Transfer News Transfer window 2020/21

I like Sykes, but he needed to threat of going out on loan to get him performing last season. And despite a similar situation this season he's struggled to put a performance in. I'd still look to keep him, but like Agyei, I could understand him going if it helps us bring in the right player(s).
 
He's not even a regular for us, so no way would he be a starter in a Championship team. At present he'd be lucky to make the bench at that level.
I liked him when he first came to us, but he hasn't progressed that much at all.
Accrington was the first league game in 25 that he hasn't played in. He started in 20. He is a regular for us and has been for a year now.
 
Same reason he hasn’t signed a new contract despite only having 8 months left on his deal. Trying to line up a move further up the chain.
Declaring for the ROI won't help him get a move, because he is unlike even to make their squad. So it won't help him raise his profile. If he made the decision for personal reasons, fair enough. If he made it for football reasons, bad advice and the wrong call imo.
 
He's not even a regular for us, so no way would he be a starter in a Championship team. At present he'd be lucky to make the bench at that level.
I liked him when he first came to us, but he hasn't progressed that much at all.
It isn’t about being a starter in the Championship. It’s about having Championship wages. Ask Gavin Whyte and Marcus Browne what their motivations were versus staying / permanently coming here. Get the four year deal signed, quadruple your money (minimum) and worst case scenario you can just go on loan back in L1 and keep picking up your massive new wages. First team football at that level is largely secondary, they want the money first and foremost. Rightfully so - it is life changing. Shandon Baptiste will tell you that. From 1k a week to 10k a week at Brentford.

Sykes’ Ireland switch happened after he had a good playoff campaign, which in turn came on the back of him having a terrific end to the ‘regular’ season, where he forced himself into the team and was often a standout performer prior to lockdown. Football is all about tactics and positioning, off the pitch as much as on it. He was happy to sit on the bench for NI and risk being tied to them multiple times, having represented them all through the age groups, so it’s hardly political. There wasn’t some mad epiphany out of nowhere - it was a play for an ‘upgrade’ to tie in with a bit of spotlight and good form, and it was all over the national media for a day or two. Either he got word there was interest from the Republic and it was deemed that it would be better for his progression up the ladder to keep his options open, or the declaration was made in an attempt to signal to any potential suitors that he is a player who is going places. A bit like when Shandon Baptiste declared he wanted to play for England instead of Grenada - that got his name on the radio as well. It’s as much about PR and the price of his stock as anything else. I call it bum wiggling.

If he signs an extension he might start more league games, but at the moment there are shades of when Nelson lost the armband during the final year of his deal. He isn’t 8 months from being out of contract because the club aren’t sure if they want him around going forward - it’s because he hasn’t chosen to sign one. Yet.

Football. It’s just a more glamorous and infinitely more lucrative game of chess.
 
Accrington was the first league game in 25 that he hasn't played in. He started in 20. He is a regular for us and has been for a year now.

And that was only down to illness in the build up.

Sykes*, Brannagan and Moore are our next cabs off the rank in terms of players who’ll be worth a decent transfer fee if they develop as expected.

*If he signs a new deal .
 
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He really does need to stick to one position though as he seems to not be settled and that cannot be bringing the best out of him !
 
He really does need to stick to one position though as he seems to not be settled and that cannot be bringing the best out of him !
And that is down the Right. Which is where he played pretty much all of his football for us last season. Either in front of, behind or in place of Henry. He appears to be a makeshift left winger at the moment which just doesn't suit him. I'm assuming this is just until we get our pacey left sided recruit ! and hopefully then he will revert back to the right. Plenty of potential but as of yet no end product !
The problem for me is that Forde has now played himself into the frame ahead of him and that leaves him on the bench or injury/suspension cover.
I don't think Forde is direct competition, I see him more as a replacement / back-up for Gorrin or in behind/along side Brannagan or in a three with both.
 
I actually think he plays he best stuff with Henry in front of him when he’s in the centre as Henry will often drift centrally allowing him to drift wide. Unfortunately I think he lacks the pace to play out wide and his delivery is also very inconsistent. Think he sums up our team very well, when the team plays well and our passing and movement is fluid he tends to shine.
 
The Sykes situation is literally a carbon copy of the Rothwell one a few years back, naturally talented with good feet/dribbling ability. Has good enough pace to play in the middle but not enough to play out wide. Has a good engine on him and can support in defence as well as join the attack.

The problem is he doesn't stand out as a winger and the strong competition in central midfield pushes him to the wing (screams rothwell playing on the left when Sercombe, Ledson and Lundstrum were in the team).

With the loan of McGuane, the emergence of Forde and the ability of Henry and Kelly to play alongside Brannagan in the Midfield it doesn't look like there is room for him, although i'd like to see him partnered with some of the above because although his attributes compare to Rothwell i'd like to see him fit into a Sercombe mould of a box to box midfielder arriving late into the box and becoming a regular goalscorer.

So reflecting on people's comments i think KR needs to decide if he can play as a winger in this system or give him a fair crack in middle. If not, send him out on loan but i don't know how much that helps OUFC.
 
Also I can’t see him being loaned out until he signs a new deal, would be a very risky move by the club which would likely see him leave once his contract runs out. One other thing on a personal level having just had a child I think the last thing he or his parent would want is to have to relocate.
 
Think Kelly needs a minder in a L1 midfield, it’s been Gorrin or Kelly when it would need to be both. Not sure Brannagan in the 10 is best or 4231 so not saying we should do this, but I can’t see how you get the best out of Kelly otherwise.
Forde seemed to get the best out of him at accrington...
 
Kelly needs a big pitch and time on the ball I think, that’s why he looked good in the second half at Wembley as he had both in abundance.

I know it didn’t work out but I felt Thorne was by far the better player when fit
To be fair, if Thorne was fully fit, we would never have got him in the first place
 
Was Rothwell not given a fair crack of the whip here or did he just flatter to deceive?
Bit of both really.

Bags of talent, but always struggled to find his best position in certain formations, thus spent more time on the bench than he should have
 
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