Cloughie's brand new squad

[EastKentRam]

Christ, that's a poor, poor squad.

I was slightly more optimistic the way in which we ended the season and we were playing better football away from home which had been my concern for a long time.

Now, im worried again, that's a League 1 at best squad.

Big pressure on Clough to bring in the right players this summer, cos we need at least 5/6 new players.

[Guest]

With respect to Steve Davies yet another player who has spent large chunks of his time injured either throughout a season or through their DCFC career and all of them not signed initially by Clough. I have limited respect for these players as Derby has taken care of them each time got them back fit and then they piss off elsewhere. Thankfully the players Clough has signed from the start all want to play and for me the fact they give it everything has improved the calibre of player we have had at Derby since Davies and Jewell were in charge.

Some of the players I am thinking about in respect of shafting us and just taking the clubs money and running is

Commons up till the season he left spent more time in the treatment room and left once he got the contract he was offered.

Green got him fit in time for the European but his form and the new players in the international setting kept him out, got him fit from a serious knee injury by Christmas decides to move on.

Steve Davies has definately kept the physio bench warmest for the longest time than any player, again we have paid his wages for nothing got him fit stood by him when majority of clubs would have cut their losses and offered a new contract and now refuses it.

Before anyone says that is football blah blah this has nothing to do with football but greed, no loyalty or the change of mentality of players now a day or a combination of all three. Apart from Tyson and now Barker Cloughs players tend to keep fitter longer then the past players.

The fact we can keep these squad players on the pitch longer in a season is good news as last year was the first time we did not need to rely on loans to put a squad out on match day.

With the fact that these players have gone we should get Jacobs, a left back and striker in as the wages are even further reduced.

Know sound harsh some may say bitter but just sad, frustrated etc with the characters of footballers nowadays and the fact that fans still talk highly about these players. Fans show them loyalty although this is not shown in kind so why still wish we had these players.

So you know how much he was offered on his new contract ? He signed an extension when he was injured, with an option for a further year at the clubs discretion, you really believe that this contract was for the same amount he was on ? How many players are not renewing their contracts now, has this nothing to do with the fact that we have to continue to reduce the wage bill, the figures that the players are rumoured to be offered to resign is in line with the new wage structure, so if they refuse to sign it I cant blame them.

Loyalty, really, the club is shipping these players out, if you want to believe this is down to the players each time then fair enough, but I don’t buy into this, we have a budget that must be adhered to, we need to get players out to bring new ones in, tell me where was the loyalty shown to Maguire, Bailey, Miles, or Martin, we are a football club that is now trading as a business and as such players will be shipped out when needed.

[top 6 finish]

Froggg mate earlier on I posted that I found the present squad depressing and was gently rebuked

Blimey have you read the ones after mine?

[sage]

This mornings news that Steve Davies, Miles Addison, James Bailey and Chris Maguire will be leaving along with Paul Green, means that next seasons squad will all have been signed by Nigel Clough.

For those that haven't yet seen it

[url=http://www.dcfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10270~2778560,00.html]http://www.dcfc.co.u...2778560,00.html

So next seasons squad - with possible exceptions (shock transfers either way)

1 Fielding

2 Brayford

3 Shackell

4 Bryson

5 Barker

9 Tyson

10 Ward

13 Legzdins

14 Doyle

17 Buxton

18 Davies

21 Robinson

23 Hendrick

24 O'Brien

25 Ball

28 Bennett

29 Hughes

30 Lelan

31 Naylor

Barker as we know will be out for next season, but I couldn't leave him out.

So all in all, I suspect it's what Nigel wanted, his own team he can work with. I know many don't agree with this but with a couple of classy players i reckon we can can get promotion next season. We obviously need a striker and possibly a centre back with our leader out.

Does everyone agree that this brand new team has improved Derby County? Remember the motto rams fans... Hardwork, Honesty and Endeavour!

So basically this is the squad we will have if we sell all the players we might be selling and buy absolutely no-one. Get a grip people.

[PrivateDerby]

I know we'll bring players in Sage, it was more to do with Nigel's signings to be honest.

But say if we are open to offers Bailey, Maguire and Davies which we are, Addison looks to be on his way out anyway. Out of the first three what are the chances of other teams not wanting them?

[Ramchope]

Clough had HIS squad last season as well. The only player we had in last season's squad that Clough did not sign or extend the contract of was Leacock.

Not to sound like a know it all, but Savies was a Jewell signing I believe.

[derbydan]

So you know how much he was offered on his new contract ? He signed an extension when he was injured, with an option for a further year at the clubs discretion, you really believe that this contract was for the same amount he was on ? How many players are not renewing their contracts now, has this nothing to do with the fact that we have to continue to reduce the wage bill, the figures that the players are rumoured to be offered to resign is in line with the new wage structure, so if they refuse to sign it I cant blame them.

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"We're disappointed, of course, but it's Steven's decision and for family reasons it's one we totally respect. We want people to understand that too and respect that his reasons should remain private.

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"It isn't financial, anything to do with the Club or anything like that; it's outside of that. He's available for transfer and we have to move on, which is the way unfortunately it is in football.

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"From our side of things it isn't financial and it isn't a lack of ambition by the Club. We'd love Steven to stay, but unfortunately we can't do it."

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On Davies being available for transfer, he added:"Sometimes when players turn down new deals you hear of managers putting players up for sale because they want to cash in on them with a year left on their deal, but in Steven's case it's nothing to do with that."

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[bcnram]

Christ, that's a poor, poor squad.

I was slightly more optimistic the way in which we ended the season and we were playing better football away from home which had been my concern for a long time.

Now, im worried again, that's a League 1 at best squad.

Big pressure on Clough to bring in the right players this summer, cos we need at least 5/6 new players.

With the exception of Steve Davies & James Bailey (who wasn't playing), isn't it pretty much the same group of players that you were more optimistic about at the end of last season. Is Steve Davies really that important that you think we will turn into a League 1 side at best?

[Ramarena]

Not to sound like a know it all, but Savies was a Jewell signing I believe.

His contract was extended by Clough.

[EastKentRam]

With the exception of Steve Davies & James Bailey (who wasn't playing), isn't it pretty much the same group of players that you were more optimistic about at the end of last season. Is Steve Davies really that important that you think we will turn into a League 1 side at best?

Davies and Green arent bad players at this level. I was hoping Maguire and Bailey would be part of this squad next season. Without those 4 players the squad looks a whole lot weaker imo.

[WilkoRam]

Personally I just don't understand why we have a cycle of signing a player, they look good, they then drop out of the first team, they're then put up for sale. There's three more players there signed by Nigel and now up for sale, one signed last season.

If half the argument for keeping Nigel is stability, why isn't this transferred to the squad? Are you telling me Bailey went from nice passing midfielder to surplus in 1 season? How many central kids do we have above him? He should be in the mix with Bryson and Hendrick. In my opinion so should Addison. But if we don't have cash, if we're trying to build a close nit squad of players then why the in and out of players? Why is Bailey off but Davies, Doyle, Tyson given more chances? I just don't get it. And the thing is if we don't sign 6 players now it'll be all GSE's fault. We need 6, 1 won't work, another will be bench warmer and we'll sell of loan one of last seasons signings before the end of the campaign.

[bcnram]

Davies and Green arent bad players at this level. I was hoping Maguire and Bailey would be part of this squad next season. Without those 4 players the squad looks a whole lot weaker imo.

I completely forgot about Green (out of sight put of mind I suppose!!). I like Bailey, but I think Hendrick is a more positive player. I guess that we have to trust NC to bring in a centre forward that he was going to do anyway and a little something for the midfield.

I can't agree that the squad looks weaker without Maguire, his contribution was almost zero last season.

[bcnram]

Personally I just don't understand why we have a cycle of signing a player, they look good, they then drop out of the first team, they're then put up for sale. There's three more players there signed by Nigel and now up for sale, one signed last season.

If half the argument for keeping Nigel is stability, why isn't this transferred to the squad? Are you telling me Bailey went from nice passing midfielder to surplus in 1 season? How many central kids do we have above him? He should be in the mix with Bryson and Hendrick. In my opinion so should Addison. But if we don't have cash, if we're trying to build a close nit squad of players then why the in and out of players? Why is Bailey off but Davies, Doyle, Tyson given more chances? I just don't get it. And the thing is if we don't sign 6 players now it'll be all GSE's fault. We need 6, 1 won't work, another will be bench warmer and we'll sell of loan one of last seasons signings before the end of the campaign.

As the late B Clough said "If I can get a better centre half than Roy McFarland I will get him", that is football. Bailey is a nice player but Hendrick is better - we can probably get a fee for him which we certainly would not be able to for Doyle at the moment. We can use that cash to improve the side which is what we all want.

[WilkoRam]

But at the expense of a good central midfielder. I wouldn't mind if we had 4 or 5 central midfielders and lost 1 but with only Bryson and Hendrick left it seems bizarre to lose a good midfielder. It's not like we have a good track recod with injuries so we need cover.

[BondJovi]

I am concerned. If we want to challenge top 6, then we need a bench of players who can come in and do a job as good as our starting 11. I do think we shall rely heavily on the youngsters and who knows how that will work out. Perhaps what I fear most is that we could slip into a cycle. Clough finds a player, brings them in on a low wage, they prove themselves, they want a rise. If Derby can't meet that, then off they go, new player needed. Money talks. Savies is a different case but I would have thought if he gets sold, whoever comes in will have to be on lower wages. Many clubs will be in the same boat of course. There is a lot on Clough here!

I have feared this for a while, so I do not think I need to get any such grip. I look forward to a long and enjoyable summer!

[dabber]

But at the expense of a good central midfielder. I wouldn't mind if we had 4 or 5 central midfielders and lost 1 but with only Bryson and Hendrick left it seems bizarre to lose a good midfielder. It's not like we have a good track recod with injuries so we need cover.

I agree with the logic Wilko, but it is probably that Bailey won't sign a new deal as he knows he will be the back up to Hendrick and Bryson and Derby, with our current financial frugality will sooner sell him whilst we can get a price than risk losing on a free in a years time.

However getting someone "as good as Bailey" who will also very likely not be first choice presents the challenge. Perhaps Clough sees Hughes filling that role, though he did seem to suggest that he is not strong enough for a central role yet, but pushing to sign Jacobs suggests wider positions may be occupied. Perhaps Hughes will be earmarked as the replacement across the midfield?

[-JW-]

OH NO!!! we've transfer listed 4 players who hardly played for us at all last season. We are fookin doomed, Clough out.

[Otrivin]

OH NO!!! we've transfer listed 4 players who hardly played for us at all last season. We are fookin doomed, Clough out.

You so fackin right. We have a lot of cover for Bryson/Hendrick. Also get rid these useless Savies and Maguire. We have mighty Tyson who can play for the whole season without any injures and scoring goals for fun. Oh and give a new deal for the stunning Doyle. That Addison is **** too. Who cares we have no proper CB apart from Shackell... who is on his way too. Great season is coming. Clough in.

[Mr Tibbs]

Because obviously we won't sign anyone during pre-season despite these outgoings... it's only bloody May. Give it time before you start critisising... I'm confident we'll look in good shape come August.

[PrivateDerby]

So new players aside, when Addison and Davies go our squad will all be Nigel's signings.

Would be interesting to know how many we've signed and how many we have lost since he took over.

Apart from that, in Clough we trust.