dt1892...I havent included White or McCoulsky in my list because neither will be with us next season so that would take the number upto 10 players

I honestly cant see Labadie or Butler being with us next season either because they will be offered better deals elsewhere. I would have said Demetriou would leave too but I believe he is on a two year deal

Ugo. wrote:

Exile 1976 wrote:We've got a good core but also a few players seemingly not up to FL standard .
However, with our budget if we're looking for a huge squad like we currently have we will inevitably have some players that are not up to it on the books.
Squad needs trimming and have a smallish squad filled with quality.

I wouldn't say we have a huge squad, not by other teams standards.

How many would you say we should have, as any fewer and we would struggle to field a full team sometimes.

Even with Rigg just leaving we have 3/4 players out on loan and players like Collins, Jahraldo, Osadebe, TOE & JBB who can't get in the match day squad.
Add youngsters Touray and Hillman into that and I believe we have a squad that, with our budget, is too big.
Excluding Flynn (whose got a squad no.) & Rigg, we have 33 players with first team squad numbers according to the recent Spurs programme

I agree we have a good 'core' in the squad. IMO we are 5/6 'good players' short of a team that could compete at the very top of the division as IMO you need about 18 'First Team players' in your squad to maintain a high level. we have 12

Day
Pipe
Butler
O'Brien
Demetriou
White
Labadie
Tozer
Amond
McCoulsky
Bennett
Shehan

We need an experience head in midfield, a commanding centre half and two decent strikers at least

Still a lot of the season to go so sure contributors will change their minds a few times before the season finishes and management make these difficult decisions.
By the way those 2 signings above were definitely the beginning of the end for County.
It was total madness at the time.
Both were awful.

Exile 1976 wrote:

Ugo. wrote:

Exile 1976 wrote:We've got a good core but also a few players seemingly not up to FL standard .
However, with our budget if we're looking for a huge squad like we currently have we will inevitably have some players that are not up to it on the books.
Squad needs trimming and have a smallish squad filled with quality.

I wouldn't say we have a huge squad, not by other teams standards.

How many would you say we should have, as any fewer and we would struggle to field a full team sometimes.

Even with Rigg just leaving we have 3/4 players out on loan and players like Collins, Jahraldo, Osadebe, TOE & JBB who can't get in the match day squad.
Add youngsters Touray and Hillman into that and I believe we have a squad that, with our budget, is too big.
Excluding Flynn (whose got a squad no.) & Rigg, we have 33 players with first team squad numbers according to the recent Spurs programme

Who are the 3/4 players out on loan? Either way, If they are out on loan then they are not part of the squad.
Touray and Hillman are not in reality part of the first team squad either, just have a number in case required.

In real terms, our first team squad is around 24, maybe 1 or 2 more than we need, but given that JBB is obviously surplus to requirements but under contract, it is around the right size imo

Only 2 first team players out on loan.
Turley for the season & Lamar since Xmas to Orient.
Williams contract cancelled likewise Rigg

From the main squad of players being used by flynny i would keep all of those on 2 year contracts;

Day
O'Brien
Mickey D
Dolan
Willmot
Sheehan
Armond
Nouble

I'd offer butler and labadie long term contracts not convinced labadie will stay.

I'd offer one year deals to bittner, pipe, Bennett, tozer and potentially Hayes if he can make an impact with the rest of the season.

I would try and get maclausky back but I feel there's zero chance of white.

I would loan TOE and Reynolds out and release everyone else.

Then if everyone accepts their contracts and maclausky comes back on loan I would be in the market for 5 first team starters and a couple of loans.

In my eyes that would make us potentially better than this season and wouldn't be a massive overall that can upset the squad.

Ugo. wrote:

Exile 1976 wrote:

Ugo. wrote:
I wouldn't say we have a huge squad, not by other teams standards.

How many would you say we should have, as any fewer and we would struggle to field a full team sometimes.

Even with Rigg just leaving we have 3/4 players out on loan and players like Collins, Jahraldo, Osadebe, TOE & JBB who can't get in the match day squad.
Add youngsters Touray and Hillman into that and I believe we have a squad that, with our budget, is too big.
Excluding Flynn (whose got a squad no.) & Rigg, we have 33 players with first team squad numbers according to the recent Spurs programme

Who are the 3/4 players out on loan? Either way, If they are out on loan then they are not part of the squad.
Touray and Hillman are not in reality part of the first team squad either, just have a number in case required.

In real terms, our first team squad is around 24, maybe 1 or 2 more than we need, but given that JBB is obviously surplus to requirements but under contract, it is around the right size imo

And in my opinion it's too big, with too many players not FL quality or even trusted by Flynny to get on the pitch despite us playing a lot of games & losing a few games

25 man squad for a small league two side is way too big. It should be 25 but including 3-5 academy players making up the squad not 25 full time professionals. I get the feeling our wage bill would surprise many Newport county fans.

Five scholars in a squad of 25 in a division as physical as League 2? One suspension and two injuries in the rest of the squad and they start to be needed on the bench.

George Street-Bridge wrote:Five scholars in a squad of 25 in a division as physical as League 2? One suspension and two injuries in the rest of the squad and they start to be needed on the bench.

What's the problem with having one or two scholars on a bench of seven? Only three can come on and if the other four are quality FL players it makes no difference. Besides, having scholars around the first team match day squad will surely only help them improve?

George Street-Bridge wrote:Five scholars in a squad of 25 in a division as physical as League 2? One suspension and two injuries in the rest of the squad and they start to be needed on the bench.

We only use a core of about 16-17 players now. Why not have some kids to fill out the squad instead of expensive players who have zero chance of game time?

But youth players do need to be available to play for the youth team too. I'm all for rewarding really outstanding kids with time among the seniors, but how many seasons do we have as many as five? And how can you bring a youth team on if half of them are needed to train with the firsts?

The problem we seem to have now which some rival clubs don't is lacking a players just outside the 18 who are interchangeable with the bench, and on the bench who are good for 90 minutes. But if we can sustain 12th place on that basis - I can see us slipping a place or two as most remaining opposition clubs are still in a scrap - fair enough.

I think Flynny prefers quantity over quality as most of his signings are deemed not fit or good enough.

Morning Sully.
A good way to see who he might keep would be the MOM table.
Pretty sure those in the top 10 will be retained including the 2 year contract boys plus O Brien & Sheehan.
Its anybodys guess what he thinks of the rest.
Its all a bit of fun though.
Maybe not for those on the edge though.