Who would you keep for 24/25

[leedsbull]

Well we're reaching the business end of the season and my thoughts are starting to turn to who I'd like to see back at Edgar Street next season.

I'm working under the assumption we don't go up via the playoffs here, but you never know.

I think we'll see a lot more continuity than usual next season. One of the big issues in the Gowling years was the chopping and changing year on year. I think that really hampered the development of any consistent team. I think Caddis recognises the importance of a strong core and will seek to retain that moving forwards.

So here are my thoughts, apologies if I miss anyone:

Keep:

Goalkeepers
Pond - Seems safe at this level. An excellent first season considering he was playing at Step 4 (I believe) last season.
Sterry - young, local, cheap and possible potential

Defenders:
Downing - Too good for this level although still question marks around fitness and availability
Howkins - Solid, dependable
Southern - Seems capable at this level
Skinner - Has looked excellent at times this season
Hudson - Contract until 2025


Midfielders:
Teixeira - Divides opinion. Terrier of a player, I like him. Still young with potential to grow.
Babos - Quietly one of our best players IMO
Ceesay - Dangerous and entertaining

Forwards:
Cowley - Our main goal threat
Rooney - Fine as depth. Obviously he's the assistant too, so I imagine he'll be staying



Undecided:
Cameron - Club captain but I'm still not fully convinced
Mendes - Hasn't been as influential as I'd hoped at the start of the season
Lyden - Possibly controversial. Too good for NLN but also injury prone. With a small squad and an apparently small budget, is keeping him viable?
Williams - Similar to Lyden. Looks very good when he plays. Unlike Lyden, not an injury prone player historically, but a major issue with his knee at 37YO is worrying. I remember a comment from Caddis early in the season that Cowley + Williams were approx 40% of the wage budget. I think his future here will be decided by budgeting and if he can get a consistent run of games over the next few months. If he can't, I'd give him a good send off but ultimately release.


Not seen enough/don't know:
Obadeyi - First impressions fairly good, more time needed for a verdict
Tanor - Has he played a single minute yet?
Kouhyar
Derricott

Release:
Cranston - Seems effectively gone anyway



Either way it's nice to think we might have the same core of players next season, something we haven't had since our back to back promotion era.

So who would you keep? Who would you release?

[tigerfeet]

Are you this premature in other aspects of your life? You're about three months too early to be starting this thread!

[sjpreece]

Need to be aiming higher but alas see what the budget is. Find Tex flatters to deceive, Pond increasingly worrying and Rooney will be a fine/assistant coach but I think unless desperate next year, then get on the touchline. Need some depth all over the pitch. Cameron probably one to call time on, unless in a back 5. Lyden might well be talented but to pay him when he's barely fit seems a waste of resources.

[luke]

Teixeira is already signed for next season; signed a two year deal initially.

[A Bull]

Rooney wasn't meant to be playing this much this season so a return to his planned role would make sense, he's still available if needed.
Willo I'd love to keep and hopefully we can work out a deal which suits both the club and him

Obadeyi is on loan though so we may not get much say on him (although if Banbury are loaning him out to save wages then they're unlikely to renew)

[tigerfeet]

I would release Martin Kilpeck and GRL but keep everyone else

[psychedelictony]

Kilpeck is useful as a dressing room music playlist provider. None of this grime.

GRL also to enlighten the players of potential hiking routes and historical interest of the county they briefly visit once a fortnight.

Which is admittedly more often than myself.

[Sheffbull]

As things stand...if we go on some miraculous run, make the play-offs and get promoted then this could change! 

Keep:

1. Downing – still think he’s a very good player
2. Skinner – don’t think I really need to explain - great player!
3. Hudson (contract)
4. Teixeira (contract)
5. Cowley – even though some may question this, I still think he offers so much and I would definitely like to keep him as one of 2 strikers.
6. Ceesay – no explanation needed
7. Babos – same as Ceesay
8. Mendes (a good squad player so I was torn on him as I do like him and he can have a positive impact on games with his energy, so wouldn’t be against him staying but I am a bit undecided on whether he’s quite good enough so wouldn’t be against him going either)
9. Southern (good squad player who can play several positions)
10. Rooney (as assistant manager who can play if we’re desperate)
11. Sterry (youth player).

Release:
1. Williams (sad to say it but think it would be for the best)
2. Howkins (good player but not 100% convinced and he picks up niggles – wouldn’t be against him staying though)
3. Cameron (makes too many individual errors)
4. Pond (same as Cameron – I thought first few months he was superb but last few months he has cost us a fair few goals)
5. Obadeyi (good player but not getting any younger and has been injured for quite a bit of his spell)
6. Lyden (good player but way too injury prone)
7. Derricott (would like him to find regular football)
8. Cranston (enough said).

Sign – a new goalkeeper, 2 new centre backs, 2 new midfielders, 2 wingers and another striker – that would take us to 19 players, so could bring in a couple on loan as and when needed.

[Barney still in B-Block]

Far too early to say these things out loud, or at least the 'no thanks, you're gone' sort of things, but have a Baldrick-esque plan/suggestion regarding a couple of quality players who unfortunately bring a whole new dimension to the part-time concept.

Downing and Lyden, if fit, would get in most teams below L2, probably some in L2, but getting them/keeping them on the pitch appears to be an issue. So, and this assumes that they have other jobs away from HFC, and that not many clubs at our level will be looking at signing brittle-hammy lads like this, how about, PC/Stig/anyone with some input, this.

Put them on a contract of £x a week, with an appearance bonus of 5 x £x for every match they start and get through an hour. They get something, if fit and playing, another something commensurate with their quality.

[greekgod]

= y

[Robin Fridays Right Foot]

Mar 20, 2024 14:47:30 GMT Sheffbull said:

As things stand...if we go on some miraculous run, make the play-offs and get promoted then this could change! 

Keep:

1. Downing – still think he’s a very good player
2. Skinner – don’t think I really need to explain - great player!
3. Hudson (contract)
4. Teixeira (contract)
5. Cowley – even though some may question this, I still think he offers so much and I would definitely like to keep him as one of 2 strikers.
6. Ceesay – no explanation needed
7. Babos – same as Ceesay
8. Mendes (a good squad player so I was torn on him as I do like him and he can have a positive impact on games with his energy, so wouldn’t be against him staying but I am a bit undecided on whether he’s quite good enough so wouldn’t be against him going either)
9. Southern (good squad player who can play several positions), Rooney (as assistant manager who can play if we’re desperate)
10. Sterry (youth player).

Release:
1. Williams (sad to say it but think it would be for the best)
2. Howkins (good player but not 100% convinced and he picks up niggles – wouldn’t be against him staying though)
3. Cameron (makes too many individual errors)
4. Pond (same as Cameron – I thought first few months he was superb but last few months he has cost us a fair few goals)
5. Obadeyi (good player but not getting any younger and has been injured for quite a bit of his spell)
6. Lyden (good player but way too injury prone)
7. Derricott (would like him to find regular football)
8. Cranston (enough said).

Sign – a new goalkeeper, 2 new centre backs, 2 new midfielders, 2 wingers and another striker – that would take us to 18 players, so could bring
in a couple on loan if needed).

My thoughts exactly.Caddis gambled this season signing the 4 experienced ex football league players and it backfired at times .
Williams etc would have taken a substantial cut of the budget and we rarely managed to get them all on the pitch together .
In saying that of the 4 I would keep Downing.
Priorities are powerful ball winning midfielder who can also pass it ,a big physical target man with goals in the CV and a quick right winger who can cross it.
Promotion or not I’m sure Caddis is already on it knowing possible targets but it will not help not knowing if he is shopping in Poundland or John Lewis.

[tigerfeet]

Mar 20, 2024 16:28:46 GMT Robin Fridays Right Foot said:

Mar 20, 2024 14:47:30 GMT Sheffbull said:

As things stand...if we go on some miraculous run, make the play-offs and get promoted then this could change! 

Keep:

1. Downing – still think he’s a very good player
2. Skinner – don’t think I really need to explain - great player!
3. Hudson (contract)
4. Teixeira (contract)
5. Cowley – even though some may question this, I still think he offers so much and I would definitely like to keep him as one of 2 strikers.
6. Ceesay – no explanation needed
7. Babos – same as Ceesay
8. Mendes (a good squad player so I was torn on him as I do like him and he can have a positive impact on games with his energy, so wouldn’t be against him staying but I am a bit undecided on whether he’s quite good enough so wouldn’t be against him going either)
9. Southern (good squad player who can play several positions), Rooney (as assistant manager who can play if we’re desperate)
10. Sterry (youth player).

Release:
1. Williams (sad to say it but think it would be for the best)
2. Howkins (good player but not 100% convinced and he picks up niggles – wouldn’t be against him staying though)
3. Cameron (makes too many individual errors)
4. Pond (same as Cameron – I thought first few months he was superb but last few months he has cost us a fair few goals)
5. Obadeyi (good player but not getting any younger and has been injured for quite a bit of his spell)
6. Lyden (good player but way too injury prone)
7. Derricott (would like him to find regular football)
8. Cranston (enough said).

Sign – a new goalkeeper, 2 new centre backs, 2 new midfielders, 2 wingers and another striker – that would take us to 18 players, so could bring
in a couple on loan if needed).

My thoughts exactly.Caddis gambled this season signing the 4 experienced ex football league players and it backfired at times .
Williams etc would have taken a substantial cut of the budget and we rarely managed to get them all on the pitch together .
In saying that of the 4 I would keep Downing.
Priorities are powerful ball winning midfielder who can also pass it ,a big physical target man with goals in the CV and a quick right winger who can cross it.
Promotion or not I’m sure Caddis is already on it knowing possible targets but it will not help not knowing if he is shopping in Poundland or John Lewis.

Nice reference to The Shop there. I'd have him back next season if releasing Willo would free up the wages.

[colebridgebull]

Much will depend on whether we stay in NLN (assuming we don’t go up) or, not entirely impossible the way things are going, get shifted to NLS next season. It’s going to be tight.

[GRL]

I'd keep Cowley and Babos.
The rest have been found out.
Bit like the Meadow End.

[Barney still in B-Block]

Mar 20, 2024 18:03:26 GMT colebridgebull said:

Much will depend on whether we stay in NLN (assuming we don’t go up) or, not entirely impossible the way things are going, get shifted to NLS next season. It’s going to be tight.

Ah FFS! I’m just settling into a nice little rhythm with Fulham/Hampton and Richmond, and you do this?

[Barney still in B-Block]

Mar 20, 2024 21:04:53 GMT GRL said:

I'd keep Cowley and Babos.
The rest have been found out.
Bit like the Meadow End.

Incorrect on the first (Skinner, Ceesay, others) insulting on the second (hundreds of them) wain. A person might begin to think you’re doing this on purpose.
For the attention.

[youngsalmon]

Personally I think Caddis will be looking closely at the last 6 games in making his decision as to who stays.

And if he isn't he should be.

[Hawkeye]

Who would you keep.......?

Caddis.

Forget 24/25.

How about, for as long as is possible?

[GRL]

Mar 20, 2024 22:56:01 GMT Barney still in B-Block said:

Mar 20, 2024 21:04:53 GMT GRL said:

I'd keep Cowley and Babos.
The rest have been found out.
Bit like the Meadow End.

Incorrect on the first (Skinner, Ceesay, others) insulting on the second (hundreds of them) wain. A person might begin to think you’re doing this on purpose.
For the attention.

Precisely. Polemics are ironic.
Compared with individual abuse.
Boris has never been very happy with what you wrote about him.

Ceesay is too old.

[dadstaxi]

Current midfield are and have not chipped in with enough goals imo.
Too busy looking for a pass when they should be shooting. Lack of confidence perhaps.
Hopefully CADDIS has a few league two phone numbers for people looking to warm down for a season or two.
Cowls needs a big frontman to create something for him. He should not be on the wing trying to cross to himself in the six yard box.