Next season's squad

[Pak Power]

Many said that about leonard too Silencer , Clifford will be a dam good player given time , just as Leonard has turned out to be.Patience my friend.

obviously stopping any flowing moves from the opposition midfield:smile:

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I think PB will have to select just one from Fred or Barney for next year.

That's the way I see it as well.

Translated = Jam_Man didn't read it accurately, boring, tried to be sage like and muddled it up, again.
Please take a chill pill before you become insufferably smug in your humourless responses.
And aren't the others possible signings?

I think you might have taken his post a touch more seriously than it was intended to be, but let's not have it take over this thread.

For me it's a shame that Clifford has a longer contract, poor signing imho

I'm no fan of Clifford, whose decision making is just poor, but you need depth and he's serviceable as a 5th central midfielder, like Thompson is as a 4th central defender/2nd right-back.

A decent squad would have 15 or so of starter quality and the rest you are hoping just don't hurt you too much when they need to fill in with maybe some of the youngsters exceeding expectation.

Many said that about leonard too Silencer , Clifford will be a dam good player given time , just as Leonard has turned out to be.Patience my friend.

Clifford is an older and lesser player than Leonard. Aged 22 he's not the player Leonard was aged 19.

Sokolik is another who is younger and despite having no first team experience came in and looked the part in a way Clifford just hasn't.

They may not be finished products but I can see the player there. I just don't see it with Clifford so I'm intrigued what you can see in him from 9,000 miles away.

 

[buffalowolf]

Yeah i maybe a long way away, but a player wont get a man of the match in any division anytime unless he has some talent.At some stage in his developement Chelsea must have seen something in him also ,they after all made him the Captain in their youth team that won the youth cup a couple of seasons back.And yes he did win a man of the match in a game for SUFC, he cant be all that bad
, with the right education and we have the people at SUFC to teach him, he can turn out to be a very valuable asset ,just as Leonard has.OH! and im 12800 miles away not 9000 .

 

[EastStandBlue]

Yeah i maybe a long way away, but a player wont get a man of the match in any division anytime unless he has some talent.At some stage in his developement Chelsea must have seen something in him also ,they after all made him the Captain in their youth team that won the youth cup a couple of seasons back.And yes he did win a man of the match in a game for SUFC, he cant be all that bad
, with the right education and we have the people at SUFC to teach him, he can turn out to be a very valuable asset ,just as Leonard has.OH! and im 12800 miles away not 9000 .

I really wouldn't read too much into players being given the captaincy of youth teams. Anthony Grant was given the armband at Chelsea because other players were more likely to be sent on loan in an attempt to fast-track their League readiness, whereas Grant hung around for much longer. Captaincy is rarely handed out to the most gifted player, but instead the most natural leader. He can have those strengths in abundance, but if he can't play to the required level then it's fairly useless.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Clifford may be older than Lenny and that could be part of Clifford's trouble; he knows he needs to prove himself and he might be trying "too" hard to win tackles etc than he would if he felt safe in his game play. my understanding is that his only red cards have been this season; yet he does, to me, often look only a short distance from getting a third, (when he plays and dives in).

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Yeah i maybe a long way away, but a player wont get a man of the match in any division anytime unless he has some talent.

Ben Lewis

At some stage in his developement Chelsea must have seen something in him also ,they after all made him the Captain in their youth team that won the youth cup a couple of seasons back.

Andy Harris

 

[Firestorm]

Ben Lewis



Andy Harris

Iirc
Richie Hanlon was Chelsea Youth Captain
Andy Harris was Liverpool Reserve team Captain
Steven Broad was Chelsea reserve team captain

 

[IloveShrimp]

Perhaps Chelsea saw this in Conner Clifford, whom I think is far superior to Laird. To be fair to both of these though they have not had much opportunity to shine imo!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOahS8Dg9KM

 

[Shrimper]

GK:
Dan Bentley - 2016
Luke Chambers - 2014 (currently out on loan)
Ted Smith - 2015

DEF:
Luke Prosser - 2015 (+ option until 2016)
Ryan Auger - 2014
John White - 2015
Ben Coker - 2015
Adam Thompson - 2015


MID:
Anthony Straker - 2014
Michael Timlin – 2015
Kevan Hurst - 2016
Ryan Leonard - 2017
Mitchell Pinnock - 2015 (currently out on loan)
Will Atkinson - 2015
Jack Payne - 2014
Conor Clifford - 2015


FWD:
Barry Corr - 2015
Lee Barnard - loan to 31st May 2014 (+ view to permanent contract)
Jason Williams

Put the ones that I think will be kept with their contracts running out this summer.

I'd say we need 2 strikers. Maybe 1 can be Njie staying. But we need a first team striker.

Two midfielders. Three defenders. Maybe we can get Egan back?

 

[rlb999]

Generally I'd expect to see:

Keepers

• Paul Smith to be replaced with one of the kids.
• If Bentley gets a big move (and I think this unlikely), I'd offer Paul Smith a contract without hesitation.

Defenders

• Bennett will surely go and be replaced.
• If we remain in this league I'd have no issue offering Phillips another 12 months, but wouldn't expect him to sign it!
• Addiing either Sokolik or Egan would be good business, but probably optimistic.
• Some competition for Coker would be good.
• 2 out, 3 in.

Midfielders

• I think we'll see the midfield shaken up.
• Laird surely will want more game time and go elsewhere.
• Timlin's been here a while too and I wonder if he may fancy a new challenge.
• Leonard is massively overrated and if we get cash we should take it. [dives for cover]. Maybe that will open something up for Laird.
• Gomis, Payne, Straker to be released and go non league.
• Clifford to see more game time.
• 5 out, 4 in.

Forwards

• Eastwood isn't finished yet, but will go as the cost doesn't justify the return. Grays? Dagenham?
• Corr's been here a while also - time for a change?
• Barnard I'd take if the money was right, but I don't think it will be.
• As such could be 3 out, 3 in.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

I like Clifford, He is a talent and worth holding onto

 

[fredheim_holm]

Perhaps Chelsea saw this in Conner Clifford, whom I think is far superior to Laird. To be fair to both of these though they have not had much opportunity to shine imo!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOahS8Dg9KM

Exactly this. He's clearly got the talent, it's a shame it's not working for him, but with a combination of a couple of sending offs and a strong central midfield he's been kept out of the side. I certainly hope he sticks around as he's easily got the talent.

 

[sillyshrimper]

Clifford needs to learn not to get so many red cards first!!!

 

[Shrimper]

Release Straker?

why on earth would we do that? He's been great this season.

 

[bazzashrimper]

Because he hasn't actually been great this season. He has show ability in infrequent patches

 

[chelmo]

straker should get a new contract been a good player this year

 

[Neil 24]

Because he hasn't actually been great this season. He has show ability in infrequent patches

Like most then

 

[buffalowolf]

Perhaps Chelsea saw this in Conner Clifford, whom I think is far superior to Laird. To be fair to both of these though they have not had much opportunity to shine imo!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOahS8Dg9KM

Well looking at this ,just makes me even more positive that given time and opportunity ,the lad will be a real good player for SUFC. I suggest anyone thinks the lad is any good take a look at these highlights.

 

[OldBlueLady]

I think Laird will go at the end of the season, so Clifford will get more opportunity. Can't see Straker going myself.

 

[leeblue]

Clifford has let himself down more often than show how good he is imo.....I think theres a player in there but needs to sort his head out a bit.
As for straker....squad player for me
We must pull out all the stops to get sokilokikioki here next season.