TheSiege Who stays, who goes and who do we buy in the Summer Window? n.b. I'm aware that there is a 'who stays, who goes' thread in the team area but that simply outlines our possible skeleton squad before transfers in (and allows people to put Brian at the top of the out-list). I'm interested in RFC having a squad for promotion but also the basis of a Prem team if we go up. Others have rebuilt this way! Who must we retain and who must we buy? Remember, we bid for Gylfi in the last window, we have money and we now need to seriously use it. I have my own views on retained players but I'll let some of you speak first.
1. Brian should go now. Too many mistakes, too much reliance on workrate and effort which, while part of the game is not the be all and end all. Also still seem to be following this damn stupid policy of players for the future all the time rather than mainly building for the NOW. Of course if this is forced on him by the approach of the board then we have problems elsewhere that need sorting but I find that unlikely if we were supposed to be after Sigurdsson for £10m+ and Ince for £7m. Desperately need to see a side that can pass the ball and at least look like a team that can dominate matches on the odd occasion.
2. Manager experienced in the Premiership and FL required - tough one I know!
3. Goalkeepers: McCarthy or Feds should be the number 1 based on whichever we can retain in the summer. Personally I'd want McCarthy and would sell Feds but if it works out the other way round then that would be OK. Andersson wants to leave for 1st team football so that would be fine so keep Taylor as a number 2 or if he leaves look for a new keeper.
4. Left back: Need a new good quality Championship/Premiership left back. Offer Harte a coaching role, keep Shorey as cover
5. Right back: Keep Kelly and sell either Gunter or Cummings
6. Central Defenders: If a PL side shows an interest Pearce will leave so based on that we need two new central defenders alongside Mariappa and Morrison. Should, by some stroke of luck, Pearce remain at the club then we only need one. Either way Hector should be kept and shipped out on loan to a higher level than Division 4!
7. Midfield: To be quite honest apart from Guthrie, from what I've seen of Akpan (and supposedly Carrico) the rest can all leave as they are not of the standard required to enable survival in the Premiership. Presuming Guthrie stays then we need another midfielder and in this case it has to be an attacking option along the lines of Sigurdsson who we can mould a team around.
8. Wingers: Kebe is overrated, McAnuff is at least consistent and, I think, a squad player at PL level so would be happy to retain his services. McLeary and Robson-Kanu really do not strike me as players that will take us to the next level so again I think they should be allowed to leave so they can find their level and get regular football. Should therefore acquire another winger in the summer.
9. Strikers: Keep LeFondre and the rest can all leave (not including Blackman who we just haven't seen anything of really but may have something useful about him). Two new proven strikers therefore needed, three if Le Fondre attracts PL attention and goes. I would hope that Pogrebnyak leaves in the summer to get his wages off the list - I'm sure he'd want to for the sake of his international career anyway. If he doesn't and is still at the club then then I'm sure we'll see a much better player as I would hope he'd get service. As regards Roberts I perhaps would keep him if Pogrebnyak goes but really we should be looking for a bit more youth and a bit more by way of options.