Promotion prospects

Yeah, it's competitive, but there's no getting away from the fact we are paying useless players wages. The 16 under contract are poor, and will hold us back. But, hopefully we assemble a reasonable xi with the other million.

Wages only, no fees.

 

Which ever of the high earners stay if they can show any sort of constancy with players Bowyer will add I believe we will be there or there about's, league two is a very poor league but having quality in your team should never be a disadvantage.

 

All of them poor? Just last season or throughout their career?

I’m not having a dig, but it’s an amazing coincidence to have so many poor players on high wages. Most players are signed on merit, and decent quality players usually command decent wages for their respective level. This was the calibre of player we signed.

Not one player last season played remotely well all campaign - yet another coincidence.

I apologise if I’m coming across a bit strong, but on paper, we have a very good squad at L1 level, never mind L2.

I trust GB to get things right this season, but he also must be thinking he has a great platform to build from. It may sound strange given this season’s relegation; but there was far too many things going wrong around the club, on and off the field, last season for the players to really stand a chance. Toxic in the stands from the off, really.

I’m trying my best not to stick up for the players because they have underperformed, but when you have seasoned professionals who we successfully beat many clubs to their signatures, it tells you a lot about the quality they bring and what they have achieved.

I think far too much impetus has been put on Rahic - even now - and yes, he was/is a bit of a donkey. But I’ll be man enough to to say that I was truly overjoyed with our recruitment in the summer, as were lots of others.

I keep saying it; hindsight is such a wonderful thing.

 

Finally! Someone that gets it.

Great post! Well said.

100% agree with it all.

 

There were some genuinely talented players in last seasons squad.

Jack Payne.
Jacob Butterfield
David Ball
Lewis O'Brien
Paul Caddis

All gone.

Who is left that is rated as quality?

Doyle?
Mellor?

Anyone else?

 

Scannel and Akpan have both played at a higher level for most of their career.

 

We currently have 8 players on our books who have won promotion from L2 at some point in their careers - I’m sure we’ll be just fine next season, even with minimal outgoings.

 

With who is currently still here which players would go where. I'd expect to see O'Donnell, Mellor, O'Connor, Everton-Richards playing prominent roles depending on fitness, Doyle and Scannell upfront and out wide, again dependant on them being here. Akpan in midfield. Who else have we got? Can't remember off hand. We definitely need another striker cos we've only got one. A left back. Central midfield as only Akpan is remotely good enough. A left sided midfielder. Another striker in case one gets injured. I'm presuming Bowyer already has targets for these positions.

 

I’d just be happy for you, Fordy or anyone else to list the squad we have left and explain who they rate and why. I did the contrasting view last week and many people were in agreement.

Instead of saying things like “I was truly overjoyed with our recruitment”, try explaining why. For example, what has O’Connor done through his career for you to be overjoyed at? Same goes for Riley, Wright, Doyle, etc. I’d actually go as far as saying the latter signings, J.O’Brien, Caddis, Ball made the squad better, but certainly not the initial one. I said from the outset that I was concerned (albeit, not to the extent I thought we would be fighting relegation, let alone falling through the trap door).

 

Scannell has had injury nightmares for most of his career, and certainly over the last 3-4 seasons. As for Akpan; he may have played at a higher level, but got relegated twice from that league and 3 times in a row now. As for Doyle (as someone else mentioned him), even his contribution throughout his career can he challenged. Didn’t he have 2 good seasons in all his years?

 

We were more than capable of winning football matches last season but for varying reasons (luck, poor defending, poor finishing) we were relegated.
Blackpool only won 4 more games than us and finished 10th.
So I’d suggest if we sort the defence out and bring in some creative, attack minded midfielders to add to last years squad, combined with better management, we should gain auto promotion.

 

Too many of our fans don’t get football like Rahic it was the lack of certain positions being filled in the squad that cost us last season the squad was unbalanced that’s why we got relegated