Retained List

Agreed on all points. In addition to the mammoth task of getting rid of some of the dross on long contracts, and resetting the mindset and spirit within club I think the recruitment must include acquiring some of the best young up and coming talent out there. I dont mean in the ethos of Rahic who looked at released players from the PL/Championship who nobody else really wanted (like Patrick, Gunnar et al and expect to sell on at profit - highly unlikely at best) but the type of players in lower leagues/non league who are already tipped for big things! On the up not on the way down. Those that will demand a fee now

You look at the teams who've done well in the last few seasons in L2 and the majority have spent good money on creating talented/solid squads with one or two in their who are tipped for playing at a much higher level. We were lucky enough to have done it by chance with Wells in the promotion season. This time we need to target those who are already expected to step up and it wont be cheap.

I think we'll need some real investment in talent and not just older heads/journeyman if we're to actually achieve anything next season

 

From what has been said it would appear that Bowyer knows some of the players he wants for next season, whether that be those already here or new faces. I also think he will be identifying others during the next month and hopefully will have them all settled and signed early in the summer. If this is the case then a proper, well thought out pre-season (maybe a bit longer than normal) should get the squad hitting the ground running and not taking 6-8 matches to get started.

 

I think we all recognise the correlation between the National League and League Two. I'm not in anyway convinced the current bunch of misfits we have would be challenging at the top of the National League ? And that's the measure of it. Any one of the top 6-7 In the National League would be a real test for these players. There's little between the standard of League 2 and National League and why teams coming up to the FL quickly find their feet. Will we have better players than Salford or Wrexham or Orient or Solihull ? Suspect strongly we won't ! We're arguably the biggest club in the football league flirting with "non league football" right now and I cannot see how it's possible for Bowyer to go out and recruit in the next 12 weeks all the right players in all the right places to smash the league to bits come August ?

Even Parky grappled with that task and with some great professionals and just stumbled over the line in the end.

 

And added a cup final in the process after just avoiding extinction the year before

 

Yet we can also see the results against the likes of Sunderland home and away, Luton at home, Portsmouth at home, Doncaster at home the difference is very small.

 

Again you forget that history shows that other clubs have players that failed in L1 and then find their feet in L2. And actually usually have this number in the squad

The six @bantam2708 mentioned could do a decent job in L2. It's about confidence and been mentally fit, which can easily be bought back

If we don't be careful we'll be spending more money in getting rid on players we'll get who'll be no better in terms of ability

 

And all these teams 'polished' some of the failures from the previous season, i.e. they didn't get rid of them all like some on here think is not only possible but would be the correct decision

 

They are history makers in their own right !

 

Parky was dealing with a squad that had barely kept us in League 2

We have some failing, but talented players who have failed in League 1 - but we may as well write off next season if anyone thinks we're going to bounce back by getting rid of "the current bunch of misfits".

So when you've successfully got rid of Doyle - remember this conversation when he's scoring goals for a team that actually uses him to his strength, for the first time in more than a season

There are some I don't want around. I think Anthony O'Connor would be a poor fit for L2 - you need a talent like Paudie and then more of a bruiser as a partner.

But I can see Akpan's physicality been easier to impose in L2. Doyle having far more room - if paired with a decent partner. Scannell been red hot, but is a doubt as he might want to go and of course is injury prone. Reeves you would think would be off, but who knows - a bit of man-management from Bowyer and he would certainly be good in L2. O'Donnell would be OK. And of course McCartan, right now, is back and proven in a L2 promotion race (albeit not always started). Caddis is a maybe for me actually, I'm not certain if he's physically OK for L2. Mellor is a big yes and I think he'll stay - given his past working with Bowyer

I understand the feelings about this failed bunch - but we can't just get rid, because it makes us feel better because we can't stand the site of them. We have to do 'whatever works' best for us to bounce back and throwing the baby out with the bath water isn't that

 

Funny you should say that Broncs. I've just read a comment in the T&A which is virtually blaming our keeper for relegation and the writer mentions three of the same games you have, saying O'Donnell has personally lost us at least 8 points, never mind those in front of him. Not sure if I agree or not but I was at all the games, and some he mentions.

 

I've just tried to illustrate on the day how little there was between the sides with regards those 3 teams, now whether we raised our game for those teams is debatable.
But with regards O'Donnell he has to take part responsibility for Saturdays goal against Doncaster, although the initial mistake was Butterfield's, on looking at the goal again the lad Wilks struck it well but O'Donnell should have done better.

 

The retained list will only come from those non-loan players whose contracts run out in June. Those players are Chicksen, Devine, Nat KP, Clarke, Anderson, Caddis.

 

If those 6 are out of contract come June IMO only Cadiss as shown the sort of commitment that would get him another contract, that may be harsh on Danny as he's not figured much in his time at the club.

 

We need to avoid getting hung up on moving people on.

Hopkin told Riley, Jones, Reeves, and Wright in no uncertain terms to find another club. They could have walked for free. Aside from Jones, who is effectively gone, we've got the equally undesirable Shay Mccartan to come back, as well as Omari Patrick.

These losers are all, I believe, under contract next season, when they will be less use than an ashtray on a motorbike.

Cue claims that Lincoln will want McCartan (they won't), or that some will be good in League Two (nope).

These are the exact wrong characters we will need in the long slog through the League Two fixture list.

And chances are, they're going nowhere with wages that are over inflated in L1 let alone L2.

 

Can imagine Doyle and scanell having relegation release clauses but if not I would keep them and try build a team that suits Doyle more, including another winger and strike partner. Offer caddis a deal. Try get P O'Connor for another year if he can play like Saturday week in week out.
If we can afford to have akpan in league 2 maybe keep him. Struggling to think of any others I would be keen on keeping.

 

Thought I'd read an article where Paudie O'Connor said he'd like to stay especially now Bowyer is here long term.

 

Ok, let’s see, who shall we keep 4/6 as the manager has stated. My first instinct is to say none of them, grand clear out, but.......head says we need to keep some of them.

1. Caddis (club captain)
2. Scannel, it will be a risk, but he is a class player.
3. P. O’Connor
4. O’Donnell through gritted teeth


5. Akpan, he might come good in lg2.
6. Callum Wood, he might perform better either as a full back or midfield in a stronger team.

 

The games you mention highlight perfectly one of our major problems this season. We weren’t battered in any of the games but never really looked like scoring in any of them. And this team would have struggled to score against the decent national league sides, starting the season with only two average strikers who don’t complement each other in any way pretty much sums up why we are going down. There is no way we can be as bad next season but that depends on what Bowyer can bring in and get rid of.

 

Is it 4/6 from this seasons squad or 4/6 of those under contract next year? Or those out of contract?

 

Who knows, but these are the best in my view. The others who are still under contract can play in the reserves, but would prefer they left.