The Squad 2024-25

[Sparky]

Joe Murphy signs a new 1 year deal as player/coach/

Makes sense as he showed a couple of years ago when he stood in for Doohan he’s still decent.

 

[Am on mobile]

Yes makes sense but we need to start thinking of the future. He will be coaching. As for Hawkes if he goes in the summer im not that botherd as he is lasy at parts of his game and we cant have passers-by when looking at how Adkins wants them to play he will not be as hard working as he needs to be. I hope Saunders goes to for all the speed and energy he is sh##t up front i think he wii go to the non LG we need goals and not passengers if as for charlie j if he goes to again i would not be bothered we need to shift some of the crap out and get more pace and aggressiveness in the team or in other words make the team horrible to be and horrible to play against be ugly and make teams and fans not want to play us. But this is Tranmere we always tickle teams and massage them back to life.

 

[Keith Hill (Bolton)]

Joe will be third keeper.
But his role as goalkeeping coach is a necessity.
And also fills a squad place requisite of number of home grown players.

 

[Sparky]

Harvey Saunders signs a new two year deal. Not a surprise as Nigel does like him and is probably another sign Hawkes will be gone as Saunders has increasingly played on the left.
I’m not over the moon about it nor am I disappointed. We know what he has and what he doesn’t have but he’s a decent squad player at this level and a good age

 

[Am on mobile]

Wow just wow Tranmere at there best

 

[bigmart]

Massively underwhelmed by Saunders staying, for all his pace and effort he can't score. What concerns me is that we seem to be going to keep a number of players who have proved not to be good enough if we are to get higher up the table

 

[Ian]

Don’t mind this. He can be useful as a squad player. I think we might be expecting too much in terms of the signings. We will probably release quite a few but I don’t think there will be many coming though the door.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

On the face of it, it may seem crazy to offer an attacking player who has only managed to score two goals in 36 appearances a two-year extension. He is a player who made his way up through non-league and never went to league academy finishing school. He is 26, is still raw and is unlikely to get any better, only slower. I am a bit sceptical, but let me play Devil's Advocate for once.

1. He is exceptionally fast and has the stamina to maintain his pace for most of a game.
2. He has made five assists this season, more than any except Jennings and Apter (six each).
3. Although he is not a lethal finisher he needs marking and needs a similarly fast player or possibly two defenders to keep him quiet.
4. Most of all, he follows Nigel's maxim of attacking with the ball and defending without it. He tracks back and protects his full-back.
5. I expect he trains well and is a popular member of the squad.
6. I expect Nigel thinks he won't find anyone better for the money or maybe he can but wants Harvey as a tactical substitute.

The last two points are pure speculation, but if true they go a way towards understanding Nigel's thinking. My thoughts are not to judge individual signings but to look at the overall makeup of the eventual squad come September.

 

[Ian]

We wont be signing a 20+ goal machine unless we are really lucky. We haven't had a proper poacher since Vaughan.

 

[Sparky]

We wont be signing a 20+ goal machine unless we are really lucky. We haven't had a proper poacher since Vaughan.

I think we have Ian, in Dennis. We’ve just wasted his talent. He’s not quick, tall or strong but he’s a finisher. Wouldn’t surprise me in the least if he leaves and carries on where he was at Carlisle last season and score goals somewhere

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I would have kept Saunders, but a two year deal seems excessive.

He is important to our style of play with his pace and energy, but he rarely scores and we will need better quality around him if we are going to progress.

 

[bigmart]

What concerns me is that it looks like we are hoping to keep a number of players who have shown over the last couple of seasons to not be good enough

 

[Boz]

I don't have any strong feelings either way regarding Saunders new deal. Nigel uses him more as a wide player than striker which feels the right approach. However with the wages we free up for released players and whatever funding Palios allows we do need to inject some quality into the squad for next season.

 

[Ian]

What concerns me is that it looks like we are hoping to keep a number of players who have shown over the last couple of seasons to not be good enough

Yes, we will probably keep some of them. I think the first XI will probably be decent but as has been show over the last few seasons, we have no real strength in depth and that will become an issue as the season progresses as it has quite glaringly this season.

 

[ADD]

Well I wasn't expecting that - 2 years I am amazed frankly and even a suggestion of a 3rd year option. The press release says it all really "runs after lost causes". That likely means Taylor will be getting nowhere near the first team and we will be stuck with a style of play I was hoping we would move away from. All we need now is to hear McAlear has been given a new 3 year contract!

 

[Ian]

I think you'll be in for some disppointment @ADD !

 

[Am on mobile]

All we can do is look at the summer recruitment. And see if we get anymore injury prone players or they might suprise us all and give us at least 1 player of quality. Only messing about wait till the summer and go from there hey

 

[bigmart]

Currently under contract next season onwards are:
Luke Mcgee
Joe Murphy
Tom Davies
Brad Walker
Regan Hendry
Kieron Morris
Josh Hawkes
Connor Jennings
Kristian Dennis
Sam Taylor
Harvey Saunders

The last 2 are under contract till end of June 2026 the other 9 end of June 2025.

 

[Am on mobile]

Not that many goals if we lose connor, morris, and hendry. Oh well you never know Saunders might have one of them freaked seasons and score 4 or 5 lol

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I believe the club has a one-year option on Jordan Turnbull's contract. There was a similar arrangement for Josh Hawkes, which was exercised. I assume the reason why the club have not yet done the same for Jordan is that they are trying to get him to renew for a longer period.