Ins and outs 2023/24 | Page 26 | Vital Football

Ins and outs 2023/24

mikemiller said:
06/02/24

Paul Davis (Advertiser) Twitter - BACK IN .... Curtis Durose has returned to the NYS. Latest loan spell at Scarboro' has been completed. What is the future for him? Could be our "homegrown player on the bench"... or go back out on loan?
Click to expand...
I expect him to be our homegrown player and may get some game time (well, perhaps).
 
After reading reports on last two rounds of Championship games and looking over squad lists I have to conclude that we have the weakest squad. Injuries have been a big factor but even so in terms of attacking potential and creativity we are well off the pace. Over three managers and several windows we have failed to recruit a consistent goalscorer or to replace Chieo's pace and Dan's midfield creativity. In Anglo-Saxon it has been a right b*lls up.
As Groucho Marx in the persona of Waldorf T. Flywheel might have said; 'There are two kinds of football club, the kind that sells Arvin Appiah for £8m and the kind that loses Chieo Ogbene for nothing.'
 
Last edited:
Lindum said:
After reading reports on last two rounds of Championship games and looking over squad lists I have to conclude that we have the weakest squad. Injuries have been a big factor but even so in terms of attacking potential and creativity we are well off the pace. Over three managers and several windows we have failed to recruit a consistent goalscorer or to replace Chieo's pace and Dan's midfield creativity. In Anglo-Saxon it has been a right b*lls up.
As Groucho Marx in the persona of Waldorf T. Flywheel might have said; 'There are two kinds of football club, the kind that sells Arvin Appiah for £8m and the kind that loses Chieo Ogbene for nothing.'
Click to expand...
You forgot to add Ben Wiles.

Not a favourite with a large section of fans but still not replaced with a like for like , box to box versatile midfielder.

A right ‘ car crash ‘ of a season.
Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong.!

Forgot to add…..yes agree we do seem to have the weakest squad and are way off the pace.
 
Guy_Branston said:
You forgot to add Ben Wiles.

Not a favourite with a large section of fans but still not replaced with a like for like , box to box versatile midfielder.

A right ‘ car crash ‘ of a season.
Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong.!

Forgot to add…..yes agree we do seem to have the weakest squad and are way off the pace.
Click to expand...
How quickly this season turned to ashes. The 'high point' was for me the pre-season game at Mansfield. Bola and Cafu impressed me, McCart looked OK, Durose played well and Georgie was magnificent, making one and scoring three.
 
Last edited:
Lindum said:
How quickly this season turned to ashes. The 'high point' was for me the pre-season game at Mansfield. Bola and Cafu impressed me, McCart looked OK, Durose played well and Georgie was magnificent, making one and scoring three.
Click to expand...
And where are they now?

Cafu hasn't been the same player since his injury and doesn't look like he could tackle a jelly while Bola, McCart and Georgie have all been allowed to wander off in the sunset.
 
We have a poor record of signing non-league players though. Can only think of Gooding and Forrest who have been long-term successes, and that was decades ago. Players from L.o.I., like Kelly and Clarke, were not up to the fitness level needed. Can't think of any previous signings from Welsh football, but their League is probably below L.o.I. level. I know that other EFL clubs have made good signings from non-league, but a good scouting system is needed , which we don't appear to have.
 
Last edited:
mikemiller said:
We have a poor record of signing non-league players though. Can only think of Gooding and Forrest who have been long-term successes, and that was decades ago. Players from L.o.I., like Kelly and Clarke, were not up to the fitness level needed. Can't think of any previous signings from Welsh football, but their League is probably below L.o.I. level. I know that other EFL clubs have made good signings from non-league, but a good scouting system is needed , which we don't appear to have.
Click to expand...
Good point, Mike. Young would be a risk, no doubt. Odd career; won 2020-21 Youth Cup with Villa, loaned to Carlisle and Ayr. Released by Villa, failed a trial with Exeter City and ended up at TNS yet is being tracked by a few clubs including us, Hearts and Augsburg!
 
Another thing to bear in mind about forwards "who never score" , who suddenly start scoring (and this also applies to Tom Eaves' two-year spell at Gillingham) - is the success down to the goalscorer himself or the other players in the team who are setting up lots of chances? Without seeing TNS play , it is difficult to judge. Maybe should be looking at the support players instead?
 
mikemiller said:
Another thing to bear in mind about forwards "who never score" , who suddenly start scoring (and this also applies to Tom Eaves' two-year spell at Gillingham) - is the success down to the goalscorer himself or the other players in the team who are setting up lots of chances? Without seeing TNS play , it is difficult to judge. Maybe should be looking at the support players instead?
Click to expand...
Seem to remember TE played at Gills with another striker who scored quite a few. I shall look him up. [Edit] Just checked and think it must be Josh Parker who was there for TE's two seasons.
I had very high hopes for Kelly but as you say he was never really fit. I had no hopes for either Eaves or Hugill and have not been disappointed in my lack of expectation. I shall be again completely underwhelmed if we give CW a 2 year deal.
 
Last edited:
Guy_Branston said:
The only way Ollie will be leaving is if the club get a decent offer in for him, otherwise the club will invoke the option of another year and / or negotiate a new contract.

Except VIKTOR to be on his way out.
Click to expand...
With Viktor the fee is everything. There have been rumours of a release clause at £3m but hopefully that is untrue. No doubt the fee will be 'undisclosed' but for me it's an acid test of our negotiating team. Southampton reportedly paid £12m for Gavin Bazunu, a relatively inexperienced 22 year old. We should have a starting price of £15m but release clause notwithstanding I expect him to go for a third of that or less. We just don't ever seem to maximise our assets in sales. A proper price for Viktor could set this club up for the next few seasons. We'll see.
 
I've said before - and perhaps I'm wrong, unfair or unrealistic - but our recruitment seems unexciting and unimaginative. Last night Macaulay Langstaff scored again for Notts County. He was the National League's top scorer when County signed him from Gateshead in 2022 for £50k. He's carried on scoring in L2 and attracted interest from clubs in higher leagues. Yet he signed an extension with County as he said he felt the club and coaching staff had been supportive. I feel our coach and DOF are fixated on older 'been there done it' types.
 
mikemiller said:
Last few seasons recruitment has been based around players who have been there, done it... then got serious injury/illness. We shouldn't be trying to build a squad based around those players - that's why we are bottom of the Championship.
Click to expand...
Saw an interesting observation on another forum that next season our youngest player - owned and actually playing - will be 25 and a year older than the average age of several entire squads including Leeds, Watford and Blackburn. The signing of CW will be a retrograde step and we've got to start weaning ourselves of this approach which not only doesn't work but leaves us without saleable assets.
 
19/03/24
Sort of out and in...

Maltby Main FC Official website - Millers Youth Team coach , Joe Skarz, wil be taking on the role of temporary manager of the Miners until the end of the season, alongside his RUFC coaching duties.

Unclear what the longer term implications are... if any.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.