Squad Watch 2022/23

[NathStPaul]

It’s not an instead of though is it? Bouzanis becomes available, we think we need a second keeper (and tbf he looks like he could be a decent option)

What do we do? Say sorry mate, can’t sign you because we need some midfielders and a left back first? Whilst he signs for someone else

Very much doubt Ince and Bowen haven’t noticed we need a midfield. Also a chance that Rino and Laurent hadn’t told them they were leaving til shortly before they did.

Yes.

What is to say that isn't happening?

It's not a one at a time process you know, we can work on multiple deals at one time. Have you ever considered that Bouzanis maybe signed on the dotted line before a central midfielder that we targeted 3 weeks ago because said central midfielder is considering other options and we were easily the best option for Bouzanis?

That isn't what either myself or Ian are saying. We are saying he didn't need to be signed at all.

[Snowflake Royal]

We also have Andrésson. Strange move bringing in another keeper. With a month to go before the League season starts we really need to bring in a couple of central midfielders.

Yep. 20 year old, known talent with over 40 professional league appearances in L1 and L2. Good reviews.

We could also have just retained Southwood for a season and let him leave on a free. Instead we risk having both.

Or if this guy is so good, sign him instead of Lumley.

We now have 4 goalkeepers with league experience. Meanwhile, no senior left back for the second summer in a row. And no senior central midfield when in a completely shock free decision, Rinomhota and Laurent leave.

Yes, you do what business you can when you can. You don't have to sign your highest priority position first. But when your resources are already incredibly tight, you should only be looking at your priority positions. And with 3 league capped keepers on the books, a 4th on the off chance we can shift one and loan out another isn't a priority position.

I particularly enjoyed YR comparing the signing to Sam Walker like it was positive. Walker was a complete failure here.

[Zip]

We also have Andrésson. Strange move bringing in another keeper. With a month to go before the League season starts we really need to bring in a couple of central midfielders.

Yep. 20 year old, known talent with over 40 professional league appearances in L1 and L2. Good reviews.

We could also have just retained Southwood for a season and let him leave on a free. Instead we risk having both.

Or if this guy is so good, sign him instead of Lumley.

We now have 4 goalkeepers with league experience. Meanwhile, no senior left back for the second summer in a row. And no senior central midfield when in a completely shock free decision, Rinomhota and Laurent leave.

Yes, you do what business you can when you can. You don't have to sign your highest priority position first. But when your resources are already incredibly tight, you should only be looking at your priority positions. And with 3 league capped keepers on the books, a 4th on the off chance we can shift one and loan out another isn't a priority position.

I particularly enjoyed YR comparing the signing to Sam Walker like it was positive. Walker was a complete failure here.

Yep agree with all of this. We needed to bring in one keeper not two. We are so painfully light in other areas and this needs to be urgently addressed.

[Snowflake Royal]

Also enjoying being told we have 2 months to make signings. Like the first month isn't our entire pre-season and the second isn’t about a 5th of the actual season.

Probably best to not get a 5th of the way into the season with no senior midfield or LB.

[Hound]

I’m sure it is being urgently addressed

It’s a whole new recruitment structure from the look of it, so let’s give them a chance. If we get a couple of weeks down the line and no progress then yes I’ll also be concerned but we’re a way off yet

Bowen and Ince along with Eddie and Rae know their shit. They’ve been knocking about for years - it isn’t Pauno with his unrealistic ideals with Kia pulling the strings as far as I can see on these signings

I’ve no doubts they are fully aware we have no midfield and no left back

[Pepe the Horseman]

After my initial outrage and disgust, I've watched two short clips of Dean Bouzanis and I think I love him. Hope he's our number 1.

[NathStPaul]

After my initial outrage and disgust, I've watched two short clips of Dean Bouzanis and I think I love him. Hope he's our number 1.

Wouldn't have had an issue with him coming in as first choice had we not already had Lumley.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Also enjoying being told we have 2 months to make signings. Like the first month isn't our entire pre-season and the second isn’t about a 5th of the actual season.

Probably best to not get a 5th of the way into the season with no senior midfield or LB.

So what are you expecting exactly? We make all of our signings to exactly how it would work ideally for ourselves as a club? I don't think you understand the practical element of how difficult the transfer market actually is.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Yes.

What is to say that isn't happening?

It's not a one at a time process you know, we can work on multiple deals at one time. Have you ever considered that Bouzanis maybe signed on the dotted line before a central midfielder that we targeted 3 weeks ago because said central midfielder is considering other options and we were easily the best option for Bouzanis?

That isn't what either myself or Ian are saying. We are saying he didn't need to be signed at all.

Ok, so you're saying believe yourself and Ian as opposed to Bowen, Ince, Rae, Carey etc...

[NathStPaul]

What is to say that isn't happening?

It's not a one at a time process you know, we can work on multiple deals at one time. Have you ever considered that Bouzanis maybe signed on the dotted line before a central midfielder that we targeted 3 weeks ago because said central midfielder is considering other options and we were easily the best option for Bouzanis?

That isn't what either myself or Ian are saying. We are saying he didn't need to be signed at all.

Ok, so you're saying believe yourself and Ian as opposed to Bowen, Ince, Rae, Carey etc...

No I am saying it is an undisputable fact we already had 4 goalkeepers under contract at the time of signing Bouzanis. That clear enough for you?

[South Coast Royal]

It looks like the Liverpool connection.
Bouzanis is the same age as Tom Ince so presumably in the youth set-up there at the same time and of course there is Tony Warner's Liverpool connection as well.

As with most businesses it is all about who you know and let's hope that with Ince, Rea, Warner, Niedzwiecki and Bowen around the place they have enough connections for us to put out 11 in a month's time at Blackpool.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

We also have Andrésson. Strange move bringing in another keeper. With a month to go before the League season starts we really need to bring in a couple of central midfielders.

Yep. 20 year old, known talent with over 40 professional league appearances in L1 and L2. Good reviews.

We could also have just retained Southwood for a season and let him leave on a free. Instead we risk having both.

Or if this guy is so good, sign him instead of Lumley.

We now have 4 goalkeepers with league experience. Meanwhile, no senior left back for the second summer in a row. And no senior central midfield when in a completely shock free decision, Rinomhota and Laurent leave.

Yes, you do what business you can when you can. You don't have to sign your highest priority position first. But when your resources are already incredibly tight, you should only be looking at your priority positions. And with 3 league capped keepers on the books, a 4th on the off chance we can shift one and loan out another isn't a priority position.

I particularly enjoyed YR comparing the signing to Sam Walker like it was positive. Walker was a complete failure here.

2 of them are not good enough yet. So you are talking about strictly numbers here, rather than actual quality.

We did look at our priority positions by signing 2 goalkeepers. We had 0 goalkeepers who were good enough at this level, therefore we signed 2 who are deemed by the recruitment to be good enough to best first choice and understudy. You can disagree and say Southwood is good enough, Andresson has experience etc, that's not enough for our vastly experienced coaching/recruitment staff to deem that as good enough. I would much rather trust their judgement over yours.

There will be conversations about left backs, midfielders etc. These aren't on the back burner because we've signed a goalkeeper, he's just signed on before others have, which is perfectly acceptable and reasonable. We don't operate one transfer at a time, no club does.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

That isn't what either myself or Ian are saying. We are saying he didn't need to be signed at all.

Ok, so you're saying believe yourself and Ian as opposed to Bowen, Ince, Rae, Carey etc...

No I am saying it is an undisputable fact we already had 4 goalkeepers under contract at the time of signing Bouzanis. That clear enough for you?

3 of which are not good enough for this level of football.

We had 2 left backs in Bristow and Samuel as well, we released one...

[NathStPaul]

Ok, so you're saying believe yourself and Ian as opposed to Bowen, Ince, Rae, Carey etc...

No I am saying it is an undisputable fact we already had 4 goalkeepers under contract at the time of signing Bouzanis. That clear enough for you?

3 of which are not good enough for this level of football.

We had 2 left backs in Bristow and Samuel as well, we released one...

They are more than good enough to sit on a bench. You carry on tying yourself in knots and doubling down though, it's hilarious.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

No I am saying it is an undisputable fact we already had 4 goalkeepers under contract at the time of signing Bouzanis. That clear enough for you?

3 of which are not good enough for this level of football.

We had 2 left backs in Bristow and Samuel as well, we released one...

They are more than good enough to sit on a bench. You carry on tying yourself in knots and doubling down though, it's hilarious.

In your opinion they are. We used 4 goalkeepers last season, we've looked as if we've made attempts now to ensure that doesn't happen again.

Me personally, I'd have kept Southwood on the bench, but it only takes an injury, poor form etc to rely on him again, which I wouldn't be comfortable with. I am happy enough for us to go and sign 2 goalkeepers, meaning that CBC, Andresson and Southwood can leave/go out on loan to get more experience seen as they are not ready for this level yet.

[blythspartan]

After my initial outrage and disgust, I've watched two short clips of Dean Bouzanis and I think I love him. Hope he's our number 1.

It begs the question why didn’t we just sign Bouzanis?

[Hendo]

That isn't what either myself or Ian are saying. We are saying he didn't need to be signed at all.

Ok, so you're saying believe yourself and Ian as opposed to Bowen, Ince, Rae, Carey etc...

No I am saying it is an undisputable fact we already had 4 goalkeepers under contract at the time of signing Bouzanis. That clear enough for you?

In addition to Lumley, we have:

1 who has been discussed as not being good enough by his own fans and has been told he is free to leave and probably should be disregarded from any conversations as he is clearly not in the managers plans
1 who has a similar level of experience to the new signing but is much, much younger (remember the last time we started a 20 year old in goal?).
1 who has never started a game above National League South.

What if Lumley goes down between now and the beginning of the season? Or he gets injured in the first game of the season? People would be slagging the club off for not having a replacement ready to go.

This signing would also allow Andrésson and CBC to get some more loan experience so they then might be ready to step up next year, or the year after, when/if Lumley leaves.

[Hound]

Ince has clearly made his mind up on Southwood. Brining in Hein and then Nyland over him tells you all you need to know there. He’ll be shipped out asap, sure we can find him a loan if not on a free.

CBC and Andresson are progressing nicely and hopefully an option from next season onwards if they can get further experience this year. Lumley only on loan so unless he excels he won’t stay

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Ince has clearly made his mind up on Southwood. Brining in Hein and then Nyland over him tells you all you need to know there. He’ll be shipped out asap, sure we can find him a loan if not on a free.

CBC and Andresson are progressing nicely and hopefully an option from next season onwards if they can get further experience this year. Lumley only on loan so unless he excels he won’t stay

Exactly. Which is why I'm perfectly comfortable with 2 goalkeepers coming in to shore us up in that department and then we can move Southwood on and hopefully loan out CBC and Andresson to gain more experience at a good enough level and evaluate in January and then come the end of the season again in an ideal world.

[9165]

Lads
You seemed to have forgotten most contracts run intil June 30th so I am sure the powers-that-be have some irons in the fire for Thursday.
It is very true we need a LB and some midfielders, but watch this space!