Appleton hasn't got a clue

[captainox]

We must be the laughing stock of football. We sign loan players like Long who are awful and continue to play them, even when Crocombe has a cracking game at West Brom. Crocombe gets sent out on loan and does well and we play Ashdown, who then turns down a contract.

I doubt the rest of football really cares.

Ashdown was stalling on his own contract so when we completed the Slocombe deal, we withdrew the offer.

[ty cobb]

We do seem to be putting a lot of stock in players who aren't deemed good enough for their parent clubs rather than trusted proven players for this club - although i would admit there haven't been many of these over recent years.

Being forced out the door for one of our longest serving players leaves a bit of a sour taste in the mouth.

[slappy]

We must be the laughing stock of football. We sign loan players like Long who are awful and continue to play them, even when Crocombe has a cracking game at West Brom. Crocombe gets sent out on loan and does well and we play Ashdown, who then turns down a contract.

I doubt the rest of football really cares.

Ashdown was stalling on his own contract so when we completed the Slocombe deal, we withdrew the offer.

It makes a mockery of the loan system that Chey Dunkley warmed the bench for 17 games in row, Wes Burns only came on as 90th minute sub for his last two games, Jeremy Balmy didn't even make the bench, Armand Gnanduillet played 36 minutes in his five games, Alex Jakubiak was mostly late sub appearances, and also the John Campbell debacle over whether he was our player or not.

The clubs that loaned these players out will probably think twice about sending players to us in the future if we are not going to play them.

[Kernow Yellow]

We do seem to be putting a lot of stock in players who aren't deemed good enough for their parent clubs rather than trusted proven players for this club.

I was chatting to a Scunthorpe fan who reckons Slocombe is a very good keeper - the trouble is that he and his understudy both broke their arms in the same game in the middle of last season, so Scunny went out and bought two new keepers, and don't have room to give him a new contract now he's fit again. So it's not really the case that he wasn't deemed good enough.

Re Slappy's point, it is certainly true that the way we used loans for most of last season was atrocious, and provides a stark reminder that however good we're feeling about the club at the moment - which is easy when there are no matches to lose and plenty of good PR from the MD and CEO - we're still being asked to put our faith in a manager who has so far only failed throughout his career, including with Us.

[Hog]

So, Clarke has been forced out. Slocombe had better be good!

[Myles Francis]

Re Slappy's point, it is certainly true that the way we used loans for most of last season was atrocious, and provides a stark reminder that however good we're feeling about the club at the moment - which is easy when there are no matches to lose and plenty of good PR from the MD and CEO - we're still being asked to put our faith in a manager who has so far only failed throughout his career, including with Us.

Very much this.

To my mind, we have made some very good moves this close season but I still have a large question mark over the manager. The last dozen games of the season earned him the right to have a crack this season. But all the excuses are gone now - plenty of time to scout and bring in the players wanted, a chairman (and also now a new investor) who will fund the deals, a shiny new pitch - so my feeling is that if we aren't mounting a serious challenge from the off, he won't be around too long.

[GodalmingYellow]

Re Slappy's point, it is certainly true that the way we used loans for most of last season was atrocious, and provides a stark reminder that however good we're feeling about the club at the moment - which is easy when there are no matches to lose and plenty of good PR from the MD and CEO - we're still being asked to put our faith in a manager who has so far only failed throughout his career, including with Us.

Very much this.

To my mind, we have made some very good moves this close season but I still have a large question mark over the manager. The last dozen games of the season earned him the right to have a crack this season. But all the excuses are gone now - plenty of time to scout and bring in the players wanted, a chairman (and also now a new investor) who will fund the deals, a shiny new pitch - so my feeling is that if we aren't mounting a serious challenge from the off, he won't be around too long.

I largely agree, but let's no jump on him from day 1.

The signings this summer have been really good. The only mistake in my view has been the ousting of Clarke, which is somewhat disrespectful to his previous excellent service. Football is a hard old business sometimes. I would hope that Slocombe is at least as good and on lower wages to justify the change.

[Mooro]

I just hope we (as supporters) have the wherewithal to not just jump on every mistake the new keeper makes, just because he isn't the old one!

The King is dead, Long live the KIng!!!

[Myles Francis]

I largely agree, but let's no jump on him from day 1.

I agree. Day two onwards is fine!

Seriously though, to my mind the first ten games are crucial.