Thetownend.com

Could this be an addition to the forum with updates?

Our season is hinged on a number of players coming back and I'm always lost on the next victim added to the list.

Currently out- Conroy, Fryers
Broadbent- back in training via twitter?
Donohue- Injured in warm up?
Lyden?
DJ?
Tyler Smith?

Tyler Smith

beat me to the edit!

There is a good team in there somewhere amongst this squad, I'm not sure we'll ever get to see it though.

Not if Salford have their way

They've got Bolton next week chance to tap up Doyle

He can't go around signing good players that can only play 50% of games now, his remit will be sign the best at whatever cost necessary.  If he fails with an open cheque book he has nothing to lament.

He may well have to move some out to do that though as the L2 salary cap is £1.5m, so he can't just chuck money around on a cast of thousands Di Canio style

Some managers go with what they know. For example, I seem to recall Gordon Strachan would sign the same players at each club.

It's fair to say salfords transfer window in January will busier than Swindon's with comings & goings

But he's not operating in normal club circumstances at the moment, they can spend all of the L2 limit with no worry, the rest can't.  He will probably have to get rid of a couple but the rest of L2 will still be a million miles behind their budget with no match day income.

I'm sure that's true and they probably could afford to spend well beyond the limit. But if they're up to the limit already he may have less room to manoeuvre than we imagine.

I'm sure clubs will know how to manipulate the wage cap

Wellens might come after some of our players but the summer is more likely than January unless Salford are willing to pay transfer fees. Power will be sure to want to bring in some funds.

Who? Who would you realistically take out of that squad?

The likes of Fryers and Lyden were mentioned in the thread earlier. I was making the point, Power will hold out for transfer fees if Salford came in during January if they are under contract.

And so he should too, no way will we let any player go to them for free even to get them off the wage bill.

another shit week. broadbent is back but radio silence on everyone else yet again. we need them back fast

Not radio silence as such, pre game Sheridan (Shez for Bamboo) spoke about the injuries and he said the physio told him every player is at least 3 weeks away from being back to fitness. Thats how the club have always been with injuries, no news means there is literlly no news on the injuries.

Behind the curve here, what is actually up with them all bar Conroy seeming to be perpetually broken?

We really struggle here with a lack of good local media.

From memory, Fryers is a groin, Lyden a calf and DJ a knee. Ellis got a whack to the knee, not as serious as first thought.

Donohue and T Smith pulled up with muscle tweaks in warmups two weeks ago and still nothing. It's killing us right now.

So bar DJ they all seem to be muscular, hopefully the club are looking into this..

It's the schedule, soft tissue/muscular injuries are up all over the leagues. Five subs supposedly coming back in shortly to help overcome that, not sure we really have the depth for it to help.

Expecting the bench to look stronger in a few weeks.

How long we talking Duke?

Are they getting a carpenter/joiner in then.....

Do have to question the competency of the physio. We've been told previously players were a week away and suddenly now it's 3 weeks for all them. Sounds like he's as much out of his depth as a lot of the squad.

It does seem either our training methods are poor or the actual ability of the physio could be in question.

I don't even know who our physio is now TBH.

Tom Holmes (the ginger fella with the bowl cut) and Katie Singer. Both appear pretty young so not sure a bit of experience wouldn't go amiss.

Given we've not heard from the physio himself that's very harsh. We know Wellens liked to bullshit about injuries and player availability as a way of throwing the opposition out, so we don't know that what we are being told is what the physio is telling the manager. It may also be of course that players are being brought back before they're ready against the physio's advice. Lot of assumptions in there before you throw the physio under the bus

Let be honest here though, the last couple of seasons we've had way beyond what can be considered a normal amount of injuries and comebacks seem to regularly get delayed or players suffer relapses. I don't think it's outside the realms of fairness to question the medical staff on this basis, especially with the amount of injuries we've suffered in warm ups as well.

Shall we have a pop at the ball-boys or the stewards whilst we're at it?

So for clarification are you excluding the 'injury prone' players or does the physio get the blame for not looking after them well enough.

If so does that let Wellens off the hook a little.

Bit hard to keep up with this blame game.

I'm questioning them because our injury levels aren't normal. Yes we have injury prone players but players seem to have a constantly changing timetables for returns. With Tyler Smith and Donohue recently pulling up in the pre-match warm ups I don't think it's unfair to question whether the players are being physically prepared/conditioned properly for matches.

I think we have learnt that Wellens liked to bullshit about just about everything!


Are they not, I have never seen any breakdown of injury levels between clubs, what is 'normal'.

Much more likely that we have an unprecedented schedule and injury-prone players than the young physios being at fault.

Last season, we covered the injuries, this season they've taken us out.  Wellens is to "blame", which is harsh because last season the gamble paid off handsomely.  And that is what it is, a gamble.  We took players with problems, knowing that could hurt us, but in return we had a higher calibre of player than the other teams.

This season, we've got some of those same players, but we haven't added the right quality on top to take the same gamble.  Instead, we have injury/problem riddled players who are about the same standard as the league, but now with that risk of them falling lame.

You roll the dice, you takes your chance.

It's a reasonable question to ask, certainly. But I think Wellens' strategy of signing injury-prone players so we can get better quality than we'd ordinarily be able to afford (at the risk of them getting injured more often) is probably a more likely candidate than throwing the physios under the bus

I'm not throwing them under the bus, it's more questioning whether they'd benefit from some experience alongside them. As with everything I'm sure physio's gain knowledge through experience, both of ours look like they are in their 20's so early in their career. In a season that is more challenging than any past season in terms of match schedules experience would be a big help. Also with age and experience comes the ability to hold your own and stand up to managers and players when required which is especially pertinent with the number of relapses we've had.

This. Last year it worked, this year it hasn't. I'd rather have a squad of average league one players, than what we've got now - a handful of very good league one players mixed with league two players at best.

You could just as easily argue old, experienced physios would be dinosaurs with out of date knowledge that would cause more problems with the hectic schedule.

I’m going to blame Wellens for the recruitment. Sure we knew the gamble but a good squad can make up for any loss. An awfully shite squad can’t.

As with everything from physio's, coaching staff, players there's a balance to be had. It feels like we lack balance everywhere at the moment which is probably why we are where we are at the moment.

Liverpool have a lot of injured players too. Klopp got lucky last year, their physios and coaches are now to blame.

You're doing a pretty good impression of it

Competency for the position they are in. They might be great physios but doesn't mean they are competent to run the whole medical side of a professional football club. Ultimately we need a bottom up review of everything as small gains everywhere could lead to significant gains on the pitch.

Klopp has been slowly building that team for 5 years.

Wellens built a very good team. Had to do a complete rebuild and did it badly.
Not sure what your point was.

And not sure how you can say that Klopp got lucky last year either.  GK injured for the first 3rd of the season, constant injuries in midfield including one ACL for the season.

Of course there is a difference to our scanrio as they have a bigger squad and quality but to say that Klopp got lucky is a bit of a bizare statement - even the biggest anti Liverpool fan will find it hard not to at least doff their cap.

I didn't hear people saying that pep got lucky we had the great Barcelona team a few years ago.

If you had a point, i,  like DV missed it 

I think Michael was being sarcastic to highlight the point that he doesn't think Klopp building a good team is "lucky".

DV make a reasonable counter though. Klopp spotted what was needed and built it over time. Wellens threw it together and it stuck first time. Then couldn't repeat it.

Personally, I don't think Wellens was lucky. I think he needed money that wasn't there this season. But he also gambled on a few and it didn't work out. Well not yet. Such is life.

I’ve assume the Klopp got lucky point was a sarcastic retort to the notion Wellens got lucky with last season recruitment.

Of course how Liverpool build their team (a few big signings every season for 5 years) to how L1/L2 clubs build their team (Around 80% turn over every season) is worlds apart.

At Swindon Wellens built one very good team and one that as of now looks very poor. At best the jury is still out on whether Wellens got lucky with last season recruitment or not.
Plenty of lower league managers go from the dog bollocks to out of a job from one season to the next. Based on how well they rebuild in the summer. Just for us alone Danny Wilson and Mark Cooper demonstrate that point.

With the talk of physios just compare this (which is only a league above our level) with what I imagine our rather ramshackle set up is.

(apologies for the rather Fast Showesque delivery!!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_ZbtsqBLdc

I just don't think that we could afford to take the same gamble given the finances this season, but Wellens seemed to carry on regardless.  Last time the standard of player was higher as well, (relative to our league) again due to finances.  I think we needed to be more pragmatic this time around and get experienced reliable L1 plodders to an extent.  To be fair, that is with hindsight to an extent, I don't remember being as disappointed as it was being constructed - Kovar was a tricky one because we were publicly sold a Benda type player and got a young Peter Crouch but trying to play in goal.

The physio getting pelters now, is anyone at the club safe from our idiots  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

What’s Dick Mackey up to these days - he’s a man who’d miraculously turn injury prone players in to 50 game a season men....

When is Jason Roberts signing?

Even at 42 and 6 years retired I expect he’d be an upgrade on Pitman...

The physio is more the fixer when something goes wrong and trying to understand the cause of a problem and address those.

The club will also have a fitness/strength and conditioning coach as well who would supervise that aspect of training. 

There are so many factors with injuries like a players past injury history, what was their off and pre season like and then playing Saturday Tuesday most weeks. What risks are taken with players carrying niggles?

If you look at Donahue as an example, he did pre-season but was signed late having not played competitively since last November. Hey presto, picks up an injury a few games later.

The injuries will improve but it will take time and those players will need to be eased back and will need to find form.  Look how long it took Conroy to regain both fitness and form after his initial knee surgery recovery. There is no magic overnight cure.

I reckon buying injury prone players may have impacted our injury count

hth

I was quite surprised to read Sheridan's comments about Broadbent here:

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/swindon_town_2014/

Am I reading too much into this? I would have thought a manager would know the status of his players fitness. Does the fact that he doesn't indicate a problem? Is it code for there being problems between Broadbent and the management team? Is this a continuation of problems that seem to have surrounded Broadbent throughout his time at the club?

Sheridan strikes me as a no nonsence bloke, you are probably either available for selection or not from week to week.

The more finer detail is down to the physio and between him and the player.

I thought that - i doubt it is a coincidence that Wellens said similar things about him.  The telling line was "I would have expected Tom would have been back 2 weeks ago".  Maybe he is just one of those players that doesn't feel ready until he is completely pain free, if so then i fear for his long term future in professional football - players are never 100% fit and pain free

Would seem especially odd when you consider his background.

This says to me that his mind is not in the right place, not harping back to the other rumours about him but if hes not 100% in the right place mentally then he feels he can't give his all.

In the right frame of mind he should really be pushing for a starting place if only 75% fit and begging to play in games.

Don't think there were rumours (I may have missed something), he was very open about the issues (and the fact that Wellens had been a bit of a wanker) on the podcast interview wasn't he?

Rumours were rife that he was suffering with mental health issues

Not sure that's based on much. What is for sure is that his family has been through a tough time, with his missus being seriously unwell, so perhaps understandable if he's been struggling with focus, but again, all guesswork.

Not confirming them buddy just replying to Horlock saying there weren't any

The point I was making (poorly like normal I suspect) was that they weren't rumours, Broadbent came out and openly discussed what had happened.

The rumours posted on here went to another level, talk of severe depression and PTSD mentioned, no idea who spread them and I also have zero idea if there is even a small element of the truth, I was just stating that rumours of a different type were rife, different ones to what he mentioned in the interview.

I did not start or spread the rumours just stating that they were there and still are on here I am sure.

Got ya!

What was that about harping back to previous rumours....

We've been round and round this rumour mill before. It goes nowhere and doesn't help anyone especially Broadbent.

He's not playing, injured or not, nobody is saying why for probably good reasons. He's not first choice so why the interest, i dont really get it.

All this from a one line coment in a press release.

That's what makes me wonder if it's emotional stuff going on in his private life rather than the physical side

I first mentioned that it appeared he was/still is suffering with his mental health but I never defined PTSD (which then now seems to get attributed to myself as doing so on here via some kind of Mandela effect), just that I believed it was his mental health being impacted along any part of that spectrum.

For ref here's the Broadbent thread http://thetownend.com/index.php?topic=57895.0

I wish him well whether that is at another club, here or away from elite sports altogether. He'll go down in Town folklore for "that" goal versus "them". Regardless of his decision; if indeed there is one to be made.

The interest = Because I am a fan of Swindon Town
Why this player = Because there was an article in the newspaper

Is that allowed?

Have i missed who attributed that to you?

I wouldn't read any more into it than an injury set back. He was injured pre-season, comes back with an EFL trophy game, cameo against Oxford then we chucked him up front for nearly the full 90 against Crewe.

A player is going to be vulnerable to a secondary injury or relapse after a long period out. Plenty of our players have done that this season so seems unfair to view Broadbent any different.

It's quite possible you have. This account mentioned me as claiming it;


Like I say, a bit of Mandela effect going on. Of course this will be backed up with "I was being tongue in cheek" or similar.

Anyhow, the Broadbent thread is in the Lounge, where it should be (in terms of privacy). I'd rather not bring more attention to the player unless discussing it in the Lounge. Hope you understand. I just wanted to clarify before anyone jumped in and said "Bamboo said it..."

Spot on ! No mental issues, no personal issues, no issues with anyone at the club, just frustration with the injury and back soon !! Hope that put's it to bed !!! ;) ;)

Cheers Toms Dad :)

Your welcome  :bye:

Good to hopefully see the end of wild speculation on this topic.

Hence my post ! that's all from me and thanks....

Bamboo in idle speculation shocker!

You are welcome here any time, feel free to post :)

Always good to hear from those who are actually in the know

How's about the cunts that accused me of outright saying he has PTSD and severe depression...?

I will take it personal if people keep on saying that. Go on, go and read the Broadbent thread.

In any case, just because an account posts saying they are their Dad...and ok, even if the account is TBs Dad...do we suddenly live in a world now where everyone tells their parents about everything going on in their life? Maybe that's a question to ponder rather than make a snide remark back, singling me out.

Others have made similar comments but do they get any comeback?

Several of you, I know are much more intelligent than this. Yes I wil have a fucking whinge.

Let's also be clear, any reference to mental health was regarding Sept 2019 and not his current injury. Easy to forget that but hey, you can cherrypick all you like now.

Enjoy the Greek sunset Aud :pint:

Haha, now questioning whether or not Broadbent is upfront with his parents about the goings on in his life.
Superb.   :D

The gift that keeps on giving.

Are you fully Quaggy?   :hmmm:

In defence of bamboo......

The clique that keeps on cliquing.

#TooQuick

I'm now fully convinced you're a parody.

Sutton! he's KR'd me again hasn't he. And from his sick bed too

Sheridan has described Broadbent's injury in today's pre match press conference, along with those of Baudry & Grounds, as long term.
Presumably a setback since you posted this?

Mysteriously disappear when Sheridan does

That's a misquote, at least according to the official Twitter account"

JS on injuries: "Grounds, Broadbent, Baudry are still out. Zeki will be out long-term. Kieron Freeman is available for selection."

I’ve never known a period in the last 30 odd years of following Town in which we have had so many injuries, many long term, at the same time. It’s to be expected, to an extent, when we sign players with injury records, often from clubs with better medical support than we can afford, expecting them to miraculously improve with no more than a sponge and an aspirin. But I also wonder, at least for some players, how much playing must feel more like “work” than “play” at the moment...

I got the info from Total Sports coverage of the press conference. No idea if he's been misquoted or not.

https://twitter.com/TotalSportSwin/status/1352231398942396416?s=19

From that TotalSport live blog:

Sheridan on injuries

Everyone is fit and available apart from Zeki Fryers who will be out for a while and the long-term injuries like Grounds, Broadbent, and Baudry. We had 25 players training this morning.

Someone's misquoting, either Total or the OS.

Or Sheridan’s talking bollocks and has no idea who’s injured or for how long.

Difficult to believe, I know!

In response to FrigbyDaser, if my memory is accurate there was a very long injury list in the autumn of 2015 when Cooper was on the way out - many of whom made recoveries like Lazarus after the loss at Millwall which was the last game for Cooper.

The point is fair though - if players don’t fancy playing for Sheridan they can spin out an injury.

I'm sure Broadbent's dad will be able to clear this up  ;)

Lollity lolz  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

ready for the jinx. is this most healthy our squad has been!

just broadbent, zeki and Iandolo injured? I'm sure 1 on the 2 cb would be replacing Conroy if fit this saturday. elsewhere he have a very big squad for places.

Baudry too injured

Iandolo was on the bench Tuesday evening