Who do we want to keep??

[pieman1982]

There should probably be two lists, one if we go up and another if we stay in the South for another year.

If we do go up then we must learn from previous promotions and be ruthless.
Bearing in mind we won the league last time and that squad was not strong enough to keep us in the national.

This is just my opinion, but from this squad I would keep…

Covolan
Corne
Wanjo Smith
Bone (but play him at CB)
Kyprianou

For me the rest just will not make the grade with the huge jump to the national League.

Several players have shown glimpses of great play, but lack consistency.
The extra money from the FA cup could really bring in a core of better players.
With Bromley and Barnet looking at possible promotion we could maybe mop up their players that get released as they are relatively local or maybe a couple of Sutton’s team when they come down.

Just a thought..

[pwoodstone]

Covolan
Fowler (not a starter)
Brown
Greenridge
Corne
Bivesh (not a starter)
Tanga (our best player for much of the last part of the season)
Rush (not a starter)
Sol
Kylrianou (not a starter)
Bone (not a starter)

Lots of gaps to fill if we do go up. Realistically you’re gonna have to keep a few more and try and muddle through. Releasing and bringing in more quality as you go. You can’t bring in 15 new players in a summer.

[Raymondo316]

With Wanjau Smith's constant injury problems, it really isn't worth the risk of giving him another deal.

It's all well a good people saying he's good enough, but if he can't be relied on to actually play every week it means very little.

[pwoodstone]

Apr 21, 2024 19:55:27 GMT Raymondo316 said:

With Wanjau Smith's constant injury problems, it really isn't worth the risk of giving him another deal.

It's all well a good people saying he's good enough, but if he can't be relied on to actually play every week it means very little.

I’d usually agree with you but star quality is expensive. It’s obviously a tricky call though.

[Bernie]

Is it too early to start the annual “why haven’t we signed anyone yet?” thread?

[pwoodstone]

Apr 21, 2024 20:24:30 GMT Bernie said:

Is it too early to start the annual “why haven’t we signed anyone yet?” thread?

Never. Only Corne so far. Owners lost interest. New gates. Etc etc

[soulstone]

Sol is too injury prone and is not worth keeping. He will be gone in the summer.

[Stonethecrow]

You can say the same about Raphe.

Def good enough, but is he fit enough ?

[jdl]

Apr 21, 2024 19:44:45 GMT pwoodstone said:

Covolan
Fowler (not a starter)
Brown
Greenridge
Corne
Bivesh (not a starter)
Tanga (our best player for much of the last part of the season)
Rush (not a starter)
Sol
Kylrianou (not a starter)
Bone (not a starter)

Lots of gaps to fill if we do go up. Realistically you’re gonna have to keep a few more and try and muddle through. Releasing and bringing in more quality as you go. You can’t bring in 15 new players in a summer.

That's a more realistic approach. We can't do a Hak and keep everyone we like. But equally we can't get rid of everyone - there just isn't time and money to recruit an entire new NL squad from scratch over the summer.

For me there are three lists:

The definites: Covolan, Corne, Tanga (if Orient will release him, which I doubt) and, for me, Kyprianou, Greenidge and Brown.

Then the 'maybes' (your 'not a starter' group) which I suspect we're all going to argue about, but, for me it includes Gurung, Chi, Fowler, Faal, Bentley (is he on loan?). But might be different on a different day...

Lastly, the 'take a chance' group - players you feel have more to offer and are worth taking a chance on. At the moment that consists only of the two young lads that played on the KSC final, but, as with the 'maybes' it's likely to change.

I don't understand what people see in Bone, so he doesn't feature for me, and I'm not entirely impressed by Wanjau-Smith (I know he's been injured a lot, but we've had him for two years, we should know what he's capable of by now). Then there's Rush - he works hard, he knows where the goal is, and at times he is Corne-like in his determination. He'd be in my'maybes' group if he was taller, but I just can't see him coping with the size of NL players - sorry.

And finally, there's Reynolds - an enigma, and clearly not a favourite of George, but one of my favourite players. And, as we saw at Ipswich and Eastbourne, capable of magic moments. I'd give him a chance to show what he can do in the NL, but I'm pretty sure George won't keep him.

All that assumes we go up. If we don't, then I'd keep pretty much all of them!

The squad George has built over the last few months is the equal or better of any club in the NS. Why change when you've got a squad that good, who all know each other - we'd hit the ground running in the NS with the team we saw on Saturday.

And there's no rush (!), no NL pressure - we'd have plenty of time to adjust and fine tune.

But we all know that George will do his own thing, whatever we might say and think. And that will probably turn out to be better than anything we could hope to do. Look at what he's managed in his very first year in management - it's fairy-tale stuff. In George we definitely trust!

[stones1]

Covolan if we go up (no chance it not)
Raphe would be a yea from me, he is versatile and reads the game well
Fowler maybe; think he broadly gets ‘it’ and actually cares

Kyprianou; again a maybe, needs to prove fitness

Corne; signed sealed delivered

Bone; versatile so covers bases and usually gives a 6/10 minimum

Tanga if we can get him

Rush; makes the team better, works well with various partners, scored 20 goals this year it’s mad anyone’s doubting him imo

Wanjau Smith; one of the few with the ability to play at a higher level. Excellent footballing ability, makes the team better, clever player. But the injuries; though I fear we’d regret letting him go…

Not sure anyone else is up to scratch, even at NLS level

[Raymondo316]

Greenidge is someone who I think is good enough for the league above, but much like Sol, he's been injured so much that he just can't be relied upon.

[61666]

Almost a case of not who we can keep, but who can we afford - especially if we make the NL.
Should that happen, then George will have to work miracles in attracting players on our budget - hence, regardless of previous experiences, wouldn't be surprised to see us keeping more than we otherwise might.
Covolan, Kyprianou, Bone, Greenidge, Fowler and Brown could form the basis of defence, because George has got them well drilled now - but that would still mean three new faces for a defensive squad.
Midfield and attack were where we were most wanting. Corne, of course, but he needs some quality around him. Tanga definitely (operating as a winger), with someone similarly pacy and tricky the other side. Like Rush too and maybe he could give neanderthal centre backs the run around, but only if we play to his strengths. Klaas has looked promising, but apart from Corne, we don't have any stand out players. Indeed, the whole season has been based on steady team work, rather than flair and can't see us surviving on that if we go up.
If we don't, then keep as many as we can, to go again next season. They have done well and would like to see if they can push on to better things.

[sword65]

We should wait to see
(a) whatdivision we are in
(b) what the budget is
(C) who the manager is, just because George has signed a 2 year deal doesn't mean he hasn't got a clause in his contract should a much bigger club come calling. Plenty of £compensation if they do.
(d) Who the owners are, is anyone interested in buying the club yet,rumours persist about ab interested party but it's all quiet from the club.

[grovergreenstone]

Where's Liam Sole lately ?

[royalstone]

Apr 22, 2024 11:54:24 GMT grovergreenstone said:

Where's Liam Sole lately ?

Sadly, he was on crutches Saturday.