Retained List

[andrew p long]

Finalish point from MT worries me slightly - "We will have a smaller squad next season".
We only made it up because of strength in depth last season, all we need is for both Sams injuries to recur and we could be in a bit of trouble.
Hope Ollie goes for a few bob which might just generate funds to keep first team squad the same size and allow us to plug injury gaps.

I think at one stage we had 35 or36 professionals on the books and loads of those went out on loan. 35 is too many for a League Two or League One club. So a slightly smaller squad, with fewer younger pros who go on loan but then don't make it. That places quite a heavy load on making the right calls on which academy players to retain, but the club's judgment has been pretty good down the years.

 

[Moomin Grecian]

George Ray staying. Will he be part of the match day squad or back up next season?

I can’t see him wanting to be a bench warmer at best. I suspect we’ll allow him to leave on a freebie in the same way we let McArdle leave.

 

[Snoop Fog]

Perhaps Rowe didn't show enough on a daily basis in training to warrant a further deal. He was excellent in the Stevenage game and showed real potential, but we have no idea about his desire and attitude during the day to day grind. I'm not saying he had an attitude problem but to succeed in the professional game, particularly when you're trying to break into a first team, your attitude needs to be 100% and a bit more, otherwise you just join the list of nearly rans.

 

[IndoMike]

I'm not entirely convinced by the 'blocked pathway' argument. Sure, its really tricky having two promising youngsters in the same position and its a relevant decision making factor.... BUT .... if they are both exceptionally good...? A good job that 8 years ago we didn't conclude that we couldn't keep both Jay and Watkins!

And though it is said the decision on Neville was influenced by the pathway having Diabate around, simultaneously MT was saying that he expects interest in Diabate this summer. It would look strange to Neville if Diabate left this summer, or in January.

I'm guessing that MT wants players ready earlier so players are being judged at U18 partly on their loan spells in non league, rather than waiting until they are young professionals being loaned out.

I tend to agree with you on this. If they're good enough, we keep them, loan them out, or have them on the bench. Injuries will often open up the pathway anyway.

 

[SEA Grecian]

I tend to agree with you on this. If they're good enough, we keep them, loan them out, or have them on the bench. Injuries will often open up the pathway anyway.

It's a tough balancing act. Yes, MJ has done well after we stuck with him but how often does that happen.

 

[IndoMike]

It's a tough balancing act. Yes, MJ has done well after we stuck with him but how often does that happen.

I wasn't really talking about MJ, SEA. I was just making a general reference to Andrew's comment that if a young player shows very good potential then a blocked pathway should not be a problem. The pathway can quickly become unblocked due to injuries.
But of course there is a limit to how long we should keep such players. For example, maybe we held on to Seymour too long : the club seemed convinced he would make the grade and gave him every chance.

 

[SEA Grecian]

I think at one stage we had 35 or36 professionals on the books and loads of those went out on loan. 35 is too many for a League Two or League One club. So a slightly smaller squad, with fewer younger pros who go on loan but then don't make it. That places quite a heavy load on making the right calls on which academy players to retain, but the club's judgment has been pretty good down the years.

Exactly, there are few people in the game I would trust more to get these decisions right than Matt Taylor, Wayne Carlisle, Dan Green and Kevin Nicholson.

 

[fred binneys head]

Perhaps Rowe didn't show enough on a daily basis in training to warrant a further deal. He was excellent in the Stevenage game and showed real potential, but we have no idea about his desire and attitude during the day to day grind. I'm not saying he had an attitude problem but to succeed in the professional game, particularly when you're trying to break into a first team, your attitude needs to be 100% and a bit more, otherwise you just join the list of nearly rans.

Let’s also not forget that the one team he really shone against were bottom of league two. When he played against the decent teams (Port Vale, Newport) he didn’t shine, in fact against Newport he was a liability in the first half. Next season he would be up against league one teams. I’m happy to trust KMT on this one.

 

[dommers]

Just seen that none of the 2nd year academy lads have been offered
a pro contract,can’t remember the last time that’s happened.
That includes Archie‘s twin brothers .

Hope this isn't a sign of things to come and we haven't neglected the youth side. The rewards are so much greater if we sell a player performing well in league one and giving players an opportunity is something we shouldn't stop.

 

[Antony Moxey]

Hilarious that the first time in a thousand years we’ve released a bunch of nippers and not promoted them to the first team that this is a sign that the Academy’s falling apart at the seams. Get a grip some of you, eh?