JJOT reality (and the rest of squad)

[teyn86]

Reading the posts on here already its very clear and I am in agreement that looking ahead next year keeping JJOT is something 98% are already desperate for.

Sadly we have been here before with key players and we just need to face up to the fact, given the chance he will move on to play for a team in league 1. Sooner we accept that, the better.

Regarding the rest of the squad the the drop in league and budget will mean
Crooks
Pierre
Van Veen
Taylor
Turnbull
Will all be looking to move on. I'm sure a summer of agonising and speculation is in store anyway. However hopefully give Austin the job and get the ball rolling as soon as possible, get those that want away out and the squad settled as soon as possible.

I'm expecting nothing more than a mid-table finish next season, as there are some big budgets and teams in that league and if anyone is thinking that our brief spell in league 1, after the magic of Wilder years means we are too good for this league, I think is going to be let down.

Wishful thinking is hoping we can learn from our mistakes regarding recruitment, and like Wilder once said research on players characters rather than just ability. Out of the last 3 years , 2 of the teams that have gone up champions are teams that clearly enjoyed playing with each other and look like a group of mates out on the pitch.

Teyn

[meccanostand]

John-Joe leaving would be the absolute pits.

[Deepcut Cobbler]

John-Joe leaving would be the absolute pits.

Inevitable though.

[guest2487]

It is a complete lottery as to who will stay.

The only ones I would definitely keep are :

JJOT
ROD
FACEY
MCWILLIAMS

[Cobblersmad]

Financilly, we have a lot of players on three year dealership are apparently on decent wages. If we keep the majority of the squad then we would HAVE to get promoted next season. Failure, and the bank balance won't be looking so good in two years time.

But it all depends. The majority of the squad have been rubbish, so how many would we really like to keep? If Taylor, McWilliams or JJ attracted a decent bid would we want to keep them in the hope we go straight back up or take the money?

[everbrite]

John-Joe leaving would be the absolute pits.

Pretty sure the repercussions of relegation will have some unwelcome news on players! KT appeared to Bank roll the player recruitment which failed. He was obviously keen to avoid relegation at all cost; he must be feeling it badly. As a matter of interest what is JJOT’s contract length.

[DrillingCobbler]

Pretty sure the repercussions of relegation will have some unwelcome news on players! KT appeared to Bank roll the player recruitment which failed. He was obviously keen to avoid relegation at all cost; he must be feeling it badly. As a matter of interest what is JJOT’s contract length.

KT hasn't bankrolled anything. Bowyer is your money man. The one who sold out and then came back in. And the money was spent because they thought the Chinese money was coming. Which it didn't.

JJ has another year left.

[BrixworthCobbler]

Agree, 75% of this squad will be gone JJOT included.

Wake up people.

[guest48]

All this "75% of the squad will be gone" makes me laugh. First of all, they are members of a squad that got relegated from League 1, they are not that good that they will have loads of clubs from League 1 and above chasing them. Everybody says that we have a lot of players on good contracts with 1 or 2 seasons left, so they are not going to leave for another club on a lesser deal.
    Yes one or two might have a chance to move back into League 1 but why would teams be fighting each other to sign some of these players when there will, probably, be better players released on free transfers from other clubs ?

[Grove]

All this "75% of the squad will be gone" makes me laugh. First of all, they are members of a squad that got relegated from League 1, they are not that good that they will have loads of clubs from League 1 and above chasing them. Everybody says that we have a lot of players on good contracts with 1 or 2 seasons left, so they are not going to leave for another club on a lesser deal.
    Yes one or two might have a chance to move back into League 1 but why would teams be fighting each other to sign some of these players when there will, probably, be better players released on free transfers from other clubs ?

Quite, ridiculous speculation and guesswork

[BrixworthCobbler]

You're all so deluded if you think they will all stay.

Crooks,
JJOT,
O'Donnell,
Taylor,
van Veen,

As well as the loans will be gone, guarantee it. that's a massive chunk of this years starting 11

[guest48]

You're all so deluded if you think they will all stay.

Crooks,
JJOT,
O'Donnell,
Taylor,
van Veen,
As well as the loans will be gone, guarantee it. that's a massive chunk of this years starting 11

They might want to go, but as I explained, someone has got to want them and want to pay them as much as we are. otherwise they will stay.

[606 Parklands_Cobbler]

Exactly, last time it was obvious. Crowe and Hughes etc weren't going to stay because their contracts had expired. This is a new ball game.

[Grove]

You're all so deluded if you think they will all stay.

Crooks, hed be awesome next season if he stays
JJOT,   A talisman but not the player he was
O'Donnell, may be a great bloke and fans favourite.. 1 clean sheet since he been here
Taylor,  Part of this years disastrous defence, that's possibly cost us due to goal difference
van Veen,    Get rid anyway

As well as the loans will be gone, guarantee it. that's a massive chunk of this years starting 11

[DrillingCobbler]

On the assumption we avoid financial meltdown, and factoring in likely contractual stuff…we have the basis of a decent starting line up next season FOR League2.

O'Donnell

Facey, Pierre, Taylor, DB
Powell, McWilliams, JJOT, Foley
Waters, Hoskins

Of course, we'd need a decent(ish) central striker or two to pair up with the others. Im not suggesting the side above by any means, but we've got to keep the good eggs:

*DB
*JJOT
*McWilliams
*O'Donnell

These 4 show real passion when they play for us and with the right management would do real good in the 4th division. No doubts. Im probably being unkind on not adding Taylor to that little list, he's done nothing wrong and will rightly earn the player of the season award.

Id suggest that the big earners…those who were brought in after the Chinese 'deal' was announced…will be the ones we need to get shot of. Crookes is decent, and would be the one that Id keep…but the rest? Not so sure. But if Crookes is on 3 or 4 grand a week it will be difficult to justify. JJOT leaving…that will end 'the dream' as far as Im concerned. He's a good lower league player, no reason why we should cash in on him because the minimal (grand scheme of things) savings will be countered by negative repercussions.

Hoskins played a decent part when we won the league last time, he has his critics but he's a good lad. I hope he stays. And Waters was a bright light in this league last season. Theres no reason why he can't replicate his Cheltenham form for us, and I doubt he's on silly money.

The Van Veens, the Turnbulls, the Longs/Grimes…getting rid of those 4 will probably save us 600k plus a year easily! That would be a decent start to proceedings. And I say this assuming that our new owners (assumption again) will not want to write off a million quid loss in the first year carrying dross! Then you've got the likes of Bowditch and Kasam where we have 'to do deals'.

But at the end of the day, it will all come down to who is paying the wages come July/August. Its a really pointless debate until then, sadly.

[DrillingCobbler]

And just to add, all the nonsense that so many on here used to say about Bayo. Making us one dimensional etc. Well he's helped Wimbledon go up and he's more than helped Wycombe do the same. Our fans are so bloody thick at times it does wind me up!

[The 12th Marquis of Sixfields]

Why do people want these tossers to stay? The fact they had a half hearted attempt over the past couple of matches shows what tw@ts they are.

[Grove]

Drilling, you do say some silly things at times, calling fellow fans thick then expecting Waters and Hoskins to do well next season . Waters has scored 1 goal for Cambridge. and Hoskins had 1 good game this season v Plymouth. he was average in our winning season with great players around him. Also Taylor, has been an ever present in one of our worst defences in recent years .

[606 Parklands_Cobbler]

Drilling, you do say some silly things at times, calling fellow fans thick then expecting Waters and Hoskins to do well next season . Waters has scored 1 goal for Cambridge. and Hoskins had 1 good game this season v Plymouth. he was average in our winning season with great players around him. Also Taylor, has been an ever present in one of our worst defences in recent years .

He's not really suggesting those two up front on their own is he? Explained that we need two more to pair up with them.
You say one stat about Waters. I present the other arguement of 16 goals in L2 and POTS.
Hoskins is a decent L2 player
Ash Taylor is NOT the reason for the reason for 'one of our worst defences in recent years'. Without him it would have been horrendous. He'll win POTS this year.

[Dan]

If we are all honest, there isn't a player of the year this year.