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[Albion] Which first team players would you let go at the end of the season?
- Thread starter Steve Foster
- Start date
Me too. I'm too soft so I'd keep them all.
Funnily enough I was thinking the complete opposite. It will be a buyers market. With Tony's deep pockets we potentially have more cash available than many others in the league and have an opportunity to boost ourselves ahead of a few of them if we're prepared to shell out a bit.
Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo
I believe in Joe Hendry
- Oct 4, 2003
- 12,063
Crofts is primarily employed as a player coach for the U23's. As we retain his player registration we lost nothing by naming him in the 25 man PL squad, which even with Crofts named is only 24 players. He is there to make up the numbers and play in a dire emergency. I very much doubt he'd ever play in the PL for us but its better to have him named and not use him than only have a 23 man squad, have some sort of injury crisis and not be able to use him.
With the youngsters coming up next season who will need to be named in the 25 man squad, that includes Mac Allister, Ben White and Steven Alzate I don't expect him to be named in our PL squad next season anyway, although he'd continue as a player coach for the U23's.
Schelotto and Kayal will be gone at the end of the season, I'm sure they'd have been offered one year deals now had we wanted to keep them. I expect Duffy will be sold on, but I don't think we will see too many others out, unless its on loan, like Locadia and Andone this season. It's simply not cost effective to release those players with time on their contracts as we'd have to pay them up, we might be shocked by offers for one or two but I don't see it.
Last edited:
bluenitsuj
Listen to me!!!
March, Trossard, Murray, Gross and Stephens. Connolly out on Loan
What I would do:
Sell/release: Button, Steele, Schelotto, Montoya, Kayal, Pröpper, Trossard (loan?), Gross, Ali J, Izquierdo
Bring in: White, Molumby, Gyökeres + young GK and a CLASSY winger
Squad would look fine to me, a bit too much deadwood and bad squad balance atm so almost certain there will be more outs than ins. Big question is probably going to be about the midfield & wings where there's some difficult choices to be made..
Sell/release: Button, Steele, Schelotto, Montoya, Kayal, Pröpper, Trossard (loan?), Gross, Ali J, Izquierdo
Bring in: White, Molumby, Gyökeres + young GK and a CLASSY winger
Squad would look fine to me, a bit too much deadwood and bad squad balance atm so almost certain there will be more outs than ins. Big question is probably going to be about the midfield & wings where there's some difficult choices to be made..
Uh_huh_him
Well-known member
- Sep 28, 2011
- 12,113
The plan is still to bring players through the academy/getting bargains from europe.
Not sure we can guarantee getting replacements in for the players you are suggesting other than Schelleto.
It will be interesting to see the type of players (if any) that get bought in.
Pains me to say it, but I suspect we will probably need to let Duffy go (for a decent fee), if Ben White is joining up with the first team.
Duffy will want to be starting more games and I'm sure there will be takers for him
March? leaving? Not a chance.
I dont understand why people are so eager to get rid of March. Many of you seem disappointed he didnt turn into a world class player... and no, he didnt but its still a decent PL player able to do a good job in multiple positions. He is already a decent player and could still turn into a good one if he finds his position and understands his limits.
I'd sell everyone and keep Locadia. He will come good and if we pay him 11 salaries he can play everywhere.
Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo
I believe in Joe Hendry
- Oct 4, 2003
- 12,063
He's simply not consistent enough at this level. He will have one good game, then be dire for 5 or 6. He will look like a game changer coming off the bench one week, start the next game and be largely anonymous. Plus he still can't take a corner that beats the first man (it's ok we are used to it now as we've had a long list of players who struggle with that). I personally can't see him going anywhere as he's still got two years left on his contract and I don't think we'll get any offers for him this summer. He'll be 26 at the end of the season, I certainly don't expect him on current form to get a new deal as a 28 year old when his current deal finishes.
This is somewhat of a silly exercise as who we get rid of depends on how much money we get for them. For example, I would be for selling Dunk if we someone was willing to pay 100 million...
However, if we wanted to just rank our players as it stands right now, I would say the following are on the weak bucket:
Schelotto, March, Gross, Stephans, Murray.
All have been great servants to the club. I know March has a lot of fans here and I think GP likes him too because he can play a lot of different roles, but for me, he is alright but not great at any of those positions. And this year, he seems more annoyed than usual for some reason.
However, if we wanted to just rank our players as it stands right now, I would say the following are on the weak bucket:
Schelotto, March, Gross, Stephans, Murray.
All have been great servants to the club. I know March has a lot of fans here and I think GP likes him too because he can play a lot of different roles, but for me, he is alright but not great at any of those positions. And this year, he seems more annoyed than usual for some reason.
Perkino
Well-known member
- Dec 11, 2009
- 6,051
Ryan, Walton, Sanchez. Steele, Button
Lamprey, Montoya, Bernardo, Burn. Schelotto
Dunk, Webster, White. Duffy
Bissouma, Alzate, Propper, Baluta. Stephens, Kayal
Mooy, Gross, MacAllister
March, Trossard. Izquierdo
Maupay, Connolley, Andone. Murray, Locadia
Lamprey, Montoya, Bernardo, Burn. Schelotto
Dunk, Webster, White. Duffy
Bissouma, Alzate, Propper, Baluta. Stephens, Kayal
Mooy, Gross, MacAllister
March, Trossard. Izquierdo
Maupay, Connolley, Andone. Murray, Locadia
Silverhatch
Well-known member
Solly is a (fantastic) modern left/wing back in the making.
AZ Gull
@SeagullsAcademy @seagullsacademy.bsky.social
Jordan Davies, Archie Davies and Bojan Radulovic have already been released. Soufyan Ahannach left in January.
stewart_weir
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2017
- 1,029
You forgot Matt Clarke
Right now, I think Bernardo is better defensively and just as good going upfield. Perhaps if Solly concentrated on that one position and maybe spent a year in champions league playing every week in that position, he can become better than Bernardo. My opinion.
Machiavelli
Well-known member
- Walton to replace Steele or Button
- Molumby to replace Kayal
- Striker in as Locadia's loan has been extended by a year.
- Percy Tau work permit to be resolved one way or the other.
- White to replace Balogun.
- Clarke, Gyokeres, Ostigard - no idea
- One of Schelotto or Montoya to leave.
- Resolve whether Duffy wants to leave as he doesn't get many minutes now.
- Sing more young players for future seasons.
- Slash the transfer budget to some extent to cover Covid losses.
By the way, I read somewhere that next season is "Project Promotion" at Tony's Union SG - so I wonder if a loan or 2 will head to Belgium.
Sounds about right to me.
Machiavelli
Well-known member
I agree with most of this.
Icy Gull
Back on the rollercoaster
- Jul 5, 2003
- 72,015
There is nothing fantastic about March imo. He is a reasonable wing back and the most frustrating Albion winger I can recall. All the skills but neither the confidence or the fire in his belly for PL football. Flatters to deceive and occasionally shows some brilliance but for the main part he disappoints, as I say imo.
I won’t be too bothered if he is shipped out.