The 2026-2027 rebuild.

1 hour ago, Box_Man said:

If we are being serious next year then we need to sign 15 players.

 

We need 5 defenders, 6 midfielders and 4 strikers.

 

Sign the best premier league loans, and the best league 1/ championship players available.

 

£20k per week is £1m a season. 15 players on those sorts of wages with a blend of youth and experience will see us at the top of the division. Crowds / Atmosphere will be decent. Momentum builds and something special.

 

We have been absolutely gutted in terms of creativity. £15m on wages would do the trick.

No need for those costs. We are possibly still be restricted on fees so we might have to work with loans  Premier cast off youth players and players out of contract.

I'm  sure we can get out of L1 doing that. We can spend loads when we get clear of the fees ban.

Who's going to be the manager? I strongly suspect the new owners won't be keeping Pedersen. 

3 minutes ago, El Wednesday said:

Who's going to be the manager? I strongly suspect the new owners won't be keeping Pedersen. 

Why?

Of course they might bring in their own man but I can't  see many good managers being tempted by a L1 club.

2 minutes ago, prowl said:

Why?

 

Of course they might bring in their own man but I can't  see many good managers being tempted by a L1 club.

Big Jack did...

This isn't a slight against Pedersen, it's just what new owners tend to do, happened here with Stuart Gray who was doing a very good job. Part of a stamping their ownership on a club and making a fresh start. 

I'd like to think they'd employ a Director of Football with some good ideas on managerial options.

2 hours ago, Sultan_Pepper said:

Absolute club legend. Can cover the entire back line and half of midfield. Has a fantastic injury track record, lives local, loves the club, is respected by the young players, would do wonders to help bring a young team through.

 

I also reckon he'd take a reduced wage and stay on to become our all time highest appearance maker

If I'm coming in as the new owner I am keeping these full stop. When their playing days are done, exactly the same approach, they are Wednesday blood, there has to be a place for them to begin the next chapter of their careers if thats what they want. 

BTW, I've just realised there's already a New Manager thread.

Apologies! 

I'm hoping our squad looks something like this...

*First XI:*

                    Charles

Valery - Bernard - Cooper - Lowe

            NEW MIDFIELD

           NEW FORWARDS

*Plus:*

                  Experienced GK

  Palmer - Iorfa - New LCB - New LB

New RW - Chalobah - Bannan - Amass

            Cadamarteri - Brown

+ 3 more. 

So, I make that 13 new signings required. 

As ambitious as that sounds, it's what we probably need to do if we're going to bounce back at the first attempt. 

20 minutes ago, El Wednesday said:

Big Jack did...

 

This isn't a slight against Pedersen, it's just what new owners tend to do, happened here with Stuart Gray who was doing a very good job. Part of a stamping their ownership on a club and making a fresh start. 

 

I'd like to think they'd employ a Director of Football with some good ideas on managerial options.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've no argument with that. When they take over they get the right to pick their own manager. Nowt we can do about it. 

Getting rid of Stuart Gray was a mistake. But understandable,  Gray played turgid football because that was the best way to get a tune out of the squad we had. With more funding he might have been different. We ended up with Carlos who actually did ok the first year,  we played attacking football but he went negative in the final and it cost us. The second year we were much less attacking and did better in the league but he still cost us in the semi by going negative. 

It's  a good job he decided to move on to his boyhood favourite club in the 3rd season, he did us a favour. Old history now and many will disagree with my comments.

We ended up with a series of poor managers after that until Moore.

1 hour ago, LJM Owl said:

In terms of our current players, I’d say the following:

 

Goalkeepers:

 

Charles would be the best keeper in league 1 by a distance, we need to do everything we can to keep him longer term.

 

Barrett probably would be okay as no 2 given he’s had multiple loans in national league now; however, I can see us bringing in an older pro to pair with Charles (if we manage to keep him).

 

Right Back:

 

Valery will go, he’s a good solid championship player in the prime of his career, wish him well.

 

Fusire would be a good 2nd choice right back at league 1 level - either bring in another youngster on loan for competition or have a look who’s available on a free.

Send Siqueria? Out on loan to National League for half the season and see how he adapts.

 

Left Back:

 

Max Lowe most likely goes, I can’t see him playing League 1 football at this stage of his career.

 

We won’t get Amass back on loan in league 1 unfortunately.

 

I liked the look of Reece Johnson from the bits we’ve seen him play so far, we’re not going to bring in 15-20 players over summer so I’d say give him a chance as the 2nd choice left back.

 

Alao is too young, let him develop in the under 18s/21s properly for a year or two.

 

Centre Back:

 

I don’t know where to best place Palmer but I’d say to keep him (squad player), knows the club, knows expectations, solid player at that level and can play basically anywhere - should transition into a coaching role really.

 

Early days regarding Cooper but not opposed to him being a mentor figure for the young lads at Centre back, see how he holds up the rest of this season.

 

I would say it’s time for Iorfa to go - he has more bad performances than he has good, needs a fresh start elsewhere.

 

Bernard I would like us to keep, although I’m not sure if he’d be particularly happy playing in League 1.

 

Weaver and Otegbayo should both be in our squad plans for next season, not sure if they’d be starting 11 quality for League 1 but both deserve a chance to earn a place.

 

Emery, McGhee etc, try and get them out on loan for first half of season to see how they do.

 

Midfielders:

 

Bannan is obviously someone we should keep, great player, great ambassador for the club and a role model for the younger lads.

 

Ingelsson probably goes I would imagine if he’s out of contract, probably do okay in league 1 but not someone I think has a long term future at the club, so can see him going.

 

Chalobah probably leaves/retires I would imagine.

 

Send as many of the young lads (Thornton, Shipston etc) out on loan as possible, don’t think any of them have earned a place in the squad just yet.

 

Forwards:

 

Cadamarteri should start week in, week out for us.

 

Brown isn’t far behind Cadamarteri for me - expect him to be a sub at first and maybe gain a starting role as the season goes on hopefully.

 

Must keep both of them and develop them.

 

I reckon Jamal Lowe stays, would be good player at that level, seems a good character in the dressing room also.

 

Feel sorry for Ugbo but I think all parties probably agree he needs a move elsewhere, can see him going out on loan abroad maybe.

 

McNeill and Kobacki probably need to either go out on loan or be released, I don’t think either are particular up to the standard we’d need even in League 1.

 

Grainger the same as Alao - let him develop in youth football for god sake, no need to rush him into the men’s game just yet.

 

Based off all the above, I reckon we’ve got half a squad required for next season already at the club/should be at the club going into next season, which isn’t all that bad.

Love your sentiment but I think right now this current squad would be bottom half in League 1, possibly close to relegation as there are no goals throughout the team.

I agree with Charles, if we do get owners with big pockets, he's got to be told we are a club that could be in the Prem in 3 years and we want him to be our goalkeeper throughout that period and beyond. A good pro as back up would be crucial I think. 

I'd like to kero Valery as a full back, but I also doubt he'd stay. Im not sure Fusire is good enough back up though, but he has more games to prove himself.  He was struggling to get into a Carlisle side last year in his preferred position.

M Lowe may stay, which would be fine, but I'm also not sure about Johnson. League 1 is tough - we only just made is out last time with season pro's. I reckon 1 or 2 full backs needed.

Agree re Cooper, Bernard, Iorfa and Weaver, but I think we need a really strong centre half and for me Otegbayo just isnt good enough. Palmer is now nothing more than an average L1 player, maybe keep him, but I'd expect him to not be in the squad at times. I reckon 1 or 2 centre halfs needed. 

Bannan is a tricky one. Personally - and I know I'll get pelters, I think he should be kept but as a squad player. Pick his matches, tell him he is no longer captain and wont play every week. Agree with the rest of the midfielders. I reckon we need 3 more central midfielders.

As for the forward players, the only ones I'd keep are Cadz (3rd or 4th choice striker) and Brown (looked good, but impossible to assess for a full L1 year). We probably need 2-3 central strikers and 2-3 wide strikers/wingers. 

By that Id say around 12 players, maybe 6 on loan and 6 new signings. 

Can someone verify  for me ,Will we be able to sign out of contract players ,Because if so our owners want to be making Agents aware  we are open for Business.

4 hours ago, mark77 said:

Please no, we need to move on from these types of player.

Yeah, I wouldn't want to keep around a player who is proven at that level, very rarely injured, can play in multiple positions, popular in the dressing room, has the respect of the players and staff, doesn't moan, has the best interest of the club at heart and would probably not be asking for stupid money.

Yeah, can't be having any of those kinds of players around, eh.

If any players don't want to be here then let them go..

3 hours ago, prowl said:

Why?

 

Of course they might bring in their own man but I can't  see many good managers being tempted by a L1 club.

Wouldn't it be a temptation to get a big(ish) club, promoted with new owners who (hopefully) want to reach for the stars?

I guess that there would be quite a queue of quality managers who would be more than interested in managing such an exciting adventure.

At what point do boys become men?  Seems that the younger players need to reach 22 before they are deemed old enough to play with men.   If they are good enough, they're old enough. 

Relegation probably increases Iorfa’s chances of being offered a new contract and even though I think we should move him on, I think he probably stays next season as a senior centre-back that knows the level.

Bannan and Palmer are certainties and both will have an eye on the all time appearance record.

I’d like to see us keep both Charles and Cadamarteri and maybe both would be open to staying another season?

Most of the senior players will leave but whoever is in charge of recruitment will have to at the very least get an experienced target man in the mould of Gregory/Smith. A Vaulks type in midfield wouldn’t go a miss either.