The Squad for 2017/18

[Rockford's Love Child]

There is no way we would sell Cook now for £75,000 unless the player raised hell. Promotion is worth half a million to the club.

 

[aldoes mustache]

Yes thats true . But he is also out of contract in the summer . But i cant see mp or mm leting this one happen . . Would be madness to do it . With alibi also likely to go will be massively short up front. Might be a good idea to get ricky miller on loan

 

[Sparky]

Clarke signing for Wigan on Monday apparently but coming back on loan. Think we’re getting £200k so the rumours say

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I am gutted to lose Clarke after a handful of games but we probably have no choice. He will go in the summer for nothing and if the rumours are true, we keep him for the same length of time but get a good fee. Makes you wonder if we will see any youngster for more than about ten games in future though.

 

[aldoes mustache]

At lest it looks like we will get somthing for him . And not let him go for nothing in the summer. Just hope if we do get some money in they might spend a little .

 

[drwhoman]

If we are serious about promotion and we do lose Cook and Clarke then I would anticipate that the money will be reinvested in the team. And spent wisely, and not on more dud players. Guys who can make a difference. Not easy I know but no point in signing the likes of Green which seems to have been a complete waste. Not big money I am sure but it all counts. BTW, if Clarke goes I would hope that there will be a sell on clause.

 

[Ian]

Makes you wonder if we will see any youngster for more than about ten games in future though.

I think there should be more protection for the club. It's crazy that now after a handful of games you potentially lose a player that shows great promise. Having said that, a decent fee and a loan return isn't a bad deal.

 

[Mal]

Best to wait for official news. The Clarke one was doing the rounds weeks ago.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

If true, it's a win-win for all. Delighted for Eddie. A boost for our academy. More money for the club. Yet we still have the player for our promotion push. I did predict and hope for this outcome in a recent post, so I'm made up.

 

[Boz]

Best to wait for official news. The Clarke one was doing the rounds weeks ago.

Think this is right. Have read elsewhere that there is nothing agreed re Clarke, from someone allegedly in the know. I agree that while we remain in the NL, always likely any decent prospect won’t stay long. It will be interesting to see how well Eddie develops.

Drwhoman mentions Devarn Green. Apparently doing well on loan at Warrington and played his part in their draw and replay win over Ebbsfleet. Still time for him to force his way into the reckoning maybe.

 

[drwhoman]

Hope you are right Boz. See how he goes when he returns.

 

[Sparky]

Micky has said Cook is staying put. Tollits return is imminent (if we had a cup final on Saturday he would play). Wallace is in full training and has a friendly to play in next week. No comment on Clarke other than he would be surprised if teams weren't after him, but he wants to build a squad, not dismantle one.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

If true, it's a win-win for all.

It really is not.

In the past 'youth development' at Tranmere meant getting at least 2-3 years of service from a young player, before moving them on at a peak market price. We have only had Clarke for a handful of games and the fee we receive will be nowhere near his true value as he only has six months of his contract to run.

I am also not sure the move would benefit Clarke himself. It is a big jump from the National League to Championship level and he would probably be benchwarming at Wigan. That could stall his career before he has got any real experience, and in a worst-case scenario could result in a Dale Jennings situation. A lot of NL players have moved up the ladder and got virtually no time on the pitch - Ricky Miller, Danny Rowe, Benyu etc. - as Championship / League One clubs can afford to horde players from non-league football.

Agents and the wealthier clubs at the higher end of the pyramid have far more power than they did twenty years ago and it is often to the detriment of the game as a whole. Above all else, it is incredibly frustrating for our supporters to get a glimpse of a player actually worth watching, only for him to be whisked away after a few weeks.

I am hoping the move does not go through.

 

[drwhoman]

Agree RLC. There is almost an element of 'grab them quick' before anyone else sees them. They come cheap and if they do not develop then c'est la vie other than the fact that the career of the player concerned is adversely affected. 'There are more where they came from' seems to be the approach! I hope Clarke is being properly advised for his sake.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I believe that Clarke has been sold, hence his absence today, but will be loaned back to us for the rest of the season.

 

[drwhoman]

Money talks I suppose particularly when we do not have too much of it. If Eddie helps get us out of this accursed league and back int the uplands then we can thank both he and Wigan for that. It is obvious but we have to keep winning. I am not sure what they are feeding them on at Fylde but I would hate to see another rich man’s playing, like FGR, in the promotion mix, notwithstanding Dave Challinor’s history.

 

[Boz]

I believe that Clarke has been sold, hence his absence today, but will be loaned back to us for the rest of the season.

Micky adamant in his post match remarks that Eddie Clarke has a recurrence of a long-standing injury. The rest of what you say may be correct though.

 

[Sparky]

I thought ridehalgh has a decent game today. He made a goal saving header from a decent cross in the first half

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I agree that Liam was excellent defensively, but we don't have the same X-Factor down the left without Clarke.

 

[Mal]

Micky made a comment re: Clarke just being out injured. No other reason.