Summer Rebuild - Your Preferred 5 To Go?

[Royalcop]

The fact that we (probably) won't be able to afford to pay off Adkins is perhaps the most depressing thing of all. He's singularly underachieved this season given the resources at his disposal, ownership issues or not. Now we're almost certainly stuck with him until he gets a better offer from somewhere else - and I can't see a queue of suitors for his services.

[Hoop Blah]

Missing Karacan, Leigertwood, Roberts and Bridge for basically the whole season, plus Guthrie, Williams and Morrison for large chunks crippled the squad and then the ownership issues compounded the problem as we couldn't address the issues.

Adkins hasn't really had a chance to build his team so he's done alright considering. I think the biggest worry would be that the players don't seem to have been won over by his methods and he had to divert away from his methods back to a more simplistic and rigid way of playing.

[mambo3]

Missing Karacan, Leigertwood, Roberts and Bridge for basically the whole season, plus Guthrie, Williams and Morrison for large chunks crippled the squad and then the ownership issues compounded the problem as we couldn't address the issues.

Adkins hasn't really had a chance to build his team so he's done alright considering. I think the biggest worry would be that the players don't seem to have been won over by his methods and he had to divert away from his methods back to a more simplistic and rigid way of playing.

Atkins had over a Season to do a "Tony Pulis" but failed miserably. He has blamed everyone and everything in his own coded replies he makes. It was obvious he had lost the respect of the players as there performances were so poor one minute and good the next, players were dropped for no reason.

[Basingstoke Royal]

Prime candidates to go:

One of Feds or McCarthy
Carrico
Stuart Taylor
Gorkss
Bridge
Kelly
Drenthe
Legs
Pog
Roberts

In:

New centre back
New left back
Two forwards

Squad:

Gk - Feds/mc, Andersen, Lincoln

Full backs - Gunter, Cummings, new left back

Centre backs - Pearce, Morrison, Sweeney, hector, new cb

Wingers - mcanuff, mcleary, obita, hrk, blackman

Centre midfield - Karacan, Williams, Taylor, Guthrie, kuhl

Forwards - le fondre, new forward, new forward, ugwu, tanner

Starting line up

Feds
Gunter
Morrison
Pearce
New left back
Mcleary
Karacan
Williams
Obita
Alf
New forward

Subs

Andersen
Cummings
Hector
Mcanuff
Hrk
Guthrie
New forward

In reality, I think we are going to struggle to keep another four key players - Guthrie, mcleary, le fondre, williams.

[Forest Gump]

Feds or McCarthy - done nothing wrong but give at least one a chance at a decent club
Bridge - cost too high for the number of games he'll make
Gorrks - actually did better this season than expected but badly exposed when dealing with any kind of pace.
Pearce - loyal but also not quick enough and part of a leaky defence all season
Guthrie - clearly not working hard enough to keep a place.
Williams - too much of a show pony
Akpan - another McDermott failure
Robson - Kanu - unless he can finish off learning to be a footballer
Legeirtwod - great two seasons ago but now a liability
McAnuff - works hard but not the galvanising force we need from the arm band
Royston - we aint a big enough club for the ego
Alf - ok coming on from the bench but he won't be happy to settle for that
AZ, JM and especially Nicky Hammond for holding this club back over many seasons.

Personally I hope Adkins will stay but any manager worth his corn would walk from this situation

[genome]

Federici going on about looking forward to a "fresh start" next season on Instagram...

[loyalroyal4life]

Federici going on about looking forward to a "fresh start" next season on Instagram...

That's because he knows McCarthy will move on! Hopefully get some decent £££ for him and spend 1% of it.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

For me I'd like to see the following 5 go:

Drenthe - get lost. Biggest waste of money since 1871
Gorkss - sorry mate but you've actually cost us a lot of points with your calamity defending this season
Bridge - Get rid. May as well not have signed him. Barely played & costs too much
McCarthy - Love him but we need some cash & he is our most saleable asset
Kelly - Keeping Gunter / Cummings would be more than good enough at chump level. No need to have 3 RB's & could use someone from the academy as 3rd choice.

I want to keep Pog but I reckon he'll want out now. Despite opinion being split on this guy, I think he is a top pro & will want a chance to play for a club going places before his career ends.

Top 5 I want to keep:

Gunter
Obita
McCleary
Guthrie
Williams

To be honest I'd like to add Leigertwood to the keep list too. You can see the guy has done all he can to get himself fit. Top top pro & kudos to him for coming back at such a critical time & doing so fcuking well. He was brilliant yesterday.

[Stevie G]

Only 5, and Swindon finish a 'successful' season in 8th and instantly release 10. We'll release what we can from contracts, possibly some that are not the fans preference to go, while soldiering on with others who we don't want, don't want to be here and will upset the team balance until we can work a deal with another club. If sqeaky can work magic from that then he'll have my eternal support, it's waned for him in the last 3 years, and if adkins stays and can do better in the league with the squad than this year then he truly will be a footballing saint.

[West Stand Flash]

McCarthy
Drenthe
Pog
Hal Robson Kanu (he is f***king atrocious)

Can't think of a 5th. Any of the squad can go apart from:

Gunter
Obita
Williams
Guthrie

Build a team around these 4 & we'll be OK,!

[West Stand Flash]

Prime candidates to go:

One of Feds or McCarthy
Carrico
Stuart Taylor
Gorkss
Bridge
Kelly
Drenthe
Legs
Pog
Roberts

In:

New centre back
New left back
Two forwards

Squad:

Gk - Feds/mc, Andersen, Lincoln

Full backs - Gunter, Cummings, new left back

Centre backs - Pearce, Morrison, Sweeney, hector, new cb

Wingers - mcanuff, mcleary, obita, hrk, blackman

Centre midfield - Karacan, Williams, Taylor, Guthrie, kuhl

Forwards - le fondre, new forward, new forward, ugwu, tanner

Starting line up

Feds
Gunter
Morrison
Pearce
New left back
Mcleary
Karacan
Williams
Obita
Alf
New forward

Subs

Andersen
Cummings
Hector
Mcanuff
Hrk
Guthrie
New forward

In reality, I think we are going to struggle to keep another four key players - Guthrie, mcleary, le fondre, williams.

Guthrie as a substitute

[EarleyRoyal16]

1) Pog - Like him, but wages are such a drain on the club
2) Drenthe - As above, but doesn't justify those wages with performance
3) Feds - wages, prefer McCarthy
4) Blackman - Just not good enough
5) Robson-Kanu - Not worth his wages.

Left out people out of contract such as Ledge (be sad to see him go though), McAnuff (who I think we should do everything to keep), Gorkss, and S.Taylor.


Think it's a must to offer J.Taylor and Hector new deals.

Team next season:

McCarthy

Gunter
Pearce
Morrison
Obita

McCleary
Karacan
Williams
McAnuff

ALF
New striker

On second look I'd get rid of Guthrie as well. Like him as a player but Jem and Williams are better and he's too much of a saleable asset to have on the bench.

Like to see Tanner, Ugwu and Kuhl integrated into first team throughout the season. Kuhl probably after the inevitable Karacan long term injury.

If we do have to get rid of Jobi sign a new winger to start on the left instead of him.

[harry]

A lot of this depends on when someone's contract is up and what else is happening with other players. The Tilehurst End have a page about player contract dates http://thetilehurstend.sbnation.com/2013/6/28/4475540/player-contract-dates. I've re-sorted the positions in date order.

Goalkeepers
Stuart Taylor is contracted until the summer of 2014. Releasing seems a no-brainer.
Adam Federici is contracted until the summer of 2015.
Alex McCarthy is contracted until the summer of 2015.
Mikkel Andersen is contracted until the summer of 2015.
Jonathan Henly is contracted until the summer of 2015.

If someone comes in for either Feds or McCarthy & finances dictate I guess we'll have to take the money. If we lose both then things are really bad financially.

Defenders
Wayne Bridge is contracted until the summer of 2014. I wouldn't re-sign Bridge. What little we saw of him early season was good but we can't afford someone that injured on the pay-roll and Obita has far more promise if we can keep him and he is happy to stay LB.
Kaspars Gorkss is contracted until the summer of 2014. I like Kaspars but the head says release.
Michael Hector is contracted until the summer of 2014. I'd definitely extend.
Chris Gunter is contracted until the summer of 2015.
Shaun Cummings is contracted until the summer of 2015.
Stephen Kelly is contracted until the summer of 2015.
I'd hate to see Gunter go. I wasn't a fan before this season but I think he has been quality.
Previously rated Kelly and like Cummings. I wouldn't extend either at this point if finances are poor. Longer term I'd keep one as cover for Gunter but not both.
Alex Pearce is contracted until the summer of 2015. Pearce bleeds hoops and I love his attitude. Recent weeks have shown maybe he can play football after all. I wouldn't extend either at this point if finances are poor.
Sean Morrison is contracted until the summer of 2017. No need to do anything unless a big offer comes in.
Jordan Obita 's contracted until the summer of 2017. No need to do anything unless an offer comes in. If we have really to take it make sure we get a decent LB in.

Midfielders
Lawson D’Ath 's contracted until the summer of 2014. Haven't seen anything of him to say which defaults to release.
Mikele Leigertwood is contracted until the summer of 2014. Heart says keep. Head says check the balance sheet.
Jobi McAnuff is contracted until the summer of 2014. Same as Ledge but more so. Would hate to see Jobi go.
Jake Taylor 's contracted until the summer of 2014. Extend.
Daniel Carriço is contracted until the summer of 2015 with the option of a one-year extension. if we haven't played him this season can't see the point. Move on.
Royston Drenthe is contracted until the summer of 2015 with the option of a one-year extension. Pray for an offer,
Danny Guthrie is contracted until the summer of 2015. I wouldn't extend at this point if finances are poor, but I'd want to keep. May have to take the money if finances are that bad.
Jem Karacan is contracted until the summer of 2015. Extend if at all possible. Heart and soul of team.
Garath McCleary is contracted until the summer of 2015. Extend if at all possible. Even a skint team needs some flair to keep the fair-weather punters interested.
Hope Akpan is contracted until the summer of 2016. No need to do anything unless an offer comes in. If so take it.
Hal Robson-Kanu is contracted until the summer of 2016. No need to do anything unless an offer comes in. If so consider taking it.
Danny Williams is contracted until the summer of 2017. No need to do anything unless a massive offer comes in.

Strikers
Gozie Ugwu is contracted until the summer of 2014. Extend
Adam Le Fondre is contracted until the summer of 2015. I wouldn't extend at this point if finances are poor, but I'd want to keep. May have to take the money if finances are that bad. Losing him would leave us worryingly low on striker options.
Dominic Samuel is contracted until the summer of 2015. Undecided. Haven't seen enough of. No need to make immediate decision.
Nick Blackman is contracted until the summer of 2016. No need to do anything. If we have to lose either Alfie or Pog we'll need Blackman to show his potential. Even then I see him more as a wide player in a 3 than an out and out striker.
Pavel Pogrebnyak is contracted until the summer of 2016. I like Pog & would want to keep if wages aren't an issue. Rumours here suggest they are and we may need to seek a buyer. Losing him would leave us worryingly low on striker options.

I've ignored the youth players coming through for now but if we have to have a fire sale on senior players I'd be happy to blood the likes of Kuhl, Cardwell, Dickie, Stacey, Fosu, Tanner, Tshibola, etc. Just imagine putting out a first eleven that is entirely Academy produced. Maybe a bit scary but also exciting.

[urz13]

To Go:
- McCarthy - I'd like to see him get a big move and get back into the England setup, but that won't happen here. Federici is an excellent keeper anyway.
- Gorkks - don't renew his contract.
- McAnuff - I think we have enough wingers and he's getting on a bit. Don't renew contract.
- Bridge - don't renew his contract.
- Akpan - terrible, sell or loan him out.
- Kelly - not needed, sell.
- ALF - Pains me to say it but he's not been that effective this season and we should sell. Plenty of lower league strikers who could replace him cheaply - Agard, Assombalonga etc.
- Blackman - dreadful, what a waste of money he's been. Sell.
- Also get rid of those youth players unlikely to make it, such as D'Ath.

Keep:
- Pogrebynak - still a massive player for us and his wages are nowhere near as bad as people think they are.
- McCleary - incredibly important to us
- Hector - Get him signed up ASAP.
- Obita - will surely attract interest but needs to stay.
- Drenthe - wages are the same as Pogrebynak's and he seems to have no intention of leaving. I'm fine with that, I think he has a lot more to give and has been pretty unfortunate with the way he's been treated this year. Always look more dangerous with him playing.
- Carrico - would love it if we kept him, but we obviously won't.
- And also Williams, Gunter, Guthrie, Karacan, HRK, Pearce, Morrison etc.

Sign:
- A pacey young striker. As I said above, Agard or Assombalonga could be a good signing.
- A creative CAM. If Drenthe does go, or several wingers leave, we may need one of these. Again, we should look to the lower leagues.

Hopefully any more gaps could be filled by up and coming Academy players.

[genome]

I would keep ALF, 15 goals this season. If Pog goes, then we need to keep a striker who is capable of that.

[urz13]

And my ideal starting XI next season would be:

Federici

Obita
Pearce
Morrison
Gunter

Drenthe
Williams
Guthrie
Karacan
McCleary

Pogrebnyak

Subs:
Andersen
Cummings
Hector
New CAM
HRK
Kuhl
New ST

[windermere_royal]

its all very well saying the big earners should be shown the door, but if they are still in cantract you can`t actually do that if there are no buyers
also why would Adkins walk when he still as 2 years of his contract to run, would you? if he was sacked he would be entitled to healthy compensation

[Bandini]

why would Adkins walk

Because of the enormous shame that any right-thinking person in his position would feel for having failed so abjectly.

[CholseyRoyal]

why would Adkins walk

Because of the enormous shame that any right-thinking person in his position would feel for having failed so abjectly.

What by losing out on the Playoffs with 2 minutes of the season left? By not being allowed to bring in any players of his own, Anton was responsible for most of the recent buys and we are stuck with the expensive ones for one or two more years at least as made clear by Drenthe recently.

Adkins has seen that the Academy teams play in the style he wants us to play so given a few more years we could have a Swansea or Liverpool type of team.

[Haag Royal]

why would Adkins walk

Because of the enormous shame that any right-thinking person in his position would feel for having failed so abjectly.

Utter rubbish. I guess you are also one of the "Bring McD back" crowd.