Hemel latic

The play offs didn't really work out that well for me personally.

I wanted Worthing because it's a nice trip to the coast rather than a slog round the M25.

I wanted Brackley because it's close (to Hemel).

I just about wanted Bromley (despite consecutive 3-0 defeats) because it's a London away trip.

Ah well.

12 minutes ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

 

All depends on how much belief they place in the manager to sew the seeds of success for them. Think that has a big part to play in where players move and if that manager sells their vision well enough, then they'll come.

 

Being here hasn't done the likes of Davis Keillor-Dunn or Mike Fondop any harm either so it's not a given you'll be kissing goodbye to your career. It might be a touch naive on my part but I truly believe the majority of players would trade in the chance of success for making a few hundred quid a week more at a club destined to be fighting the drop. Obviously performance consistancy has been quite poor, but we are a club that's [slowly] getting pieces together for a genuine promotion push and that has to be an attraction, whichever way you look at it.

See also Conor McAleny.

I was thinking along the same lines. If there's not much in it financially then surely players take the move that's best for their career and where they think they'll be happy. 

Mellon could be an inhibiting factor here. The way he's frozen players out and his talking down of the current squad would set alarm bells ringing for me as a potential employee.

34 minutes ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

TBF I’ve heard the same rumour from a very good source. He wants ti come to us too is the further thing I heard.

Off the little we saw they'd be mad to let him go permanently, it would be a massive coup to sign him. Even if we got him on a season long he's the kind of player we need - young, hungry, dynamic, strong and pacey.

1 hour ago, Lee Sinnott said:

Wigan want Hudson and we want Stones...

250k, Ben Amos, Stones on loan for a year, no return clause, they've got a deal.

Either of the RBs mentioned (Barrett and Golden) would improve our team. As evidenced this season it doesn't matter who we play up top if we don't create chances. More pace and desire please.

3 minutes ago, dannyboy55555 said:

Seems to me as if we are waiting to see if we can get rid of some of the contracted players first. e.g. If we get rid of Nuttall/Reid/Willoughby we would offer Fondop a contract. Similarly if we get rid of Shelton/Ward we might offer Gardner one etc. They cant say that in any statement obviously.

You might be onto something there. 

The retained list could more accurately be described as the "under contract" list with the possible exception of Kofi Moore.

From those still under contract you might reasonable expect the club to make efforts to move on Shelton, Nuttall, Reid and Willoughby. You might add Dan Ward to that list.

As things stand we have 19 contracted professionals so Mellon and Brabin have some scope to bring players in and address the imbalances in the squad they identified. If they can move on the outcasts, even greater scope particularly as they're all presumably on pretty decent money.  

2 minutes ago, Dave_Og said:

Bit harsh given he missed four matches because of a refereeing decision that was simply wrong

REALLY harsh.

1 minute ago, Only Blue said:

Why is the club so bad with statements?

 

They must know people are anxious. They must know people are waiting for a glimmer of hope. They must know people are waiting for decisions on players before buying season tickets.

 

If MM is the honest straight talking guy he says he is, then give us some proper information.

Yeah, it's a poor statement. If it said the following players have been released following the end of their contracts that would be clear. We'll see.  

It isn't particularly clear but given Kofi Moore is in the under contract list I am assuming none of the other players out of contract have been offered a deal. But it is an assumption, and it assumes Kofi Moore was out of contract.

Probably need Suzanne to provide some clarity.

Blood bath. All released bar Kofi Moore. 

1 minute ago, Dave_Og said:

Has any youth player we've released in, say, the last decade gone on to have a decent career?

I can't imagine it's the kids that will kill the budget. If any of those first year professionals are promising we should be able to afford them. The lad Cookson seems to have a great character but I haven't seen him play.

28 minutes ago, nzlatic said:

Yeah i agree. He doesn’t often look to go back, he sometimes tries to beat a man or try a forward pass. Doesn’t always come off which becomes frustrating but I can see his uses as a squad player. 

I'll also stick my head above the parapet on this. Of all the players currently on our books he's the best we've got at CDM and we know he's a CB by trade and has covered RB too. He's smart at breaking up play and covering from CDM, he works really hard. He's mentally strong, coming back from that back injury showed real fortitude and I don't think he's missed a game through injury since he came back.

Unless we're signing two better CDMs, or he's overpaid for what he does, it's an easy decision to keep him for me. 

If we don't sign a RB/RWB this summer I WILL LOSE MY MIND. Two seasons without one, how ****ing hard can it be?? Better sign two because the first choice will invariably do their ACL in first game given we've waited three years for one (not counting Jordan Clarke)

3 minutes ago, nzlatic said:

I like Hammond, for the reasons you’ve listed. But he’s come in for a fair bit of stick seemingly for not being the finished product. 

At some point maybe people will work out we're in the fifth tier and pretty much anyone who plays for us will have rough edges, some reason they're not playing at a higher tier.

There's plenty of evidence that the current squad doesn't run enough, doesn't compete hard enough. Younger, fitter players with drive and desire should at least help solve that. 

Just now, nzlatic said:

I agree to an extent but the problem with that is if they don’t hit the ground running they get written off as shit… Hammond. 

Hammond's got the best engine in that whole team, decent pace too, he's got heart, he doesn't go missing. He'd be one of the first names on the team sheet for me next season.

In addition to the other qualities I listed you can add bottle.

But seriously, we definitely need to address the age and experience profile of our team. We need some athleticism, we need some pace.

He's had a good career but we have got to stop bringing in players in their late 20s/early 30s.

We are crying out for young, hungry and talented with something to prove. 

4 minutes ago, LightDN123 said:

He might have done well at Vale but Conlon grinds my gears. 
 

Whether it be the fact his right foot is redundant or he over exaggerates his movements. He also seems to stand clapping sarcastically at the end of games. 
 

Something about him which is odd. 

Brilliant on debut, never more than a 5/6 out of 10 in pretty much every game since, have to hope he will benefit from pre season and, I'm really starting to hate this phrase, "having better players around him".

14 minutes ago, Lee Sinnott said:

Style of football...

They did well to discern a style of football.

If we're going to let Mike go we need to sign someone in a similar mould - big, disruptive CF that can put himself about, good in the air and has a bit of pace. I'm a fan, I would want to be convinced we were going to bring in someone better. Along with others, I've lost a bit of confidence in MM. I don't think he fancies Big Mike, I can see him being released and not adequately replaced.

With Reid frozen out Green is the only player at the club with real pace. Again I would keep him unless he was to be replaced with better players with pace.  

Green featured in our last three wins of the season, starting two, barnstorming performance at Maidenhead (A). We didn't win another game after his hamstring injury. Those last three wins also featured the successful Fondop/Garner strike partnership.  

First season, thoroughly enjoyed it. Many thanks to @oafcmetty

Our lowest league attendance o a Saturday of the season.

40 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

 

Certainly no stamina problems last night up against some very tough opponents. 

You are right he should have been recalled as back up to Kitching and fully assessed by MM.

Lovely left foot but as @Bobledgersheart said, I always thought he looked lightweight in the first team. Perhaps the season at Ashton will have helped toughen him up?

28 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

 

Came highly recommended from David Eyres and he should know all about left wingers.

I feel Walker has been used badly by MM and needs a run in the team in his best position, which is not where he was played at Dagenham.

That's all very true @BP1960, and 45 minutes or so isn't enough to form a reliable opinion on a player.

59 minutes ago, nzlatic said:

I did mean that we should have let him go out on loan even if just for a percentage of his wages, rather than keep him and pay 100%!

 

Saying that, I am a little puzzled as to why he's been totally frozen out. I can understand some of the other decisions... Reid - discipline, Nuttall and Willoughby - wanted different types of strikers. Shelton struggled but given midfield and rwb have been such massive problems I'm surprised he's not been considered at all. 

I thought he was our MotM in the away game v. Borehamwood. Admittedly a low bar but I always thought it was confidence with him and there was a NL player in there.