Nelson's replacement?

You wouldn’t be too upset until we went on a long losing run from the outset of next season. In which case, many people would be straight on here to bitch about the fact that mr Robinson had foolishly trusted in kids when men were needed.

Truth be told, I kind of agree with you to a point, however, the risks are great, not all can handle the step up and there are certain positions (centre-back, centre-forward, keeper and centre-mid) where we need players with some kind of pedigree.
Besides, you have completely ruined the next three months of transfer banter.?
 
You wouldn’t be too upset until we went on a long losing run from the outset of next season. In which case, many people would be straight on here to bitch about the fact that mr Robinson had foolishly trusted in kids when men were needed.

Truth be told, I kind of agree with you to a point, however, the risks are great, not all can handle the step up and there are certain positions (centre-back, centre-forward, keeper and centre-mid) where we need players with some kind of pedigree.
Besides, you have completely ruined the next three months of transfer banter.?
I take your point but it’s all about managing expectations which the club can only do if they’re completely honest with the supporters about the financial situation. If things are going to be tight next season and that was made clear, I think people would get behind the team, but not if it’s covered up with bullshit about the money available. But who knows what the financial situation is?! Incidentally, isn’t today Thohir d-day? His political commitments conclude today don’t they..
 
I remain deeply wary of our super rich benefactors waiting in the wings.

At the moment, I am only thinking of acquisitions to our playing squad, but it could well be that it is us that are picked clean of our current talent without the finance to build.
 
I remain deeply wary of our super rich benefactors waiting in the wings.

At the moment, I am only thinking of acquisitions to our playing squad, but it could well be that it is us that are picked clean of our current talent without the finance to build.

Tbf, Tiger did spend on the signings of Dickie, Hanson, Whyte, Sykes etc.
 
Im not sure we should be aiming to sign ‘name’ players that we’ve heard of before. I’m probably very much in the minority but I wouldn’t be too upset at the prospect of us going with a relatively young squad of hungry players, made up of our academy graduates and maybe a few players released from premier/championship academies and/or young prospects from Ireland in the Whyte and Sykes mould, supplemented by a couple of experienced heads such as Eastwood, Mackie and Kashi, with the goal of league 1 stability and decent progress in a cup competition or two. Especially if it avoids us getting deeper into financial troubles. I think the supporters would really get behind a young, predominantly homegrown team over OOC journeymen and expensive (and injury prone) loan players and, dare I say it, in Robinson I think we’d have the ideal manager. For all of his faults, young players do seem to flourish under his management.
And the reality is that if Oxford are not winning the fans get on the clubs back, I’m not sure a young squad could put up with some of the bile that’s been chucked around at players, management, staff and the owners.
 
And the reality is that if Oxford are not winning the fans get on the clubs back, I’m not sure a young squad could put up with some of the bile that’s been chucked around at players, management, staff and the owners.
I agree and, as I replied to another poster, it needs the club to help manage the supporters expectations by being completely honest with where we really are financially. Including keeping a tight reign on Robinson’s excitable proclamations about incoming transfers if they’re proving to be misleading.
 
Is Fiachre Kelleher still under contract to us next season? If so, let's see what he can do.
He seems to have been given plenty of game time at Macclesfield, recent stats were excellent and must surely have learnt something from working with Sol Campbell.
Given that he is naturally a left sided CB, it would allow Dickie to move to his preferred right side. And would allow us to put more of our constrained budget towards a 20 goals a season striker!
I looked up the Macclesfield forum the other day to see whether there was anything on Kelleher. The first comment was that he shouldn't be in the starting line-up and that was the general tenor of the remarks.
 
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I agree and, as I replied to another poster, it needs the club to help manage the supporters expectations by being completely honest with where we really are financially. Including keeping a tight reign on Robinson’s excitable proclamations about incoming transfers if they’re proving to be misleading.
The problem here is that if we are 'completely honest', this interferes with recruitment. So a club that bigs up its finances alerts agents, who then take the view that the club can pay over the odds. Conversely, if you downplay, or are 'realistic' about the club's budget, there is a danger of being labelled as 'lacking ambition', and therefore unattractive to potential targets.
 
We are going to be shopping in the bargain basement in the summer, rightly so with our finances, so some of the names suggested are a bit ambitious!

Whos the best defender in the irish league?
It depends on how you define bargain basement.
If our budget is 7th/8th in the league that wouldn't be unreasonable (or are you suggesting it will be a lot lower?)
I agree that some of the names are not realistic as the wages will be far too high.
 
I looked up the Macclesfield forum the other day to see whether there was anything on Kelleher. The first comment was that he shouldn't be in the starting line-up and that was the general tenor of the remarks.
Plus the age of suck it and see is not the case with all the data collecting these days...if you don't already know what a player can do you're stuffed ..the rest is mental/physical grit and character to succeed I'd say
 
Nelson's replacement is Dickie. He should move to the right where he is more comfortable, and we should be looking for a proper left sided centre back.
agree with that. someone like James McNulty would be ideal. experienced to help the Dickster, and left footed. he's out of contract at end of season
 
agree with that. someone like James McNulty would be ideal. experienced to help the Dickster, and left footed. he's out of contract at end of season
Not a regular starter for Rochdale and 34 years old!
Come on, we can do better than that!?
 
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Deji Oshilaja Wimbledon
Nathan Smith Port Vale
Joe Walsh MKDons
George Edmundson Oldham
 
Last edited:
Deji Oshilaja Wimbledon
Nathan Smith Port Vale
Joe Walsh MKDons
George Edmundson Oldham
If we do lose Nelson they’re huge boots to fill. We’ll need a natural leader as well as a bloody good defender.

Aaron Pierre Northampton
Jordan Willis Coventry
Christian Burgess Portsmouth
 
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