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Current Squad.

  • Thread starter Thread starter JK
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Current Squad.

Barkhuizen is the type of player Warnock would love to have.

Wouldn't surprise me if Boro are the club already allegedly sniffing.
 
SuffolknWhat said:
let's not get carried away.
Barky isn't even the standout player in the current crop of shite.
he's a solid enough Championship player but not Prem quality imo.
however I don't think there'll be a shortage of offers.
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Good post but I think Barky is probably the current standout. He's the only player I look and think he could do something different, out of the ordinary.

Plenty of clubs will be looking at him, the one I know who are keeping tabs on the situation recruit well at this level. No shock they'd be looking at Barky, why wouldn't they.

As for the current squad, I don't know where to start. Jury out on several, less than a handful could play for a Top 6 side and the amount of baggage we are carrying is frightening. The situation we're now in is a ripple effect from the last three years and replacing sold assets with players that in most instances had no hope of stepping up to being an established Championship player that we could sell-on in the future.

It is an absolute critical aim that we revert back to the model of bringing in players that have potential to step up to the PL in the future. Spending £1.5m on Brad Potts and letting him get to the last year of his contract (amongst others) is just pure mis-management and shows a complete lack of strategy apart from "hoping for the best"

See you in Mansfield!!
 
I've counted 7/8 players I definitely wouldn't want to lose..

But I've also noticed that whilst we do have squad depth, we have far too many players who are all for the same position (eg No 10 Role)

Also on the flip side, we don't have that much depth for RWB as far as I can see?
 
baysidepne said:
Good post but I think Barky is probably the current standout. He's the only player I look and think he could do something different, out of the ordinary.

Plenty of clubs will be looking at him, the one I know who are keeping tabs on the situation recruit well at this level. No shock they'd be looking at Barky, why wouldn't they.

As for the current squad, I don't know where to start. Jury out on several, less than a handful could play for a Top 6 side and the amount of baggage we are carrying is frightening. The situation we're now in is a ripple effect from the last three years and replacing sold assets with players that in most instances had no hope of stepping up to being an established Championship player that we could sell-on in the future.

It is an absolute critical aim that we revert back to the model of bringing in players that have potential to step up to the PL in the future. Spending £1.5m on Brad Potts and letting him get to the last year of his contract (amongst others) is just pure mis-management and shows a complete lack of strategy apart from "hoping for the best"

See you in Mansfield!!
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It has the feel of a big boil that has been coming for a while but we are just seeing the yellow head develop which will eventually have to burst🙁.
 
Staffordwhite said:
Leaving aside the kids and the loans, I’d say two (Hunts and Rudd). 😐

The bigger question isn’t how the squad became so poor, it’s ‘who was handing out these contracts?’

Our biggest problem isn’t on the pitch, in the dug out, or even on the Isle of Man . . . he’s sitting in the director’s box.

Amazes me how he’s got away with it for so long.

Until he goes, the club is going nowhere but down.
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Absolutely this.
 
Bren27 said:
If a half decent player is in a team of fighters he generally ups his game, Barky and am not getting carried away will blossom in better company, trouble is we have too many average players at Preston now. As a lifelong fan it’s hard to swallow that all our best players go elsewhere? Billionaire owner ? Maybe it’s no longer enough.
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I don't know how long 'lifelong' is in your case, but after 60 odd years of support, I'm used to it. In fact, I accept it - or would do if the proceeds were reinvested in quality replacements. The problem is they never have been, and never will be.
 
We’ve got ourselves into a position where we can’t even offload most of the squad to L1 clubs. Stockley was given lots of criticism and abuse on here but when the club wanted to move him on there was no shortage of takers. We have several players now that we need to offload but there is little or no interest from other clubs. Lots of average players on good wages and the person who has achieved this is none other than the owners advisor.
 
I got 10 players that I'd keep.

I don't know 100% the ins and outs of this but from what I gathered when we got relegated to league one we had too many poor signings that were on a higher end of the wage spectrum for us. Our new signings for the relegation season were Wayne Brown, Craig Morgan, Paul Hayes, David Gray, Andreas Arestidou, Darel Russell, Iain Hume and Ian Ashbee. (According to Wikipedia) We also got Matty James, Josh King, Leon Cort, Iain Hume (Initially on loan), Nathan Ellington, Amine Linganzi, Leon Clarke, Eddie Johnson, Iain Turner, Ricardo Gardner and Bongani Khumalo all on loan

Our of all of these I think Iain Hume, and Josh King played well for us. I don't really remember any of the others being any good for us. (Forgive me if I'm forgetting anyone else)

However the players who left us that season were Youl Mawene, Chris Sedgewick, Liam Chilvers, Velice Sumulikoski (Macedonia's finest!) , Ross Wallace, Neil Collins, Michael Hart, Stephen Elliott, Richard Chaplow and Jon Parkin. Also worth noting that Neil Mellor left us on loan.

Now you will definitely recognise some of the names leaving us having some great performances in a North End shirt.

So far the pattern is repeating itself again - Good players are leaving us and the squad is left significantly weaker. We are replacing them with players who aren't at the same level as the ones leaving.

Hope I'm wrong but I worry history could repeat itself if we continue on this path. Lot of football to be played though still.
 
Staffordwhite said:
The bigger question isn’t how the squad became so poor, it’s ‘who was handing out these contracts?’

Our biggest problem isn’t on the pitch, in the dug out, or even on the Isle of Man . . . he’s sitting in the director’s box.

Amazes me how he’s got away with it for so long.

Until he goes, the club is going nowhere but down.
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^^^This^^^
 
Not sure about Josh Earl. He's nearly 23 now, has had about 4 loan spells already at lower levels which haven't worked out and is already looking injury prone. He's also not managed to break in to probably the worst defence we've had in years. Shame, but I think our judgement on him is a bit clouded because he is 'one of our own.' If we'd had this return from someone we'd brought in we'd be wanting to get rid. Hope I'm proved wrong, mind
 
I've looked at it a bit more rationally than before and have listed players as below. We could probably argue over one or two (Hughes and Potts for example) but I think its about there.

The main concerns as I see it are:
5 players who are seem unlikely to be part of the long term plans contracted for another two years.
A lack of quality and quantity up front
A lack of quantity at the back (and that assume that Hughes is up to it which I know divides opinion).

That all said, there is a core of a half decent team with some pretty decent quality in midfield especially. But generally its players of the level who would fill out a decent side without necessarily having the ability to be leaders/key players themselves. Overall its hard to see where goals or clean sheets are going to come from which is kind of a fairly big problem.

UNABLE TO JUDGE AS I'VE NOT SEEN THEM
GK: Oliver Lombard* (Contracted to June 2022 + 1Yr option)
DF: Lewis Coulton* (Contracted to June 2022 + 1Yr option)
DF: Matthew Olosunde (Contracted to June 2023)
MF: Lewis Leigh* (2nd Year Scholar)
MF: Jack Baxter* (Contracted to June 2022)
MF: Tom Bayliss (Contracted to June 2023)
MF: Adam O'Reilly* (Contracted to June 2023)
MF/FW: Ethan Walker* (Contract June 2022)
MF/FW: Izzy Brown (Contracted to June 2022 + 1Yr option)
MF/FW: Jamie Thomas (Contracted to June 2022 + 1Yr option)
FW: Jacob Holland-Wilkinson* (Contracted to June 2022 + 1Yr option)
FW: Joe Rodwell-Grant* (Contracted to June 2022 + 1Yr option)

SURPLUS TO REQUIREMENTS
GK: Matthew Hudson (Contracted to June 2022)
GK: Connor Ripley (Contracted to June 2022)
DF: Paul Huntington (Contracted to June 2022)
DF: Joe Rafferty (Contracted to June 2022)
MF: Josh Harrop (Contracted to June 2023)
FW: Sean Maguire (Contracted to June 2023)

NOT CONVINCING (ABILITY/FITNESS ISSUES)
DF: Jordan Storey (Contracted to June 2022)
DF: Patrick Bauer (Contracted to June 2022)
DF: Josh Earl (Contracted to June 2023)
DF: Liam Lindsay (Contracted to June 2023)
DF: Greg Cunningham (New Contract to June 2023)
MF/FW: Scott Sinclair (Contracted to June 2022)
MF/FW: Brad Potts (Contracted to June 2022)

CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST TEAM SQUAD LEVEL (OR DECENT POTENTIAL TO BE SO)
GK: Daniel Iverson (Season Loan - June 2022)
GK: Declan Rudd (Contracted to June 2023)
DF: Sepp Van Den Berg (Season Loan)
DF: Andrew Hughes (Contracted to June 2022)
MF: Ryan Ledson (Contracted to June 2023)
MF: Daniel Johnson (Contracted to June 2023)
MF: Alan Browne (Contracted to June 2024)
MF: Ben Whiteman (Contracted to June 2024)
MF/FW: Tom Barkhuizen (Contracted to June 2022)
FW: Ched Evans (New Contract to June 2023)
FW: Emil Riis Jakobsen (Contracted to June 2024)
 
simo said:
I've looked at it a bit more rationally than before and have listed players as below. We could probably argue over one or two (Hughes and Potts for example) but I think its about there.

The main concerns as I see it are:
5 players who are seem unlikely to be part of the long term plans contracted for another two years.
A lack of quality and quantity up front
A lack of quantity at the back (and that assume that Hughes is up to it which I know divides opinion).

That all said, there is a core of a half decent team with some pretty decent quality in midfield especially. But generally its players of the level who would fill out a decent side without necessarily having the ability to be leaders/key players themselves. Overall its hard to see where goals or clean sheets are going to come from which is kind of a fairly big problem.

UNABLE TO JUDGE AS I'VE NOT SEEN THEM
GK: Oliver Lombard* (Contracted to June 2022 + 1Yr option)
DF: Lewis Coulton* (Contracted to June 2022 + 1Yr option)
DF: Matthew Olosunde (Contracted to June 2023)
MF: Lewis Leigh* (2nd Year Scholar)
MF: Jack Baxter* (Contracted to June 2022)
MF: Tom Bayliss (Contracted to June 2023)
MF: Adam O'Reilly* (Contracted to June 2023)
MF/FW: Ethan Walker* (Contract June 2022)
MF/FW: Izzy Brown (Contracted to June 2022 + 1Yr option)
MF/FW: Jamie Thomas (Contracted to June 2022 + 1Yr option)
FW: Jacob Holland-Wilkinson* (Contracted to June 2022 + 1Yr option)
FW: Joe Rodwell-Grant* (Contracted to June 2022 + 1Yr option)

SURPLUS TO REQUIREMENTS
GK: Matthew Hudson (Contracted to June 2022)
GK: Connor Ripley (Contracted to June 2022)
DF: Paul Huntington (Contracted to June 2022)
DF: Joe Rafferty (Contracted to June 2022)
MF: Josh Harrop (Contracted to June 2023)
FW: Sean Maguire (Contracted to June 2023)

NOT CONVINCING (ABILITY/FITNESS ISSUES)
DF: Jordan Storey (Contracted to June 2022)
DF: Patrick Bauer (Contracted to June 2022)
DF: Josh Earl (Contracted to June 2023)
DF: Liam Lindsay (Contracted to June 2023)
DF: Greg Cunningham (New Contract to June 2023)
MF/FW: Scott Sinclair (Contracted to June 2022)
MF/FW: Brad Potts (Contracted to June 2022)

CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST TEAM SQUAD LEVEL (OR DECENT POTENTIAL TO BE SO)
GK: Daniel Iverson (Season Loan - June 2022)
GK: Declan Rudd (Contracted to June 2023)
DF: Sepp Van Den Berg (Season Loan)
DF: Andrew Hughes (Contracted to June 2022)
MF: Ryan Ledson (Contracted to June 2023)
MF: Daniel Johnson (Contracted to June 2023)
MF: Alan Browne (Contracted to June 2024)
MF: Ben Whiteman (Contracted to June 2024)
MF/FW: Tom Barkhuizen (Contracted to June 2022)
FW: Ched Evans (New Contract to June 2023)
FW: Emil Riis Jakobsen (Contracted to June 2024)
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I'd just about agree with that.

You've been slightly more generous with your assessment of Championship level than I have been but I've based my own assessment on the clubs supposed belief that this squad is able to complete in the top half, rather than just being able to compete in the Championship.
 
A mismanagement of recruitment, retention and player development has created a bad mixture of players who will struggle to compete in the championship this season. It is like history all over again - repeating the sins of our past and not learning from them. This has been creeping up on us for three to four years where we have failed to replace the players we have lost adequately to sustain fan expectations.

The club are happy to meander around in the championship for as little expenditure as possible from what I see. I find it shocking how Trevor is spending around £7M a year to keep us afloat, prefers to have corporate individuals to call the shots on the football aspects of the club and has no interest in making tangible progress towards the following strategy outlined in the company accounts:
  1. Selection and appointment of an effective football management team
  2. Identifying talented players and securing these players on contracts within financial parameters
  3. Develop young players through the club's academy system
  4. Increasing the group's turnover by attracting new supporters and commercial partners

I cannot see how the club will improve or make tangible progress its overall objective of consolidating Championship status and pursuing promotion to the Premier League unless it changes its approach to recruitment, retention and player development. If we don't improve our starting XI season upon season, bring through youth team players or look to entice new supporters or appoint a manager with any experience - what can you expect?
 
Malcy16 said:
I got 10 players that I'd keep.

I don't know 100% the ins and outs of this but from what I gathered when we got relegated to league one we had too many poor signings that were on a higher end of the wage spectrum for us. Our new signings for the relegation season were Wayne Brown, Craig Morgan, Paul Hayes, David Gray, Andreas Arestidou, Darel Russell, Iain Hume and Ian Ashbee. (According to Wikipedia) We also got Matty James, Josh King, Leon Cort, Iain Hume (Initially on loan), Nathan Ellington, Amine Linganzi, Leon Clarke, Eddie Johnson, Iain Turner, Ricardo Gardner and Bongani Khumalo all on loan

Our of all of these I think Iain Hume, and Josh King played well for us. I don't really remember any of the others being any good for us. (Forgive me if I'm forgetting anyone else)

However the players who left us that season were Youl Mawene, Chris Sedgewick, Liam Chilvers, Velice Sumulikoski (Macedonia's finest!) , Ross Wallace, Neil Collins, Michael Hart, Stephen Elliott, Richard Chaplow and Jon Parkin. Also worth noting that Neil Mellor left us on loan.

Now you will definitely recognise some of the names leaving us having some great performances in a North End shirt.

So far the pattern is repeating itself again - Good players are leaving us and the squad is left significantly weaker. We are replacing them with players who aren't at the same level as the ones leaving.

Hope I'm wrong but I worry history could repeat itself if we continue on this path. Lot of football to be played though still.
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"Lot of football to be played though still."

97.82% of the season left, If my abacus is correct. We should have a reasonable idea in about a month--six weeks. The only positive from that game I could see was that Riis looked a prospect.
 
sf said:
I thought he was absolutely diabolical apart from the goal.
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I agree but I think (at this stage?) that he may be that kind of player - useless outside the box but comes alive when its in there.

As we used to call them when I was a kid "a goal-hanger"
 
Discounting loans & kids:

Rudd
Sinclair
DJ
Barky
Bauer
Hunts

If it were down to me Hunts would be playing week in week out still. Leader & always does a great job... badly overlooked this season. Lindsay is not an upgrade.

Big Pat & Hunts way better than Lindsay and Storey, which has to be one of the worst pairings in the top three divisions


Browne is a player I keep changing my mind on. He’s got such a big engine that you could probably find a role for him in any side, but he probably suffers from being too much a utility player and given too much freedom.
 
Realistic said:
"Lot of football to be played though still."

97.82% of the season left, If my abacus is correct. We should have a reasonable idea in about a month--six weeks. The only positive from that game I could see was that Riis looked a prospect.
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I've always thought that there is potential in Riis. I reckon with the right coaching he can improve a lot.
 
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