here in January. We are well down the pecking order compared with previous seasons and even compared to the summer when at least the club could sell a player the optimism of a potential promotion.
So based on that, I’m not building my hopes up. A couple in and a couple out, but I really hope that Clarke doesn’t just ■■■■up the wall the budget he has, just to change things around, which I fear he might.
Edit - just to add that if we pick up between now and the window and are in with a chance of the play offs for example, then I would soften my view.
I’ve read a lot of comments about how we are not an attractive proposition to players as though current league position/recent results/queues in the bars/comments in social media is the deciding factor. That might be the case for fans’ mood but not necessarily what a prospective signee is bothered about.
Money will be a factor but not always the overriding one. Ditto the level the club is at in terms of level in the pyramid - though not always so much relative league position within that level (unless you are a Galactico looking for Champions/Europa League opportunities).
Other more mundane or even esoteric ones can often be way more significant - playing for/with managers, coaches, or other players you think can benefit your long term career; more likelihood of being 1st choice for game time rather than being 2nd/3rd/4th choice at a “big” club; the chance of having a team/way of playing built around you; the club is closer to where your family have settled or want to live; you’ve got a point to prove; you aren’t happy at your current club and going anywhere else would be an improvement; you relish the challenge of being instrumental in helping a club in trouble turn it around; you’re good mates with people already at the club; you like the attitude/vision/bants of the manager/board/team mates; better training or physio facilities than at other clubs; they are the first ones that asked (making me feel wanted); chance of them helping me move into management/coaching; being smaller it is a more friendly and personal atmosphere than you get at a bigger club; it’s a step up from where you are; your agent used to play for us and has fond memories; you’re foreign and don’t know any better; something else.
Many fans moan about us being a “selling club” that doesn’t get to see the best of our home grown talent before they are off. That might grate but it is also a reason we can attract so many kids with potential - more chance of getting into the 1st team (and thus the shop window) than playing in the yoofs at a “bigger” local club, so a better launch pad for your career.
Don’t write off our chances of unearthing another Troy Deeney, Scott Dann, Romaine Sawyers, Turkish Messi, etc just because YOUR jaundiced view thinks they wouldn’t be interested - even basket case clubs can pick up the odd gem so no reason we can’t (even if only for a brief time before they move onwards and upwards).