THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

Nothing wrong with Micciche at the moment. He's barely dipped his toe in the water. Give him at full pre-season and next season at least and we will know where we're at.

The biggest problem for us this season, and a problem for Micciche, is player recruitment. Signings have little/no EFL experience and generally fit the 'tall, strong' mould and don't fit a KR/Micciche philosophy at all.

We need to stop fucking around with risky signings - players carrying injuries and players with no EFL experience. When was the last player we signed from overseas that was actually any good? Focus needs to be on players with English football league experience, and players who fit the philosophy.

We have too many first team players that simply aren't good enough and should be offloaded in the summer - Sow, Cissé, Wootton, perhaps Muirhead too.

We also have a lot of players that need to up their game to varying degrees and play consistently better - Nicholls, Upson, Pawlett, Agard, Williams, Brittain and Lewie have all either had poor spells or don't contribute enough.

Genuinely think the only players that can be proud of their contributions this season are Aneke, Gilbey and McGrandles.

I know it won't happen, but in the same way that Neilson had a huge squad overhaul last summer to fit his philosophy, Micciche needs to do the same - bring in players that do work with that style.

We are inevitably going to have a few square pegs in round holes again, due to another change in playing style, I agree about Sow, I’ve seen nothing to convince me he’s anything special and probably cost a fortune buying him out of his contract.

Cisse I’m still undecided, I prefer him playing as a CB.

I suppose we have to wait and see what happens in the summer, but no doubt there will be a few going out from the current squad.

Just hoping funds are available to bring in the right type of players we’re going to need

So, of the three or four or players you think should be shown the door, I immediately spot a major flaw in your plan... they all have contracts lasting beyond this summer. What if they want to stay as they can’t get offered the same wage elsewhere? What if we make them available for a free transfer and no-one wants them? They have every right to continue collecting a wage from us even if we tell them not to bother turning up to training.

Of the next bunch that you appear to have on the bubble, the same applies to all bar Upson!

That aside, I’m intrigued that you’d think we’d just “get rid”. Even Micciche has gone on record that he’s pleased with the players Neilson bought in. He didn’t have to do that if he genuinely didn’t believe it. They just need the right coaching and a tactical framework they can play in. Something DM’s predecessor was sorely lacking in .

I agree with most what you said Camden but he’s hardly gonna walk in and say “I don’t rate x player, or z player” and then have to play him is he? He barely had a week to bring players in when he doesn’t know what he’s working with already. Kinda has to rely on the players he has so has to praise them.

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The most optimistic pessimistic person on this forum.

Apparently.

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Point taken, but equally he could have just said nothing.

As I’ve said before, I think Neilson has left us with some decent players. That he didn’t know how to get the best out of them is his failing, not theirs, IMHO.

There is always a way round. Mutual contract terminations, selling, loaning out. If a manager tells a player he isn’t in his plans, the player might not be happy with that and ask his agent to find another club. Maybe those players are happy to move on. Lots of options.

Like Alby said, Micciche is hardly going to be unprofessional and slate Neilson. I just think it’s pretty obvious those players I mentioned were brought in for Neilson ball, and it’s going to take a lot to get them to fit in.

Pretty sure we will make some good signings this summer that fit the Micciche/KR mould.

I'm prepared to judge DM by the results. So I will be interested to see how people will be feeling after Oldham tomorrow. If we win, fine. If we draw, that'll be ok. I hope we do one of those. More than that I won't say for now.

What does disturb me is people calling for bringing in players who fit the DM style. The whole point I've been trying to make is that that style makes demands on players which they find it difficult to fulfill. At League One level or even more at League Two there just aren't the players who are capable of this. Yes, Robinson got a promotion when he had some outstanding players available, Grigg, Afobe, Ali and Baker for example. When they moved on or lost their flair (with Baker) we dropped like a lead balloon. Until we can find people of similar calibre I just don't believe that this style is the answer and they aren't going to be easy to get hold of. In the meantime we have to make the best we can of the players we have got and to deal with the situation which we are in NOW.

Those scenarios you mention may happen in one or two instances, but nothing like the numbers your advocating getting shot of.

Mutual terminations? You’re living in cloud cuckoo land if you think any of the players you suggest could feasibly earn more elsewhere right now after the season they’ve had.

Loans would only happen if the loaning club is prepared to pay all the player’s wages. Otherwise you’re eating into your overall budget by still paying a percentage of someone who’s not playing for you! Why would we do that? Again, who are the clubs that would match their wages?

As for the type of player not fitting DM’s mould, I don’t think many of them are a million miles away from what he (or Karl Robinson, for that mattter) would have signed. In fact KR tried to sign Gilbey from Col U twice, I believe.

Anyway, there are not “Lots of Options”. The player has the right to sit tight and draw a wage. It’s the club that usually buckle in those sort of stand offs because they can’t simply afford to replace said player without getting them off the wage bill first. Everyone in the game knows that so you have a very weak hand when trying to negotiate with said player or prosepective clubs.

That is a very sensible post, Camdenite.

neilson recruited ok apart from his pet sow, big cock up signing, been a sicknote wherever he has played