So who should the new manager look to get rid of in the summer? Who can we expect a fee for and who will leave on a free/become free agent?
Who will we get in ?
I don't think we can really get rid of too many without getting more in to replace them - we've seen this year that if we get a few injuries we're really stripped down to the bare bones.
We could do with letting go of O'Donovan if we can. And although i think he's done a job for us this year, if we bring in a manager with a different approach next year, then i imagine Platt will be surplus to requirements too. Aside from that, i don't think we can really afford to get rid of anyone without bringing in any new faces. To be honest, we might not even be able to let both the aforementioned go, especially if Marlon doesn't stay and if we don't snap up a new striker.
We are at the bare bones at the minute but I think it depends on the manager situation on what happens. They might come in with their own players in mind and flog the whole team and start from scratch.
One of the central defenders - all competent but we have too many
Hussey if he doesn't progress in pre-season
Carsley
O'Hallaran
O'Donovan
Osbourne
Deegan
Platt
Eastwood
Macindoe
Bell
Ireland
(get rid of all assuming we stay up! Some will be ok if we're in League 1)
I am not sure about Deegan, he never really had chance to prove himself but he looked like he could do a bit in the middle of the park like a younger Carsley but 10 times as hench!
Agreed, i want to see what Deegan can do. A bit of bite in our midfield might be good!
And i'm not so sure about getting rid of a CB either. Sure, we have lots of them, but look at the state we're in at the mo at CB!
Tbh I thought we saw enough. I wish him well for his recovery but looked a little out of his depth imo. The one on there who does probably deserve more of a chance (and I note you were getting rid of him too) is O'Donovan. I've only seen him pre-season but he is supposed to have pace to burn (which we're lacking severely) and had a solid goalscoring record in the league below. When I read that we should be spending £1m on Charlie Austin (who may turn out to be better, just an example) and who has also only been comparable at that level, then he should have been at least given some time on the pitch. AB as we know had his favourites though and for me that was more of a criticism than his hoofball tactics.
In fairness we've been extraordianry unlucky at CB this season. Grandison who looked promising last year was so far down the pecking order that we let him go and I wouldn't want the smae to happen to Cameron. We have Cranie, Wood, McPake and Turner too. At different times this season all five have been excellent but five into two simply doesn't go and we could free wages for elsewhere. My choice wouold be to lose whoever we can get the most money for or whoever is on the highest wages as I believe all would do a more than adequete job.
Given the financial crisis at the club and given that players' wages are probably one of the biggest drains on the club's resources, then it is plausible to assume that the club will be looking to reduce the wage bill and are unlikely to be offering better packages to those players out of contract.
Therefore, King and Westwood will leave. Gunnarsson may stay, depending on the offers from other clubs. Platt is likely to join Norwich on loan and may also move on when his contract expires. Carsley will also leave because he is likely to be a high wage earner.
Osborne and Deegan need to prove their fitness and if we can't find a taker for O'Donovan (on a free), he will probably stay because we won't be able to pay him off.