Potential new signings

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en passant
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Re: Potential new signings

Post by en passant » Thu Jun 30, 2022 8:58 am

Darlo_CR wrote:
Wed Jun 29, 2022 5:56 pm
Old Git wrote:
Wed Jun 29, 2022 4:06 pm
By my reckoning we now have a first team squad of 16. Listening Alan’s interview he did say that our signings this season have not come cheap and the budget had been stretched a bit. Wonder if there is a change of approach this time around we are going to operate on a smaller squad, with a few less bodies and hopefully more quality. I would hope to see another central defender and striker coming in and that might be it for now. Having said that he did talk of one or two ins and outs so maybe there will be some leaving to create more scope for new additions.
If that’s the case will it be Mondal and Rivers who will be leaving? Unlikely to be Dos Santos or Purver.
It was interesting to hear that it was still possible that some of the current squad might leave in order to create space for others to be brought in, partly due to having already approached the limitations of our budget.
It does raise the question over who might leave and, after an amazing Boost the Budget effort that went beyond what was asked for, if we are over spending on quality and are hoping to survive on a much smaller squad this season.
Of course, as these comments are appearing in a publicly available video, it may be that AA is pleading a certain amount of poverty to reduce the expectations of potential signings over what wages might be sought from a club that has an apparently healthy budget to tap into.
As to who the potential leavers may be it is worth asking again for confirmation that all of the 16 players that have been identified as being signed up for the coming season are, in fact, secured signings. I note that in his interview AA refers to only a 15 player squad, although that could have been a slip.

lo36789
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Re: Potential new signings

Post by lo36789 » Thu Jun 30, 2022 9:48 am

I expect us to get by on a squad of 17/18. We can only name 16 and we can't afford to carry players just in case. I assume a player costs upwards of £18k per year once tax etc. is taken into account (c £400k in the last full season). We will need to use the loan market and youth if we have injuries.

The reality is you can't legislate for injuries. You could have none and end up having wasted budget on players who don't play, or you have loads and you would have had to limit quality to ensure more consistent cover.

If you assume you are going to have 2-3 players injured at any one time a squad of 17/18 which has quality and versatility should be sufficient.

Old Git
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Re: Potential new signings

Post by Old Git » Thu Jun 30, 2022 10:27 am

en passant wrote:
Thu Jun 30, 2022 8:58 am
Darlo_CR wrote:
Wed Jun 29, 2022 5:56 pm
Old Git wrote:
Wed Jun 29, 2022 4:06 pm
By my reckoning we now have a first team squad of 16. Listening Alan’s interview he did say that our signings this season have not come cheap and the budget had been stretched a bit. Wonder if there is a change of approach this time around we are going to operate on a smaller squad, with a few less bodies and hopefully more quality. I would hope to see another central defender and striker coming in and that might be it for now. Having said that he did talk of one or two ins and outs so maybe there will be some leaving to create more scope for new additions.
If that’s the case will it be Mondal and Rivers who will be leaving? Unlikely to be Dos Santos or Purver.
It was interesting to hear that it was still possible that some of the current squad might leave in order to create space for others to be brought in, partly due to having already approached the limitations of our budget.
It does raise the question over who might leave and, after an amazing Boost the Budget effort that went beyond what was asked for, if we are over spending on quality and are hoping to survive on a much smaller squad this season.
Of course, as these comments are appearing in a publicly available video, it may be that AA is pleading a certain amount of poverty to reduce the expectations of potential signings over what wages might be sought from a club that has an apparently healthy budget to tap into.
As to who the potential leavers may be it is worth asking again for confirmation that all of the 16 players that have been identified as being signed up for the coming season are, in fact, secured signings. I note that in his interview AA refers to only a 15 player squad, although that could have been a slip.
To be clear Alan did not say we had overspent the budget. He says we need one or two more in and the budget won’t go on for ever and it might be a bit tight. No suggestion that we are spending beyond our means, but it does look to me that we will be operating with a squad of around 18 players this season, as opposed to 20+ at times last year.

darlo2001uk
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Re: Potential new signings

Post by darlo2001uk » Thu Jun 30, 2022 10:38 am

Next priority has to be a central defender. With the best will in the world and with more fixtures to come this season, Wheater will not be able to play every game and we need another first-choice standard central defender to be able to rotate with him when required.

Vodka_Vic
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Re: Potential new signings

Post by Vodka_Vic » Thu Jun 30, 2022 11:34 am

I wondered how players are going to be moved on if they are already under contract. Only thought is if someone has put an offer in for them.

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CrazyDarlo
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Re: Potential new signings

Post by CrazyDarlo » Thu Jun 30, 2022 12:05 pm

Vodka_Vic wrote:
Thu Jun 30, 2022 11:34 am
I wondered how players are going to be moved on if they are already under contract. Only thought is if someone has put an offer in for them.
I think Mondal is the most likely, perhaps another loan move back to Marske.

en passant
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Re: Potential new signings

Post by en passant » Thu Jun 30, 2022 2:16 pm

Old Git wrote:
Thu Jun 30, 2022 10:27 am
en passant wrote:
Thu Jun 30, 2022 8:58 am
Darlo_CR wrote:
Wed Jun 29, 2022 5:56 pm
Old Git wrote:
Wed Jun 29, 2022 4:06 pm
By my reckoning we now have a first team squad of 16. Listening Alan’s interview he did say that our signings this season have not come cheap and the budget had been stretched a bit. Wonder if there is a change of approach this time around we are going to operate on a smaller squad, with a few less bodies and hopefully more quality. I would hope to see another central defender and striker coming in and that might be it for now. Having said that he did talk of one or two ins and outs so maybe there will be some leaving to create more scope for new additions.
If that’s the case will it be Mondal and Rivers who will be leaving? Unlikely to be Dos Santos or Purver.
It was interesting to hear that it was still possible that some of the current squad might leave in order to create space for others to be brought in, partly due to having already approached the limitations of our budget.
It does raise the question over who might leave and, after an amazing Boost the Budget effort that went beyond what was asked for, if we are over spending on quality and are hoping to survive on a much smaller squad this season.
Of course, as these comments are appearing in a publicly available video, it may be that AA is pleading a certain amount of poverty to reduce the expectations of potential signings over what wages might be sought from a club that has an apparently healthy budget to tap into.
As to who the potential leavers may be it is worth asking again for confirmation that all of the 16 players that have been identified as being signed up for the coming season are, in fact, secured signings. I note that in his interview AA refers to only a 15 player squad, although that could have been a slip.
To be clear Alan did not say we had overspent the budget. He says we need one or two more in and the budget won’t go on for ever and it might be a bit tight. No suggestion that we are spending beyond our means, but it does look to me that we will be operating with a squad of around 18 players this season, as opposed to 20+ at times last year.
Probably a bad way of expressing what I meant. I said "if we are over spending on quality". That is to say we seem to be spending more on quality than quantity. Pretty much the same as you have said. Other than what AA has said about how far the budget is going to stretch I couldn't possibly know how much the squad is, or is likely, to cost us.

lo36789
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Re: Potential new signings

Post by lo36789 » Thu Jun 30, 2022 2:19 pm

darlo2001uk wrote:
Thu Jun 30, 2022 10:38 am
Next priority has to be a central defender.
We know it's not. It is a striker. Armstrong said this was his main focus.

A CB sounds like it could be next if budget allowed but I am not convinced we can afford to have three first choice CBs when we play with two.

Just listened back to the interview and Sukar is a LB/CB so he is the initial cover at CB if needed. We know Hedley can play RB or LB as can Griffiths.

darlo2001uk
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Re: Potential new signings

Post by darlo2001uk » Thu Jun 30, 2022 5:19 pm

lo36789 wrote:
Thu Jun 30, 2022 2:19 pm
darlo2001uk wrote:
Thu Jun 30, 2022 10:38 am
Next priority has to be a central defender.
We know it's not. It is a striker. Armstrong said this was his main focus.

A CB sounds like it could be next if budget allowed but I am not convinced we can afford to have three first choice CBs when we play with two.

Just listened back to the interview and Sukar is a LB/CB so he is the initial cover at CB if needed. We know Hedley can play RB or LB as can Griffiths.
I have not heard the interview - I stand by my point.

Darlogramps
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Potential new signings

Post by Darlogramps » Thu Jun 30, 2022 6:08 pm

lo36789 wrote:
darlo2001uk wrote:
Thu Jun 30, 2022 10:38 am
Next priority has to be a central defender.
We know it's not. It is a striker. Armstrong said this was his main focus.

A CB sounds like it could be next if budget allowed but I am not convinced we can afford to have three first choice CBs when we play with two.

Just listened back to the interview and Sukar is a LB/CB so he is the initial cover at CB if needed. We know Hedley can play RB or LB as can Griffiths.
I fully expect us to sign another CB before the season starts. The idea we can’t afford three centre backs when last season we had four on the books (and that’s before you include Beeden and B.Taylor) doesn’t stack up. In fact it’s nonsense.

Sukar can cover CB, but we know his primary position is LB. He’s not an out and out CB.

Including cup games, we could play 50+ matches this season, with plenty of weeks playing Saturday/Tuesday/Saturday. If we go into a season of potentially 50+ games with only two out and out CBs, that would be a massive mistake, particularly as Wheater is 35 and has had his injury problems.

Moreover we have 16 players signed up, with AA suggesting there’ll be departures as well as incomings. Even after signing another striker, are we really going to go into an expanded season with only 5 senior defenders? That makes no sense, particularly when we had a better than expected Boost The Budget too.

I suspect the comments about our finances are AA not wanting to drive up the price of anyone we’re interested in.
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lo36789
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Re: Potential new signings

Post by lo36789 » Thu Jun 30, 2022 6:34 pm

He's said ST first then CB. I think his priority is a striker over a CB.

I am not saying we won't get a CB by season start but will it be a senior defender who we actively rotate with Wheater and Lawlor I am not sure.

Get a feeling it will be more likely to be a Taylor / Beeden / Storey ie under 23.

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Potential new signings

Post by Darlogramps » Thu Jun 30, 2022 6:43 pm

lo36789 wrote:He's said ST first then possibly a CB.

I am not saying we won't get a CB but will it be a senior defender who we actively rotate with Wheater and Lawlor I am not sure.

Get a feeling it will be more likely to be a Taylor / Beeden / Storey ie under 23.
I wouldn’t read too much into the “main focus”comment. We know we need a forward and cover at the back as well and I expect AA will look to add in both departments.

I suspect any CB we sign will get plenty of games so their age doesn’t really matter. Wheater isn’t going to play 50+ games in a season, and injuries/fatigue will ensure there’ll need to be an element of rotation.

Any CB we sign will need to be good enough to be regarded as first choice as they’ll get enough games, regardless of their age.
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Vodka_Vic
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Re: Potential new signings

Post by Vodka_Vic » Thu Jun 30, 2022 6:51 pm

Gramps, interesting point you make about AAs comment being made so as not wanting to drive up the price of anyone they're interested in, especially given that just prior to this he said that we have offers in 'For one or two players'.

Old Git
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Re: Potential new signings

Post by Old Git » Thu Jun 30, 2022 7:04 pm

Pretty obviously we need another good central defender and a striker. I believe Wheater is 35 and Lawlor is around 30. Unlikely, they can both play 50 or so games, so another competent defender is a must I would say. Also another offensive player needed to push Hazel and Mondal for a starting spot. Doesn’t matter which comes first as long as we can get the right people in.

lo36789
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Re: Potential new signings

Post by lo36789 » Thu Jun 30, 2022 7:28 pm

The way he was talking you instantly wonder if he was referring to Beck or Aaron Martin in terms of the striker.

Definitely alluded to it being someone playing higher and whether they were ready to drop to our level.

https://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/s ... ay-3749164

Saw this yesterday.

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D_F_C
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Re: Potential new signings

Post by D_F_C » Thu Jun 30, 2022 10:03 pm

lo36789 wrote:The way he was talking you instantly wonder if he was referring to Beck or Aaron Martin in terms of the striker.

Definitely alluded to it being someone playing higher and whether they were ready to drop to our level.

https://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/s ... ay-3749164

Saw this yesterday.
Think that’s wishful thinking. Martin is a very good striker. Was on loan at Halifax and was born in Sheffield so wouldn’t surprise me to see him end up there


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lo36789
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Re: Potential new signings

Post by lo36789 » Fri Jul 01, 2022 4:45 am

Possibly no idea how his loan spell went - noting he didn't play for them since February - wasn't even in the squad by the looks of it apart from being on the bench for one game in April.

I would go as far as to say on paper he is more likely to drop to our level than Beck.

Beck is 28 the only time he wasn't full time pro in his career was his last spell with us. He was still starting for Harrogate in League Two in the second half of last season - since January there was only one game he wasn't in the match day squad for.

Martin is 31 this week. Spent last season out on loan and was playing at Step 4 until three seasons ago. In fact he has only played about 40 league games as a professional scoring 6 goals.

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