[ex coseley kid]

The spine of the club is easily good enough if we can keep hold of them
Foster is a definite
Dawson and Hegazi make a good central defensive partnership
I prepare for abuse here but Livermore will be OK at central midfield and JRod should be striker
Add to those (again prepared for abuse) Phillips on the right and Burke on the left
Brunty can play left back
Depending on our formation leaves a right back and 2 more midfielders and that the first 11 sorted
To me its imperative that we keep Dawson and JRod.
As others have stated its easy to blame Pulis and Pardew for our demise but now we are down I think that what these players have done this year is criminal and they deserve a large proportion of the blame.

I'm not shouting, I agree with this totally. Esp the bold bits... the bits that invite the abuse!

[Scooby Doo]

The one thing that I really do not understand is that people are being so dismissive if signing a player who is touching 30 is mentioned? Notably this post coming on the back of my Bjelland post in the transfer section. What really strikes me is how out of touch people are at the minute and unrealistic.

We're going to have to go and build pretty much a new squad this summer, there will be an awful lot of interest in our better players and it will make little sense to keep them here against their will especially if the price is right. Even given that extra income I think what people are expecting in picking up some of the best youngsters outside The Premiership is absurd. A top Championship player now costs excess of £10m and depending who they play for £15m.

People need to realise we will need a number of different signings this summer, from punts on nobodies to the signing of seasoned players in their peak as well as those like Burke. Who are the youthful signings people want.

There's a lot to consider when making a signing and for me age would be at the very bottom of the list when considering individual transfers but would be on my mind overall. Someone like Bjelland should be a no brainer. The Championship is a different prospect to when we last there, and people need to start thinking about not just bringing in the younger players but the need to replace some of the huge experience that will be departing us.

[baggie82]

We shouldn't be selling players until we have replacements lined up. Need a big squad to deal with 46 hoof ball games in the championship.

[Adder]

We shouldn't be selling players until we have replacements lined up. Need a big squad to deal with 46 hoof ball games in the championship.

I'm not sure but I doubt a Championship squad is any bigger than a premier squad. It's one reason that we shouldn't be renewing the contract of someone as injury prone as Morrison ...can't afford to dream of him being fit for even two thirds of the games. We should have half a dozen youngsters now capable of stepping in at Championship level and not letting us down in the event of injuries to the 1st team...unless they are out on loan of course.

[rajesh-wba]

Foster (34), Myhill (34),


Evans (30), Dawson (27), McAuley (38), Hegazi (26), Ali Gabr (29), Nyom (29), Gibbs (28)


Barry (36), Livermore (28), Yacob (29), Krychowiak (27), Field (19), Morrison (31), McClean (29), Phillips (26), Chadli (28), Burke (21), Brunt (33), Leko (19),


Rondon (28), Rodriguez (28), Hal Robson-Kanu (28), Sturridge (28)

Players On Loan:
Ali Gabr,
Krychowiak,
Sturridge,


I think Kyrchowiack and Sturridge will no doubt return to their respective clubs. Question mark on Ali Gabr. Not sure what the club will be thinking. He’s 29. So if they don’t think he’s ready he could well be sent back to his club too.

Myhill and McAuley are out of contract.
Yacob, Barry and Morrison have a 12 month option. I’m not entirely sure who’s favour the 12 Month is in (club or player)

With looking at our squad it’s important we try and keep a core of players to mount a successful challenge.

Evans, Chadli and Rondon all have a release clauses. Not sure who the 4th player is.

[TheJacko2000]

Foster (34), Myhill (34),


Evans (30), Dawson (27), McAuley (38), Hegazi (26), Ali Gabr (29), Nyom (29), Gibbs (28)


Barry (36), Livermore (28), Yacob (29), Krychowiak (27), Field (19), Morrison (31), McClean (29), Phillips (26), Chadli (28), Burke (21), Brunt (33), Leko (19),


Rondon (28), Rodriguez (28), Hal Robson-Kanu (28), Sturridge (28)

Players On Loan:
Ali Gabr,
Krychowiak,
Sturridge,


I think Kyrchowiack and Sturridge will no doubt return to their respective clubs. Question mark on Ali Gabr. Not sure what the club will be thinking. He’s 29. So if they don’t think he’s ready he could well be sent back to his club too.

Myhill and McAuley are out of contract.
Yacob, Barry and Morrison have a 12 month option. I’m not entirely sure who’s favour the 12 Month is in (club or player)

With looking at our squad it’s important we try and keep a core of players to mount a successful challenge.

Evans, Chadli and Rondon all have a release clauses. Not sure who the 4th player is.

Widely accepted to be Dawson...

[baggie38]

For me these players will leave

Sturridge
Ali Gabr
Krychowiak
Morrison
Evans
Dawson
Chadli
Rondon
Myhill
Barry

I'm unsure regarding the following

Phillips
Rodriguez
Gibbs
Hegazi

The players I haven't named will stay in my view.

[Standaman]

The one thing that I really do not understand is that people are being so dismissive if signing a player who is touching 30 is mentioned? Notably this post coming on the back of my Bjelland post in the transfer section. What really strikes me is how out of touch people are at the minute and unrealistic.

We're going to have to go and build pretty much a new squad this summer, there will be an awful lot of interest in our better players and it will make little sense to keep them here against their will especially if the price is right. Even given that extra income I think what people are expecting in picking up some of the best youngsters outside The Premiership is absurd. A top Championship player now costs excess of £10m and depending who they play for £15m.

People need to realise we will need a number of different signings this summer, from punts on nobodies to the signing of seasoned players in their peak as well as those like Burke. Who are the youthful signings people want.

There's a lot to consider when making a signing and for me age would be at the very bottom of the list when considering individual transfers but would be on my mind overall. Someone like Bjelland should be a no brainer. The Championship is a different prospect to when we last there, and people need to start thinking about not just bringing in the younger players but the need to replace some of the huge experience that will be departing us.

Age matters how old a player is determines where they are in their career. Typically a player has 4 years at their absolute peak which for attacking players starts quite early 23/24 and defensive players a little latter 25/26 and goalkeepers probably as late as 28.

 Incidentally the physical demands on full backs in the modern game their peak is probably closer to that of attackers. There are exceptions to every rule and precisely when a player hits peak and how long they sustain it will depend on factors such as game time injuries and recovery routines. These same factors determine what a happens post peak and frequently determine whether a player has a long post peak career or a relatively short one.

Bjelland is an interesting example. The player is very good at championship level. When he was at Twente I thought he might have moved to the Premier League to a club like us and I was surprised he turned up  at Brentford. This might have been because the Eredivisie does not have a reputation for producing great defenders or because he was relatively old (26) to be moving from the league and he was probably already at or near his peak and equally the type of clubs that might have been interested don't do footballing centre backs.

If you compare Virgil van Dijk's career path it was similar in that he was at Gronnigen but left at the age of 21 for Celtic and therefore was able to move twice more before arriving at Liverpool with 3 or 4 years of peak performance still to come.

Our problem for the last few years is this we have focused almost exclusively on peak or in many cases post peak players and the squad reflects this. Deep sitting blocks are quite kind to post peak defenders particularly full backs but place huge physical strains on the forward players. 

Moving from that style has huge implications for the squad and I'm not sure how well the back line copes if we had stayed in the Premier league two new full backs becomes essential less so in the Championship.

Whoever stays most will be in their post peak careers there is plenty of experience none of our regular starting XI have less than 100 first team appearances and players in their mid twenties are hardly novices in any event.

We may sign one or two players who fit Bjelland's profile but they wouldn't be my first choice and too many of that type of player and we are rapidly repeating the mistakes of the recent past. They might get us promoted but we would have to replace them almost immediately if we did.

[cads_ap_albion]

Foster (34), Myhill (34),


Evans (30), Dawson (27), McAuley (38), Hegazi (26), Ali Gabr (29), Nyom (29), Gibbs (28)


Barry (36), Livermore (28), Yacob (29), Krychowiak (27), Field (19), Morrison (31), McClean (29), Phillips (26), Chadli (28), Burke (21), Brunt (33), Leko (19),


Rondon (28), Rodriguez (28), Hal Robson-Kanu (28), Sturridge (28)

Players On Loan:
Ali Gabr,
Krychowiak,
Sturridge,


I think Kyrchowiack and Sturridge will no doubt return to their respective clubs. Question mark on Ali Gabr. Not sure what the club will be thinking. He’s 29. So if they don’t think he’s ready he could well be sent back to his club too.

Myhill and McAuley are out of contract.
Yacob, Barry and Morrison have a 12 month option. I’m not entirely sure who’s favour the 12 Month is in (club or player)

With looking at our squad it’s important we try and keep a core of players to mount a successful challenge.

Evans, Chadli and Rondon all have a release clauses. Not sure who the 4th player is.

Not sure Morrison has a 12 month option.

Is the Barry option in our favour? Please....

[Fritzl Palace]

Not sure Morrison has a 12 month option.

Is the Barry option in our favour? Please....

I'm sure Barry took up the 12 month option that was in his favour...

[skyclad99]

I'm sure Barry took up the 12 month option that was in his favour...

I thought he triggered the 12 month option on appearances, I have yet to see anywhere that he would like to take up that option. I would also like to think that it is a two way conversation as well...

[Fritzl Palace]

You'd imagine with any of the lads who are out of contract, they will want to have a conversation with the new manager before deciding anything either way.

[baggie96]

With Moore set to get the job I think we’ll keep more players;

Foster
Lainer Dawson hegazi gibbs
Phillips Livermore Field Brunt
Rodriguez reid

[Adder]

With Moore set to get the job I think we’ll keep more players;

Foster
Lainer Dawson hegazi gibbs
Phillips Livermore Field Brunt
Rodriguez reid

Maybe, but for all we know, those very same players may have been as impressed or maybe more so after speaking to Smith / whoever about their ideas. Dawson has a release clause so we'll be lucky to keep him.

[baggie82]

Maybe, but for all we know, those very same players may have been as impressed or maybe more so after speaking to Smith / whoever about their ideas. Dawson has a release clause so we'll be lucky to keep him.

Can you point to any press stories of note confirming Dawson has a release clause? I’ve not seen anything with him, unlike Chadli and Rondon.

[Adder]

Can you point to any press stories of note confirming Dawson has a release clause? I’ve not seen anything with him, unlike Chadli and Rondon.

No but one or two pretty reliable sources on here have mentioned it.

[paulosull]

With the techno from continent I'm expecting a few players to come in under the radar