Players under contract after 1/7/2020

You don't need much time to identify players who aren't right for the club.

In Brunker's case, 5 minutes was enough to identify that he was nowhere near Football League level. Some disagreed, but he was clearly an amateur level player and minimum data was required to see that.

Guthrie strolling round without a care in the world during his very first outing tells you all you need to know about his character. If you can't motivate yourself for your debut for a club doing much better than your last, you're heart really isn't in football. Guthrie looks as under-motivated as anyone I have ever seen at City, and when that initial verdict is espoused by every Stevenage fan who I've seen commenting on Guthrie, I'm already happy that it wasn't just my imagination.

His next move should be to non league.

 

If we got the salary cap way and it is 1.25 million I would love the club to recruit and implement a serious analytics/recruitment team. We would have room in the budget if we can convince Rupp as we are currently running at nearly 3 million out on wages so we would still be saving him money.

But the sort of moneyball way if anyone’s seen the book or film might be the only way some sides get the edge if they don’t have an academy and are all on a similar level. They can work with McCall and ask what he needs and give him some options within budget and he can make the final decision. Plus if we find some gems and they are sold, they would already be working in the background to get the replacements in and not leave us flapping about in the window and end up with Guthrie again.

thoughts?

 

It should be the first thing on the agenda this summer after years upon years of dreadful recruitment.

 

Exactly it would pay for itself. Probably would only cost what we are paying Akpan and Riley for example if not less.

 

Brentford have done it quite successfully.

 

It wasn’t a post to follow the moneyball idea religiously as such. More to give people an idea of what I meant who weren’t familiar with it.
Barnsley use the model, Brentford do and I am sure they are others. All similar ideas to look at stats and not much else and it works and I feel it would work at league two level. The Peterborough chairman has employed someone recently to look at it for them

 

You're very possibly right of course but for every Brunker there's two or three players that are just as hastily dismissed that go on to prove the pundits wrong. It's been a tough start for Guthrie. He's the face that represents the disastrous Jan transfer window and many had made their minds up about him before he'd even laced his boots up. Nothing I've seen or read about him suggests he's going to be a success here but I'm not going to write him off before he's been given a fair chance.

 

You're very possibly right of course but for every Brunker there's two or three players that are just as hastily dismissed that go on to prove the pundits wrong. It's been a tough start for Guthrie. He's the face that represents the disastrous Jan transfer window and many had made their minds up about him before he'd even laced his boots up. Nothing I've seen or read about him suggests he's going to be a success here but I'm not going to write him off before he's been given a fair chance.

 

He's appeared not sure he's played, to be fair he picked an injury up at Morecambe just as we were starting to get going but certainly not the Donaldson most were hoping for .

 

Another option for right back would be Tyler French , he played in that position when he went out on loan to Fylde. He showed promise in the limited appearances he made for us , hopefully he can make progress next year.

 

Good to know, and yes, he did show some promise. Still, I wonder if he's ready to be a starter for what we hope will be a promotion-chasing side. Sub apps, spot starts and see how/if he develops further might be the way to go.

RCB

 

Problem with the moneyball approach is though that despite all the hoopla, just how many titles -- division, American League, World Series -- did Oakland (who really started it all) win? There's a place for its concepts, but it remains another approach with no guarantees.

RCB

 

I very much doubt that Vaughan will be going anywhere, I can't see anyone else paying the wages we are paying him, its a lot easier for him just to stay put. To be fair I rate him, I think in a more attacking side he's a 20 goal striker.

 

£100 million worth of investment has a lot to do with it.

 

Donaldson, Doyle and Vaughan all season we wouldn't be 9th.

Funny all 3 kind of cost Bowyer his job... Rhodes letting Doyle go on loan, Donaldson getting injured then Vaughan falling out with Bowyer because Bowyer was a negative bore that would struggle to get the best out of any forward.

 

Momeyball in football doesn't work. Think Liverpool's current owners were all money ball when they first came in but scrapped in...

1) Get a decent manager or one you want to back
2) Make sure recruitment is spot on. It's not always about the cost. It's about the right fit.
3) Have a few decent youth players.
4) Have a plan
5) Know how you want to play.

When you look at the current best team in the world in Liverpool these 5 points they got perfectly. One of the reasons UTD might be back in the mix next season or season after is they have these points covered now.

Bradford fail on all the points.