"We have brilliant players here, some young enough to improve more, others building a good level of consistency, skilled players brave enough to use the skills on the pitch, experienced players who will now develop their nous to add to the mix, a great team spirit, and an eagerness and enthusiasm for training and getting fit. If we added to the squad we already have, competition for places would sharpen, and I would need to disappoint a lot of good players if I can't fit them into a first eleven, but i am positive and always expect everybody to give 100%, as I intend to"
Totally agree that's what he should have said. When you read what he really said, your heart sinks. He's trotting out the excuses for finishing below Gillingham before the season has even started.
What are his hands tied to? Hopefully the lower reaches of the Thames barrier and a tidal surge is heading his way fast.
[cite]Posted By: bingaddick[/cite]Listening to Parky re-kindles a long-held worry I have that too many football managers behave too much like recruitment consultants and not enough like football coaches. We managed to field 22 players last night yet apparently we need more bodies in the place.
I didn't agree with using 22 players and playing a different team in each half, but it's obvious we need more players in. Who actually disagrees with that?
Clearly while we should develop the younger players, the likes of Wagstaff, Tuna, Stavrinou and Clark aren't good enough for regular League One football. Then we had a couple of trialists. Solly and Mambo will probably play a part, but they shouldn't be regulars yet.
If we don't get players in we could finish in the bottom half with the current squad. At the moment there's no balance to it and big gaps (left wing, right back until Richardson signed). I want to see the youngsters come through, but we need more players here that are ready and good enough for regular football.
Parkinson,s hands are tied,thats good news means he will be unable to sign any new contracts. At the moment it would appear we are only getting players that come on a free ,that normal means the player is given some sort of signing on fee. What is important for me is the signing of a centre forward or two,who is going to find the net 15 /20 times a season.With out a winger who can beat his man and get the ball into the 18yard box we are also sunk.Sorry to say this but Sam and Wagstaff do not do this enought.As for the centre forwards Burton ,Dickson,Gray lack of goals is what put us in Division 3 in the first place. This is going to take a season or two to sort out,take over or not.(TRUST I AM WRONG) on this account.
Sam will be good in League One with some confidence. Yes we need someone on the left, but anyone we sign for the right you can be pretty certain he won't be as good as Sam is. Not that Sam is a brilliant player, but most of League One and some of Championship clubs would be happy to have him.
[cite]Posted By: Scoham[/cite]Who actually disagrees with that?
Hey, I don't say we shouldn't ever bring new players in BUT you have to wonder with 22 players, I would have thought it possible to mould them into a team. It seems to me mad that clubs like Charlton who now no longer have any real financial muscle can carry such large squads. Indeed they wont this season (unless the Takeover delivers big transfer dosh) We will exist with around 18 first team squad players.
I question the role of managers and coaches when all they do is moan about the lack of talent in the squad and their inability to change things by bringing in more players. Perhaps if they concentrated in improving what they've got that might be the better plan.
If we go back to the day when Curbs and Gritty took over, with no money on the table, they managed to get the Directors to part with a small amount of money to sign Gary Nelson, and then also signed, for memory Bumstead and Gatting. They then had to work with what was left. When Gritty went and Curbs brought in Les Reed, the focus then was on improving the players skills and yes, the occasional signing.
I can understand the position of say no decent striker where youn might want to go out and bring in someone from outside. What I find hard to accept is that we can't from our own reserves and youngsters, marshall the resources for a decent team.
As for players like Wagstaff and Tuna, well they were tried a Division above and they are maturing physically more and more so why not?
Personally, I feel that with players like Elliot, Randolf, Youga, Solly, Bailey, Fortune, Llera Shelvey, Sam, Wagstaff, Gray, Burton, Spring, Semedo, McLeod, Racon, Fleetwood, Dickson, Semedo, Tuna and now Richardson, we still have a decent enough squad at this level. They just need moulding into a team.
[cite]Posted By: bingaddick[/cite]What I find hard to accept is that we can't from our own reserves and youngsters, marshall the resources for a decent team.
Simple, they really aren't that good at the moment.
From those 22 last night - 2 were trialists although I guess you can say we've replaced Carter with Richardson.
We played strikers on the left wing, and last season we mainly played Bailey there once Bouazza had gone. We need a left footer out there just to give us a few options. We clearly need more than 2 centre backs. Without Fortune we really only have one.
GKs - Elliot Randolph - Fine, u18s or emergency loans as back up
RB - Richardson Semedo - Again thats fine
CB - Llera, Fortune & a signing + Youga and Semedo as back up, Mambo coming through. Still waiting for Fortune to sign and we need a third option. Two of our own CBs wasn't enough last season.
LB - Youga and Basey - Maybe we can improve on them, though it's not priority.
RM - Sam Wagstaff, likes of Sinclair and Bailey as back up.
CM - Bailey, Shelvey, Racon, Spring, Sinclair and Semedo - fine, perhaps more cover than we need. Plus Stavrinou coming through
LM - ? Bailey for now, Basey or strikers as back up - Need another option.
ST - Burton, Gray, Dickson, McLeod and Fleetwood + Tuna coming through - I hope we can improve on that, I'm not completely confident about any of them when it comes to goalscoring. It probably means one or even two would have to go, even if it's just on loan.
It's almost a decent enough squad, assuming we can keep all of them, but it just needs tweaking and improving in a few areas. You're not wrong, we should build a squad out of all of them, but there's a few places it can be made better if the right players are available.
Really just a centre back, left midfielder and striker we need, IF we can keep the better players and Fortune and Randolph sign new contracts.
Sco, were are not really poles apart then. I have never advocated not signing players, just that I never hear managers generally and our managers specifically talking about skills coaching and programs of self-development of players. All you ever hear is the bleating on about the need to bring in new blood all the time.
What has been worse over the last few years is that we seem to take in players who are technically excellent and make them bad. Youga is a prime example. Never got a sniff in Curbs or Dowies time, goes off to Scunthorpe of all places and comes back playing like he's hoping for a move to Arsenal. Even Pardew made a tongue in cheek comment as a pop at our coaching staff. In a few games time he started to look like the crap player we thought he was before he left for Scunny.
I know what you mean, there is a lot more talk about new players than about the ones we have. Pardew never stopped doing it. Though I've seen enough comments about the young players that Parkinson wants to develop them properly (not playing them too early, like Pardew with Wagstaff, say he thinks Mambo will one day play for the first team etc.)
We should be developing the players we have, though I think we have some, Fleetwood probably the best example, that might never be League One standard. Not necessarily the right thing to give him a run and try and develop him just because he's already here. We should be aiming higher than that if possible.
A different situation would be replacing Youga - it should be done if a player becomes available that is definitely better that we can afford. We shouldn't turn down better players just because we already have okay players in their position.
Comes down to two things in the end - gaps in the squad that must be filled, getting enough centre backs, finding another option to play on the left, right back (now done) and if possible an almost guaranteed goalscorer. Then there's positions we can improve if the right player comes along for the right price. I doubt we'll find a better right winger than Sam, but we might find a better left back than Youga. I don't want us to do what Pardew and perhaps Dowie did and sign extra players to bulk up the squad for the sake of it (Dean Sinclair two years ago, Fleetwood last year, Pouso etc), but if we know we can afford a player that should improve the team we should seriously consider it.
Well the main objective should be to get Randolph, Fortune and i still believe Holland may have a part to play this season on Contract.
GK - Elliot, Randolph
DR - Richardson, Semedo, Solly
DC - Fortune, Semedo Llera, Youga, Mambo
DL - Youga, Basey, Clark
MR - Sam, Sinclair, Wagstaff
ML - Bailey, Sam
MC - Racon, Bailey, Shelvey, Semedo, Holland, Spring, Sinclair, Stravrinou
FC - Gray, Burton, Mcleod, Dickson, Fleetwood, Tuna
The squad seems to be going somewhere but their is vital areas Left Midfield for example and maybe 1 more defender who if possible can cover left and centre as well.
But we still need to get rid of few players to fit in the new signings into a more tight knit squad, does Moutaoukil have a future here ? Anything going to happen with Christensen ? dont need 6 forwards thats for certain none have really proven their worth so far but who will do the job in League One.
On the Left Midfield situation - Wade Small, Jason Puncheon the first two choices i guess.
Agree with Scoham. Squad is close to being good enough, on paper at least, but needs JF and DR to sign plus another CH, LM and a striker.
To add quality over and above what we have we will need to spend money on wages and/or fees. Hence why JF and DR haven't signed yet IMHO. That money isn't going to be there until the now legendary takeover happens. Hence Parky saying his hands are tied.
[cite]Posted By: AddickRam[/cite]Well the main objective should be to get Randolph, Fortune and i still believe Holland may have a part to play this season on Contract..
MC - Racon, Bailey, Shelvey, Semedo, Holland, Spring, Sinclair, Stravrinou
Look at the problem there though. Where does Holland fit into that?
Two CMS start (Parkinson prefers 4-4-2), maybe Bailey on the left. One on the bench, plus Semedo for his versatility (or at right back if Richardson isn't available). Stavrinou will mainly play in reserve friendlies and maybe go out on loan. That still leaves Sinclair and Spring as back up. Holland is the only one we can get rid of easily, as he's out of contract, and probably on decent wages. Even with 7 subs I don't see how we can justify maybe £5k a week (surely not much less?) on Holland just to see him rotate with Spring and Sinclair as a back up CM.
We don't want to fall in Pardew's trap of having too many players for one position just because we kind of like all of them. It's not that he's any worse than Spring or Sinclair, but keeping 3 of them is too many while our first choice CMs are still here. We shouldn't be giving Holland a contract out of loyalty.
Of course we may give him another year knowing that any of Racon, Shelvey and Bailey are on the verge of leaving. Hopefully they're all going to stay. Even if they went, I'd like to see a direct placement come in, Spring, Holland and Semedo won't attack like those three can or score goals.
Comments
"We have brilliant players here, some young enough to improve more, others building a good level of consistency, skilled players brave enough to use the skills on the pitch, experienced players who will now develop their nous to add to the mix, a great team spirit, and an eagerness and enthusiasm for training and getting fit. If we added to the squad we already have, competition for places would sharpen, and I would need to disappoint a lot of good players if I can't fit them into a first eleven, but i am positive and always expect everybody to give 100%, as I intend to"
Totally agree that's what he should have said. When you read what he really said, your heart sinks. He's trotting out the excuses for finishing below Gillingham before the season has even started.
What are his hands tied to? Hopefully the lower reaches of the Thames barrier and a tidal surge is heading his way fast.
I didn't agree with using 22 players and playing a different team in each half, but it's obvious we need more players in. Who actually disagrees with that?
Clearly while we should develop the younger players, the likes of Wagstaff, Tuna, Stavrinou and Clark aren't good enough for regular League One football. Then we had a couple of trialists. Solly and Mambo will probably play a part, but they shouldn't be regulars yet.
If we don't get players in we could finish in the bottom half with the current squad. At the moment there's no balance to it and big gaps (left wing, right back until Richardson signed). I want to see the youngsters come through, but we need more players here that are ready and good enough for regular football.
At the moment it would appear we are only getting players that come on a free ,that normal means the player is given some sort of signing on fee.
What is important for me is the signing of a centre forward or two,who is going to find the net 15 /20 times a season.With out a winger who can beat his man and get the ball into the 18yard box we are also sunk.Sorry to say this but Sam and Wagstaff do not do this enought.As for the centre forwards Burton ,Dickson,Gray lack of goals is what put us in Division 3 in the first place.
This is going to take a season or two to sort out,take over or not.(TRUST I AM WRONG) on this account.
Hey, I don't say we shouldn't ever bring new players in BUT you have to wonder with 22 players, I would have thought it possible to mould them into a team. It seems to me mad that clubs like Charlton who now no longer have any real financial muscle can carry such large squads. Indeed they wont this season (unless the Takeover delivers big transfer dosh) We will exist with around 18 first team squad players.
I question the role of managers and coaches when all they do is moan about the lack of talent in the squad and their inability to change things by bringing in more players. Perhaps if they concentrated in improving what they've got that might be the better plan.
If we go back to the day when Curbs and Gritty took over, with no money on the table, they managed to get the Directors to part with a small amount of money to sign Gary Nelson, and then also signed, for memory Bumstead and Gatting. They then had to work with what was left. When Gritty went and Curbs brought in Les Reed, the focus then was on improving the players skills and yes, the occasional signing.
I can understand the position of say no decent striker where youn might want to go out and bring in someone from outside. What I find hard to accept is that we can't from our own reserves and youngsters, marshall the resources for a decent team.
As for players like Wagstaff and Tuna, well they were tried a Division above and they are maturing physically more and more so why not?
Personally, I feel that with players like Elliot, Randolf, Youga, Solly, Bailey, Fortune, Llera Shelvey, Sam, Wagstaff, Gray, Burton, Spring, Semedo, McLeod, Racon, Fleetwood, Dickson, Semedo, Tuna and now Richardson, we still have a decent enough squad at this level. They just need moulding into a team.
Simple, they really aren't that good at the moment.
From those 22 last night - 2 were trialists although I guess you can say we've replaced Carter with Richardson.
We played strikers on the left wing, and last season we mainly played Bailey there once Bouazza had gone. We need a left footer out there just to give us a few options. We clearly need more than 2 centre backs. Without Fortune we really only have one.
GKs - Elliot Randolph - Fine, u18s or emergency loans as back up
RB - Richardson Semedo - Again thats fine
CB - Llera, Fortune & a signing + Youga and Semedo as back up, Mambo coming through. Still waiting for Fortune to sign and we need a third option. Two of our own CBs wasn't enough last season.
LB - Youga and Basey - Maybe we can improve on them, though it's not priority.
RM - Sam Wagstaff, likes of Sinclair and Bailey as back up.
CM - Bailey, Shelvey, Racon, Spring, Sinclair and Semedo - fine, perhaps more cover than we need. Plus Stavrinou coming through
LM - ? Bailey for now, Basey or strikers as back up - Need another option.
ST - Burton, Gray, Dickson, McLeod and Fleetwood + Tuna coming through - I hope we can improve on that, I'm not completely confident about any of them when it comes to goalscoring. It probably means one or even two would have to go, even if it's just on loan.
It's almost a decent enough squad, assuming we can keep all of them, but it just needs tweaking and improving in a few areas. You're not wrong, we should build a squad out of all of them, but there's a few places it can be made better if the right players are available.
Really just a centre back, left midfielder and striker we need, IF we can keep the better players and Fortune and Randolph sign new contracts.
What has been worse over the last few years is that we seem to take in players who are technically excellent and make them bad. Youga is a prime example. Never got a sniff in Curbs or Dowies time, goes off to Scunthorpe of all places and comes back playing like he's hoping for a move to Arsenal. Even Pardew made a tongue in cheek comment as a pop at our coaching staff. In a few games time he started to look like the crap player we thought he was before he left for Scunny.
We should be developing the players we have, though I think we have some, Fleetwood probably the best example, that might never be League One standard. Not necessarily the right thing to give him a run and try and develop him just because he's already here. We should be aiming higher than that if possible.
A different situation would be replacing Youga - it should be done if a player becomes available that is definitely better that we can afford. We shouldn't turn down better players just because we already have okay players in their position.
Comes down to two things in the end - gaps in the squad that must be filled, getting enough centre backs, finding another option to play on the left, right back (now done) and if possible an almost guaranteed goalscorer. Then there's positions we can improve if the right player comes along for the right price. I doubt we'll find a better right winger than Sam, but we might find a better left back than Youga. I don't want us to do what Pardew and perhaps Dowie did and sign extra players to bulk up the squad for the sake of it (Dean Sinclair two years ago, Fleetwood last year, Pouso etc), but if we know we can afford a player that should improve the team we should seriously consider it.
GK - Elliot, Randolph
DR - Richardson, Semedo, Solly
DC - Fortune, Semedo Llera, Youga, Mambo
DL - Youga, Basey, Clark
MR - Sam, Sinclair, Wagstaff
ML - Bailey, Sam
MC - Racon, Bailey, Shelvey, Semedo, Holland, Spring, Sinclair, Stravrinou
FC - Gray, Burton, Mcleod, Dickson, Fleetwood, Tuna
The squad seems to be going somewhere but their is vital areas Left Midfield for example and maybe 1 more defender who if possible can cover left and centre as well.
But we still need to get rid of few players to fit in the new signings into a more tight knit squad, does Moutaoukil have a future here ? Anything going to happen with Christensen ? dont need 6 forwards thats for certain none have really proven their worth so far but who will do the job in League One.
On the Left Midfield situation - Wade Small, Jason Puncheon the first two choices i guess.
To add quality over and above what we have we will need to spend money on wages and/or fees. Hence why JF and DR haven't signed yet IMHO. That money isn't going to be there until the now legendary takeover happens. Hence Parky saying his hands are tied.
Look at the problem there though. Where does Holland fit into that?
Two CMS start (Parkinson prefers 4-4-2), maybe Bailey on the left. One on the bench, plus Semedo for his versatility (or at right back if Richardson isn't available). Stavrinou will mainly play in reserve friendlies and maybe go out on loan. That still leaves Sinclair and Spring as back up. Holland is the only one we can get rid of easily, as he's out of contract, and probably on decent wages. Even with 7 subs I don't see how we can justify maybe £5k a week (surely not much less?) on Holland just to see him rotate with Spring and Sinclair as a back up CM.
We don't want to fall in Pardew's trap of having too many players for one position just because we kind of like all of them. It's not that he's any worse than Spring or Sinclair, but keeping 3 of them is too many while our first choice CMs are still here. We shouldn't be giving Holland a contract out of loyalty.
Of course we may give him another year knowing that any of Racon, Shelvey and Bailey are on the verge of leaving. Hopefully they're all going to stay. Even if they went, I'd like to see a direct placement come in, Spring, Holland and Semedo won't attack like those three can or score goals.