But only 42 days until the first game and only 4 days to starting preparation. I assume that we a agree that a good pre season is important and that requires time.
Doubt many third division teams have their squad sorted, or anything like sorted, by the first training session of the pre-season.
Hopefully we’ll have the makings of a squad by the Dartford match and then be pretty much ready by Reading (aside from a final enormous marquee signing on deadline day).
Wigan, Ipswich and Portsmouth plus Lincoln are further ahead and Oxford have a decent group. There are only 3 promotion places.
Sunderland are title favourites, have a new billionaire owner................and haven't signed anyone yet.
They're going to be an interesting one to see what they actually do. Had a £1m+ bid rejected for Dion Sanderson the young Wolves defender they had on loan last season.
Not entirely sure if throwing huge money at it is the best way of getting out of this league
Depends how wisely you spend it.
If you spend 7m buying 2 players for 3.5m each then ok you've got 2 decent players but what are the other 9 like? However if you bought 7 players for 1m each then at this level, there's a strong chance you've built a title winning side.
Oh absolutely , they've tried the former route before with the Will Grigg debacle .
Money has to put a club at an advantage, but Sunderland are a great example that it isn't everything. They won't be getting relegated anytime soon though. It is a shortcut. I think the smaller clubs can build and get momentum but when they lose it, they have to rebuild from a lower point. Where a richer club can change things for the better far more quickly. It is never a given though.
An actual rumour, I was told we've enquired about regan slater, was at hull last season so probably looking to move higher but we'll see.
Problem is he’s done really well at Hull. They’ll want him back and that would make a lot of sense. Another season in L1 probably wouldn’t be that beneficial.
I’d like him as a signing, but I think we will have more success picking up 1st year Loanees rather than ones with experience at this level sadly.
Completely agree and I expect Hull to take him back or at least another champ club to come in for him but, here's to hoping.
The reason Nigel Adkins wasn't having a holiday this summer was he was working on the squad for next season to emulate Hull City.
Thomas Sandgaard stated we will blow League 1 out of the water.
We will bring in quality but I'm expecting some to be underwhelmed at first.
I hope we are more advanced in transfer business than when we kicked off at Sunderland a few seasons ago and lost 2-1 to a late goal after Grant and Taylor looked good in Tandem. We should be as we have a better team including the owner preparing our squad.
The Fraser to Wigan rumour originated from a post Fraser made where he was close to Wigan (I can’t remember where specifically). But Wigan fans jumped on it asking him if he was signing for them, he then removed the post.
Gilbey won player of the season over Scott Fraser when he was there. Granted Fraser was excellent when they beat us at the Valley, less so when we beat them at theirs.
Didn’t they sign Fraser as a Gilbey replacement?
You are probably right on that. I'm not sure Fraser is better than Gilbey though, although I would not have been upset if we signed him. There are still good players we can potentially sign, but haven't yet.
Is it? They had 6 contracted players at the end of the season, we had 9. Half of which were often described as "dog shit" on a regular basis on here last season.
They offered 9 players new contracts and I think most of them have resigned. They have signed 5 players, not including Amos.
We have 11 players including a keeper that has never played a league game, a center back who averages about a dozen games a season and Pearce and Watson who have been told they won't be playing.
Of course there is plenty of time and I am confident we will get where we need to be but don't under estimate the size of the job. It's one of the reasons I want most of the out of contract players resigned.
I like the prospect of Gregory signing. Good CF proven in L1. Also has the advantage that as he's been away from the sewage farm for some while, he won't need fumigation on arrival.
Is it? They had 6 contracted players at the end of the season, we had 9. Half of which were often described as "dog shit" on a regular basis on here last season.
They offered 9 players new contracts and I think most of them have resigned. They have signed 5 players, not including Amos.
We have 11 players including a keeper that has never played a league game, a center back who averages about a dozen games a season and Pearce and Watson who have been told they won't be playing.
Of course there is plenty of time and I am confident we will get where we need to be but don't under estimate the size of the job. It's one of the reasons I want most of the out of contract players resigned.
They were under soft embargo for all of last season, had to sell any experience they had in January to pay the bills, and needed kids and a bit of luck to stay up. The rebuild is significant to get back firstly to a stable place, and then go for promotion, the 11 they’ve resigned might be world beaters, I suspect their not
Gilbey won player of the season over Scott Fraser when he was there. Granted Fraser was excellent when they beat us at the Valley, less so when we beat them at theirs.
He’d have had to go some to win POTY at a club he didn’t play for.
Gilbey won player of the season over Scott Fraser when he was there. Granted Fraser was excellent when they beat us at the Valley, less so when we beat them at theirs.
Didn’t they sign Fraser as a Gilbey replacement?
You are probably right on that. I'm not sure Fraser is better than Gilbey though, although I would not have been upset if we signed him. There are still good players we can potentially sign, but haven't yet.
What formation does Adkins favour? Some obvious weaknesses in the squad but does he tend to go with one up top or is it a 3???
I watched a bit of Hull highlights on YouTube after he became our manager and he certainly favoured a 4-2-3-1 with 2 very attacking wingers, often cutting in.
Wigan signing Jordan Cousins and Max Power starts a panic (but we’d be underwhelmed if they signed for us)
If they sign Scott Fraser that’s a 100% bedwetter that guarantees one promotion spot has gone (in the same way Will Grigg fired Sunderland to promotion).
Liam Millar on the way to FC Basel after a second bud accepted. We improve another Premiershit player . I got the impression he was never coming back.
Leave no stone unturned. Which is where we will probably end up looking.
He was never coming back because Liverpool said if goes out on loan it will be a championship side … another one that spilt fans … very frustrating player as to be said
Liam Millar on the way to FC Basel after a second bud accepted. We improve another Premiershit player . I got the impression he was never coming back.
Leave no stone unturned. Which is where we will probably end up looking.
I don’t understand what your point is?
Liverpool loan us a player that was never going to break through there, we give him experience and they sell him. Isn’t this what happens in football?
we improved
the young left back from Chelsea that went to Bristol city bielik (spelling) cullen millar famewo
we left no stone unturned when we found Gallagher. Nobody had heard of him, one year later he was on loan in the premiership
its why premiership team loan is youngsters and it’s why our squad will be boosted with a couple more this season. We have a very good track record on developing and unearthing I know premiership youngsters. I have no issue with this continuing
Not convinced with Gregory. Granted he'll score goals at league one level but i see him as too similar to Stockley. Both 6ft 2 and both the 'leading the line' centre forward type. I think we need to go for someone young and pacy to play alongside Stockley.
Unless we're going to play like the old John Beck Cambridge sides, there's surely no room for both.
Comments
Completely agree and I expect Hull to take him back or at least another champ club to come in for him but, here's to hoping.
"could do better" was often quoted. Can we, is the question.
Suppose the one benefit of us having such a poor squad is that we aren't worried about selling anyone.
They offered 9 players new contracts and I think most of them have resigned. They have signed 5 players, not including Amos.
We have 11 players including a keeper that has never played a league game, a center back who averages about a dozen games a season and Pearce and Watson who have been told they won't be playing.
Of course there is plenty of time and I am confident we will get where we need to be but don't under estimate the size of the job. It's one of the reasons I want most of the out of contract players resigned.
Hopefully a BIG week ahead
Just remember.
The sun is shining
The birds are singing
And Ben Watson has signed for another season.
Didn't he only leave the Spanners to move north two years ago ?
If they sign Scott Fraser that’s a 100% bedwetter that guarantees one promotion spot has gone (in the same way Will Grigg fired Sunderland to promotion).
Liverpool loan us a player that was never going to break through there, we give him experience and they sell him. Isn’t this what happens in football?
we improved
the young left back from Chelsea that went to Bristol city
bielik (spelling)
cullen
millar
famewo
we left no stone unturned when we found Gallagher. Nobody had heard of him, one year later he was on loan in the premiership
its why premiership team loan is youngsters and it’s why our squad will be boosted with a couple more this season. We have a very good track record on developing and unearthing I know premiership youngsters. I have no issue with this continuing
Unless we're going to play like the old John Beck Cambridge sides, there's surely no room for both.