The Championship 2013/14

[LeverEnd]

I think Dougie has shown enough in terms of his eye for a player and his management skills to be trusted with a bit of cash without having to generate it through player sales. And given how much he's used Ngog/Eagles and Lee, generally agreed to be our most saleable assets, I can't see him wanting to get rid of them. The other thing is, players do seem to buy into what he's been doing and the only murmurs of dissent I've heard have been from SKD. So if they're happy and believe in him, why not stay and try to get promoted? Not saying one of them won't if a really good offer comes in though.
Eagles most likely to go, at an age where he might not feel able to turn down a chance to prove himself at Prem level, which he has so far failed to do.

[thebish]

So we want to win because that's all that matters and we want to see winning football.. But to achieve this, we need to sell our good players?

I'm struggling...

Well one might argue that this group of players have failed to produce the goods over three years and it's time for a change.

Then of course the argument is over who are "good players" are.

Genuinely there are few in this squad that I'd be sorry to see leave. Most have let us down for significant periods/failed to perform/gone missing at crucial times.

Personally I think Lee for example has got away with a lot this season. And I'd ask is he "really that good"?

and you'd answer, surely, "good enough for me to want to keep him."

[BWFC_Insane]

one might argue that this group of players have failed to produce the goods over three years and it's time for a change. Then of course the argument is over who are "good players" are. Genuinely there are few in this squad that I'd be sorry to see leave. Most have let us down for significant periods/failed to perform/gone missing at crucial times. Personally I think Lee for example has got away with a lot this season. And I'd ask is he "really that good"?

OK mate, who would you look to move on? Ignoring (for these purposes) the logistics I noted above, and therefore assuming we got 'market rate' etc, who would you like to keep and who would you get shut of? This is not asked with anger, or bear-trap, but with curiosity.

Hard to answer because I don't know what Dougie plans to do spending wise and what sort of wage bill the aim is, and of course how the market will behave this summer.

Probably easier to say which players I'd not be bothered about losing, so for me any (and clearly assuming suitable replacements, and not all of them of course) of the following could go and I'd not shed a tear.

Bogdan
Lonergan
Ricketts
Mears
Mills
Ream
Knight
Alonso (out of contract anyway)
LCY
Sordell
NGog

I'm not saying sell them all. I'm not even saying sell most of them. I just think for what they probably cost us we're not getting good value out of them, certainly not in this division. And for me it's time to rebuild.

[boltonboris]

Bogdan - Disagree
Lonergan - Disagree
Ricketts - Agree
Mears - Disagree
Mills - Not seen enough, so willing to give him the benefit of the doubt
Ream - 100% Agree with sugar on
Knight - Agree
Alonso (out of contract anyway) - Agree
LCY - Disagree
Sordell - Disagree. Think he could be useful next season
NGog - Tough one. I like him, and he teeters on the edge of looking the part, but then falls over.

[Beefheart]

I'll cry if Ngog leaves. I saw him outside the Reebok on Saturday, and said 'Alright David!' he nodded at me and said 'Alright'. It made my life.

[thebish]

I'll cry if Ngog leaves. I saw him outside the Reebok on Saturday, and said 'Alright David!' he nodded at me and said 'Alright'. It made my life.

[Lord Kangana]

Being as we're now a Championship club, theres not a hope in hell that we could easily replace such a raft of players so easily. People like Knight (large wages, not exactly ripping up trees) are one thing, but thats half a squad there. Seems a bit silly to wish that for me.

[BWFC_Insane]

Bogdan - Disagree
Lonergan - Disagree
Ricketts - Agree
Mears - Disagree
Mills - Not seen enough, so willing to give him the benefit of the doubt
Ream - 100% Agree with sugar on
Knight - Agree
Alonso (out of contract anyway) - Agree
LCY - Disagree
Sordell - Disagree. Think he could be useful next season
NGog - Tough one. I like him, and he teeters on the edge of looking the part, but then falls over.

I like NGog too. And well I like LCY and Ricketts as well. I've argued that NGog is our best striker and stand by that. But again it comes down to wages and what Dougie wants to do.

If he wants to find a goalscorer who will play off NGog then I think that could work really well. But given NGog's high wages (as a guess) I'm not sure he contributes enough to be that worried about keeping him.

And LK I wasn't saying we should sell all of those, just those are the players I think on an individual basis I'd not be that bothered about leaving. Clearly we can't and won't sell them all.

[Enoch]

I guess what matters is whether or not individual players fit with Freedman's plans. Whatever I may think of anyone, he seems to know what he wants from folk.

For me a team is always the sum of it's parts, are there any players that are so good they can be accommodated if they don't fulfil a role?

[LeverEnd]

I'll cry if Ngog leaves. I saw him outside the Reebok on Saturday, and said 'Alright David!' he nodded at me and said 'Alright'. It made my life.

I saw him before the Middlesborough game with his sling on and wanted to give him a big hug. Doubt that would have helped his recovery though.

[LeverEnd]

Bogdan - Disagree
Lonergan - Disagree
Ricketts - Agree
Mears - Disagree
Mills - Not seen enough, so willing to give him the benefit of the doubt
Ream - 100% Agree with sugar on
Knight - Agree
Alonso (out of contract anyway) - Agree
LCY - Disagree
Sordell - Disagree. Think he could be useful next season
NGog - Tough one. I like him, and he teeters on the edge of looking the part, but then falls over.

I like NGog too. And well I like LCY and Ricketts as well. I've argued that NGog is our best striker and stand by that. But again it comes down to wages and what Dougie wants to do.

If he wants to find a goalscorer who will play off NGog then I think that could work really well. But given NGog's high wages (as a guess) I'm not sure he contributes enough to be that worried about keeping him.

And LK I wasn't saying we should sell all of those, just those are the players I think on an individual basis I'd not be that bothered about leaving. Clearly we can't and won't sell them all.

I think you worry too much about prem wages and value for money. We have cut the wage bill massively in that last 12 months, have parachute payments for a couple of years and a wealthy owner who doesn't seem too bothered about our debt to him. We don't have many big earners left, and I'd hope they are on flexible contracts depending on our division. Even if not I don't think it's a massive big deal.

[Tals-biggest-fan]

Hopefully be able to get to some of the London and close surrounding area games whilst down in Uni next season.

[LeverEnd]

Get to as many as you can. I studied in Birmingham in the mid 90s, was great for away matches, half the midland clubs were in the Championship at that time.

[LeverEnd]

Wigan have scored. I'm guessing a trip to norwich might be on the cards for next season.

[BWFC_Insane]

Wigan have scored. I'm guessing a trip to norwich might be on the cards for next season.

Or a trip to the North East....

[Annoyed Grunt]

Just had a thought....only good thing about not getting promotion is no half time Zorb ball.....

[LeverEnd]

Wigan have scored. I'm guessing a trip to norwich might be on the cards for next season.

Or a trip to the North East....

Possibly , but can't see Norwich winning a game.
Sunderland I hope, never been there. been to Norwich and Newcastle.
Plus Di canio's raving lunacy will cause some amusement in the division.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Eighty Six days left until Saturday August 3rd and kick off. What did I do last year to while away the time?

[thebish]

Eighty Six days left until Saturday August 3rd and kick off. What did I do last year to while away the time?

spark up some e-ciggies??

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Eighty Six days left until Saturday August 3rd and kick off. What did I do last year to while away the time?

spark up some e-ciggies??

I think not.

But I remember now the monotony was kind of broken up by Euro 2012 for a very short while.