Massive re-build job coming up. Personally I don’t believe Devlin is anywhere near the quality to be part of a promotion-winning team but I trust in DC.
You obviously don’t trust then because, despite having the option to clear him off, he’s instead offered him a two year deal, which suggests he’s a very important player.
Just a shame that the previous manager has left us stuck with another right back who he signed on a 2 year deal…you know, that manager who blamed his failure on being stuck with players from a previous regime 
In my two years watching I don’t believe he has the quality, but DC obviously knows much more than me football-wise so I trust in his judgement.
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Happy with that - let’s hope Devlin does improve under a good manager/coach, as I love his effort. Glad certain players have played their last game for us (Leahy, Ismail etc). I think both will sign as I noticed Kinsella liked a post on the official Instagram page which showed photos of DC’s press conference and first day.
I’d be happy with a midfield of Kinsella, Dobson and Sinclair (if he signs). Just wondering whether he’d play 3 in the middle with either wing backs, or one up top and 2 wingers. Hopefully exciting times lie ahead.
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I mean, he has also released Joe Edwards, Luke Leahy and Jon Guthrie from said previous regime.
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Bernie, I couldn’t agree more. There’s some right dross on that list. Ismail was abysmal last season and Guthrie, Osbourne, Leahy and Edwards were poor. I think Edwards was one of our biggest earners and Ismail wouldn’t have been far behind. I can’t understand why we signed the likes of Musa and Slinn: did anyone scout them before we signed them? Also good to see a lot of the dead wood from the youth set-up getting the chop. The likes of Sangha, Hayles-Doherty are never going to make it and were just making up the numbers. It will be interesting to see who we bring in - it’s a major rebuilding exercise.
Hardly. He obviously means he trusts Clarke’s judgement.
Also, as @el_nombre says, he’s binned off the others. Unfair to single out Devlin as to make some weird point that makes no sense.
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Said previously Kinsella is the only one I would have kept. Expect him to sign. Devlin has been garbage for 2 seasons so this is an unwelcome move IMO. Will he sign anyway? Not so sure.
The majority of those departing should be ashamed of their contribution.
Will be interesting to see which of the other contracted players will remain, both Norman and Scarr would probably have gone in different circumstances. Ferrier? Mmmm.
I think this all demonstrates what a truly dreadful Manager Dean Keates really was.
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1st week in August, more like last week in August when the barrel-scrapings that no one else wants start getting desperate. It’s then that we pounce with our derisory offers.
It’s a waiting game for everyone over the summer, really is stupid to expect the situation to be anything else. Deals done early tend to be have been already sorted before the previous Season ended.
MTM2 - no one is expecting us to sign lots of players this early on but it would be good to get the spine of the team sorted well before the season starts. If you recall, we only had one fit senior centre-half (Guthrie) until the day before last season started. No wonder our defence was woeful all season and we went down. There are enough decent players released early on to at least identify and pursue some realistic targets.
Like to think that just as the ‘exodus of 2016’ will always be synonymous with our recent downfall, the ‘cull of 2019’ will be remembered as the start of a new era.
I’m a romantic though.
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I’m putting some faith in DC with Devlin. I imagine he’s got a deal because he’s been told he’s a good lad to have in the dressing room - which is fair enough. It doesn’t, however, mean he’s somehow turned into some competent full back.
I am willing to back DC’s judgment though and give him a chance - and to be fair, he’s been the best of a bad bunch with regards himself, Guthrie and Leahy.
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Looks good to me and agree with all DC has done with the retained list.
Don’t forget that Edwards would of been gone earlier, if he hadn’t of got that awful injury. He was out of contract at the end of that season and playing the best he ever has for us and probably in his career. Everything we were hearing was pointing at him leaving in that summer. The club took a gamble on retaining him, in the hope he’d recapture his form after injury.
In my eyes, unfortunately not! He certainly wouldn’t of been out of place in league 2 for us and certainly would be a great player to have in and around the team. I’d guess one of the highest earners too and him being released frees up the wages to be used for DC’s vision.
Hope he does well and gets a good club soon. Deserves too.
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No-nonsense from DC.
He could’ve easily looked at the names and thought to himself “Leahy, Edwards, Guthrie” should all be good in league 2 so I’ll work with them. He could also have decided he would be the manager to get the best out of the considerable enigma that is Zeli Ismail.
Good he seems to have been talking to a fair few at the club who have told him the bond between squad and fanbase is massively fractured so he wants total rebuild and should be a good amount of wages released for that given who’s now left.
Fair play if Adam Chambers wants to continue playing, guy could’ve easily retired after last year he’s had. Huge respect for him whatever he does next.
News on Kory suggests he’s still a fair way off a comeback.
Most interesting news for me is Morris leaving on a free. I think next season hinges on how good the wide players DC will bring in. Considering Keates made the decision to move away from the club having player in number 10 position (Sawyers/Ozzy) it simply didn’t work as goal output from midfield was massively reduced.
If you can find two decent wingers and one can chip in with ten goals (remember this is league 2 we’re talking about) and keep Cook to play alongside Gordon then the team should be a decent threat in the final third to be competitive at the right end of the table.
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Working with a good coach (providing he signs) perhaps we’ll see the best of him. There’s a good player in there and we know DC likes to play with wing-backs.
He’s definitely the lesser of our recent full back evils.
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You are going to the extreme.
Keates paid the price for faling to assemble any sort of squad before kick off. Hence all the loans and panic buys which were an unmitigated disaster.
DC will im sure not do that nor will (like every other manager) he be able to get everything sorted by the end of June.
Agreed.
He’s definitely had a better run after he returned to the team when Norman proved no better. Let’s hope he pushes on, if he signs.
Think full backs are changing in general. It doesn’t seem to be a prerequisite that they can actually defend anymore. Remeber even Zeli making a fool of the Barnsley full back and they ended top two. Blackett Taylor the same for his Portsmouth cameo. The Sunderland full backs, even the massively paid Oviedo, were often out of position or beaten to the ball. Even our own Black Country Jasons Mk1 & 2 were more bomb on than jockey/block/tackle.
And in that TV reality celebrity league, Trippier, Walker, Robertson, Alexander Arnold, Mendy, the pair at Fosun Plc, Shaw. All more offence than defence, and often even in a back four not five.
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I was being positive 
Kory Roberts will be a long way off from full fitness, he suffered a career ending injury, he’s virtually had to learn to walk again let alone run and kick a ball!! I mentioned this just after his injury and will be amazed if he ever plays professionally again, I hope I’m wrong!
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