Stefan - Our Head Coach system needs to be properly implemented to take us forward

i'm not arguing with any of that. the discussion was about squad depth and numbers and the point i was making was that the squad is no thinner than what is has been in previous seasons (quality is different); 2015 / 16 = 36 players, 2016 / 17 = 38 players, 2017 / 18 = 41 players, 2018 / 19 = 38 players and that if any of the previous squads including the league two promotion squad had of had up to 8 or 9 match day or 'first-team' squad players out injured for the same amount of time as the previous season and this seasons squad then they'd have struggled too.

 

The season's only just started, we can't start saying we've had loads of long term injuries, the season hasn't even been a long term.

It's petty excuses, and it doesn't wash.

The squad IS thinner, because there's barely any players capable of playing League One football.

It's a lot FATTER, though, because 38 professional footballers is a tremendous amount, and to struggle to name 22 that can play at this level shows how incredibly poor recruitment has been.

 

John, just to clarify then, when you're speaking of 'thinner' you mean quality? Looking at the figures provided by brisbane the squad numbers seem similar to previous seasons.

 

of course you can; we’ve got 2 long-term injuries hanging over from last season in reeves and jones. this season chicksen has broken his leg and akpan has dislocated his shoulder. that’s 4 out of the current 8 or 9 that can be classed as being long-term.

 

So we have two new injuries to cope with since the window closed. Both have underperformed.

Has this really brought us to our knees?

 

no, and it’s never been said that these two injuries have brought the side to it’s knees.

what has been said and what has been the constant overall point is that the culmination and total of having 7 or 8 of a squads ‘best match-day 18’ all out injured at the same time (both last and this season) has meant that rather than being able to drip-feed development players into first team football, the coaching staff have had to use a large number of youth / development players all at the same time which has hindered the side. even the best third tier footballers are inconsistent in form and ability, so development players are going to be even more so.

having 7 or 8 of a squads ‘main’ players out for considerable periods would hurt any side in the lower leagues due to restrictions in place such as limited finances and not being able to run a surplus of experienced players just sat waiting to come into the squad. most coaching staff and sides would struggle with that; mccall’s did, parkinson’s would have, so too would have robson’s, taylor’s, jewell’s or kamara’s. it’s nothing new, we’ve just been quite fortunate in the past few years.

the why of the reason so many are picking up injuries is another discussion, and nick allamby has been the biggest loss to the club in recent years.

 

I don't think Hopkin has much experience of lower league English football. City need someone like Steve Parkin to work alongside him. Someone that's on his wavelength, understands what he's trying to do and has a good idea about which players would be a good fit.

Won't happen though as there's no evidence that the transfer committee is disbanding and it's still a combination of Rahic, Abbott and now Hopkin that's deciding on who's coming or going. Best we can hope for is an assistant for Hopkin that isn't Drury.

 

We simply haven't had 7 or 8 players out for a considerable time.

 

Yeah but if we signed 11 Harry Kane’s, we’d hsve a smaller squad, but much better than last year.
I’m with the general consensus that quantity does not mean quality. Fewer bodies, but better players is definitely a case of less is more.