Rory McArdle joins. Now signs for Harrogate

[MJP_Exeter]

Mccardle leaving. Meh!

 

[Ash]

A bit of perspective , even if this rumour is true. The team selections on the 'starting eleven based on players under contract' thread mostly leave out McArdle, preferring Stubbs and Hartridge as the centre back pairing.

Assuming Stubbs is actually fit....

 

[manc grecian]

Assuming Stubbs is actually fit....

And nobody gets injured or suspended

 

[Pobbop]

Look, getting rid of players will be fine, if we bring in ones. That sounds a bit of a "no shit Sherlock", but the fact is anyone we're offering contracts too, will know they should be starting if they're any good, so get rid of them early-ish if they don't want to sign the contract offered is the right policy.

 

[east_mid]

Why does nobody want to play for us except the fans?

 

[Snoop Fog]

McArdle was a bit like Warren the season before. Both could do a job, both were experienced lower division hard men who played centre half, but the bottom line is they're old school cloggers and we should be able to replace with better footballers.

 

[IndoMike]

How many times did the phrase 'we need to clear the dead wood out' (or words to that effect) get used last season, particularly from January onwards when many were saying 'this side isn't good enough to get promoted)? And now it is you're all $4!tting yourselves silly. There isn't one player who has left that isn't individually replacable, the hardest is probably Bowman (regular goalscoring target men aren't two a penny even at League 2 level). I know Exeweb changes it's mind more often than the points get changed at St David's Station on a daily basis but the manic furore on here at the moment is laughable.

You don't get it. It's not about any one individual : it's about leaving us short of bodies.
Some of the ones that have gone would have been useful cover. So now we have to buy a dozen players better than them and have cover, too. If we're just swapping like for like then in some cases it's better to keep the devil you know.
With a whole load of new players coming in it could be another transition season.

 

[LDNGrecian]

You don't get it. It's not about any one individual : it's about leaving us short of bodies.
Some of the ones that have gone would have been useful cover. So now we have to buy a dozen players better than them and have cover, too. If we're just swapping like for like then in some cases it's better to keep the devil you know.
With a whole load of new players coming in it could be another transition season.

And what does it say about the atmosphere around the team this season/ what the players felt working under MT? Dont get me wrong, I'm a rose tinter who pretty much always feels optimistic and backs the manager and the decisions he makes but it makes me worried that every player who was out of contract or is a senior pro has left (bar Nige + if Page leaves if reported). The market is going to be crazy soon so choosing to be a free agent this summer seems pretty risky so they must not have enjoyed their time at city if they are choosing that over a contract with us. I mean Sweeney even chose to go to the basket club that is Swindon where hes likely to miss some wages at some point this season.

Yes its good to bring Youth through but into a core group of senior pros who are passionate about playing for this club. I hated playing Wycombe (memories of Tom Nichols giving away a penalty in 90+10) but seeing anything the players say about the club makes me jealous. They all want to be there and play for Ainsworth.

 

[The deluder]

McArdle was a bit like Warren the season before. Both could do a job, both were experienced lower division hard men who played centre half, but the bottom line is they're old school cloggers and we should be able to replace with better footballers.

The difference was Warren never played.

 

[Hants_red]

I'm considering changing the title of the thread to "McArdle is Staying!"