Next year's team - do we really need a massive clear-out?

[UncleBuck]

I get concerned that everyone keeps suggesting giving Wotton a coaching role or similar.

What makes you think that would be a good idea?

Take all sentiment and nostalgia out of it and what does Wotton offer? He is the last player on earth I'd want having any influence at my club. A product of lower league hoofball with no experience of the modern passing game. We've seen he is very gobby on the pitch, but not in a good way in my opinion. Bawling people out and hollering at players is not the way I'd want my young players to be developed.

The main thing he's got going for him is that he is a footballer from Plymouth. However that fact alone, in my opinion, does not counteract his multiple negative points and I'd just get rid permanently. A modern club does not need someone like that around.

A coaching role is not some insignificant job you can give to old boy legends. It is a crucial role in the future direction of the club. Think carefully before you flippantly suggest coaching as a consolation job for old boys.

 

[Brixton 'ill Pilgrim]

I get concerned that everyone keeps suggesting giving Wotton a coaching role or similar.

What makes you think that would be a good idea?

Take all sentiment and nostalgia out of it and what does Wotton offer? He is the last player on earth I'd want having any influence at my club. A product of lower league hoofball with no experience of the modern passing game. We've seen he is very gobby on the pitch, but not in a good way in my opinion. Bawling people out and hollering at players is not the way I'd want my young players to be developed.

The main thing he's got going for him is that he is a footballer from Plymouth. However that fact alone, in my opinion, does not counteract his multiple negative points and I'd just get rid permanently. A modern club does not need someone like that around.

A coaching role is not some insignificant job you can give to old boy legends. It is a crucial role in the future direction of the club. Think carefully before you flippantly suggest coaching as a consolation job for old boys.

I think the tone of this is a bit much, for one of the greatest Argyle players of all time. And given the egos of most young footballers, I suspect Wotton's bawling does them a great service in the long run.

But your substantive point is true - coaching is a vital job and totally different to being a player. To give Wotton a coaching role just because he's got 'green blood' would be as ludicrous and amateur as it would be to make him lead architect of the Grandstand plans for the same reason.

 

[Dan Ellard]

Cole - Keep, 1 year deal
Berry - Keep but only as a back-up
Blanchard - Depends on wages, would keep as a back-up if he's not expensive
Boco - Release.
Reid - Offer a contract
Morgan - Transfer list in January 2015 unless he manages to find that form of August again
Blizzard - Transfer list and offer him around
Young - Keep, 2 year deal
Wotton - Keep, 1 year deal
Trotman - Release
Nelson - Keep
Harvey - Keep
Thomas - Keep as an impact sub
Banton - Keep
McCormick - Keep
Vassell - Release
Parsons - Keep
Gurrieri - Release.

Ideally, I'd like our team next season to be:

McCormick

New Player
Nelson
New Player/Blanchard
Purrington/Parsons

Young
Hourihane
New Player (who can cover some ground and get a tackle in)
Alessandra

Reid
Banton

Subs: Cole, Berry, Blanchard/New Player, Wotton, Thomas, Harvey, Lecointe/Morgan/Loanee striker

 

[Green Matt]

Cole - Keep, 1 year deal
Berry - Release
Blanchard - Depends on wages, would keep as a back-up if he's not expensive
Boco - Release.
Reid - Offer a contract
Morgan - Transfer list in January 2015 unless he manages to find that form of August again
Blizzard - Keep
Young - Keep, 1 year deal
Wotton - Release (keep as coach maybe if he's qualified)
Trotman - Release
Nelson - Keep
Harvey - Keep
Thomas - Keep as an impact sub
Banton - Keep
McCormick - Keep
Vassell - Release
Parsons - Keep
Gurrieri - Release.

Hope you don't mind my borrowing your list. My amendments in bold. So not too many players released there but some of the 'keepers' are not what I'd call strong first team players. A couple have youth on their side but these players will need to justify their contracts more as each season goes by. The same goes for a few of the more experienced players though really, I mean Blizzard hasn't had a good first year and neither has Morgan but you'd have to take lack of fitness and selection into account in fairness. Neither has had a long, consistent run at it. Blanchard is only to be kept as a centre-half - I never want to see him play at right-back again, deary me.

 

[fishypilgrim]

Think we need a squad of 19 or 20 as this seems to be a sensible number for a coach to work with / improve .

Mccormick
Hannah

Berry
Gurrierri
Richards
Trotman
Nelson
Purrington
Parsons

Hourihane
Young
Thomas
Allen

Reid
Allesandra
Banton
Wheatley

If we need additional bodies as a result of injuries make good use of the loan system

Important / essential adds to me would be An abrasive, loud mouth , ball winning team captaining midfield general .

 

[StroudGreen]

A big concern for me is our ability to keep both Luke McCormick and Reuben Reed, as I can see there being demand for both their services from higher division teams during the summer. Both are pretty key in a "new build" Argyle for me.

Otherwise I believe drastic pruning is needed, release/transfer list:-

Cole (great to have as a number 2, but free up some budget with a loanee understudy to Luke)
Blanchard (thanks but time to move on, appalling most of this season)
Wotton (one more will be a season too many I fear)
Boco (not much needs to be said)
Blizzard (for the main very very poor this season)
Gurrieri (has put the distance in on the pitch for the club, but delivers very little)
Young (maybe an unpopular one, but I'm starting to doubt he has the physical and mental attributes to make it)
Vassell (not sure he is going to make it at this level now)

Retain:-
Nelson (100% yes, probably our biggest £asset)
Trotman (he has great qualities but has to stop dropping the clangers)
Berry (has shown he can perform)
Morgan (just a hunch that based on some of his early season performances at Cheltenham and at home to Rochdale, he has the potential to be a real handful when fully fit)
Luke (100% yes)
Reuben (100% yes)
Parsons (again based on his first handful of appearances, there is a player there when fit)
Banton (get him fit and hopefully he will be a star turn next season at this level)
Alessandra (100% yes)
Purrington (a future star)
Harvey (maybe send out on a longer loan to get more first team football)

Short- term contracts:- Thomas, Richards

In my calculations and based on that sort of cull and assuming those resign that we want to, that leaves the need to bring in up to 10 players..... Another centre-half, 2 centre mids and 2 proper wingers with pace the priority for me

 

[briangreen]

Think we need a squad of 19 or 20 as this seems to be a sensible number for a coach to work with / improve .

Mccormick
Hannah

Berry
Gurrierri
Richards
Trotman No
Nelson
Purrington
Parsons

Hourihane
Young
Thomas
Allen

Reid
Allesandra
Banton
Wheatley

If we need additional bodies as a result of injuries make good use of the loan system

Important / essential adds to me would be An abrasive, loud mouth , ball winning team captaining midfield general .

Wheatley has already gone and I definitely wouldn't leave Harvey out. Would also give a short time contract to Vassell

 

[ArgyleGarg0yle]

The clear out can only happen once players are signed up for the next years campaign.

McCormick, Nelson and Reid, potentially could leave the club. And I'm only 2% confident we can get them all to sign (new) contracts. And essentially if you shoehorn Hourihane into the mix that's the spine of the team.

I'm panicking!!! I demand progression season-on-season. And I find it hard to see happening if we can't keep our best players!

 

[Meerkat Man]

The subject of players contracts generally and Luke McCormick's specifically were raised at the recent PACSA meeting with Martyn Starnes. MS said that he didn't think we needed to worry about McCormick staying - he is very settled in the area and happy at the club.

According to the interview with him in the matchday programme a few weeks back, Luke is heavily involved in his wife's family's holiday business in North Devon and spends most of his spare time helping out there. He is looking to work there full-time when his playing days are over, and their son also attends a school up there, so I would think there is a very strong chance of him being here next season.