• Nigel Adkins has been given the Tranmere job on a permanent basis signing until the end of the 25/26 season. Continue the discussion here.

Mark & Nicky Q&A

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,851
Player
Iain Hume
I thought it was a bit of a mixed bag tbh.

Steven Beck, we were given historic examples of players like Norwood he'd helped bring to the club, but Mark didn't really sell why his involvement is such a good thing now.

Wasn't at all clear how the academy replacement will operate and the roles of Beck and James Vaughan in that. Mention was made of something similar to Brentford, but I'm unsure what their set-up is?

The reason for not releasing a retained list; involved in negotiations, wanting to keep other clubs guessing. If this season's business is anything to go by in terms of ultimately retained players, I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the irriatation about lack of communication and keeping fans in the loop

New stadium, seemed to be hammering home the need to move to progress. I can understand that, but Bidston Moss was mentioned, would prefer someone more geographically central with better public transport links. Feel a Colchester-style flat-pack stadium in the middle of an industrial estate with no facilities nearby is not the way to go.

The wind-up at the end about Norman Smurfwaite ex Port Vale taking over was quite funny. Contrary to some suggestions, the impression given was the Palioi plan to stick around for a while yet.
 

bigmart

bigmart
Member
Joined
29 Jul 2009
Messages
7,112
Player
Ian Muir
I thought it was rather a poor reason given for not announcing a retained list and we are the only club that doesn’t do it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Boz
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,873
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
I thought it was a bit of a mixed bag tbh.

Steven Beck, we were given historic examples of players like Norwood he'd helped bring to the club, but Mark didn't really sell why his involvement is such a good thing now.

Wasn't at all clear how the academy replacement will operate and the roles of Beck and James Vaughan in that. Mention was made of something similar to Brentford, but I'm unsure what their set-up is?

The reason for not releasing a retained list; involved in negotiations, wanting to keep other clubs guessing. If this season's business is anything to go by in terms of ultimately retained players, I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the irriatation about lack of communication and keeping fans in the loop

New stadium, seemed to be hammering home the need to move to progress. I can understand that, but Bidston Moss was mentioned, would prefer someone more geographically central with better public transport links. Feel a Colchester-style flat-pack stadium in the middle of an industrial estate with no facilities nearby is not the way to go.

The wind-up at the end about Norman Smurfwaite ex Port Vale taking over was quite funny. Contrary to some suggestions, the impression given was the Palioi plan to stick around for a while yet.
I don't think the Colchester stadium has ever been suggested as a prototype for the design. A ground similar to Rotherham's has been mentioned by MP several times. It is easy to quibble over the location, but the stadium will require investment and that probably is not forthcoming unless the construction is part of the Wirral Waters project.

I thought the Smurthwaite gag was funny, albeit I was surprised MP was mates with such an, ahem, colourful character.

I have some reservations about the recruitment process, but I could not care less about a retained list. If it is beneficial to the club not to issue one, we should not issue one.
 
Joined
24 Jul 2017
Messages
4,185
Player
aldo
a retained list is not the end of the world, at the end of the day you tend to know who will be getting moved on and after last season we all new it would be most of them
 

bigmart

bigmart
Member
Joined
29 Jul 2009
Messages
7,112
Player
Ian Muir
a retained list is not the end of the world, at the end of the day you tend to know who will be getting moved on and after last season we all new it would be most of them
Not really as Micky said previously, some players turned down offers from us to go elsewhere
 

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,851
Player
Iain Hume
I don't think the Colchester stadium has ever been suggested as a prototype for the design. A ground similar to Rotherham's has been mentioned by MP several times. It is easy to quibble over the location, but the stadium will require investment and that probably is not forthcoming unless the construction is part of the Wirral Waters project.

I thought the Smurthwaite gag was funny, albeit I was surprised MP was mates with such an, ahem, colourful character.

I have some reservations about the recruitment process, but I could not care less about a retained list. If it is beneficial to the club not to issue one, we should not issue one.
I've not been to Rotherham's New York stadium yet, but that is close to both the old Milmoor ground and the town centre. Maybe the new Wirral Waters development will include decent infrastructure, facilities and transport links, we'll have to wait and see, but at present it doesn't fill me with enthusiasm.

Mark didn't make a compelling case as to why the lack of a retained list was beneficial to the club. In the grand scheme of things agree it isn't that important, but re-iterate that I'm not convinced the benefits of not releasing it outweigh the frustration of supporters not being kept in the picture.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,873
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
I've not been to Rotherham's New York stadium yet, but that is close to both the old Milmoor ground and the town centre. Maybe the new Wirral Waters development will include decent infrastructure, facilities and transport links, we'll have to wait and see, but at present it doesn't fill me with enthusiasm.

Mark didn't make a compelling case as to why the lack of a retained list was beneficial to the club. In the grand scheme of things agree it isn't that important, but re-iterate that I'm not convinced the benefits of not releasing it outweigh the frustration of supporters not being kept in the picture.
If the absence of a retained list gives us even a marginal advantage over our competitors, then we are right not to release one. What matters ultimately is the quality of the squad at the end of the transfer window, and it is not worth diminishing that quality purely to provide information to supporters which is not really required, and which will become apparent within a matter of weeks anyway.
 
Joined
1 Oct 2005
Messages
5,692
Player
Alan King, Barry Dyson
A valuable session. I thought all the questions were answered honestly and without pulling any punches. The question about Beck was met head on by praising his work and giving examples, but without betraying any commercial confidences in relation to his exact role or method of operation.

Nicola and Mark make a great team for these sessions. Mark may do most of the talking but Nicola manages the process by feeding the questions, while adding her perspective and keeping them to time. Without her nudge at the end, we may have believed Mark's joke about an imminent takeover. ;)
 

ADD

Member
Joined
2 Jun 2018
Messages
1,496
Player
Norwood
anyone got a link to it? can't see it on FB or YT...
 

bigmart

bigmart
Member
Joined
29 Jul 2009
Messages
7,112
Player
Ian Muir
At the second time of asking the Riverhill has sold.
 
Joined
24 Jul 2017
Messages
4,185
Player
aldo
wonder what price they got, think it is their money if I remember they bought it from their personal accounts
 

bigmart

bigmart
Member
Joined
29 Jul 2009
Messages
7,112
Player
Ian Muir
wonder what price they got, think it is their money if I remember they bought it from their personal accounts
Originally it was up for 800k then for the second auction reduced to 700k don't know if sold for that amount
 
Top