2023 Retained List

[GhostoftheBok]

Kachunga, Lee, Isgrove, Shortire maybe - all players to replace....

I'm thinking more about squad places.

Assuming Iles is right and Nlundulu remains "the plan", that's the attack done; barring something weird.

We now have 5 (if Sheehan accepts) in midfield for 6 places. Unless MJ is now Mr Fix It utility and we're still in want of 2.

In terms of squad places you've got 10 and RWB to work with as things stand - one of which is replacing our best outfield player. I'm not sure teams will worry we'll close the 40 goal gap to Ipswich.

Now more than ever it looks like we need to tackle both flanks in very serious fashion and find a very, very ambitious signing at #10.

It's far less work for the recruitment team to do, so that's good. Also the lads who are staying are all good players and good pros. So in that sense I'm happy. However, the level of impact we can now have this window is a question mark.

Don't get me wrong, fascinating to see what we do. Personally, I'd have wanted more room to work.

[BWFC_Insane]

There is a simple answer. Don’t sign a player who won’t improve us. If Evatt signs Nlundulu it’s down to him to show that is a good enough attack to get us up. I don’t think I it is. But I’m not signing players.

We are offering deals to two lads most said they would have kept and MJ is automatic anyway.

Evatt probably wants 5 strikers/attackers and I suspect one or two will leave beyond this anyway.

[GhostoftheBok]

DSB, you're up.

How are we for squad registration rules for next season with the current lot?

[GhostoftheBok]

There is a simple answer. Don’t sign a player who won’t improve us.

Not all that simple an answer.

We have 5 mids (discounting Sads). I continue to feel we need two new options in midfield if we really have ambitions of winning the league.

As I've said to you before, I'm not all that worried about strikers. Charles, Adeboyejo, Nlundulu and Bodvarsson? Not my ideal mix of types, but fine; Evatt has options there. What matters is creativity around them. As things stand I have concerns that we have enough space to improve that.

Again, maybe I'm being picky. I like all the players we have retained. I just think that new midfielder is going to have to be absolute dynamite and whatever we do with the wings will need to be really special. Otherwise that needle isn't likely to move enough.

[jmjhb]

Of the contracted players, I imagine (at least) John and Sadlier will be moved on. More wiggle room.

[Bertie Wooster]

Disappointed with Evatt's decision to offer Sheehan a new deal, we need better than him if we are to improve enough for the top 2 positions.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Feels like probably the right decisions. Just about. Sheehan was a borderline one, especially with MJ staying. I see why we've kept him, but we do need a strong other option (or two) in there. As well as wingbacks. And goalkeepers. And a forward....

DSB, you're up. How are we for squad registration rules for next season with the current lot?

I'll get to that but not until tonight. I'm managing a newsroom team today but I doubt I could pass it off as work.

What I will say quickly in response to this:

We just don't make a lot of out and out errors. Not in the scope of football. Joel Dixon was obviously one. It was an "I know a guy" call from the start and I still don't trust Evatt on goalkeepers. He's made one great call and two disastrous ones (I feel like I'm forgetting a third crap one).

Gilks - turned out OK for one season
Crellin - crap
Jensen - couldn't displace Gilks, but he has since done well at Accy
Dixon - crap
Trafford - very good

[jmjhb]

Nine are gone with two more likely to go, and that's before any bids come in for any of our contracted players.

How much more churn in the squad do you want?

[GhostoftheBok]

Of the contracted players, I imagine (at least) John and Sadlier will be moved on. More wiggle room.

I'm counting them as gone, just for the purposes of my thought experiment.

It's midfield where I'm most at issue.

If MJ is now Santos cover, then it works a lot better. He triggered a deal extension, rather than being offered one - so it may be that it's also not Markham's ideal situation.

I think we need 2 spaces free in the middle to work with. Maybe Evatt feels totally differently, I don't know. What I will say is that Sheehan is a class act and I'm delighted people have come to see that.

If our back three cover is Iredale, MJ and Jones next season then we have more room to work on the attack.

Generally I think it's a fudge, but we're in League One.

The aim has to be 100 points. The question is how do we get there. In the past 10 seasons 14 clubs have exceeded 90 points in League One, so if we want to win the league the aim needs to be 100.

[GhostoftheBok]

Nine are gone with two more likely to go, and that's before any bids come in for any of our contracted players.

How much more churn in the squad do you want?

Some of that is because we got players in to cover for injuries, so in real terms the churn isn't that great. It was a very big squad. Even with the attrition we'll still be on, what, 17 outfield players under contract?

Sheehan and JDB were both covered due to injury, so they and their replacements would only have really counted as one change. Iredale is coming back having been covered, so that's another where no real churn is occuring.

As I say, one aspect I'm very happy about is we are retaining (hopefully, if people accept offers) 3 good pros who can offer continuity. That's a big positive.

[The_Gun]

If Dad Bod’s been offered a new deal then Nlundulu can’t be a banker to come back now, right?

[GhostoftheBok]

If Dad Bod’s been offered a new deal then Nlundulu can’t be a banker to come back now, right?

Haven't a clue. Iles thought everyone still wanted to do it. Dan has called Evatt "the best gaffer ever" and Evatt has likened him to Ivan Toney, so it'd be weird if there was now no interest. Doesn't mean anything though until contracts are signed. Also, we still have Cameron Jerome. So technically we have 4 strikers on the books now if JDB accepts.

[sonicthewhite]

Now I think Evatt would only sign Dan if he were on free, thinking to replicate the same scenario that he achieved with Dapo. And if that transpires I wouldn't be unhappy with that. But. I certainly wouldn't want us to be signing Dan for hard cash.

[Worthy4England]

Of the contracted players, I imagine (at least) John and Sadlier will be moved on. More wiggle room.

I'm counting them as gone, just for the purposes of my thought experiment.

It's midfield where I'm most at issue.

If MJ is now Santos cover, then it works a lot better. He triggered a deal extension, rather than being offered one - so it may be that it's also not Markham's ideal situation.

I think we need 2 spaces free in the middle to work with. Maybe Evatt feels totally differently, I don't know. What I will say is that Sheehan is a class act and I'm delighted people have come to see that.

If our back three cover is Iredale, MJ and Jones next season then we have more room to work on the attack.

Generally I think it's a fudge, but we're in League One.

The aim has to be 100 points. The question is how do we get there. In the past 10 seasons 14 clubs have exceeded 90 points in League One, so if we want to win the league the aim needs to be 100.

It was certainly an "interesting set of words" describing MJ's extension...something short of "we're delighted"....

For MF, I think we need 2 better than what we have and wouldn't have been too upset, had we let Josh move on...but then I'd have wanted 3 new ones...

[GhostoftheBok]

It was certainly an "interesting set of words" describing MJ's extension...something short of "we're delighted"....

For MF, I think we need 2 better than what we have and wouldn't have been too upset, had we let Josh move on...but then I'd have wanted 3 new ones...

I love Sheehan. I loved that we signed him (I don't think we got the right players to support him) and I love that he's set so many doubters right. So in that sense I'm pleased he's been offered a deal. It's just about how much we can improve. If MJ isn't really one of the 6 midfield options then we can do something attacking and something deeper and we're fine. If we can only do one of the two then that one we pick will need to have a pretty amazing impact.

I don't want to come across as down, or disliking the players we've kept. I just think it's a huge leap to 100 points and whilst we likely won't get there we need to be very ambitious.

I am wondering about Sads. He moved out on loan and it doesn't seem to have gone brilliantly. I wonder if he'd be willing to knuckle down and be back-up RWB, or if the willingness to play a system just isn't in him.

[Prufrock]

Worth being in mind "we've offered a contract" isn't the same as "they've signed". Can see a world in which we're offering each of Sheehan and Bod a chunk less than they currently earn. They might think they can do better.

[Worthy4England]

It was certainly an "interesting set of words" describing MJ's extension...something short of "we're delighted"....

For MF, I think we need 2 better than what we have and wouldn't have been too upset, had we let Josh move on...but then I'd have wanted 3 new ones...

I love Sheehan. I loved that we signed him (I don't think we got the right players to support him) and I love that he's set so many doubters right. So in that sense I'm pleased he's been offered a deal. It's just about how much we can improve. If MJ isn't really one of the 6 midfield options then we can do something attacking and something deeper and we're fine. If we can only do one of the two then that one we pick will need to have a pretty amazing impact.

I don't want to come across as down, or disliking the players we've kept. I just think it's a huge leap to 100 points and whilst we likely won't get there we need to be very ambitious.

I am wondering about Sads. He moved out on loan and it doesn't seem to have gone brilliantly. I wonder if he'd be willing to knuckle down and be back-up RWB, or if the willingness to play a system just isn't in him.

My rationale isn't far away from yours. Ideally, I think we'd like 2 who are clearly better than what we have (including Morley and Demps), but it just so happened that Sheehan was out of contract...So it wasn't to do with anything other than if we needed some further space, then I don't think he adds much above Demps and Morley, but maybe about the same...

[DJBlu]

Now I think Evatt would only sign Dan if he were on free, thinking to replicate the same scenario that he achieved with Dapo. And if that transpires I wouldn't be unhappy with that. But. I certainly wouldn't want us to be signing Dan for hard cash.

I suspect we're waiting on Southampton to release their list.

[The_Gun]

Now I think Evatt would only sign Dan if he were on free, thinking to replicate the same scenario that he achieved with Dapo. And if that transpires I wouldn't be unhappy with that. But. I certainly wouldn't want us to be signing Dan for hard cash.

I suspect we're waiting on Southampton to release their list.

Dan has another year on his contract, so unless Southampton pay it up, he’s not being released.

[Worthy4England]

Now I think Evatt would only sign Dan if he were on free, thinking to replicate the same scenario that he achieved with Dapo. And if that transpires I wouldn't be unhappy with that. But. I certainly wouldn't want us to be signing Dan for hard cash.

I suspect we're waiting on Southampton to release their list.

Dan has another year on his contract, so unless Southampton pay it up, he’s not being released.

Like most teams coming down a division, they're carrying a fair amount of debt....They might be much less likely to let him go for bugger all...