The Squad List (currently serving 2021-22)

[Exiled Bob]

Twine is the only one to go to Waterord, the others to non league, so it's not "preferred".  I thought he explained the reasoning well.  He needs Pryce and Romanski in a battle to toughen them up because that is where they play.  He said Twine isn't a physical player so they wanted him in a more technical league, which he believes the Irish one to be.  I see no issue if it was a preferred option, provided it gets out of player what the manager needs.

Another example of the manager's increasing "incoherence" presumably.......

I wonder how many of our fans, apart from the increasingly incoherent Reg, would prefer to still have Flitcroft instead of Wellens.

[Reg Smeeton]

Another example of the manager's increasing "incoherence" presumably.......

I wonder how many of our fans, apart from the increasingly incoherent Reg, would prefer to still have Flitcroft instead of Wellens.

Possibly, though difficult to say, perhaps Wellens did say to Power I'd like Scott to go to Waterford rather than Power saying to Welllens I'd like Scott to go to Waterford.

As regards the second bit, not of much relevance... a majority on here wanted rid of Fltcroft, despite him having us in a PO slot and 2 points off auto after 32 games.  Wellens has come into a different situation, and so far has done OK.... certainly better than Brown.

[RobertT]

7 wins, 4 draws and 4 defeats, is probably a bit better than OK given what went before (League form).

That's play off form and includes the Carlisle game, closer to Auto form if you were to exclude that one.

Needs to sustain that of course.  The tricky bit is that yesterday was not a typical away performance that we will see normally, can we convert wins in the other games?

[Abrahammer]

So excluding Carlisle that’s 25 points out of 42, that is clearly pretty good as opposed to ok

[theakston2k]

I like the fact that we're obviously planning for next season with some of the signings but with the likes of Robinson haven't thrown in the towel on this either. Would have been easy to just give up and save the money, but if we match the previous form and get 7 wins and 4 draws from the next 14 would get us to 71 points which is borderline playoffs. We are still outsiders but it's a decent achievement that we are still in the mix considering the mess Brown made of things. Some credit should probably go to Power for the choice and backing Wellens but that's not the fashionable thing to say.

[Reg Smeeton]

So excluding Carlisle that’s 25 points out of 42, that is clearly pretty good as opposed to ok

No it's OK, in fact the same as Flitcroft got from his last 15 games.... yet Rob regarded him as someone who was useless and wanted out.

Wellens, of course, has had the problem of having to try and bridge a gap not of his own making

[Frigby Daser]

I like the fact that we're obviously planning for next season with some of the signings but with the likes of Robinson haven't thrown in the towel on this either. Would have been easy to just give up and save the money, but if we match the previous form and get 7 wins and 4 draws from the next 14 would get us to 71 points which is borderline playoffs. We are still outsiders but it's a decent achievement that we are still in the mix considering the mess Brown made of things. Some credit should probably go to Power for the choice and backing Wellens but that's not the fashionable thing to say.

Power deserves credit, not just for the Wellens appointment (which I and others knocked) but also got Jewell. The season was flailing - we’ve given ourselves a long shot. In 3 games time let’s hope we’ve all really got the buzz back. If we don’t go up let’s commit some of these players for next year - Koiki certainly, one of the CBs (Woolfenden or Nelson) and once we’ve had more of a look at Robinson, potentially him too.

[Abrahammer]

No it's OK, in fact the same as Flitcroft got from his last 15 games.... yet Rob regarded him as someone who was useless and wanted out.

Wellens, of course, has had the problem of having to try and bridge a gap not of his own making

No it’s good, it’s a points per game average to put you in 3rd place

Hope this helps

[Reg Smeeton]

No it’s good, it’s a points per game average to put you in 3rd place

Hope this helps

The point is that unfortunately when you're playing catch up, that sort of form isn't likely to be quite good enough... if we get a similar return from the next 14 as from the last we get 71 points.... no chance of 3rd.

Possible chance of a PO place, but GD doesn't help.

What is more sensible is to think is there a chance that Wellens is building something for a tilt on auto next season... and although in the modern game it's difficult to build, there are presently some grounds for optimism.

[Abrahammer]

To be honest I’m not judging him on league position, which is influenced by what came before him.

I’m judging it purely on results since he arrived. 7 wins & 4 draws from 14 league games with a squad he is only recently been able to start partially calling his own.

That’s a good encouraging start for me

[Reg Smeeton]

To be honest I’m not judging him on league position, which is influenced by what came before him.

I’m judging it purely on results since he arrived. 7 wins & 4 draws from 14 league games with a squad he is only recently been able to start partially calling his own.

That’s a good encouraging start for me

If we could win the next 4 that would put us on 58 with 10 to go, last season we were on 57 with 10 to go, so definitely back in the mix.

[Peter Venkman]

Power deserves credit, not just for the Wellens appointment (which I and others knocked) but also got Jewell. The season was flailing - we’ve given ourselves a long shot. In 3 games time let’s hope we’ve all really got the buzz back. If we don’t go up let’s commit some of these players for next year - Koiki certainly, one of the CBs (Woolfenden or Nelson) and once we’ve had more of a look at Robinson, potentially him too.

Absolutely all of this, I would make sure we get an offer on the table for Robinson ASAP get him tied down for next season.

[Reg Smeeton]

Power deserves credit, not just for the Wellens appointment (which I and others knocked) but also got Jewell. The season was flailing - we’ve given ourselves a long shot. In 3 games time let’s hope we’ve all really got the buzz back. If we don’t go up let’s commit some of these players for next year - Koiki certainly, one of the CBs (Woolfenden or Nelson) and once we’ve had more of a look at Robinson, potentially him too.

Power will only deserve some credit, when he gets us back up... and that will just be righting the wrong of 16/17, so minimal.

What we might look like in 6 months time is very difficult to tell in the modern lower league game.  I make it we have 17 players out of contract in about 4 and a half months... a further 9 in contract.  Of the 9 4 are probably players you might hope to build an auto squad around.... Doughty, Keshi, Kaiyne and Broadbent.... Toumani in theory might have something to offer, but we haven't seen it so far. McGlashen.... possibly a squad player but no more than that, then the kids Curran and McGilp who we know nothing about, and Scott Twine.

Danny Rose, presumably could get an extension if he proves fitness, and there was talk of Koiki getting a season long loan.   So a small nucleus, and I suppose te possiblity that some of the out of contracts might have impressed Wellens enough to get a new deal.

[RobertT]

To be clear, I made it known that my dislike of Flitcroft was not logically related to his win record - his team played awful football and I think I also stated it would get us play offs, but no better - that was the limit I saw to his approach.  If his team and Wellens' produce equal results, I'd watch the latter every day of the week.

It's not all roses yet - there are still Crawley games to watch.  The signs are good though

[Peter Venkman]

To be clear, I made it known that my dislike of Flitcroft was not logically related to his win record - his team played awful football and I think I also stated it would get us play offs, but no better - that was the limit I saw to his approach.  If his team and Wellens' produce equal results, I'd watch the latter every day of the week.

It's not all roses yet - there are still Crawley games to watch.  The signs are good though

100% this for me too.

Its more about his style of management and the football on show not about results.