Flog, carry, avoid
Posted: Thu May 12, 2016 4:46 pm
After the match on Saturday, Appleton said on RadOx that he would sit down with the OOC players this week.
I imagine there will be a retained list announcement next week. So whilst still basking in the glory, who do you think will be or should be retained or let go, and any thoughts of new faces?
I suspect Sam Slocombe may be offered the chance to progress his career elsewhere. He only has another year on his contract anyway, so a negotiated settlement wouldn't be too difficult.
Benji Buchel improved as the season went on. Whether he is big enough and strong enough remains a doubt, and I suspect he'll become 2nd choice. He is OOC though and if the budget is going to be tight, it may be that SS gets the nod and BB departs.
Crocombe may well end up departing too. To continue with 3 goalkeepers vying for the number 1 jersey, especially when we also have a decent development squad keeper in Jack Stevens, might be unnecessarily expensive and I'm not convinced that MA rates Max anyway. Contract runs to end of next season, but wages won't be high, so a low cost option to move him on.
When Skarz became injured, we all immediately noticed the drop in form of the team. He's a decent player who doesn't always get the credit he deserves, and good left backs are very hard to find. Another 2 years left on his contract, and I hope and suspect Skarzy will be here next season.
Having just one left back available, with others covering from out of position, and an inexperienced lad in Jordan Evans, left us exposed this season. It will be important to get a back up player in.
Jordan Evans didn't quite look the part for me. I think he struggled positionally a lot of the time, and full backs are all about position. He has a little pace, but insufficient control, and his passing can be wayward. He will be back at Fulham now and I can't see us looking to take him on again.
At right back, Mr Kenny will no doubt return to Everton initially. But we might well be in with a chance of getting him in on another season long loan, or if we are lucky, as a permanent signing.
I would like to see us push for Mr Baldock again too. Now we will be playing in the same division as MK Dons, it would make the move easier for Georgie Boy, unless MK have radically changed their mind about him. Baldock clearly enjoyed playing under Appleton, and for Oxford, and it would be a very good match up.
Jakey Wright was back to his best at the end of the season. With another year to go on his contract, it would be madness to not continue with him, if not add another year to his deal.
Chey Dunkley was probably the club's most improved player and by the last game was properly keeping Mulls out on merit. Another to keep. Contract has one more year to go, but we need to be looking to extend his deal to at least 3 years.
Mulls lost a bit of momentum from his game as the season wore on. Still an excellent centre back though. He is OOC, but I would look at a one year deal for him.
We've been solid at the back for most of the season, so I don't think further changes along the back line are necessary at present. We also have Sam Long and Robbie Cundy as back up and no doubt others will start to step up from the development side.
It goes without saying that I would love us to try to hold on to Callum. He may well shortly become a full international player given his call up to the full Irish squad today. Money talks and I would be surprised if Daryl Eales would be able to resist another £1 mill bid from a Premier League club. He has 2 years to go, but these days that means little when significant compensation is on offer in a transfer fee. Given his talent, and lack of first choice selection this season, I wonder if a pre-contract agreement has been signed tying COD to another club from next season, and so he was being protected from injury possibly.
If Callum goes, we still have Macca of course, who is a fine player. It would be nice to get a few more 90 minutes from him, then again given his all out running style, it is hardly surprising that he is knackered after 60-70 minutes. Macca has another year, but we do have a further year extension option, so he would definitely be one to keep.
Lunny has had a marvellous season. He is another we desperately miss when he isn't playing. He's got another year plus an option to extend, so unless big bids come in, we should keep him as well and probably look to extend his deal.
Sercombe is another with a 1+1 deal left. So again clearly we keep him and try to extend his deal.
Josh Ruffels is OOC but we have a 2 year extension option. I think he has just about done enough to justify keeping him on as a utility player, given his recent covering at left back. But if he was not retained, I don't think he would be going to anyone above League 2. Given that we have Freddie Grant waiting in the wings, who can play left back or left wing, it may be Ruffels time to make a break.
Josh Ashby, is still towards the end of his development squad period. We have a 2 year option, but given that he hasn't really troubled the first team, I imagine his retention will be a toss up between MA perceived talent and wages cost.
Kemar. I would beg him to stay if that is what it took. He has been the Joey Beauchamp of this season in terms of turning on the style and skill and for the entertainment value. It would be great to keep him, but he is Championship class at least. Our saving grace might be that he didn't make it at West Brom and maybe, just maybe, he would favour guaranteed first team football over higher division bench warming.
George Waring has gone back to his parent club, and I don't really see much point in pursuing him.
I don't know how much Hoban enjoyed his fish n chips in Grimsby, but he is OOC this summer, and I can't see much point in us taking up our extension option.
Danny Hylton. Why has he not been offered another contract already? I think this is an oversight by the club. Another 2 year deal please.
Ryan Taylor. Difficult one. He has another year on his contract, but is clearly injury prone. He started to show some very good form before his latest injury, but we can't afford to carry sick notes, especially at a higher level. I'm not sure he is good enough for League 1, so if MA chose to let him go, I don't think there would be too many supporters complaining.
Cameron Gayle is a strange situation. Signing a player and then loaning him to a rival club for the rest of his contract. I imagine he will be released.
Chris Maguire is OOC and needs to be put on a new contract pronto.
Bowery filled a hole (partially and briefly) but isn't a League 1 player, and is barely a League 2 player. Release.
James Roberts. I watched him in the senior cup final on Tuesday. He looked very sharp and his finishing was excellent. Yes it was only Oxford City we were playing, but I am certain he will be a very good future player for us.
Obviously there are other development squad players who haven't yet made the first team, but I'm not going over all of them as well!
I imagine there will be a retained list announcement next week. So whilst still basking in the glory, who do you think will be or should be retained or let go, and any thoughts of new faces?
I suspect Sam Slocombe may be offered the chance to progress his career elsewhere. He only has another year on his contract anyway, so a negotiated settlement wouldn't be too difficult.
Benji Buchel improved as the season went on. Whether he is big enough and strong enough remains a doubt, and I suspect he'll become 2nd choice. He is OOC though and if the budget is going to be tight, it may be that SS gets the nod and BB departs.
Crocombe may well end up departing too. To continue with 3 goalkeepers vying for the number 1 jersey, especially when we also have a decent development squad keeper in Jack Stevens, might be unnecessarily expensive and I'm not convinced that MA rates Max anyway. Contract runs to end of next season, but wages won't be high, so a low cost option to move him on.
When Skarz became injured, we all immediately noticed the drop in form of the team. He's a decent player who doesn't always get the credit he deserves, and good left backs are very hard to find. Another 2 years left on his contract, and I hope and suspect Skarzy will be here next season.
Having just one left back available, with others covering from out of position, and an inexperienced lad in Jordan Evans, left us exposed this season. It will be important to get a back up player in.
Jordan Evans didn't quite look the part for me. I think he struggled positionally a lot of the time, and full backs are all about position. He has a little pace, but insufficient control, and his passing can be wayward. He will be back at Fulham now and I can't see us looking to take him on again.
At right back, Mr Kenny will no doubt return to Everton initially. But we might well be in with a chance of getting him in on another season long loan, or if we are lucky, as a permanent signing.
I would like to see us push for Mr Baldock again too. Now we will be playing in the same division as MK Dons, it would make the move easier for Georgie Boy, unless MK have radically changed their mind about him. Baldock clearly enjoyed playing under Appleton, and for Oxford, and it would be a very good match up.
Jakey Wright was back to his best at the end of the season. With another year to go on his contract, it would be madness to not continue with him, if not add another year to his deal.
Chey Dunkley was probably the club's most improved player and by the last game was properly keeping Mulls out on merit. Another to keep. Contract has one more year to go, but we need to be looking to extend his deal to at least 3 years.
Mulls lost a bit of momentum from his game as the season wore on. Still an excellent centre back though. He is OOC, but I would look at a one year deal for him.
We've been solid at the back for most of the season, so I don't think further changes along the back line are necessary at present. We also have Sam Long and Robbie Cundy as back up and no doubt others will start to step up from the development side.
It goes without saying that I would love us to try to hold on to Callum. He may well shortly become a full international player given his call up to the full Irish squad today. Money talks and I would be surprised if Daryl Eales would be able to resist another £1 mill bid from a Premier League club. He has 2 years to go, but these days that means little when significant compensation is on offer in a transfer fee. Given his talent, and lack of first choice selection this season, I wonder if a pre-contract agreement has been signed tying COD to another club from next season, and so he was being protected from injury possibly.
If Callum goes, we still have Macca of course, who is a fine player. It would be nice to get a few more 90 minutes from him, then again given his all out running style, it is hardly surprising that he is knackered after 60-70 minutes. Macca has another year, but we do have a further year extension option, so he would definitely be one to keep.
Lunny has had a marvellous season. He is another we desperately miss when he isn't playing. He's got another year plus an option to extend, so unless big bids come in, we should keep him as well and probably look to extend his deal.
Sercombe is another with a 1+1 deal left. So again clearly we keep him and try to extend his deal.
Josh Ruffels is OOC but we have a 2 year extension option. I think he has just about done enough to justify keeping him on as a utility player, given his recent covering at left back. But if he was not retained, I don't think he would be going to anyone above League 2. Given that we have Freddie Grant waiting in the wings, who can play left back or left wing, it may be Ruffels time to make a break.
Josh Ashby, is still towards the end of his development squad period. We have a 2 year option, but given that he hasn't really troubled the first team, I imagine his retention will be a toss up between MA perceived talent and wages cost.
Kemar. I would beg him to stay if that is what it took. He has been the Joey Beauchamp of this season in terms of turning on the style and skill and for the entertainment value. It would be great to keep him, but he is Championship class at least. Our saving grace might be that he didn't make it at West Brom and maybe, just maybe, he would favour guaranteed first team football over higher division bench warming.
George Waring has gone back to his parent club, and I don't really see much point in pursuing him.
I don't know how much Hoban enjoyed his fish n chips in Grimsby, but he is OOC this summer, and I can't see much point in us taking up our extension option.
Danny Hylton. Why has he not been offered another contract already? I think this is an oversight by the club. Another 2 year deal please.
Ryan Taylor. Difficult one. He has another year on his contract, but is clearly injury prone. He started to show some very good form before his latest injury, but we can't afford to carry sick notes, especially at a higher level. I'm not sure he is good enough for League 1, so if MA chose to let him go, I don't think there would be too many supporters complaining.
Cameron Gayle is a strange situation. Signing a player and then loaning him to a rival club for the rest of his contract. I imagine he will be released.
Chris Maguire is OOC and needs to be put on a new contract pronto.
Bowery filled a hole (partially and briefly) but isn't a League 1 player, and is barely a League 2 player. Release.
James Roberts. I watched him in the senior cup final on Tuesday. He looked very sharp and his finishing was excellent. Yes it was only Oxford City we were playing, but I am certain he will be a very good future player for us.
Obviously there are other development squad players who haven't yet made the first team, but I'm not going over all of them as well!