Push for playoffs or play the youth?

[Brammie Steve]

So these so-called team players are loyal enough to collect their monopoly salaries but refuse to deliver what they were theoretically paid in advance to do. I am clearly mistaken in my belief that players were paid to play football.

Any contract which states a finishing date rather than the season's end must have been prepared by some pretty slick agents IMO!

[Sparkle]

1 hour ago, MackworthRamIsGod said:

If the season continues, wont players have an automatic contract extension until the conclusion of the season?

We could lose Martin, Huddlestone and Clarke otherwise at the end of June?

Absolutely not - sure I expect Brighton would let Clarke hang about if we wanted to keep him ( we may just stick Forsyth in there until the end of the season if it’s all about money as well as Roos for Hamer and Huddlestone is unlikely to play I suspect just like Anya so why keep him? And as for Martin I am sure he would play until his contract expired as he has always been very professional with us here at Derby county but would he accept a contract that we offer - who knows 

[Sparkle]

1 hour ago, Andicis said:

If they already know where they're going, an injury might throw a spanner in the works. 

 

Great advert for any potential new clubs 

[SFox1993]

18 minutes ago, Sparkle said:

Great advert for any potential new clubs 

I guess if they already have a club lined up they dont care too much about any other clubs opinion

[europia]

23 hours ago, DCFC4LIFE said:

We're only 5 points off...

Fair enough, but personally, I don't see us finishing anywhere other than mid table.

[RamNut]

Hopefully the youngsters will just pick up where they left off.

But I fear its going to be tough to get back in the groove after such a long lay off.
We were showing great form but the next games will be like the season openers when we have traditionally been a bit slow out of the blocks.

Fingers crossed. 

[Mucker1884]

19 hours ago, Brummie Steve said:

So these so-called team players are loyal enough to collect their monopoly salaries but refuse to deliver what they were theoretically paid in advance to do. I am clearly mistaken in my belief that players were paid to play football.

Any contract which states a finishing date rather than the season's end must have been prepared by some pretty slick agents IMO!

I could be way off the mark here, but I strongly suspect 99% of player's contracts are date-specific.  That's an awful lot of "slick agents", if that's the case.  

I'd have also thought end of June is a common date for contracts to end, as it gives a little "Just-in-case" leeway for any extended season to be finished, but also time to settle in at a new club pre the following season.

I'm not aware of previous extensions/late finishes?  There may be the odd one extended by a few days, or a week or so?
As for this one, it has to be said it is rather exceptional circumstances, which I doubt anyone had put in provisions and clauses for?

Now it's happened, future contract negotiations may well be different of course, and may well indeed be worded to end when a season is concluded, but until now, nobody saw this coming.  

[Tamworthram]

40 minutes ago, Mucker1884 said:

I could be way off the mark here, but I strongly suspect 99% of player's contracts are date-specific.  That's an awful lot of "slick agents", if that's the case.  

I'd have also thought end of June is a common date for contracts to end, as it gives a little "Just-in-case" leeway for any extended season to be finished, but also time to settle in at a new club pre the following season.

I'm not aware of previous extensions/late finishes?  There may be the odd one extended by a few days, or a week or so?
As for this one, it has to be said it is rather exceptional circumstances, which I doubt anyone had put in provisions and clauses for?

Now it's happened, future contract negotiations may well be different of course, and may well indeed be worded to end when a season is concluded, but until now, nobody saw this coming.  

To be honest, like you, I’d be surprised if they weren’t date specific rather than something as relatively vague as the end of the season. So, probably standard practice on both sides rather than any slickness from agents. 

[Mucker1884]

5 minutes ago, Tamworthram said:

To be honest, like you... 

[GB SPORTS]

6 minutes ago, Tamworthram said:

To be honest, like you, I’d be surprised if they weren’t date specific rather than something as relatively vague as the end of the season. So, probably standard practice on both sides rather than any slickness from agents. 

All players contracts are date specific until June 30th in England/FA.

[ram59]

Isn't it possible that the fringe players may be better suited to playing in empty stadiums? 

How many experienced players get motivated by playing in front of a crowd? 

Maybe this is the moment for the training ground heroes? 

Hopefully, we shall soon find out. 

[irobinson]

do both and probably get the same result

youth will be more agile after a 12 week lay-off

and you know what - people with a confidence problem, Zoon and co might feel better in an empty stadium and could get going

don't right anything off!!

 

 

[Anag Ram]

21 hours ago, Andicis said:

If they already know where they're going, an injury might throw a spanner in the works. 

 

I've already told my boss that I'm not working the first week in August just in case I get sick before my holiday. 

?

[Rample]

 

 

On 31/05/2020 at 11:51, RamLad1884 said:

Given recent announcements we're probably now less than a month until the return of competitive championship football. 

How are people feeling about the return? Should Cocu be preparing the squad to make a late(or is it now early?) push for the playoffs or should he try to get more youth players ready for the first team? 

Looking at the statement about still wanting 50% of the starting xi to be academy players next season, and given potentially 5 subs to be used youngsters will definitely get opportunities. 

I'd like to think though that this season whilst we still have a healthy squad we'll give it all we have for the play offs. That means using our best 11 and not making concessions to include youth for the sake of it. 

Next season it will be emphasis on youth though. Bogle and Lowe have to be part of that 50%. No real doubt that avoiding injuries/doing a Mason that Buchanan, Bird, Knight & Sibley can make it at this level but as they are spine players how many would you really want in at once. I'd say 2 for now. So if 50% means 5 or 6 (or maybe 5 and a sub) I think we have to be realistic, next season will be about progress rather than promotion unless Mel is prepared to accept 40% instead. 

Of course if we can bring Will Hughes back and count him as academy (I don't imagine we will compete with AC Milan for Hendrick ?) then bring it on. 

 

[jimbobram]

We play kids and we get in the play offs. Bogle, Lowe and Bird all good enough at this level. IMO Sibley is too, clever, willing to get stuck in. We can do BOTH

[Black ('n' White) Sheep]

Even with 50% youngsters outfield, we could be seeing something like this until the end of the season (gone with 4-2-3-1 as that's been the formation used most recently):

Hamer; Bogle, Wisdom, Clarke, Lowe; Rooney, Bird; Whittaker, Sibley, Lawrence; Martin

I'd fancy that team to at least be competitive against any Championship team.

[jimbobram]

50 minutes ago, Black ('n' White) Sheep said:

Even with 50% youngsters outfield, we could be seeing something like this until the end of the season (gone with 4-2-3-1 as that's been the formation used most recently):

Hamer; Bogle, Wisdom, Clarke, Lowe; Rooney, Bird; Whittaker, Sibley, Lawrence; Martin

I'd fancy that team to at least be competitive against any Championship team.

I mean, I know what you're trying to do, but I would 100000% have Holmes in instead of Whittaker

[Duracell]

Anyone who saw us play against Blackburn would understand that these two scenarios are most likely the same thing.

[Ghost of Clough]

6 hours ago, Rample said:

Looking at the statement about still wanting 50% of the starting xi to be academy players next season, and given potentially 5 subs to be used youngsters will definitely get opportunities. 

I'd like to think though that this season whilst we still have a healthy squad we'll give it all we have for the play offs. That means using our best 11 and not making concessions to include youth for the sake of it. 

Next season it will be emphasis on youth though. Bogle and Lowe have to be part of that 50%. No real doubt that avoiding injuries/doing a Mason that Buchanan, Bird, Knight & Sibley can make it at this level but as they are spine players how many would you really want in at once. I'd say 2 for now. So if 50% means 5 or 6 (or maybe 5 and a sub) I think we have to be realistic, next season will be about progress rather than promotion unless Mel is prepared to accept 40% instead. 

Of course if we can bring Will Hughes back and count him as academy (I don't imagine we will compete with AC Milan for Hendrick ?) then bring it on. 

Buchanan is currently better suited to LB given his height and inexperience or the left of 3 at the back. Sibley and Knight are both versatile enough to play on both wings, and in Sibley’s case even at LB/LWB. You could play them all and still have an more experienced spine including Wisdom, Clarke, Rooney, Waghorn.
Don’t forget Hudd is still at the club, and we could re-sign Grant as GK. 

5 hours ago, Black ('n' White) Sheep said:

Even with 50% youngsters outfield, we could be seeing something like this until the end of the season (gone with 4-2-3-1 as that's been the formation used most recently):

Hamer; Bogle, Wisdom, Clarke, Lowe; Rooney, Bird; Whittaker, Sibley, Lawrence; Martin

I'd fancy that team to at least be competitive against any Championship team.

We’d probably see Knight starting on the wing more than Whittaker. Holmes is one of our key players, which may sadly limit Sibley’s starts. 

[DesertRam]

Pick the team on merit, if we go on a run, don't change it, as soon as we lose and

are unable to make playoffs - bring in the three latest recruits to the squad equal game

for everyone, with alot of Friendlies..