Summer Transfer Window 2019

[Angry_Pirate]

Despite not rating him (at all) I think there would have been a market for Smallwood.

The problem is his new contract - still under £10kpw (I'd hope) - will probably mean we cannot ask for a fee and expect a L1 club to be able to pay his reduced wages.

Last summers new deals puts us in a similar, albeit much lower financial, problem that we faced years ago when we had Murphy, Orr, Best and Etuhu on damning wages meaning we were stuck with them unless we give them a golden handshake and let them go for nothing.

Dont forget we had to it with Caddis and Wittingham only this season. 

Though we dont have any actual "deadwood" players who are frozen out (Gladwin?), we do have players that are not good enough, yet on the contract of their careers, who we are unlikely to shift that and will hold us back for the duration of their contracts.

Edited April 14, 2019 by Angry_Pirate

[AJW]

I wouldn't be adverse to keeping Smallwood and Evans , they're both adequate squad players in a perfect world we sign Reed Travis keeps improving and we add someone to the middle of the park who can pick a pass that would leave Evans and Smallwood 4/5th choice if they're happy with that so am I ,  Gladwin can go for me , and injuries permitting loan Davenport out 

[Mattyblue]

Fine with Smallwood staying, ok as a squad man and only contracted for another season.

Signing up Evans and Mulgrew, on presumably some of the biggest wages in the squad, until 2021 will be much more restrictive for the club.

[K-Hod]

Now that we are safe, if Reed is still injured (he isn't our player anyway), I wouldn't mind seeing Rodwell and Travis in the middle, to see if that's a goer for next season...

[Atko's Engine]

I actually think there'd be more interest in our unwanted / unrated players than some people think; fans of all clubs tend to be over criticise those players they feel aren't good enough for their club, however fans of other clubs (and more importantly managers) take a different view. Don't forget, Bolton took Lowe after he left us, and Sunderland even paid us for Steele! Mistakes on their part maybe but it does happen, and often.  Also some players fit in better with other clubs' plans / teams better than ours, or perform better / differently in other environments.

There's a risk in any transfer in or out of course, but remember that several of those that most on here don't rate / want  (i.e. Williams, Evans, Mulgrew) are internationals & seasoned pros. Admittedly not with top nations & Mulgrew is of course in the twilight of his career, but nevertheless a number of clubs will covet them, whether or not we think they should. Smallwood, Bell, Samuel, Conway etc will all also have their suitors at some level of another.

(For the record I'd prefer Conway, Williams & Mulgrew to stay.)

Admittedly there may have to be sweeteners / knockdown prices offered by Rovers in some cases, but I'm ok with that if it means a poor player being replaced by a better one - but as I said, there's risk to any transfer.

[BankEnd Rover]

23 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

Now that we are safe, if Reed is still injured (he isn't our player anyway), I wouldn't mind seeing Rodwell and Travis in the middle, to see if that's a goer for next season...

Yeap! Would much prefer Rodwell to one of the crabs in CM!

[Don Said]

I also really wanted to see Rodwell in central midfield. His pedigree in the past with Everton and Man City shouldn't be ignored.

We're probably going to have to replace Reed, which could take a bit of money. Rodwell COULD be a good option and we'd only have to pay a wage.

He started there once away at Bolton in October and looked brilliant.

But whether it's financial or due to the injury risk, I think the club has written him off. Across our last 4 games, we've had 5 players start there (Evans, Travis, Reed, Smallwood and Bennett). If he's 6th in the pecking order behind some of those names surely he's not seen as an option for next season.

 

 

[JacknOry]

Just now, Don Said said:

I also really wanted to see Rodwell in central midfield. His pedigree in the past with Everton and Man City shouldn't be ignored.

We're probably going to have to replace Reed, which could take a bit of money. Rodwell COULD be a good option and we'd only have to pay a wage.

He started there once away at Bolton in October and looked brilliant.

But whether it's financial or due to the injury risk, I think the club has written him off. Across our last 4 games, we've had 5 players start there (Evans, Travis, Reed, Smallwood and Bennett). If he's 6th in the pecking order behind some of those names surely he's not seen as an option for next season.

 

 

I think it would be madness to not sign him up for longer even if it as as a backup CB option - we're low on numbers back there as it is. I think him playing in midfield should be something that we persevere with as well but I get the feeling this is down to him more than anything, perhaps playing as a CB was one of the conditions for him to sign on with us. Madness when you consider he has been bought for huge fees and earned England honors as a CM but he wants to be a CB. 

[Don Said]

Just now, JacknOry said:

I think it would be madness to not sign him up for longer even if it as as a backup CB option - we're low on numbers back there as it is. I think him playing in midfield should be something that we persevere with as well but I get the feeling this is down to him more than anything, perhaps playing as a CB was one of the conditions for him to sign on with us. Madness when you consider he has been bought for huge fees and earned England honors as a CM but he wants to be a CB. 

Every side benefits from a couple of versatile squad players. If he would stay on to play that role he could effectively be a central version of Bennett. Both good to have on the bench and in the squad. But I get the feeling that he see's himself as more than that.

And if he genuinely see's himself as a centre back not wanting to play centre mid, I'd let him go. We've seen the head it and get rid type is more reliable than him. We're probably going to sign at least one centre back in the summer, and we've got Williams and Wharton contracted next season - I'd be more comfortable with those two as emergency options.

[JHRover]

In view of the fact that our status is now mathematically secure and that we are the only club in the Championship to be in that position, we now have an opportunity to establish a head start over rivals going into the summer and next season.

We need to be full steam ahead this week onwards with planning, recruitment, pre-season etc. so we can use this window of time to our advantage. Whilst the play-off chasing sides are preoccupied with trying to get promoted and those below us are still threatened with relegation we are able to focus all our efforts on preparation, in some cases we can have 3-4 weeks head start on other clubs.

Whilst the next 4 games should be enjoyed and should be put to use by the manager to 'experiment' (if that's what he wants to do), the focus should really be on getting ourselves into perfect shape to start next season with confidence and momentum.

I'm afraid sitting around doing nothing until June or July and then coming out with excuses about it being a tough market or how much of a struggle it is because other clubs have more money is not acceptable. We have an advantage, perhaps small, but we should be using it.

 

[Mattyblue]

JH for Director of Football!

[Don Said]

2 hours ago, JHRover said:

In view of the fact that our status is now mathematically secure and that we are the only club in the Championship to be in that position, we now have an opportunity to establish a head start over rivals going into the summer and next season.

We need to be full steam ahead this week onwards with planning, recruitment, pre-season etc. so we can use this window of time to our advantage. Whilst the play-off chasing sides are preoccupied with trying to get promoted and those below us are still threatened with relegation we are able to focus all our efforts on preparation, in some cases we can have 3-4 weeks head start on other clubs.

Whilst the next 4 games should be enjoyed and should be put to use by the manager to 'experiment' (if that's what he wants to do), the focus should really be on getting ourselves into perfect shape to start next season with confidence and momentum.

I'm afraid sitting around doing nothing until June or July and then coming out with excuses about it being a tough market or how much of a struggle it is because other clubs have more money is not acceptable. We have an advantage, perhaps small, but we should be using it.

 

Absolutely.

Norwich, under the radar, signed their key men in June last summer. That gave the players a full pre season to bed in and buy in to what the manager wanted, avoiding the increasingly common scenario of faffing about towards the end of a window, leading to a slow start. They were decisive, and they're about to be rewarded with the ultimate prize.

[RoverKyle]

On 14/04/2019 at 00:19, bluebruce said:

Good point. If you asked TM who our 5 most important players were, I reckon he would answer something like (in no order):

Bennett, Dack, Graham, Mulgrew, Evans.

The fans would agree on D&G but none of the rest.

If we pushed it to say, 8, he'd likely add Raya, Smallwood and Lenihan.

I think not having Lenihan available during our awful post January spell has highlighted to Mowbray how big a player he is for us. He'd definitely be on his top 5 players list. 

[Butty]

4 hours ago, RoverKyle said:

I think not having Lenihan available during our awful post January spell has highlighted to Mowbray how big a player he is for us. He'd definitely be on his top 5 players list. 

We get big Bauer in alongside Lenihan, I’d be more than happy with that centre back pairing. 

[Sparks Rover]

20 minutes ago, Butty said:

We get big Bauer in alongside Lenihan, I’d be more than happy with that centre back pairing. 

Grant sat on Norwich bench doing nowt and if they go up he will be further down the list 

[Fraserkirky]

Just now, Sparks Rover said:

Grant sat on Norwich bench doing nowt and if they go up he will be further down the list 

Get them both.

[Sparks Rover]

Yes and Darragh can be midfield enforcer 

[Butty]

39 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

Grant sat on Norwich bench doing nowt and if they go up he will be further down the list 

I’d love the Heed back if it could be done. 

[Oldgregg86]

4 minutes ago, Butty said:

I’d love the Heed back if it could be done. 

Can someone translate. I don't speak Scottish ?

[Butty]

Just now, Oldgregg86 said:

Can someone translate. I don't speak Scottish ?

Neither do I, I’m pretty sure it just means “head” ?

[Bigdoggsteel]

3 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

Yes and Darragh can be midfield enforcer 

No way. Why move one of our best performers out of his position? People criticize Mowbray for daft team selections! Lenihan days in midfield are long over. He's an Irish international playing centre half. He's a far better centre half than midfielder. 

[roversfan99]

22 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

No way. Why move one of our best performers out of his position? People criticize Mowbray for daft team selections! Lenihan days in midfield are long over. He's an Irish international playing centre half. He's a far better centre half than midfielder. 

Quite right. All of his primary attributes are best suited to being a centre back. Hes never good enough on the ball to play in midfield either.

[philipl]

13 hours ago, Butty said:

We get big Bauer in alongside Lenihan, I’d be more than happy with that centre back pairing. 

Bauer's partner at centre back at Charlton is in the L1 team of the week but not Bauer.

[rigger]

Just now, philipl said:

Bauer's partner at centre back at Charlton is in the L1 team of the week but not Bauer.

That doesn't make him any less of a player. Didn't Bell make the L1 team of the season, picked by the same people?  

[blueboy3333]

Has anyone seen Bauer play? I think he's only been fit since Christmas after his injury. We seem to be putting a lot of faith in the manger who bought Bell to be able to recognise a good defender. 

Mowbray's not bought a good defender yet - Downing, Bell, Caddis, Hart - all either average or dreadful