Next season

[bring back the cowshed!]

I see James Quinn has gone and has been replaced by GB's former assistant Paul Carden. I think that's good news. JQ, as a former centre-forward, didn't seem to have made us any better at scoring goals. On the other hand, having someone he knows and trusts to support him should help GB and make for a better management team. Gradually, things are looking better and better for the coming season.

We've had quite a few personnel changes, but almost all for the better, so if we can meld the squad in pre-season and take advantage of a relatively easy August programme, I would expect us to be up with the early pacesetters.

 

[Ian]

I would expect us to be up with the early pacesetters.

Having now 'bedded' into this league I would be disappointed if we weren't . Realistically, we should be hanging around the top six all season.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I think the jury is out regarding the Carden appointment. I think we would definitely benefit from having someone in the dressing room to challenge Brabin tactically, but Carden has followed GB around and may simply follow his lead. His spell as Southport manager was not great and his main attribute appears to be motivation judging from the comments coming out of the club.

All of that said, I don't think James Quinn made a positive impression with the SWA. His most memorable moment last season was his assertion that we could not compete with the 'big boys' in the division like Forest Green.

 

[Boz]

Agree with RLC on Carden replacing Quinn. I disliked James Quinn's remarks as highlighted, but don't think he was deviating from the Brabin line in terms of bigging up our opponents and his football career was better than either of the current pair.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

There was an extensive and interesting interview with MP on Radio Merseyside this evening.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03y9k77#play

In addition to Hughes, it sounds like we will be signing two more defenders, presumably a left back and centre back.

Best quote: 'With the investment over the summer the squad has to achieve promotion'.

Over to you Gary.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Thanks, RLC. It is a fascinating listen - not only concerning team recruitment and next year's ambitions, but also to hear about the turnaround in finances and the off-the-field activities. We must be as well-run a club as most outside the EPL. I also found his thoughts on England and the FA interesting.

 

[Cowshed Kid]

My first visit yesterday to the revamped club shop to buy our new shirts. Didn't get last season's shirts cos that stripe was naff.
Tremendous effort. It would grace any club outside the Premier. We may be fifth tier by league status but we are at least second commercially.
As to next season, we've all followed them too long too be either surprised or disappointed.
What intrigues me though..........my personal jury for GB is still out. He has clearly taken what you would hope was a purely professional dislike to some players. Made some poor decisions, in my view, re home tactics, selling goalscorers etc.
BUT.....look at our squad. Look whose signed for us, re-signed.
And I don't accept for one minute it's players being mercenary. Cook and Jennings could easily have gone a division above at least.Our league is too far down the pecking order for that.
Do the players see and respect a different GB to us fans?
Maybe it's me showing signs of weakness for which I apologise
How did the Cowshed experience go?
I made my views known and happily concede that from an income point of view it MAY have made sense.
I hope our seats in kop have been checked and repaired

 

[Mal]

Supporters don't see what happens behind the scenes. Perhaps some players, like Koumas, are born lazy because they have a modicum of talent. Perhaps that comes through in training. Perhaps they are the cause of any discord? Who knows? As it is, the last part of the season in general was ok. However, I still don't see Jennings as a captain. Should be McNulty.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/conference-national/startseite/wettbewerb/CNAT

Hope that link works. Interesting to see some of the market values they have put on players.

Absolute rubbish. They rate Iain Turner as worth more than all our four strikers combined!

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Is the club ready for next season yet? The squad numbers are out today, which suggests not too many ins or outs before the big kick-off. We are a little vulnerable in defence with only Gumbs and Sutton as cover, but presumably we can sign or borrow players when required to cover long-term injuries. In midfield and attack, we are just about OK.

What's noticeable is that we haven't (yet) signed any loanees. If we were going to sign anyone for half a season or more, I assume we'd have them by now. Apart from Cole Stockton, no-one has been loaned out. Does this mean that the youngsters will be considered for first-team duty? I hope so.

 

[Ian]

You wonder what's been said to GB regarding the youngsters. I have a feeling we'll see a few more of them this season.

 

[Higgy]

No youngsters in tonight's squad.