Thetownend.com

Is it just me?

Sturrock wants a squad of 20-22, with competition in all positions.

At the moment we have a squad of 15 (I think).


Taking Akinfenwa as a given, 3 of that squad (Bayo, Ade and Barry Corr) won't be fit for the start of the season.

We have 2 goalkeepers, so that leaves 12 fit players.

I know there's still a few weeks before the beginning of the season, but pre season starts Monday and the Austria trip is 2 weeks away.

I'm sure Sturrock will get us the players we need, I just wish he'd get a move on!!

I believe there are signings to come, being held up by the fact that the chief exec. decided to take his holidays (as he is entitled to) when the serious negotiating takes place!

Good shout Ronnie, I think he irons out all the contract details normally.

Mark devlin would of soughted it by now.

The Adver today says this about Akinfenwa:

"Sturrock has been informed that the former Torquay United, Leyton Orient and Doncaster Rovers front man could be fit in time for the opening League One clash away to Northampton Town on August 11."

But would he have sorted it ?

NMH

So this is how it stands at the moment then:

Brezovan
P Smith
J Smith
Ifil
Williams (injured)
Aljofree
Vincent
Nicholas
Zaaboub
Pook
Easton
Peacock
Roberts
Corr (injured)
Akinfenwa (injured)
Sturrock

On the fringe:
Caton
Allen

Probable new signing: Adams

Strong possibilitities:
Blackburn
Coughlan
Folley

Possible possibilty (!!)
Croissant (heh heh!)

I'm assuming that Pook and Sturrock have re-signed or will do shortly. Does anyone know what's happening with Noubissie?

That doesn't look too bad to me though. I like the sound of this Chris 'Jesus' Blackburn. Sounds like the Morecambe fans are distraught at the prospect of him going. By all accounts they played us off the park in the Cup didn't they?

I'm pretty happy about the playing side at the moment to be fair. It's 'The Dark Side' off the pitch that's of more concern to me right now :?

When you put it like that OST it doesn't look bad at all.

I think Corr will turn out to be fantastic for us and the signing of "Croissant" would simply be worth it for the entertainment value of his name!  :mrgreen:

i dont think we will sign croissant

are squad lloks better than the year we went down, thats good enough for me

I'm hoping Macca is right!

The squad does look stronger than when we went down but I'm still not confident. A couple more decent signings and I think we can be quite confident about staying up at least

Well let's put it this way. How many managers have got all the players they want for the forthcoming campagne by the 7th July???

Yes, that's correct.

None.

Brezovan
Smith

Smith
Ifil
Williams
Aljofree
Vincent
Nicholas

Roberts
Allen
Pook
Easton
Peacock
Rigley
Zaaboub

Sturrock
Corr
Akinfenwa

thats 19, give or take one or two who havent signed yet.

Still got a month left.

Rigley since when did he get promoted to the first team :?

His youth stint has ended and has since been given the same opportunity to prove himself as Andy Caton.

This was announced ages ago.

Pook hasn't signed yet, how do we know that he won't be signing for that bigger club, MK Dongs.

Are you worried if he does :soapy tit wank:

Given the incomings in central midfield, Pook is now down the pecking order.  Given that, I don't think his signing, or not, will make a difference this season.  Nicholas was a good Div I player, King tried to get rid of him, but interestingly Sturrock didn't, albeit with the comment that he needed to progress as a player.

Pook's got no chance of being a regular this season, i think folly is going to be signing as well so that will push pook further down, i don't like pook much and he wouldn't really be missed so i hope he goes.
Surely he should have either signed or buggered off by now?!!!

I hope Folly does sign, my dad was speaking to a southampton season ticket holder earlier and he said Folly was a good player....

There must be worries about the strike force to begin the season.  Corr is great, but will miss quite a few matches. Akinfenwa has to prove fitness, will he be the same again, and when will he be available? ? Sturrock is ordinary and not likely to be a prolific scorer.

The defence and midfield I have no worries about, except that the new guys have to get used to each other. A bad start is hard to recover from, momentum is important. Our goal scoring record was not good last season, and presumably it will be harder to score, early next season ,with  the similar or worse strikers that we have.

A bit of doom and gloom, or no worries? A feeling of the relegation season start came over me, it must be the weather.

Folly is a winger mainly tho isnt he?

Hope Pook does sign ..

The biggest problem is in attack ... just the injured Corr at the mo

Bayo still not confirmed
and Sturrock unsigned as far as I know

Bring Back SSP!!

Given Akinfenwa has yet to sign I agree, I think we will struggle a little up front.

Still time to find loan cover/replacement or use Roberts or Peacock if need be though.

Whats happening with Caton at the moment?

I think theres no need to panic.  I think Sturrock is just biding his time closer to the start of the season in the hope that bigger players who had hoped for deals in better/higher clubs have to drop down to League 1.

I'm confident he will sign more players of a decent standard and lets not forget hes got all these foreign triallists who we will have an opportunity to see on the 29th July anyway!

We have one of if not the best Manager in this league who is proven at this level.  I'm not worrying yet..........

He's fit again and is doing pre-season with the squad, AFAIK.

I think Caton will come good for us this season.

The only position that's worrying me is upfront.

Looks unlikely that Akinfenwa is coming.

Big Bad Bazza is out for a couple of months at least.

Roberts and Peacock weren't up to it last season (I'm talking about as strikers)

Which leaves us with?

Caton.

And Sturrock Jnr.

yeah im sure its frustrating Sturrock as well ...

just hope he can pull some iron out of the fire cos we need a player to score 20 goals or so in this division ... wonder if any League 2 players fancy a step up?

You can't get a 20 goal striker just like that though....

Tommy Cooper could.......................

And Catons a decent player anyway, if given a bit of a run in the team he could score a few.

i agree with that, looked really exciting on the left wing under wise at the start of last season.

don't think we should pin anything on him though, if he comes good it'll be a bonus.

:D

I'm not worried about it as I'm sure Sturrock has plans. All I'd say is that we can't even dream of the play-offs until we have a 18 to 20 goals-a-season striker in the team

Plymouth never had an 18 to 20 goalscorer and they romped the league.

I think Blackburn will be a squad player and has sturrock has quoted 'one for the future'.