Apart from the obvious difficulties in watching the dismantling of a promotion wining side, my concern is how less attractive we’re making ourselves as a club for players considering joining us.
Professional players would have looked at our team winning promotion and been hugely attracted by our style of play, our manager etc.
BUT, looking at what’s happened in this close season, will they not now be looking on thinking, fck that, I’m not touching that mob.
Hopefully, any prospective signing casts their mind back to last summer when we got rid of a load of established players, replaced them with unproven non-league players, and everyone had us dead favourites to go down. While the task is undoubtedly harder this time around, the model of signing overlooked players is there to see, even if it does piss all of us fans off. Also, I'm m sure the opportunity to work with Lindsey will still appeal to some, especially as he's been open about improving players (Orsi especially). Plus, I think plenty of players will take an opportunity to play for a league 1 club regardless of what's going on behind the scenes. They'll have an easier route to the first team and a chance to prove they belong at this level.
Admire your positivity td98, and I sincerely hope you’re right.
Hopefully, any prospective signing casts their mind back to last summer when we got rid of a load of established players, replaced them with unproven non-league players, and everyone had us dead favourites to go down. While the task is undoubtedly harder this time around, the model of signing overlooked players is there to see, even if it does piss all of us fans off. Also, I'm m sure the opportunity to work with Lindsey will still appeal to some, especially as he's been open about improving players (Orsi especially). Plus, I think plenty of players will take an opportunity to play for a league 1 club regardless of what's going on behind the scenes. They'll have an easier route to the first team and a chance to prove they belong at this level.
Admire your positivity td98, and I sincerely hope you’re right, though judging by the evidence of what we’ve all witnessed recently, it’s tough to stay positive.
Positivity or delusion, we'll soon find out. I'll try and maintain positivity until I've actually seen us play as I was wary about some of our business last summer until I saw some of the talent during the preseason games. I also feel relatively happy about the signings we have brought in, and although plumbing non leagues for talent isn't universally popular I've always felt it's a decent place to find players, especially for a small team like us. However, I felt league 1 was going to be a hard season even before the mass exodus so I'm not exactly full of hope.
Whilst L1 isn’t exactly the premier league, it’s still a considerably higher standard than L2 which is why I firmly believe that we should have retained at least the core of the first 11 from last year to then build upon that foundation.
L1 is a bloody dangerous place to experiment with a team of almost wholly new arrivals and its probably too late to develop a new team to work together effectively after the season has actually started, which might end up being the reality for our team!
To counter that argument it worked last season but to repeat, different league and harder challenges i think.
Getting quite excited now as we might just be getting through a whole day without any players being released or sold on to other clubs.
Hopefully I haven’t spoken too soon….
On the downside it is a whole week since we signed anyone, and another week less to the season starting and we have just over half a squad. I am beginning to accept Wagmi will sell anyone they get a few quid for, but PlEASE SIGN SOME PLAYERS! I appreciate we need to sign the right players, for the right price, but the nearer we get to the first game this is the more important need.
Related in a way to the lack of players in the squad at the moment is the lack of updates re pre season training etc.
In contrast to last season where we were regularly given footage of pre season exploits on the grass and I actually think a conscious decision has been made to restrict that access for the moment.
May be reading too much in to it but when you see other clubs bombarding their social media platforms with mundane things like players having rest breaks and drinks after running sessions etc, as opposed to the almost total blackout of the same from our end.
Related in a way to the lack of players in the squad at the moment is the lack of updates re pre season training etc.
In contrast to last season where we were regularly given footage of pre season exploits on the grass and I actually think a conscious decision has been made to restrict that access for the moment.
May be reading too much in to it but when you see other clubs bombarding their social media platforms with mundane things like players having rest breaks and drinks after running sessions etc, as opposed to the almost total blackout of the same from our end.
No need to communicate with us now that they have our money
Related in a way to the lack of players in the squad at the moment is the lack of updates re pre season training etc.
In contrast to last season where we were regularly given footage of pre season exploits on the grass and I actually think a conscious decision has been made to restrict that access for the moment.
May be reading too much in to it but when you see other clubs bombarding their social media platforms with mundane things like players having rest breaks and drinks after running sessions etc, as opposed to the almost total blackout of the same from our end.
I agree club is not showing anything as there is nothing to see apart from a few blokes running about a pitch, and the next one walking out of the door! They realise the state of the squad is dire and remaining silent.
Related in a way to the lack of players in the squad at the moment is the lack of updates re pre season training etc.
In contrast to last season where we were regularly given footage of pre season exploits on the grass and I actually think a conscious decision has been made to restrict that access for the moment.
May be reading too much in to it but when you see other clubs bombarding their social media platforms with mundane things like players having rest breaks and drinks after running sessions etc, as opposed to the almost total blackout of the same from our end.
I agree club is not showing anything as there is nothing to see apart from a few blokes running about a pitch, and the next one walking out of the door! They realise the state of the squad is dire and remaining silent.
or they have sold the media team and the Tea lady has taken over?
With Ben Gladwin retiring and Gordon, presumably moving on, it means shirts 1-9 will be available this year with the exception of 3 , Dion Conroy. I guess he is one of the main candidates for club captain along with possibly Scott Malone.