Retained list

[Gullscorer]

Chris Hargreaves is reported as saying he already knows in his mind which players will be staying and who will be leaving at the end of the season (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32162717), though it's still possible (if unlikely) for individual players to change his mind in the last four games between now and 25 April. These games are against Altrincham (H), Lincoln (H), Halifax (A), and Macclesfield (H). My feeling is that we're most likely going to lose all those games!

Whether any individuals do impress in those four games will be down to displays of attitude, commitment, and character, more than anything else. We (and CH) already have some idea as to which players possess at least a modicum of the required skills and talent, even if they've had little opportunity to shine in a very poor squad in a very poor season. Players of quality have the least opportunity to display their talents in poor teams, though such quality should always be apparent. That it has rarely been seen this season is down to lack of motivation and discipline, poor morale, poor attitude and a willingness to accept defeat, and for this the management team must accept more than a little responsibility.

Indeed, for a football manager, even a rookie such as Chris Hargreaves, to allow such a negative ethos in his squad is unacceptable. Perhaps this is something CH will learn with experience, but in the meantime his learning curve has not helped the Gulls. Experienced managers, those with the better track records, the likes of Paul Sturrock, will have zero tolerance for such attitudes, and will expect full commitment from all the players in their squad. And the supporters who pay hard-earned money to see them play deserve nothing less. Defeat is a much less bitter pill to swallow if fans see that their team has at least made an effort and put up some sort of a fight against their opponents.

You'd think that individual players would not need a manager to tell them all this, and there have been a very rare few who have shown their commitment and effort, and will almost certainly be with the club next season, along with others, such as Lavercombe, who have shown definite promise. There will something approaching consensus among supporters as to who should be on the retained list. Perhaps the extent to which this agrees with CH's actual retained list will also be a measure of our view of his own managerial qualities. But hopefully, Paul Sturrock will have a major input into its formulation.

Which players would you retain for next season?

[wivelgull]

I've always felt that you need a disciplinarian as manager; someone who will strike fear into the hearts of the players. The rest will follow (if they've got any talent, that is).

[Gullscorer]

I've always felt that you need a disciplinarian as manager; someone who will strike fear into the hearts of the players. The rest will follow (if they've got any talent, that is).

Agreed, and I believe Sturrock has a good record as a disciplinarian, which is why his presence at Plainmoor is a very positive sign. Hopefully he'll give CH, in addition to good advice regarding the retention and signing of players thanks to his extensive contacts, the benefits of his long managerial experience, in more ways than one..

[StretfordGull]

Obviously we have to keep the players whose contracts have another season to run, because no mother club is going to pay money for them. But if this wasn't the case, I would keep the following:

Briscoe (provided he reaches a level of fitness, over the summer, where he can complete 90 minutes)
Young (stripped of the captaincy)
Mcquilkin
Dawson
Ives (if he accepts a contract his performances warrant)
Ajala (after a summer focusing on his final product and decision making)

That's it.
I wouldn't keep anyone else. They don't deserve to be offered any more money from the club. I'd get rid of all four centre backs and start again. Every one of them have huge deficiencies.

To be fair, I'm not sure about parcell, Chaney or prynn. I haven't seen enough of them.

I also hope that Chris Hargreaves isn't there next season. Out with the old, in with the new.
This has been the worst season I've ever seen and I've seen a few. I'm not worried about the alternatives to these players, because we can't do worse. Can we?

[CP Gull]

Keep

Young (under contract)
Bowman (ditto)
Briscoe (ditto)
Richards (ditto)
Chaney (ditto)

Offer new deals to
MacDonald
Ajala


Maybes:
Downes (on reduced £££s though)
Cameron (ditto)
Ofori-Achiempong

Release the rest.

I would also expect the likes of Ives (although he will probably be off), Lavercombe, Prynn, Odofin and possibly Lynch to be offered pro deals too.

In an ideal world, I would probably consider releasing more but I think there is a danger of throwing baby out with the bath water. Given how unattractive a proposition we are likely to be this summer (who knows what sort of wages we will be able to offer) I don't think we can afford to make wholesale changes. Hard as it is, we shouldn't forget that in the early part of the season we were playing some decent stuff and getting some decent results.

A team that is capable of winning at the likes of Barnet, Grimbsy, Eastleigh and (but for a stupid decision by the Lino) should also have won at Bristol Rovers isn't totally without ability and as dire as we are now, there are still some players who could deliver next season - under new guidance.

[SWgull]

Some perspective is needed. Agree totally with the last paragraph in previous post. There is some ability in the squad when appropriately harnessed and managed.

[Plainmoor87]

Would be happy to see Young, Bowman, Briscoe, Ajala, MacDonald, Richards ( please someone help restore this poor lad's confidence which has been destroyed this season by poor management) here next year - Downes, though I like, has been making game losing mistakes for two years, ditto Rice, Pearce - under the right manager should be the stand out player but again frequently costs us matches ( often through poor positional sense).

Guessing Ives will go anyway but wouldn't want him to have to be first choice left back next year.

We need wholesale changes in defence - birth full backs and a partner for MacDonald ( agree- experience crucial).

Its ironic, and perhaps symptomatic of how far we have fallen, to reflect on the difference Nicholson, Oastler, Lathrope and Mansell could have made to this side .

[Gulliball]

Keep

Young (under contract)
Bowman (ditto)
Briscoe (ditto)
Richards (ditto)
Chaney (ditto)

Offer new deals to
MacDonald
Ajala

Agree with all this. They are all good players, and in a better side should be able to regain the form they showed in the opening months of the season. Clearing out all the rest would give us room to work with.

If all are signed then we could potentially have Lavercombe, Ives, Odofin, Lynch, Parcell, Chaney and Prynn at the club on professional deals, which would be encouraging for the youth setup. It might also allow us to spend a bit extra on the first XI as we'll have numbers in the squad with the youth graduates.

This means releasing: Rice, Cruise, Tonge, Downes, Pearce, Cameron, Chapell, Harding, McQuilkin, Benyon, Yeoman, Ofori-Acheampong. We have also released Seabright, Hutchings, Thompson and Sullivan since the season began.

Dawson and Guegan aren't getting paid anyway, but this still makes 13 of our biggest earners being pushed out the door if you include Seabright.
We need players in literally every position on the pitch, and mostly first team players, but with those 6 players under contract, plus potentially 7 youngsters, we would have room to add some quality, even with a reduced budget.

New Goalkeeper
Lavercombe

New Right Back

New Left Back
Ives

New Centre Back
New Centre Back
MacDonald
Odofin

New Right Winger
Briscoe

New Left Winger
Ajala

Young
Richards
New Central Midfielder
Chaney
Parcell
Lynch

Bowman
New Striker
New Striker
Prynn

That would give us a squad of 23, but not all are ready for first team football straight away or are on professional wages. There would be 16/17 professionals fighting it out for the first XI every week.

I make that 10 new players replacing the 13 (highly paid) getting released. That should give us plenty of room for improvement in the first team, with a decent group of youngsters in the fringes if they are good enough.

[Jeff]

I'd be inclined to consider retaining Gueguen, Dawson and O'Achie in addition to those stated by CP Gull.

I've not seen him play, but generally the feedback regarding Gueguen has been fairly positive. Unless he's been spotted by someone else, he's unlikely to have garnered much of a reputation that might see him enticed elsewhere so if he is available within our salary bracket he might be worth a year.

Dawson I have seen, and is young, local, cheap and has played "ok". I'm not by any means suggesting he would be long term answer or might develop into the worlds best player, but could represent a case of "better the devil you know". The sort of player you get in for a the year and start the season with, but if the opportunity comes along to get someone better in - perhaps on loan - then you take it, without running the risk of us leaving ourselves without any dedicated RB cover.

O'Achie, well I kind of liked him. I think we at TUFC like the unconventional type player (JP Simb, Sako.......) and O'Achie shows a bit of raw promise and potential. He can be a handful, and given that he has no pedigree outside of playing for us he's again not likely to be costing the earth.

As for the rest of them, can't wait to see the back of the lot. That would include Downes (too error-prone, not value for money), Cameron (definitely not value for money, massively underperformed) and Yeoman (another year won't suddenly make him a regular).

Pleasing to see that Sturrock will be involved in retention and recruitment. One thing that you could always say about a Sturrock side is that it was effective. Never the prettiest football, but always did a job. I also think there is a lot to be said for where the budget is spent. For example, to me lightening fast wingers are broadly ten-a-penny and we could probably trial a few to find a half-decent one within our budget, but signing a Central Midfielder is a lot more difficult. I'd be quite happy to see a succession of trialist wingers chancing their arm, whilst Sturrock is able to call upon one of its old contacts to get an experienced old schemer in sit in the centre of the park.

[yellowmonkey]

I don't agree with any of you the only one that should be retained is Gilbert.

[Glostergull]

Nah. Not a chance. Gilberts had his wings clipped. he cant even fly down the wing any more.

[Dave]

First question to ask is; Will Chris Hargreaves be on the retained list, currently I wouldn't like to speculate either way, that could depend on how off filed matters go, if a new investor is found, CH = toast, and he knows it.

As for the retained list, agreed all under contract players to stay, although Briscoe needs to be sent away with a flea in his ear, and told to report back in July in shape, the fact he's conference player doesn't come in to it, seen fitter players in the Western League, he's a professional and needs to be fit.

I would like to see Ajala and DOA stay at the club, I'm big fan of both these players. Ives, just being honest here, don't get it, yes he's young, calm and there is some potential in there, but he's way off being a first team starter at the moment, he's clearly targeted 1 on 1 by every team we play, and gets skinned alive far to often, ok, so drop someone out midfield help, well if you want to be an attacking force, what the point of that ?

For me, midfield and attack wise, could do with some improvement but we have to be sensible, I think the manager who ever that might be needs divert as much of any money we do have into the defence, I watched Barnet a few times this season, not the most attractive football team, but up there for one reason, big, powerful, solid back four.

For me the priorities are, Goalkeeper, and two full backs above and beyond anything else, and if there is anything left a centre back partner for Angus, apart from that midfield and Attack think we're ok and would leave alone, purely, as money is a factor, just hate it when put forward as an excuse when you compare us to clubs we're competing with, who have less than we do.

[A Realist]

Ives (if he accepts a contract his performances warrant)

I doubt he will play for free.

[wivelgull]

You might think this is an odd idea, but why not make GILBERT manager? He wouldn't actually have to do anything, just be a figurehead, while Sturrock and co. worked behind the scenes. Imagine the publicity United would get and, what's more, it would give a more adventurous Gilbert (like - say - OneCanLasher) a chance of fame and, if not fortune, at least more than the half-dozen fish he gets now.

[Trojan]

Scorched earth policy ! Get rid of the whole lot including Hargreaves & co and start again. None of them are playing for the team just there pennies, I for one won't return to TQ1 until this happens.