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We need 2 decent strikers, a LM and possibly a new CB. Like Will Atko but I think we need better for L1.

I reckon Jack Payne will continue to improve and come the end of the season will be one of our best players.

If everyone's contract was up for renewal I wouldn't keep: Smith, Mads, Barnard, Hurst, Prosser
 
Hurst and Lenny seemed to go off the boil after winning long term contracts which I find interesting in itself? Hurst also seemed to bulk up and slow down but maybe he could get back to less cake weight. Prosser seems surprisingly to split opinion the most, I personally think he was just getting better and better until his unfortunate injury, so I see him as one to hold onto for next year.As said who know about Ibenfeldt, injury seems to have taken a long time, which may be a worry. Check out pre -season trials?

Hoping its good bye to Barney and Weston, a big thanks and cheerio to Paul Smith, probably Clifford, and probably Deegan. Give Jason Williams , Bridge and other youngsters a good pre season run ? Matsuzaka.
Keep the rest and maybe try to get the Pig back and Elliot Lee? as well as snap up additional quality prospects . A likely clear out of 7, but it never ceases to amaze me who actually gets the goodbye wave
 
Weston has another year of his contract to run so he won't go - nor should he following his performances as a supersub in the play-offs, and in some other recent games too. His pace makes him a real threat to tiring defenders and he'll continue to be such in League One.
 
Bentley- No brainer, must stay if we can keephim
T Smith – Yep great prospect
P Smith – get rid of the wage, there are alwaysgood loan options on keepers in an injury crisis

White- Would keep him, reliable without beingoutstanding, you need a few of these guys in the team.
Bolger- Needs a good head next to him but agood no nonsense centre back with great aerial presence, a keeper.
Barrett- Another season is on the right wagesis a no brainer in my eyes, even if just a back up.
Thompson- Has promise, would keep him
Prosser- let him go, I think many mistake hismassive improvements as him being a good player, he isn’t bad but never league1 level.
Ibenfeldt- One for the management to decide, weare all clueless
Coker- 100% a keeper, our best outfield playerIMO

Worrall- keep him, impressed greatly thisseason
Timlin- Keep, so important to the midfield, wemiss him so much when not there
Deegan- let him go, having a beard and bigthighs might make him a hero in some eyes but we should be looking to improveon players like this. Anthony Grant can do the dirty stuff and pass and winendless amounts of freekicks, would rather us have somebody in that mould. Don’tget me wrong, I appreciate his contribution but we need to move forward.
Atkinson- I’d keep him, someone said earlierthat he is like a lower league Milner and I’d agree. He will rarely excite youbut he will put in a shift and is a better footballer than many credit himwith. Def has a place in next seasons squad IMO
Leonard- an average season but his youth andpotential make him a must keep. I would really like to see him converted to awinger or wide midfielder though where his pace could do some real damage.
Weston- I’d probably release him if he didn’thave another yr on his contract, has something to offer as an impact sub butwould rather his wages be used towards something new. If we can get rid then Iwould.
Payne- Not convinced by the lad yet but shouldbe given another season.
Clifford- I rate him but he’ll be gone.
Hurst- Too many in midfield to keep him basedon old form, let him go

Corr- Think this is a level to far personally, I’dhave him as back up but nothing more.
Barnard- free up those allegedly large wages
Williams- give him a season to prove mrsblueright for the first time ever

Loanees

Cassidy/Piggott- try to get one of the 2probably Pig, would like to see some real pace in our forward line though.
JBW- can see big potential but can also seemistakes along the way, undecided, wouldn’t be bothered either way
MacLaughlin- I’d like to see him back, thinkthere is a very good footballer in there.


So Hurst, Barnard, Clifford, Deegan, Prosserand P Smith off the wages for me and possibly Weston and Ibenfeldt too, shouldgive us some scope for new signings

Bang on. We need a vastly improved strike-force next season. Whilst Barry has been a good servant for the club, I can't see him having much effect on League One next season, except perhaps as backup. Not sure I'd go for either loanee in honesty. We need out and out goalscorers and none of the strikers we have will provide that in L1.
 
I can't understand how some would get rid of Atkinson but keep Deegan.

As said earlier Atkinson is like a lower league James Milner. I thought our game went massively down hill when he went off at Wembley.

I'd get rid of:
Deegan
Prosser
Hurst
Mads
Weston
Barnard
Clifford

I think we can do better than those 7 in league one. Everyone else I would retain.
 
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I can't understand how some would get rid of Atkinson but keep Deegan.

As said earlier Atkinson is like a lower league James Milner. I thought our game went massively down hill when he went off at Wembley.

I'd get rid of:
Deegan
Prosser
Hurst
Mads
Weston
Barnard
Clifford

I think we can do better than those 4 in league one. Everyone else I would retain.

I'm 100% in agreement on Atkinson being a better player than Deegan and offering much more, especially in league 1. It seemed odd to me that we subbed him and Worrall at wembley, both had been all over the place and neither were showing signs of fatigue.
 
I'd get rid of:
Deegan
Prosser
Hurst
Mads
Weston
Barnard
Clifford

I think we can do better than those 4 in league one. Everyone else I would retain.

Aside from the fact you've named seven players there and claimed we can do better than those four, with respect to the ones in bold you're right, we probably could do better now we've been promoted, but definitely not on the wages they're commanding.

Prosser, and Deegan to a lesser extent, are perfect examples of popular squad players you need to compete over the course of a 46-game league campaign. They're cheap, reliable, durable and unlikely to complain too much if they're not in the side week after week. We've fallen foul of injury crises before in the past when we've gone for quality over quantity, so I little reason why we'd jeopardise that again particularly with the squad already being in a strong position with momentum behind us.

We really don't need to make wholesale changes if we're looking to cement ourselves in League One next season. Ship the driftwood out (Barnard, Ibenfeldt, Clifford), look at the Hurst situation, and hunt for two or three quality signings with the available resources. Shipping out 7 or 8 and replacing them with new names is a risky move.
 
Weston was very poor for most of the season. Did manage 40 appearances though , Brought in by Tango as a goalscorer. Total goals in 40 appearances?........... 2 Good at playing for a contract. Started well then lived up to all expectations to fade badly. Let go by Gillingham in league 1 for exactly the same reasons . We can do much better than a winger who scores every 20 games, despite putting in a good cross occasionally! MUTUAL AGREEMENT between club and player to help him move on?!
 
Does anyone know the date by which we have to have offered new terms to players? I thought it was almost immediately after the final match if in the playoffs.
 
they will put a retained list soon probably also 3 players in the southend squad have league one experience and barnard is one of them we don't have the money for 7 -8 new players I don't think that's realistic
 
you idots saying get rid of barnard his got experience at league one level and apart from 3 players in southends current squad that's not enough

Players with League One experience:
Ben Coker
John White
Adam Thompson
Cian Bolger
Luke Prosser
Adam Barrett
David Worrall
Michael Timlin
Myles Weston
Will Atkinson
Kevan Hurst
Barry Corr

Yes, we clearly need a player who has done nothing for us in a season and a half with the club because he adds experience we clearly don't have.
 
Does anyone know the date by which we have to have offered new terms to players? I thought it was almost immediately after the final match if in the playoffs.
They never 'have to' as I understand it, other clubs can hold contract negotiations without our permission 1 month before their contract expires, which in most cases will be 30th May as the 1 month before deadline. Would imagine Brown will sort it out early next week when he's back from holiday and fans will know by mid-week.
 
GK
Bentley
T. Smith
P. Smith (as player/coach)

RB
White
<new young fringe signing>

LB
Coker
<new young fringe signing>

CB
Barrett
Bolger
Thompson
<new first team signing>

RM
Worrall
Atkinson

LM
Weston
<new first team signing>

CM
Timlin
Leonard
Deegan
Payne
<new first team signing>

ST
Corr
Pigott (sign permanently)
<new first team signing>
<new young fringe signing>

Here's how I see it. We'd therefore be losing Mads, Prosser, Barnard, Hurst and Clifford. Harsh on Hurst in particular but he's really struggled to look like the same player since the amazing season he had and if he didn't do the business in League 2 then I don't really see how he could do it in League One. Prosser has also been a great servant but don't see him featuring too much now.

Hopefully we can pick up a couple of recently released young full backs on a modest wage who could offer cover and competition to White and Coker. Also think we need a good experienced centre back to offer competition, as well as investing a tidy sum in a good left winger, a good central midfielder and two new strikers alongside Barry and Pigott.

I liked Cassidy but don't fancy taking a chance on him in League One and would prefer two strikers with pace and agility to compliment Corr and Pigott, as I think they're similar players.

All in all, release 5 and sign 8, supplementing the squad with some youth players like Jack Bridge and Jason Williams, although I'd prefer they were loaned out (Williams preferably to a League Two club if possible).
 
you idots saying get rid of barnard his got experience at league one level and apart from 3 players in southends current squad that's not enough

Hmm, I think there's only one 'idot' here! Would you seriously retain Barnard even though he has scored zero goals from open play in umpteen appearances and looked a complete shadow of his former self? If your only criteria is that he has league one experience then I assume you'd approve of us signing up James Walker and Osei Sankofa too?
 
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I think we need to remember that whilst there is a step up in class, it isn't huge. A lot of our squad have performed to the highest standards in league two for the last few seasons. We also need to remember that we won the division with pretty much the same squad last time. I really wouldn't break it up too much. Prosser and Hurst deserve to be given a chance as backup squad members if they wish to try it in my opinion.
 
A lot depends on who is out of contract. Some players will have options.

For me -

Bentley and the 2 Smiths - keep with Paul being mainly the coach.

Defenders -

Ibenfeldt and Prosser - no thanks. Luke is a decent L2 player when he is at his best but he isn't always at that level.
I'd offer Barrett a year but would expect him to be a squad player.
That leaves Bolger, White, Coker and Thompson who should all be retained.

We need left back cover and a stronger centre back, ideally a marquee signing or as much as we can get to one. Incidentally, Dembele has been released by Stevenage. He's a great player.

Midfield -

I wondered why Bradford released Atkinson after he played almost every game for them in their promotion year but now I can totally see why. He is like Carl Pettefer for us (not in style) and I really do think L2 is his level, so would say bye. I also think Deegan may struggle one level up. Worrall, Timlin, Leonard, Weston and Payne will be a good start. Hurst I think has played his last game for us. 2 more midfielders needed minimum, possibly Mclaughlin if he is available could be one and a strong central midfielder with a bit more creativity than we have would be nice

Strikers -

Barnard is history I'm sure. Corr should be rewarded with a contract but I can't see him being first choice. I don't think Charlton will let Pigott go but it would be nice to have him for the season and let him get a full pre-season under his belt as I think fitness has been his biggest issue. Cassidy? No thanks - I think we can do better. In my opinion, 2 strikers are needed and these should be first choice strikers rather than squad players. Pigott could be one of them if Charlton allow.




That's my take anyhow.
 
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