Playing squad `24

Was anyone else unconvinced by Gills interview on the coming season? Or was it just me. I fear its going to be a long one....

Digger wrote:Was anyone else unconvinced by Gills interview on the coming season?  Or was it just me.  I fear its going to be a long one....

Surprised no one has commented on the potential new no.2 who used to coach JG....
tbh not much to take from the interview.  Think we had post season thoughts before, and too early for new signings. More involvement with the Academy was very positive.

Digger wrote:Was anyone else unconvinced by Gills interview on the coming season?  Or was it just me.  I fear its going to be a long one....

I'm unconvinced by Gill full stop

Digger wrote:Was anyone else unconvinced by Gills interview on the coming season?  Or was it just me.  I fear its going to be a long one....

I found it contradictory. Mentions how he needs players to be playing 35+ games then says may only get 25 from Lines.

A lot of positive platitudes though.

I felt a twinge of sadness when I read that Rex and Luke have been 'released' - especially Rex. I don't know anything about Luke, other than watching him play (on the occasions he did), but towards the end of the season I managed to have a chat with Rex, and he expressed how sad he was at being almost continually on the bench. He has had one or two excellent moments in the few times he has played, most notably when he came on for the second half at Oxford, where he was instrumental in turning a 0-3 deficit into a 3-3 draw (and we were sad to hear the final whistle as we felt we could have won the game if it had gone on a bit longer).
Jerry has used the word quality in describing their abilities and wishing them well, so maybe, as has already been muted by somebody recently, he would have preferred to re-sign the whole squad if money was available to do so as well as bring in some new blood. Personally I didn't rate Scott W or Dan H much at the start of the season, but as the season progressed they became really decent players. Can we perhaps say that, given the same amount of game time, Rex and Luke would have become a really good asset for us too!
We only started the season with 16 senior players, plus 2 young loanees form Bristol City (who were rarely used - but their overall availability may have been a factor), but, although Jerry dismissed missing his preferred target of having 20 regulars by saying that he went for 'quality', the fact remains that quality players are just as likely to get injuries as any other players - and they did - the rest is history! Hypothetically, we could have comfortably made the play-offs, IF we had not incurred ANY injuries, but as we all know, it would have been a miracle if that had happened.
We need a minimum of 20 players, especially in such a long League season - and I well know that we cannot afford to have that many 'quality' players on the books - but just one plea to Jerry this coming season - if you are going to look more closely at developing one of two academy youngsters, and you are offered any more promising youngsters from the likes of Bristol, then will you please give them every chance by bringing them up to your standards for inclusion into match squads - because that is why clubs are willing to loan us their players isn't it! (I thought that Zak Bell showed much promise last season in the two or three times he was used) - and generally speaking, youngsters can be a lot cheaper to employ.
I am also conscious that we don't know the half of it as regards what goes on in the background - for instance fall outs between manager and players spring to mind - it would be so nice to be a permanent fly on the wall!
Sorry to waffle on a bit, but its fair to say that these points have been on my mind for some time, just waiting for the time to off-load.
Any views from anybody would be more than welcome.

Very last point - very sad to read that Clarky was leaving us. At this moment in time we have NO goalies, and he was still our stalwart fall-back keeper. If Max Harris doesn't get interest from a Club at a higher level than us, any chance of him regarding us as the Club that he would give us first option on his signature for another season?

Luton Roman wrote:

Digger wrote:Was anyone else unconvinced by Gills interview on the coming season?  Or was it just me.  I fear its going to be a long one....

Surprised no one has commented on the potential new no.2 who used to coach JG....
tbh not much to take from the interview.  Think we had post season thoughts before, and too early for new signings. More involvement with the Academy was very positive.

Hopefully it’s Rikko!

Great post, Steve. Like most of the midfield, I was never convinced by Spokes and just 27 league starts and not a single goal suggests the manager wasn’t either. At least I’ll be able to identify Hayfield more quickly now!

For me, Mannings was the one player on his few appearances who added some urgency to the team once Fletcher was injured. I guess he was the ideal impact sub but what’s the point of such a role in a small squad? Wouldn’t surprise me if he comes back to haunt us in the future and like Danny Ball, Stearny etc I’ll certainly be pleased to see him.

I don't think it is any surprise Spokes and Mannings have gone. Be interesting to see if Smith stays as he was out of favour too for long periods.
Hayfield hardly played in his favoured position last season so we didn't see the best of him but tbh with Raynes and Greenslade he is likely to suffer the same disadvantage next season.
I believe confidence was lost in Zac Bell's defensive capabilities/robustness which I thought was a harsh at the time. Of the youngsters Sonny Cox retained the most confidence but overall there seemed a reluctance to field younsters generally.
I think Wilson will be hard to keep but I hope we can. We resurrected his career.
I sincerely hope that there is some flair left in the squad though as I am somewhat nervous about seeing another season of the same wannabe premier league without the ability style of football.

BenE wrote:I don't think it is any surprise Spokes and Mannings have gone. Be interesting to see if Smith stays as he was out of favour too for long periods.
Hayfield hardly played in his favoured position last season so we didn't see the best of him but tbh with Raynes and Greenslade he is likely to suffer the same disadvantage next season.
I believe confidence was lost in Zac Bell's defensive capabilities/robustness which I thought was a harsh at the time. Of the youngsters Sonny Cox retained the most confidence but overall there seemed a reluctance to field younsters generally.
I think Wilson will be hard to keep but I hope we can. We resurrected his career.
I sincerely hope that there is some flair left in the squad though as I am somewhat nervous about seeing another season of the same wannabe premier league without the ability style of football.

Both Wilson and Smith still under contract for next season. It's been on the news thread on website.

Seems odd that their release has only just been announced. Perhaps an offer was made but both players (or their agents) were able to find potential clubs prepared to offer better terms that we were unwilling to match.

Not 100% sure but I believe there may be a certain time period at end of season where, if the current club makes an offer equivalent or better than the expiring contract, then the player is unable to sign elsewhere until that period has expired. As i do not have knowledge of the exact rules my post may prove to be complete rubbish.

Seems odd that their release has only just been announced.  Perhaps an offer was made but both players (or their agents) were able to find potential  clubs prepared to offer better terms that we were unwilling to match.

Not 100% sure but I believe there may be a certain  time period at end of season where,  if the current club makes an offer equivalent or better than the expiring contract,   then the player is unable to  sign elsewhere until that period has expired.  As i do not have knowledge of the exact rules my post may prove to be complete rubbish.

When posting initial message I received a forum " Flood" that seemed to indicate my initial post had not been actioned so hit send again - so now it appears twice!

One can never have enough of your posts, Peter (except in the cricket section!)

comrade powell wrote:I was never convinced by Spokes

Glad I'm not the only one, was starting to fear I would be going by the professionally outraged few on other platforms. Genuinely lovely lad, Luke, but another easy on the eye player with bags of technical ability that hasn't shown much beyond that. I struggle to choose where his best position would be and I think that's a large part of the problem for him. He's not committed enough/good enough for the rough and tumble of centre midfield, isn't quick enough for a wide position and just hasn't shown enough creatively when he's been given opportunities as an advanced midfielder either. His evident lack of interest over the last Bank Holiday games reminded me of Jamie Cook, so I'm not particularly displeased he's moved in on in a playing capacity. I don't think he'll struggle for another club at this level, but he's not a player we've got the budget to carry imo and I'd prefer Tom to be given that advanced midifeld freedom again if Hayfield is back in the middle.

Luton Roman wrote:

Both Wilson and Smith still under contract for next season. It's been on the news thread on website.

Of course they are.

Agree Spokes can deliver a defence splitting pass but too rarely. Never made any noticeable impact but that can be said of a succession of midfielders at the club.

I see that Cooke has signed on for another season. Did wonder if he’d move on as he didn’t seem the same player after his return from injury. Hopefully he will be revitalised after the close season and can form a fruitful partnership with Wilson.

comrade powell wrote:I see that Cooke has signed on for another season. Did wonder if he’d move on as he didn’t seem the same player after his return from injury. Hopefully he will be revitalised after the close season and can form a fruitful partnership with Wilson.

2 year deal he posted on twitter. Would definitely have been a lot of nterest in him,let's hope he gives us the same return, certainly a different team with him despite Wilson stepping up.

Maybe the incoming number 2 had some bearing on the matter.

Luton Roman wrote:

comrade powell wrote:I see that Cooke has signed on for another season. Did wonder if he’d move on as he didn’t seem the same player after his return from injury. Hopefully he will be revitalised after the close season and can form a fruitful partnership with Wilson.

2 year deal he posted on twitter. Would definitely have been a lot of nterest in him,let's hope he gives us the same return, certainly a different team with him despite Wilson stepping up.

@Cody_Cooke
Delighted to extend my stay for another couple of years @BathCity_FC. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes who were able to make it happen. See you all soon Roman’s

@BathCity_FC
We're delighted to announce that Cody Cooke has committed to the club for the 23/24 season, despite strong interest from elsewhere.

So what is his length of contract, 1 or 2 years?

Well, it now appears we have 10 outfield players. We just need a keeper!!

With backing from the manager and a good run of games I think Rex could have made it. He had one of the best new chants as well..."let's talk about Rex baby"

As Mannings and Spokes are the only players to have been announced as being released presumably Elliott Frear is being offered a new contract as well.

LB wrote:As Mannings and Spokes are the only players to have been announced as being released presumably Elliott Frear is being offered a new contract as well.

I guess we need a low-impact sub

I see that today's Bath City News confirms that Frear has signed for next season, although we are promised some new signings next week apparently.

Next season is shaping up to be as horrifically boring as the last two. How on earth has Frear managed to get himself a new deal? A slower, more lightweight, less interested player you'd struggle to sign, so of course we offer him a new deal.

I'm really regretting letting emotions override my brain and renewing my season ticket, what an awful idea that is looking like.