Power phone in tonight 6pm

[JoeMezz]

What pisses me off the most about Power is the lack of cohesion between the club and the fans. A few loan signings returning to parent clubs for example with little news to tell us of their departures (Kean, Williams and Kevin Stewart for example, the latter I didn't even know had gone back to Liverpool until I saw him playing against Exeter on TV in the FA Cup). It's really not hard to just put out a tweet "Stewart returns to Liverpool" with a quick little article.

[RobertT]

Players are always going to want to better themselves - both financially and professionally ie playing at highest level they can. Swindon have a pretty good record of giving players a platform to show what they are capable of and the chance to move on - from Eastoe to McLoughlin to Horlock to Moncur to Parkin to Cox to Austin to Ritchie to Luongo to Byrne. All came from bigger clubs where they were struggling to get much game time, came here, did well and  got move to bigger club and no doubt bigger pay packet.

The grass isn't always greener - just ask Sam Parkin and Nathan Byrne from that list. So having failed already at a bigger club and not get games and goals he needed for his career to kick on Ajose might be slightly wary about his next move. Undoubtedly if enough money is offered he will be moved on regardless. Obika having knocked around Spurs reserves for  years without ever getting a look in has certainly benefited from a regular start rather than a succession of loan moves. Not saying he is in that class but the other Spurs forward who seemed to be around for a while and was sent everywhere and anywhere on loan was a certain Harry Kane. So ex team mate Obika must fancy what would probably be his last chance of  proving himself at a higher level rather than committing to us for another couple of years.

Nathan Byrne is doing fine at Wolves, played a few games in the 2nd half of the season and getting good press form the Manager.

The list you use though goes to show what we are doing now, trying to pretty much cram a team with players like that.

[Simon Pieman]

You mean that Stewart recalled by liverpool story which was reported on the official website, the adver and other media/news sources back in January?

[RobertT]

What pisses me off the most about Power is the lack of cohesion between the club and the fans. A few loan signings returning to parent clubs for example with little news to tell us of their departures (Kean, Williams and Kevin Stewart for example, the latter I didn't even know had gone back to Liverpool until I saw him playing against Exeter on TV in the FA Cup). It's really not hard to just put out a tweet "Stewart returns to Liverpool" with a quick little article.

It won't change, it costs money to run a PR/marketing team, which is pointless if you don't believe it makes any difference to the bottom line, which Power seems not to.  To be fair to Power, he can use attendance figures to support his claim if that is the case - they don't really budge unless one of a few things happen:

We have a good run of results
We play a big team
We have a shit run of results

[Barnard]

I think he'll stay at leave at the end of the season. Can command bigger signing on fee and wages then, makes financial sense to him.

Which is why we have to capitalise on our players when they do have a good season and therefore a sale value to other clubs. I really like Obika, both of our poor runs this term coincided with him being out through injury, but If he won't sign a new deal then Power really needs to sell him, particularly as he's one we paid a fee for.

I had thought that one of the priorities for the summer was to get a backup for Obika, but it looks like we may need a replacement.  

[Sippo]

If he isn't going to sign a new contract, I say get rid. Need happy players.

[Flashheart]

Who said he's not happy?

[Posh Red]

You mean that Stewart recalled by liverpool story which was reported on the official website, the adver and other media/news sources back in January?

Yep, that's the one, Joe's annoyed because Power didn't pop round to let him know personally.

I remember the worry when Cox left about replacing his goals, the odd thing was that at the end of his final season he scored three hat tricks and we only won one of those games because we conceded three goals in each of them. So we didn't necessarily need to replace his goals if we could shore up the defence.

That's much the same as now, however what would the reaction be if we replaced Ajose with a quality defender

[Sippo]

Who said he's not happy?

If he was happy he would sign a new contract. Or am I completely off the mark?

[Simon Pieman]

If he was happy he would sign a new contract. Or am I completely off the mark?

Power said if he had another good year he'd want to progress because he has his family to consider i.e. doesn't want to tie himself in if it means he would miss playing at a higher level and earning more salary.

[Reg Smeeton]

If he was happy he would sign a new contract. Or am I completely off the mark?

Jon is 26 in September...he's probably only got one chance now to secure a lucrative 3 year deal somewhere.

If a club is keen they'll take him now but will have to pay a fee maybe £100k ish, or wait until next season and get him on a free.   A season is a long time in football, so it's most likely if there is someone genuinely interested they'll pay the small fee necessary.

With all of this, it's the big if....I daresay his agent has got something lined up.

[horlock07]

What is everyone stressing about we have 'Him' lined up as a direct replacement anyway.

[Sam Morshead]

Nothing concrete lined up for Biks, as yet, in terms of a move this summer. I'd expect him to move very late in the window if at all. Club will want £500k for him and that's a lot for someone with a year left on their contract in the third tier. Perhaps if he starts the new season with a bang, like Byrne last year, he might get interest at that price.
Yaser's in a similar situation, apparently - contract offered beyond the one-year trigger clause but not too keen to sign.
I think it's fair enough for both to want to look upwards. The current Swindon model doesn't guarantee success - a season can quickly go either way - regardless how talented your core of four or five players is.
Good luck to them.

[Batch]

Have I missed something? I could have sworn Obika said himself that he'll be here next year.

yes, the power phone in.

Power talked about Ajose and Obika. He said he love to keep them both, but to paraphrase, that it's difficult because.. Obika was offered a new contract but wouldn't sign ... and he's in his last year.

now he may not sell him. But the tone was that it's not a no even of ajose goes.

he could of course just be trying to put pressure on him regarding a new contract.

[JoeMezz]

Yep, that's the one, Joe's annoyed because Power didn't pop round to let him know personally.

Ok my bad.. missed that one, where's the one about Jake Kean being sent back then?