Clear out in the summer?

[Hoop Blah]

Hopefully we'll see most of the deadwood in the squad go out the door. We're carrying players on the wage bill that are not really needed and hopefully that means all of:

Halls
Sodje
Bennett
Stack
Oster
Brown
Goldbourne

You can probably add in Cox and DLC too and probably Hamer too. I have a feeling that Little will be forced into retirement too. DLC and Oster will probably be dependant on them wanting to leave and/or our success in replacing them.

I don't think other youngsters will be let go yet, they'll get another year to have a go at it, unless they want to force the move for their own benefit. Thats means Henry, Pearce, Karacan, Anderson, Bozanic and Robson-Kanu will still be around to bolster the reserves and keep the numbers up in training.

We'd obvioulsy need to bring in some fresh blood too, but thats something for a whole new thread!

[Barry the bird boggler]

Come the summer, these are the core squad members for the future as I see it (either established or unproven as yet)

Shorey
Sonko
Cisse
Rosenior
Matejovsky
Fae
Bikey
Kitson
Lita
Doyle
Harper
Hunt
Kebe
Convey
Pearce
Robson-Kanu
Henry
Cox

In my opinion every other player could therefore be allowed to leave the club presuming an equal or improved replacement could be found.

[Wycombe Royal]

I'm not sure that the club will be looking to let Hamer go considering the excellent reviews he is getting at Brentford.

Also from what I heard Bennett improved immensely at Southampton during his time there so I can't see him being moved on either.

[Focher]

It wouldnt surprise me to see Convey go judging by some of the comments Coppell has made about him (basically one good season in four so far).

Wasn't Convey injured for most of last season?

I wish that Convey would be given the opportunity to run at people more - instead of passing square or crossing at from the edeg of the Penalty area (If we are lucky). I suspect that with Convey his real strengths are not really apparent when you have Kitsons height being (Over) utilised.

i dont think its a case of he doesn't have the opportunity, i think he has a massive confidence problem and is scared of losing the ball, so immediately rids of it. Bit like Sidwell at Chelsea.

[sheshnu]

When does Coppell's contract expire? End of this season or next? I was on Ladbrokes earlier and he is 3rd favourite at 5-1 to be the next Prem manager to leave his job. Anyway if that happens then there might be a few more ins and outs over the summer; if not then if I were a Reading player who doesn't currently regularly feature in Coppell's 16 then I would be 'considering my future' at the club. For the youngsters that might mean a season out on loan, for the more experienced pros the time has probably come to move on. As it happens I can't think of many who fall into the latter category but maybe it's time to let go of players like De La Cruz, Duberry, Bennett, Halls(!), Oster?

[The Surgeon of Crowthorne]

Coppell signed a two-year deal last summer - unusually for him as he normally only signs one year deals. Nevertheless, if we go down, he will walk. If we stay up I would still think there's a fair chance he'll go. If he doesn't he'll definitely go at the end of his contract.

[Blue Blooded]

Convey's problem is that he has a tendency to pull out of a 50/50 challenge, when it seems that his momentum would allow himself to pull away from the defending player. I wonder whether he is haunted by the long term injuries that he has incurred and is perhaps understandably weary of a recurrance.

I noticed at Birmingham that he was a victim of a reckless challenge by the corner flag - the way that Kitson responded to this would suggest that this is known within the team.

[79Royal]

Bearing in mind our manrta of having young, hungry players desperate to prove themselves, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw a quite high turnover of players in the summer. Those wanting to leave will be allowed to go if the right offer comes in and I expect that will include the majority of the first team as well. Coppell has already shown that he doesn't want players who aren't prepared to give their all for us, Seol for example.

DLC, Oster, Halls etc will all probably want to move on, so they will go.

FWIW, I don't think that Coppell will be at the club come the start of next season. I think he'll walk.

[Blue Blooded]

Bearing in mind our manrta of having young, hungry players desperate to prove themselves, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw a quite high turnover of players in the summer. Those wanting to leave will be allowed to go if the right offer comes in and I expect that will include the majority of the first team as well. Coppell has already shown that he doesn't want players who aren't prepared to give their all for us, Seol for example.

DLC, Oster, Halls etc will all probably want to move on, so they will go.

FWIW, I don't think that Coppell will be at the club come the start of next season. I think he'll walk.

Maybe he could move upstairs and allow Murty a greater role in the absence of being a regular!?

[79Royal]

Bearing in mind our manrta of having young, hungry players desperate to prove themselves, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw a quite high turnover of players in the summer. Those wanting to leave will be allowed to go if the right offer comes in and I expect that will include the majority of the first team as well. Coppell has already shown that he doesn't want players who aren't prepared to give their all for us, Seol for example.

DLC, Oster, Halls etc will all probably want to move on, so they will go.

FWIW, I don't think that Coppell will be at the club come the start of next season. I think he'll walk.

Maybe he could move upstairs and allow Murty a greater role in the absence of being a regular!?

I'll buy you your next season ticket, if that happens!

[Forbury Lion]

i have a feeling duberry is out of contract in the summer, did he not only sign an 18 month contract?

A good point. His future here may be dependent on how Coppell views Alex Pearce's progress and whether Cisse can reproduce the level of performance we saw last time out.

Assuming we keep Ingimarsson, Sonko, Cisse, Bikey & Pearce that may leave Duberry as the odd man out with age being the key factor.

If wages are reasonable and players are prepared to wait their turn though there's nothing wrong with having someone in the squad whose may not get a run out if there are no injuries. In fact the player may have a positive effect on morale just by being there.

With fringe players you need to weigh up wages and benefit and also the players wishes, If they want to leave then that will carry some weight. Also transfer fee, If you have a player that can command a £5m fee sat in the reserves it makes sense to sell them, however a £5k player is a different matter.

[Upper West?!?]

It takes some courage to cut loose players that were key to your success. Does Coppell have previous form in re-building his own team?

There are few managers that get long enough in a job to build and mature a team and then re-build & mature a second generation. Ferguson and Wenger are about the only current examples.

[Alan Partridge]

I'm not sure that the club will be looking to let Hamer go considering the excellent reviews he is getting at Brentford.

Also from what I heard Bennett improved immensely at Southampton during his time there so I can't see him being moved on either.

Yet despite that he stillw asnt' remotely close to our first team, even with everyone else out of the picture. He'll be gone in the summer. £250,000 = no appearances.

[andrew1957]

I'd release/ sell if possible

Stack
Halls
Sodje
Bennett
Bozanic
Robson Kanu
Cox (sadly)
Brown
Fae
replace Hahnemann and send Federici out on loan
if we could sell Sonko I probably would.
DLC
Golbourne
Oster
Gunnarsson
replace Murty with Rosenior but Murty would stay in the squad.

fingers crossed Little comes back ok but we may be forced to let him go.


But also it depends what league we are in. If CCC then Sonko would certainly stay, probably no need to replace Hahnemann. All ifs and buts.

Why Bozanic and Robson-Kanu? I'd heard that the latter is most likely to progress into the first team.

I'm basing my assumptions on us staying up - clearly things completely change if we dont.

I can only think you never go to reserve games. Some of the players you want to get rid of are young and could be very good. You always need a stream of young talent coming through and then you pick the best of them to keep. Yes some players will go to lower league clubs but to write off the likes of Bozanic and Robson-Kanu is far too early.

Bennett has had rave reviews towards the end of his time at Southampton and to get rid of squad players like Gunnar, DLC , Oster etc only works if we get better replacements.

We need around a squad of 30 or so to cover the requirements of PL, to cover injuries and to cover reserve team matches plus younger players coming through.

A few will undoubtedly leave at the end of the season but not all of those you mention.

[The 17 Bus]

I'd release/ sell if possible

Stack

replace Hahnemann and send Federici out on loan
If CCC then Sonko would certainly stay, probably no need to replace Hahnemann. All ifs and buts.

Just one keeper then?

[Alan Partridge]

I'd release/ sell if possible

Stack

replace Hahnemann and send Federici out on loan
If CCC then Sonko would certainly stay, probably no need to replace Hahnemann. All ifs and buts.

Just one keeper then?

replace Hahenemann = New keeper with Hahnemann as number 2, Hamer 3.

[Royal Rother]

I'm not that sure that Sonko was immense last season. He did have some good games. But he also conceded penalties (which is a critical flaw in Sonko - he is unable to judge the pace of the player when they go past him and will more often that not foul him). Our record was much better in the second half of the season when he was injured.

Not so - up to the Sheff utd game when Sonko was injured we amassed 34 points from 24 games, 1.416 points per game.

Afterwards we got 21 points from the remaining 14 games, 1.5 points per game.

A slight improvement when taken at face value but when you bear in mind that we had already played 6 of the 8 games against the Top 4 clubs by the time Sonko was injured it would certainly indicate that our record was arguably as good, I'd actually suggest better, with Sonko in the team.

[Richi Royal]

I dont think a massive clear out is required...what is required though as other have mentioned is the dead wood need to be moved out and the players struggling in the prem i.e. Gunnarsson and USA need to be moved on.

I would have a core squad of
A fed, A new GK, and USA.....the new keeer should be first choice
Rosenior and Murts... from the glimses i have seen rosenior will be a very good right back and deserves a chance....keep murts in the squad as an able deputy
Shorey and a new younger player we can develop to take over from him
Sonko, Bikey, Pearce, Ivar and a new CB will make a very competitive CB position with pearce as a promising youngster putting pressure on them.
A NEW RIGHT MIDFIELDER, possibly competing with Little if he doesnt retire and Henry.
Hunt, Convey and Kebe....again plenty of options on the left.
Harper, Marek, Cisse(torn where to put him) Fae and a competitive midfielder in the diop mould,...i would keep fae becausei still believe there is something about him.
Doyle, Kitson, Long and A new striker....I have left Lita out becuase i think he needs a change, he has been great fro us but it is benefiting no one him sat on the bench...a decent new striker would make competiting interesting.

Have the youngster like Bozanic, Kanu, Karacan etc on the fringes of the squad.

I would get rid of
Gunnarsson (been a good player but is out of his depth), Lita (needs a change and would shake up the striking department), Oster, De la (due to lack of g ames he plays although if he wanted to stay he would be good to have in the squad), Bennett, Brown, Duberry( again has come in and done what he was bought for, if we are going to progress we need to be replacing these player) Cox (unfortunatly) Golbourne.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Convey's problem is that he has a tendency to pull out of a 50/50 challenge, when it seems that his momentum would allow himself to pull away from the defending player. I wonder whether he is haunted by the long term injuries that he has incurred and is perhaps understandably weary of a recurrance.

I noticed at Birmingham that he was a victim of a reckless challenge by the corner flag - the way that Kitson responded to this would suggest that this is known within the team.

Convey's problem this season is that he hasn't been very good - yet.....

[working class hero]

I'm not sure that the club will be looking to let Hamer go considering the excellent reviews he is getting at Brentford

Hamer has a better chance of progress than many. After all he has been at our feeder club!