Squad for Next Season, Retain, Release or Transfer List? | Vital Football

Squad for Next Season, Retain, Release or Transfer List?

M

ManchesterLatic89

Vital Reserves Team
My First Post here guys, Tic exiled in Manchester, though still go to nearly all home matches and a decent number of aways.

Just wondering what our squad will look like next season? On the assumption that we get promoted to the Championship

Here is our squad according to Transfermarkt
https://www.transfermarkt.com/wigan-athletic/kader/verein/1071/saison_id/2017/plus/1

Out of that i would keep
Christian Walton - Hopefully we can make his loan permanent from Brighton, it is doubtful they will be relegated now and with Ryan and Krul ahead of Walton, he would probably be best leaving to get first team football at our club
Callum Elder/Recce James - Tough to say which one to keep, either way, keep one and not the other
Nathan Byrne
Dan Burn
Chey Dunkley
Craig Morgan
Luke Burke - Would give him new contract as from what i heard he had a good spell on loan at Fylde and would be back up to Byrne
Max Power
Sam Morsy
Nick Powell
Jamie Walker
Michael Jacobs
Gavin Massey
Ryan Colclough
Will Grigg
James Vaughan
Devante Cole

I would also keep both returning loanees Callum Lang and Terell Thomas. That should leave us with 19 players at conclusion of season.

Release/Transfer List the following

Dan Lavercombe
Jamie Jones
Alex Bruce - Chose him over Morgan as Morgan still has a year to go on his deal
One of Elder/James
Donervon Daniels - Shame that injury he suffered last year has had such an effect on him (that home match v Rochdale he was a shadow of the player he was last time at this level) Doubt he is good enough for Championship.
David Perkins - He always gives 100 per cent does Perks, but i think his legs are starting to go now and he wont get much first team games with us, still think at bottom end of League 1 he can do a job
Shaun McDonald - Injury prone, know he has a year left on contract but doubts as to whether or not he will be same player and will be able to cut it at Championship next season. For that, i would probably transfer list him
Jordan Flores
Gary Roberts - I do like Roberts and i am happy with his overall contribution this season, but again age and a potential lack of playing time next season is the reason he should be moved on at end of season
Noel Hunt - Will probably retire due to age, only short term signing

So that leaves us going into next season with

GK's - Walton (possible), New GK (to keep Walton on toes), Owen Evans,
RB's - Nathan Byrne, Luke Burke
CB's - Dan Burn, Chey Dunkley, Craig Morgan (kept on as back up CB), Two New CB's
LB's - Elder/James, Thomas (also a utility player across defence), New First choice LB
DM's - Power, Morsy, 2 new DM's to add competition for places
AM's - Nick Powell, Jamie Walker, New AM to push Powell
Wingers - Gavin Massey, Ryan Colclough, Michael Jacobs, Another Winger for competition for places
Strikers - Will Grigg, James Vaughan, Devante Cole, Another Striker for competition for places)

I would loan out Lang for another season, preferably to a lower League 1 club if we could (Rochdale/Oldham if either stay up), or to a club at top end of League 2, get him some more minutes and if he does well again and should we get relegated again we will have a ready made option to come in for us and it wont cost us anything.

Thoughts/Opinions?
 
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Looks about right to me. I would say Burke back out on loan tho. Sign a solid backup at RB in his place. Maybe that Mellor from blackpool who can play across the back as well as a holding midfielder to provide cover in a lot of areas.

Don't see why we would have signed MacDonald to release him, but I do agree he is injury prone however I think he is good enough. Jamie Jones can be kept around we won't find a cheaper backup keeper and he has been good for us.

Only reason to keep Morgan is because we can't agree to a release. I very much doubt he has the legs to play in the championship sadly.
 
If we can keep Walton then id say we desperetly need a new 1st choice left back and then competition for places and back up accross the rest of the side. I'd want 6 or so strong additions to push the best players we already have with maybe a number of the players already here becoming the back ups.

Hopefully Walton on loan again and keep Jones if he is happy to stay as no2. If we can't get Walton back then GK is a major priority.

Send Elder back and look for a good new left back who can attack and then see what we can do for cover, depending on cost and players ambition maybe consider keeping James as back up. But i wouldn't be bothered if he went.

Release Daniels, offer one of Bruce, Morgan or Thomas another year as back up CB. Bring in new CB to push Burn and Dunks for places. Ideally they would also be able to cover for one of the full backs.

Need a spare RB unless we think Burke is worth keeping. Don't know how Luke is doing on loan so a new deal depends on how much potential he's shown.

Release Perks, Roberts and Flores, send Fulton back. Sign a def mid player maybe in the Evans mould plus a fast left winger (Yanic) and another attacking midfielder.

Release Hunt. Sign new striker.

It's important to add quality and keep the squad size reasonable while simultaneously not make too many changes that lose the togetherness of the current line up. It can be a tricky balancing act but i think we've got a good foundation already in places.
 
king_dezeeuw06 said:
It's important to add quality and keep the squad size reasonable while simultaneously not make too many changes that lose the togetherness of the current line up. It can be a tricky balancing act but i think we've got a good foundation already in places.
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spot on kdz

just abuot sums up everything cook should be thinking abuot the team he puts together for the champeonship.

i agree we will need to add to the team but dont get carried away. some are seying we need 8 to 10 new pleyers. for me thats to much. some start well with there ideas then just get carried away and next thing they are thinking of holesale changes. easy thing to do. but nail on head is what you sey abuot keeping the togetherness. if we have coheseon at the start then its easier to get results agenst them teams that have shuffled there pack and take up to 8 games to get there own mojo going.

so for me. adding a couple at the start 3 maybe 4 does that for us and we still have the opteons to do more in new year.
 
I think it's a bit harsh to write off McDonald as injury prone. I admit I don't know what his injury record was like before he joined us, but last season he hardly missed a game till he got his leg snapped in half. Who wouldn't be out for a long time after that?

As for the rest, we may get Walton back on loan, but not permanently and for that reason I would keep Jones. Not as first choice but as a decent backup. Otherwise, if Walton didn't come back we'd be left needing to recruit 2 senior keepers. Not easy to do when you're going to be telling 1 of them he'll only be a bench warmer.
 
I think we have a good chance of signing walton , Caldwell failed by shipping everyone out and starting again , Cook is not like that so i feel he will add 4 or 5 championship players and see how we go ..
For once in a long time i trust our manager to get it right ..
 
Yes retaining Walton on loan would be a good move. Unless Brighton want him in their squad there is a decent prospect of this happening. Is jones good enough for the step up? Not sure he is imo, though clearly he wouldn't be first choice.

Elder has improved (though crossing woeful) so the question is can he continue to do so to warrant another loan. I'm undecided. It would appear Janes will be released so we need a replacement for him.

Morgans time has been and gone, so get rid. Likewise I expect Daniels to be released. Bruce has good experience at that level, is he still upto it though? Thomas hasn't impressed and isn't ready for the step up.

In regards right back I expect this will be controversial but I'm not sure byrne can play there in a higher league. Perhaps and hopefully he will prove me wrong. However we still need cover, though have been saying that for years.

Morsy is clearly good enough and Power has experience so would need to hope he's improved since last time otherwise we'll struggle in there. I'd replace macdonald personally, never been that impressed and I'd like another midfielder with an ability to hit the net. In regards the wide players; I'd sell Massey just not good enough. If we are relying on jacobs and Colclough to be first choice starters again I think we'd struggle. Squad players in that league the pair of them. I fail to see this hype around Walker but clearly won't be sold. Strengthening in the middle and out wide is crucial.

Up front we have Vaughan, Grigg and cole. Possibly one more to add depth and competition, though I think I'd rather invest in decent attacking midfielders than another forward given we only play one.

Money talks so it maybe we lose some of those such as burn in the last year of their contracts and one or two others which will change the picture. Also unknown is what cash the new owners want to throw at it, but if they do I suspect some of that will be offering new deals to the likes of burn. Squad doesn't need overhauling, just strengthening in key areas with better players.
 
I think Gary Roberts will get a new deal. I wouldn’t be against that, he still has something to offer us I think. Walton needs to be number one priority. I’m sure we’ve already put out the early feelers about having him for another season, but we need to have backup plans ready should that fail. Sorting out the keeper has to be first on the list before anything else.
 
Cant believe so many want to write off MacDonald before he has even kicked a ball on his return. In his last season in the championship he was one of our stand out players and there is no reason to believe he will be any different now. Ben Watson suffered a similar injury and made a complete comeback continuing to play in a higher division with Watford and performing well.
 
Regarding McDonald, it might be difficult for us to move him on due to the year on his contract and because he is coming back from long term injury.

McDonald was a difficult one to judge when i compiled the list and i was swaying between keep and transfer list. Had his injuries not returned this season after he came back from his long term injury, i would have said keep him. However, they have returned unfortunately.

Plus, whilst i think he could come in and do a decent job for a year at Championship level, i would like to see us sign a good Championship quality midfielder to partner Morsy as an upgrade to McDonald, if we can TAKEOVER PERMITTING.

Jones was another i was unsure about, he came in and did a solid job as Walton's deputy when Walton was injured. However, having had an experience of playing regularly this season and doing well, he may now believe he is ready for regular first team football which we wont be able to give him in Championship, however, he could get at mid-table or low-end of League 1.
 
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Providing we tie down deal to keep Walton, in order of priority for next year position wise is.

Left Back - either sign Elder permanent or keep James. Either will be our back up LB next season. Release the other and sign new first choice LB
Central Midfield - a Defensive midfield partner for Morsy.
Centre back - Another CB to push Dunks and Burn.
Winger
Attacking Central Midfielder - Powell does pick up knocks so want some more depth here
Striker - One more for competition

Dont need wholesale changes just 6/7 transfers imo
 
I'll probably get a load of abuse here but given last time we were in the Championship must of those here now who were here then were not good enough so I'd get rid of everyone, contracts permitting, except -
Walton, Byrne, Burn, Morsy, Powell and possibly Jacobs.
I've not seen enough of Cole to comment.

Grigg has proved he's out of his depth up a league - he lacks pace for the step up.
Both Elder and James just about suit L1, as do Coleclough and Dunkley. Massey's a L2 player.
Roberts, Perkins, Hunt and Bruce are older than my dad.
Daniels is out of contract. McDonald needs to prove his fitness and in but he's too expensive wage wise for us to be waiting to see if he makes it.
The rest will struggle to make the grade.
I'll now batten down the hatches
 
Last time round Grigg had scored 6 goals before the end of September then was out for months afterwards injured.
 
We certainy dont want wholesale changes you cant keep rebuilding the whple squad every season continuity is needed.
 
In regards to Byrne, for me he'll do well in the championship at right back. I don't think he'd perform as well on the wing. When he gets the ball at fullback his first task when driving with the ball is against a forward or midfielder. It gives him a good chance of starting a break away, vs a player that will not be great at defending, once he's in his stride he becomes a more dangerous player.

We have a lot of safe players, that prefer to retain possesion then look to create an opening. For me only Powell, Byrne, Cole and Colclough are attacking players. Seeing as Cook doesn't rate Colclough and has favoured Vaughan over Cole i think he prefers players that wont take chances in the final third. Rather keep the ball, not advance through the opposition. Instead moving the ball backwards/sideways to tire the opposition and rarely look for openings. Giving us better management throughout the game, also a fitness advantage later in games.
 
I cant agree about Grigg and Dunkley RobT. Grigg was doing fine scoring goals in a poor side until he was injued. Dunkley is an unknown quantity but to write him off is foolish. The idea of a "championship player" is a weird one. Its as if all championship players are the same which of course they are not. What does "good enough for the chamionship" even mean. Good enough to play in a side that is not relegated because hundreds of bad players have managed that.
 
RobT said:
I'll probably get a load of abuse here but given last time we were in the Championship must of those here now who were here then were not good enough so I'd get rid of everyone, contracts permitting, except -
Walton, Byrne, Burn, Morsy, Powell and possibly Jacobs.
I've not seen enough of Cole to comment.
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rob some would sey thats a fare ovservateon. but what we dont no is how will them pleyers you talk abuot preform under different leadership. under the last outing moral was low. some were pleyed out of there normal positeons and the training techniques were questeonable.

coming up in a winning team. with a very good coach and man maneger. stronger and fitter and a bit older and wiser they mite just suprise a few on here. only cook will no if pleyers will make the step up and as a few have alredy sed. i trust him to make the rite desiseon. i just hope he gets the rite backing from the club. whoever owns it at the time.
 
Firstly hopefully we will be promoted. Secondly it would be more appropriate to speak of releasing and getting rid of players once the season is over. Let the squad have their hour of glory first, after all if we do go up they will have all played their part and will have earned that hour of glory.
 
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