Retained list 2018/2019 Season

[DE.]

I don't necessarily mind Downing being released if Williams takes his place as 4th choice CB, nor would I be hugely opposed to Conway staying on significantly reduced terms with a potential route into becoming a coach, but seriously... in discussions with Gladwin and retaining Leutwiler? Why on both counts? Gladwin has been paid for two years to contribute absolutely nothing, whilst Leutwiler very clearly showed in his brief appearances at the end of the season that he isn't good enough to be a Championship keeper, even at backup. Very worrying signs. Unsure on Rodwell, not opposed to keeping him if wages are sensible but only as a midfielder and not as a centre-back. 

Not a great start to the summer and hopefully not a sign of things to come, although I'm well prepared for another summer of disappointment under our clueless owners.

[darrenrover]

Just now, tomphil said:

When we are told late in the summer that we were close to signing x y or z but couldn't quite stretch to the wages things like this come into play.

4k pwk each ?    You're having a giraffe !!!!

I know, probably but do the maths of multiples of £319 and insert your own salary figures.

I'm sure you get my drift.

 

[K-Hod]

Gladwin and Conway in talks? 

About what? Where to go on holiday?

This has to be some sort of joke, surely?

?

[Trinidad Rover]

As everyone panics and decides we are doomed...….perhaps Downing has left on his own volition in order to guarantee himself first team football somewhere else? Something he has been told he wouldn't get here. I doubt he has been 'shown the door' in order for us to keep Gladwin....

 

[G Somerset Rover]

1 hour ago, DE. said:

I don't necessarily mind Downing being released if Williams takes his place as 4th choice CB, nor would I be hugely opposed to Conway staying on significantly reduced terms with a potential route into becoming a coach, but seriously... in discussions with Gladwin and retaining Leutwiler? Why on both counts? Gladwin has been paid for two years to contribute absolutely nothing, whilst Leutwiler very clearly showed in his brief appearances at the end of the season that he isn't good enough to be a Championship keeper, even at backup. Very worrying signs. Unsure on Rodwell, not opposed to keeping him if wages are sensible but only as a midfielder and not as a centre-back. 

Not a great start to the summer and hopefully not a sign of things to come, although I'm well prepared for another summer of disappointment under our clueless owners.

Yep. Has TM already sniffed that the V's purse strings are incredibly tight for next season? I wouldn't want any of Conway, Gladwin or Leutwiler at the club for next season. Conway as a coach at most. Already sensing another frustrating transfer window.

Edited May 15, 2019 by Gavlar Somerset Rover!

[DE.]

Gladwin and Leutwiler shouldn't even have been under consideration for renewal, let alone one actually happening and the other being proposed. It's ridiculous. Conway I'm ambivalent about. It's not a huge problem if he stays on a reduced deal, conversely it's not a big deal if he goes either. 

Downing, whatever. Not good enough for a promotion/playoff chasing team so fine IF we replace him properly, but that's a big if. Tony seemed to think Rodwell was up to the task in January and look how that ended up. His judgement on centre-backs is questionable at best, which is ironic considering that was his position.

[Stuart]

1 hour ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

It is only 3 players but yeah, you are right. I don't understand how Gladwin has managed to cling on when Downing has been sent on his way. Downing was a fantastic substitute centre half and has more of a role at this club than Gladwin.

QPR fans hated him, he hasn't done anything here but has been injured in fairness yet the pissed up gobshite attitude he has out and about hasn't helped ease any worries about him.

Downing must be wondering what's happened today with him going and Gladwin staying. WOW.

As for Conway and Rodwell I'm surprised by neither. Rodwell would be a good addition to the squad and I suppose a player like Conway should be given the respect of being able to weigh up options. We have to offer him something it's just what is offered that will define that decision. A player/coach role with limited playing time? He's a popular figure in the back room by all accounts so yeah, whatever, keep him around.

I’d suggest they Downing has been let go because he didn’t want to be a permanent benchman. Gladwin will be delighted to be on the bench.

[Blue blood]

TM has dropped another massive clanger if the rumours of these new contracts are to be true.

Firstly Conway and Leuts have done very little to suggest they will add a lot of value next season - so much for bringing in top quality competition and improving the team. Shows a lack of ruthlessness or high enough standards which cost us last season and looks like it may begin to cause us problems next year as well...  

Secondly even allowing for TM's lapse in judgement over the quality of the above 2, why on earth would Gladwin merit a contract? He's done nothing in 2 years. This is beyond bad judgement into madness. Do we really even see him as a viable option compared to even the youngsters we played in the last few games? Nothing good about this at all.

Very early days so no panic as yet, but it is a worrying sign that the same problems and weaknesses will continue to derail Rovers.

[BlackburnEnd75]

Letting Downing go in January was never the problem it was the lack of a replacement. It’s the same situation this time around, I’m please we’ve let him go provided that we sign a proper centre back

[BlackburnEnd75]

On Gladwin, letting him continue his rehab at brockhall is a nice gesture, giving him a new contract to do that seems a bit silly considering he’ll never play for us.

[DaveyB]

I can understand the logic of taking up the option on Leutwiler. Not doing so leaves us with just 1 senior keeper and makes us even more desperate to sign a keeper, which in turn weakens our hand in any negotiation. I still expect a new keeper to sign and challenge Raya. 

I can also understand offering new contracts to Rodwell and (to a lesser extent) Conway. Obviously it depends on the terms that are offered, but I don’t think it’s the end of the world if either or both of those are re-signed. 

As for Gladwin - the LT explains that it’s about giving him chance to recover from his injuries. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17642162.rovers-boss-tony-mowbray-on-the-future-of-ben-gladwin/

As such it’s short term, minimal cost and about doing the honourable thing, rather than a football decision. And I think the club should be applauded for taking that stance and doing the right thing in a business that isn’t renowned for its ethics and honour. 

[DE.]

We could still let him use our facilities for recovery without offering him a new deal, short term or not. That's how these things normally work. We've already done right by paying him to not play for two years. It seems obvious that he realistically has little to no chance of a long term future with us, so why even bother with the short term deal? It just doesn't add up to me, unless Tony genuinely thinks in six months Gladwin is going to recover and be such a beast in training that he'll have no choice but to tie him down to a longer deal. 

[unsall]

2 hours ago, JHRover said:

None of them have clung on, yet, though it is worrying that we're even entertaining ideas of keeping Gladwin and worrying that Leutwiler has got another year at the club's behest.

I think/hope this is probably Mowbray playing it safe again. Keep Conway/Rodwell dangling whilst he goes to India and discovers what the owners want to do. If they want to spend (unlikely) then he can get shut of these players, but if (more likely) Venkys say funds are limited then the likes of Conway and Rodwell might be as good as it gets and Leutwiler ticks all his boxes as a back up GK.

As ever, bewildering and concerning.

On what grounds do you think it’s unlikely that Venkys will spend ?

[bazza]

I can't wait for next season when the magnificent Ben Gladwin leads us to automatic promotion earning himself a deserved player of the year.

[LDRover]

It's times like this I long for a Chaddy post validating TMs decision on Gladwin.

[JHRover]

28 minutes ago, unsall said:

On what grounds do you think it’s unlikely that Venkys will spend ?

The last 7 years, barring the freak Brereton stunt which took everyone by surprise.

[davulsukur]

Is Gladwin even injury free yet?

[unsall]

22 minutes ago, JHRover said:

The last 7 years, barring the freak Brereton stunt which took everyone by surprise.

And Armstrong fee as well,quite a few thought we wouldn’t stump up for him.

[bluebruce]

On 15/05/2019 at 18:03, DaveyB said:

I can understand the logic of taking up the option on Leutwiler. Not doing so leaves us with just 1 senior keeper and makes us even more desperate to sign a keeper, which in turn weakens our hand in any negotiation. I still expect a new keeper to sign and challenge Raya. 

I can also understand offering new contracts to Rodwell and (to a lesser extent) Conway. Obviously it depends on the terms that are offered, but I don’t think it’s the end of the world if either or both of those are re-signed. 

As for Gladwin - the LT explains that it’s about giving him chance to recover from his injuries. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17642162.rovers-boss-tony-mowbray-on-the-future-of-ben-gladwin/

As such it’s short term, minimal cost and about doing the honourable thing, rather than a football decision. And I think the club should be applauded for taking that stance and doing the right thing in a business that isn’t renowned for its ethics and honour. 

I don't see what's ethical about giving a contract to a man who has been paid handsomely to contribute nothing. When we went down, we cut our cloth accordingly, firing lower end staff. I didn't hear about them being re-hired. That would have been more honourable, and could be funded with Gladwin's money. Or the youth lads we just let go could have been. All people who would deserve it more than Ben fucking Gladwin.

Edited May 16, 2019 by bluebruce

[bluebruce]

30 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

Is Gladwin even injury free yet?

He won't even be ready for pre-season apparently. Madness.

[Ewood Ace]

1 hour ago, DaveyB said:

 As for Gladwin - the LT explains that it’s about giving him chance to recover from his injuries. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17642162.rovers-boss-tony-mowbray-on-the-future-of-ben-gladwin/

As such it’s short term, minimal cost and about doing the honourable thing, rather than a football decision. And I think the club should be applauded for taking that stance and doing the right thing in a business that isn’t renowned for its ethics and honour. 

This is a football club not a charity. Gladwin has been well paid for two years and has given next to nothing back in fact over those two years the club has done more for him than he has for us.

By all means allow Gladwin to continue training  with the club and using the facilities but to give him any kind of contract is ridiculous especially when the manager has already said that he won’t be fit for pre-season.

[roversfan99]

The retained list of a manager who has predictably failed on his promise to be ruthless to allow us to push forwards already. A manager who was talking about having to find value in the market last week, yet is throwing money down the drain with many of these extensions, when we need both the room in the squad and room to manoeuvre on the wage budget.

Firstly, agree with the Downing decision. We need better.

Leutweiler is never, ever good enough. If hes one of our main 2 keepers, we have major problems. If he isnt, why on earth do we need a third choice senior goalkeeper who will seldom even make the bench? One who isnt good enough to deputise should we get 2 injuries anyway.

Gladwin is an absolute joke, the absolute opposite of ruthlessness. This is a player who was out of his depth in League 1, prior to a series of serious injuries, in which time he has been paid by the club. To let him use the facilities would be a noble, human decision. To give him a wage is absolutely ridiculous.

Conway is someone who was out of his depth at this level 2 or 3 years ago. Not good enough anymore, nor does he fit into this apparent new system Mowbray seems to want to move toward, high energy, progressive football.

Rodwell I am the least annoyed about, but still I am unconvinced that he should have been given a new deal. Has quality as a midfielder, but Mowbray will see him as an option at centre back.

 

[Amo]

Some will argue that this one decision is inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, but it's a symptom of a bigger problem.

Mowbray just proving all over again that he hasn't got the ruthlessness to take us forward. Giving Gladwin a pity contract FFS! 

[McClarky]

I'm surprised we offered any of the out of contract players a new deal.  Looked like a good chance to make some space in the squad to bring 3 or 4 in who could get into the first team.  I think as a manager you have to back yourself to do that while by retaining squad players all you are doing is cutting your options for first team signings.  Strange decision really.

Look at the goalie situation, neither of them is a first choice keeper in my opinion and we have the chance to get rid of 1 and bring someone else in but turn it down in favour of extending a contract.  What means a wage and a signing on fee are gone on someone who clearly isn't up to the job.

 

 

[Oldgregg86]

It's an absolute joke. They all need to go plus a few others.

We need some quality to push first teamers down the pecking order and that lot should be gone.

Joke

Top six my arse

Edited May 15, 2019 by Oldgregg86