RamLad1884

Don't really understand the Stoke fans excitement about Rowett. Sure he's done well this year but the general consensus was we've gone backwards not forwards.

Don't really need a thread for this do we?

He's in a tough spot now unfortunately. Yes he made a real mess of things at first, spending out of our means, hiring and firing etc. However the use of Sam Rush didn't help. In all fairness to Mel we all thought Rush was the bee's knees until it came out in the media. It was a pretty big learning curve and he seems to have at least learnt from it. Of late he's made real amends though, the club is spending only roughly what they made from player sales and development of the infrastructure is there. Mel clearly intended to stand by Rowett this summer and give him time to work with this team. I'm going to reserve judgement now until a new manager is in. If he shows the same approach i.e. Giving time for any new manager to build, encouraging development and spending within their means than for me Mel has done everything in his power.

Worries me that Stimac is sounding himself out publicly, not the best way to get himself the job

Carson has embodied everything good about the club in the last couple of years Gary get outta the building, leave the players as you go

Think this would be different if he was sacked. By all indications Rowett was going to start next season here. Think it's a bit daft to call the club a joke when Rowett seems to want out. He's been given a new contract (costing us as much as we spent on Jerome each year) and Mel has given him all the backing he can. Short of giving him an even bigger contract and stupid money, which would probably have come back to haunt us, there's nothing Mel can do.

Morris has said before they were looking at a director of football. Get someone in the mold of Stimac etc for that role and a younger lower league manager like Cook as general manager. Keeps all dealings away from Mel and gives us a wider net to scout

Being realistic who would GR want to take with him to Stoke? Lawrence maybe, but certainly not Vydra, could barely find a way to fit him into the team at the end of the year. Carson I can't see leaving, not when he's openly admitted he's at the best he's ever been. Only other one I could see is possibly Davies? But surely he'll look elsewhere for that kind of defender?

Think we'll see Nugent leave this summer, same with Vydra. All indications was that Blackman seemed to place best either up front or just behind the striker, both positions we'll be significantly weaker in next year. So it wouldn't surprise me to see him come back and play a role, probably be about on the same level of Weimann, not good enough for the Premier league but could do a decent job for a championship team

Would take Meyler on a free here, decent player on his day and always thought he played well alongside Hudds when he was at Hull

Roos in under the retained between Bennett and Vydra

Out of that 28 we have 5 classed as first team players that were mainly playing in the under 23s though. Realistically 23 players need to be trimmed down to 18. Then include your under 23s that I mentioned and that the squad for next year. Think we can count Bryson, Butters, Martin and Blackman as gone plus Olsson out for a year (so covered by insurance). That'll leave us with 18, like for like sales and buys after that I'd imagine.

Luke Thomas is a must next year, same with Elsnik. Other than that it'll be hard to see who else will slot into this team. Perhaps Lowe for the wingback role, and bogle as RWB cover

Didn't think he was bad to be fair, keep the game pretty calm and stamped down any signs of trouble between players

If you're early enough, the old toysrus car park seems to be free at the moment while the land isnt under a company