Pwoite

IIRC he said in those interviews the opposite and that financially, the club is in a good place not needing to sell key players. That was exactly my understanding of Dragan’s comments, too. However, whether this is fact or a sales pitch, none of us know. When looking at finances, we have saved on reduction in some high wages, as well, but probably had to pay off players through bonuses this summer for ‘promotion’ to keep them on side. Ticket prices are largely unchanged this season, so effectively there is a further cost there. We also don’t really know how much of a loss the club can afford to sustain this season in the hope of big bucks coming in after promotion. In terms of players, with Robinson going on loan, I wonder if the thoughts are to use Dobbin wide, or possibly Archer, rather than Edozie. Similarly, will we bring in another midfielder, as a couple of the under 21s (O’B W and Romeo A) have impressed in pre-season, and we have Bragg and Williams to consider as well. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a centre back come in to replace Quarshie, and to pressurise Stephens/Wood. However, we have potentially at least six players too many in the squad who are surplus to likely requirements. My list would include two keepers, Sugawara, Edozie, BBD, Down. There may be more, and certainly I’d expect some youngsters out on loan.

Don’t we want a new second choice keeper, with Long as third choice. Moody, or whoever could be third choice. For me, it’s not just who from the Big Four stay, but who else we can get out of the door. Or does Tonya want a bloated squad to provide options? I can’t see it working if players aren’t even making the bench.

So, with the majority of the pre season matches now behind us, what have we potentially learnt from team selection? Clearly, it has confirmed that we have two keepers surplus to requirements, but we knew that already. Charles hasn’t been played, so potentially his departure is close and we don’t want him injured. Edozie might be in a similar position, as he wasn’t seen today, but there again, neither was Fellows. BBB and Archer, and possibly Downs and Quarshie, have been tested, I suspect, with a view to deciding whether we look to twist or stick on them. Could we sell and do better, at what net cost? Sugawara will be added to this group. I suspect that every player has a price on his head, and if an offer matches it, we will sell. Of course, some of those prices will be high, whereas others will be giveaway rates. Looking at the team Will Still selected for our opening match last season, it looks stronger than what we have available, but we know how that turned out. From that eleven we jettisoned a former Championship top scorer, a former Scottish international, part of England’s U21 winning squad, a Republic of Ireland and a Japanese international by January, and went from strength to strength.

Final chance to impress Tonda, as well? There may well be redemption for one of those we expect to leave if they have a good tour.

I’m getting pretty fed up reading all the unnecessary abuse being pushed in MLG’s direction. I don’t know him, but some people seem to react negatively to everything he posts. Then they get rude and offensive. We all have opinions, and we can all disagree, but there’s no need for personal attacks time and time again. Let’s have some objectivity in responses.

I thought Dragan had said we didn’t need to sell to balance the books. Of course, this might be talking up the situation, hiding the truth, or it could be fact. Where did the £60m to balance the books come from? Somewhere between those two extremes we have banked around £9m for Armstrong, and reduced the payroll by £6m for releasing Aribo, Smallbone and McCarthy, plus others. Add in Ramsdale and Sugawara, maybe another £20m. Anything else to add in? That takes us to £35m against the cost and contracts for Latin and Peretz. Add in Charles, and exceed the £60m, so have either hit the break even, or have a sizeable war chest.

Bloody horrible last four fixtures. Need automatic promotion prior to those!

No. None. Nothing. But some great deals available on The Flying Scotsman in its original livery, and up to the minute news about track issues due to the heat. Still, in three hours we can at least talk about our fixtures, and how quickly we can overcome starting the season in last place.

It can, but it can backfire as well. Over the years we’ve bought plenty of stars past their sell by date. Some revelled in a last hurrah, whereas others never fitted in. Going way back Ball, Watson, Osgood and Mills were amongst the signings that worked, whereas Dixon, Speedie, Hughes and, arguably, the return of Romeu were all largely flops.

Apparently we’re looking at a 4-6-0 formation. Sorry, the wheels have come off.

We apparently don’t need to sell. We apparently have targets agreed we want to bring in. Therefore it is in everyone’s interests to get such deals done now: striker, keeper, attacking midfield. Then put the ultimatum to those potentially leaving that if they want out then they need to have an agreed deal by August 1st, or they are here for the season. If we have the cards, we need to use them.

Yes, the chances of an eight year old, signed up, ever playing for that club’s first team are small, though probably better with us than a Chelsea, but I’m talking about the cream who have risen to the top at fifteen or sixteen. They’ve already defied the odds to get that far and be recognised, possibly getting international honours. It would be interesting to know how many British professionals across the top two divisions came from the Big Six academies, and how many moved to them, relatively late, and broke through.

Understand the comment, and it’s jam today for the kid and his family, with a signing on fee and good earnings, but………I cannot think of any youth we’ve lost in the last five years who has forged a career elsewhere. There have been several big name departures, but has any of them proved successful?

How far off are Wright or Moody?

I’d totally agree, it’s ALL about promotion next season but equally we invest huge sums in the academy and that needs to be a production line, creating some opportunities. Now, that might mean Caribou Cup starts and Championship bench, and training with the first team squad, but it makes sense to develop the best from the U21s so that they are either first team regulars in time, or sold for a profit. We seem to have seven or eight youngsters who have had the chance already to play in a cup match. How many of these are potentially good enough to step up? And who are they?