I’ve been saying this all summer - in this day and age it is incredibly simplistic to just freeze 2/3 players out in the hope that it will lead to them moving on, especially when they’re all on decent money (having said that I wouldn’t be surprised if Waters gets picked up at some point). Just because KC doesn’t want them doesn’t mean they aren’t entitled to dig their heels in and ride out a lucrative contract, for KC to have seemingly put his remaining recruitment eggs in that basket seems very naive and looks like it is going to leave us massively unbalanced going in to the season. I’ll be interested to hear what KC has to say for himself at the open forum next week as my mantra has been to back him to put together his own squad but there seem to be some major issues.
This as all been said before. KC did not name them but stated at the end of season review he had spoken to a number of players who did not feature in his plans.Absolutely correct that they can dig their heels in and refuse to leave. He has 3/4 targets to replace them but he has to operate within the budget. If they do not leave then they will sit in the reserves or will have to try to play themselves into consideration. That will not happen until the end of the transfer window. Mixed signals and all that. We will have to go with what we have with the exception of one new centre back to replace Pierre.
The budget was set at the start and has not beed reduced. The club and indeed the players concerned will have a problem if there is no resolution but thats the way it is.Its not a question of the recruitment basket. We did business early because we made lucrative offers to the players we have. They were first choices. At least one target requires a significant transfer fee.The club , I believe, are trying to recoup some of this from transfer fees of those that have been listed.