No time wasted at the Valley in clearing the decks once the season has ended. Those whose contracts have not been renewed are quickly shown the door. Scott Wagstaff, Salim Kerkar, Matt Taylor and Ricardo Fuller have gone (I think I saw Fuller speeding off up Floyd Road yesterday morning in a BMW 6 Series but didn't realise the significance at the time).
It's hard not to feel a little sympathy for those departing even if they do earn pretty good money for "playing football." Ricardo Fuller has had his share of the big time and justified whatever we were giving him but he's a luxury in what should be a small squad given his fitness and apparent inability to play for 90 minutes.
Matt Taylor probably deserves his place as much as the others but he has found three able performers in the queue in front of him as I discussed with Leon Cort last week. Morrison is first choice but it would be hard on this seasons form to select Taylor in front of a fully fit Cort or Dervite. Wages must be used wisely.
Salim Kerkar hasn't done nearly enough for me to earn an extension and I am not sorry to see him leave. He promised plenty in his first couple of appearances but fell away after that and never seemed to take his chance when reintroduced to the side.
Last but not least, there will be more debate, I suspect, on the release of youth product Scott Wagstaff. Waggy will be remembered for the games in which he scored goals and changed games, although there were clearly too few to save his bacon. The problem for me, however, was his approach to the game and his seemingly continual focus on winning free kicks and whining at referees who for the most part saw through him. You come to expect this from a player who genuinely hasn't got the ability and who resorts to this as his value-add for the team. Unfortunately, Scott did have the talent to do far more damage but couldn't see it. He has plenty of time and perhaps will get stronger direction under a different manager, although I am conscious it didn't really work for him whilst on loan at Orient.
Leicester v Watford this evening. Should be a very close call.....
It's hard not to feel a little sympathy for those departing even if they do earn pretty good money for "playing football." Ricardo Fuller has had his share of the big time and justified whatever we were giving him but he's a luxury in what should be a small squad given his fitness and apparent inability to play for 90 minutes.
Matt Taylor probably deserves his place as much as the others but he has found three able performers in the queue in front of him as I discussed with Leon Cort last week. Morrison is first choice but it would be hard on this seasons form to select Taylor in front of a fully fit Cort or Dervite. Wages must be used wisely.
Salim Kerkar hasn't done nearly enough for me to earn an extension and I am not sorry to see him leave. He promised plenty in his first couple of appearances but fell away after that and never seemed to take his chance when reintroduced to the side.
Last but not least, there will be more debate, I suspect, on the release of youth product Scott Wagstaff. Waggy will be remembered for the games in which he scored goals and changed games, although there were clearly too few to save his bacon. The problem for me, however, was his approach to the game and his seemingly continual focus on winning free kicks and whining at referees who for the most part saw through him. You come to expect this from a player who genuinely hasn't got the ability and who resorts to this as his value-add for the team. Unfortunately, Scott did have the talent to do far more damage but couldn't see it. He has plenty of time and perhaps will get stronger direction under a different manager, although I am conscious it didn't really work for him whilst on loan at Orient.
Leicester v Watford this evening. Should be a very close call.....
I am amazed that there has not been more comment on the release of Yado. Has done well this season growing up at AFC and Shrewsbury and these big guys take longer to mature. Lets hope this is not another centre back slipping through our fingers Michael Turner and Danny Shittu spring to mind
ReplyDeleteAnon - I know what you mean but I think Mambo has been gone in most minds for awhile. It was obvious when we were short at centre-back and CP chose to bring in a loanee instead of using Mambo that he was a goner. Best of luck and all that but having let Matt Taylor go this week it's hard to see a case for retaining Yado.
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