Heswall and Vauxhall Motors

[bring back the cowshed!]

The pre-season friendlies start tomorrow with the traditional double-header. Let's hope the trip to Ireland has helped the players bond. We seem to have as complete a squad as I've ever known at this time of year, so Gary should be able to concentrate on fitness and tactics. I understand there will be a few trialists on show, so I'd be interested to hear how they get on.

We are still a bit short of attacking players, but let's hope Gary can find them from the trialists and perhaps one of two young loanees. Any rumours about who we are interested in? Any news about Jason Koumas?

 

[Gray]

Koumas is hanging up his boots, just announced on the beeb.

I remember first game of the season away at Walsall after he re-joined us, 10 seconds after the whistle went to kick the game off some wag shouted 'GET KOUMAS ON'. Shame he didn't set the lower leagues alight as we'd hoped :-(

 

[Sparky]

I think most rovers fans would have loved another season from Jason but I always felt those 2 or so years he missed from the game would mean he could never get back to the level of fitness required to be a professional. Good luck to him.

I'll still never forget that great curled finish over the Everton keeper on that special day at Goodison. Or a cracking free kick once against Wrexham at the cowshed end when I think Stuart Barlow scored too.

Anyway back on topic - I had planned on going to Vauxhalls but am being dragged to Chester Zoo instead. Difficult to gauge any early impact Barabin may have had but hopefully some decent trialists will be on show (midfield still looks a bit light imo).

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Just hot-footed it back from my holidays to watch Rovers at Heswall. An entertaining first half featuring a mixture of senior players, trialists and youngsters, and a less interesting second period with a team almost entirely composed of kids.

The stand out performances were from Maynard and Ridehalgh. The former looks a class act: strong, good on the ball and with good awareness and an eye for goal, as epitomised by his strike from the edge of the box. Liam played in a unfamiliar right wing role, cutting inside on to his left foot, and put in some great deliveries in addition to scoring a cracker himself. Hopefully under new management he can make progress this season.

Of the trialists, the left back and midfielder looked ok, although I have no idea who they were, and of the younger players Omotola looked most promising.

 

[Sparky]

Any ideas who the trialists were? Any familiar faces?
Brabin is keeping quiet.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Any ideas who the trialists were? Any familiar faces?
Brabin is keeping quiet.

The striker who scored four in the Vauxhalls game is apparently a youngster who has recently been released by a Premier League club (possibly Hull). He certainly sounds promising. Other than that, I have no idea who the players were.

I think Brabin is worried other clubs will 'tap up' the players we are interested in, which at least suggests the standard is better than it has been in previous seasons.

 

[Boz]

The striker is apparently Jon Margetts, who was at Hull. Spent time loaned out to Gainsborough and Harrogate and ended last season on loan to Cambridge, where he only managed one sub appearance.

It seems that Norwood had a pre-existing injury, which wasn't treated at Forest Green, so he's going to miss a couple of weeks pre-season. Read some negative comment about Cole Stockton in the friendly [think it was the one RLC was at, so he may be able to pass comment], Mangan with an injury record and Liam Davies not featuring in either game, so presumably injured, Brabin's options up front are looking limited, so if he thinks this lad can deliver at our level, worth making an offer.

I'm sceptical about how easy it will be to keep trialist details quiet. Perhaps one of the sports kit manufacturers could design a trialists mask, which is compatible with playing football in

Not that keen on the split squad friendlies idea. While it gives the manager the chance to look at a number of players, when we've got a squad unfamiliar to playing together, time on the pitch to develop an understanding seems crucial. I'll probably go to one of next Saturday's offerings though.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

It seems that Norwood had a pre-existing injury, which wasn't treated at Forest Green, so he's going to miss a couple of weeks pre-season. Read some negative comment about Cole Stockton in the friendly [think it was the one RLC was at, so he may be able to pass comment], Mangan with an injury record and Liam Davies not featuring in either game, so presumably injured, Brabin's options up front are looking limited, so if he thinks this lad can deliver at our level, worth making an offer.

Yes, I agree. Stockton was awful yesterday, although not helped by playing in a lone striker role with a lack of service from the youngsters around him. If he does not progress this season, which I fear he won't, we are going to need another option up front if Mangan and Norwood have injury issues.

 

[Sparky]

I agree about Stockton. He has been in and around the first team now for a few yrs and under a few managers, but has not been able to establish himself - apart from a half decent spell initially under Edwards. He has had a few injuries too but this wil be the lowest level of football he has played at with us (not including loan spells at Vauxhall), so if he can't do it in the national league, we should look at offloading him.

It would be a shame but he has had a few chances. Lets hope he pulls his socks up this season.

 

[Ian]

I think we all know what we're going to get from Stockton. He'll score a couple if given a chance but we need better quality players moving forward.