Re: Released players/list (updating today)
 

[QUOTE=Funny_Old_Game;2021100]Agree with it all apart from Riley and Penn.

Penn is finished and we will not get a better CB than Riley.[/QUOTE]

When Riley gets into his stride he can be a rolls royce in this league, maybe his injury concerns and the fact he doesn't seem to stay anywhere for too long have gone against him here?

I think Penn will be better for us with some better players here, he was having to organise the midfield on his own for a few weeks.

Re: Released players/list (updating today)
 

I suspect Keates offered deals to some players and wanted quick answers, I think Rutherford and Jennings bear this out as players who have made it clear they will stay. Riley and White possibly wanted to mess round getting a higher wage.

It puts Keates in a strong position to get players in early. Is he yet to recruit a decent player? In my view Jennings is decent but not a universal view. I think Penn is good enough without being stellar. So , depending on your opinion his current success rate at signings is somewhere between 30 and 50%.

I'm happy with all the retained/proposed players, and with a 50% signing success rate we should have a slightly better squad next year.

Re: Released players/list (updating today)
 

[QUOTE=KT12 Exile;2021042]Me neither. I expected Evans, Barry, McLeod, Powell, etc to go, but Riley?? Also given recent form I'd have given White another year. I have a feeling he's going to be back to his best next season.

I trust Keates would only have released this many players if he's confident he can bring in better, but still..I'm really surprised.[/QUOTE]
I think this is a fair assessment.I am not sure that whether those who Keates has chosen to keep , eg Penn, have actually officially signed a contract or whether they have been offered contracts. Can anybody confirm?.

Re: Released players/list (updating today)
 

[QUOTE=PlasCochRanger;2021110]When Mills had a great big clean out at the end of last season we all said what the hell is he doing. This time Dean has had a great big clean out and we are all saying well done. I trust Dean but I pray that he has got it right.[/QUOTE]

Let's face it he can't do much worse than what Mills brought in last season can he?!

Re: Released players/list (updating today)
 

No news on Matty Done though.

Re: Released players/list (updating today)
 

[QUOTE=PlasCochRanger;2021110]When Mills had a great big clean out at the end of last season we all said what the hell is he doing. This time Dean has had a great big clean out and we are all saying well done. I trust Dean but I pray that he has got it right.[/QUOTE]

Last season we finished 8th and the team needed some improvement not tearing apart. This season has been a disaster -The joint lowest points total at this level so yes this time the team needed to be torn up and start again - that is why the reaction is different. Many would have been ok with White and Riley staying but without knowing wage demands etc Keates must have had his reasons -good luck to all those released(except if they play us!!)

Re: Released players/list (updating today)
 

[QUOTE=Paul Roberts;2021102]I'm 50/50 on Penn to be honest, and yes Riley has looked decent. But, god only knows what kind of contract Mills gave him - so I will trust DK judgement on that one[/QUOTE]

Happy with Penn as long as we're playing 4-3-3. He can do the unfashionable dirty work, someone else can be the legs and get up and down the pitch, and someone else will hopefully be the creative, goalscorer type. Wouldn't want him in a 4-4-2 though.

I have a horrid feeling White is going to score 20 next season and we'll regret letting him go. Disappointed that Riley's off, but if Mills handed him a contract that didn't work for us, I guess that's just how it is. I think it will be a struggle to match his quality though so very interested in who Keates lines up as a replacement.

Either way, I admire how sure Keates is in his own convictions. As a very inexperienced manager, it would have been easy for him to play it safe and keep a couple more of the 'less bad' players but he's been pretty ruthless here!

Re: Released players/list (updating today)
 

[QUOTE=PlasCochRanger;2021110]When Mills had a great big clean out at the end of last season we all said what the hell is he doing. This time Dean has had a great big clean out and we are all saying well done. I trust Dean but I pray that he has got it right.[/QUOTE]

The difference was Mills had a team that finished the season fairly strongly and needed to be tinkered with not torn apart. This current team is the worst I've ever seen. If they'd all have gone I wouldn't have been bothered. If we're to get out of this league we need far better.

Re: Released players/list (updating today)
 

[QUOTE=cardiffred;2021099]Knowing it needs to be done and actually doing it are two different things.[/QUOTE]

Well said. And well done DK, guts and courage.
There's no doubt it will be his team next season. The strength of a team starts with the spine - keeper, centre half, centre forward. Thank god he has dumped the inadequate players we have seen in those shirts this season, the last 3 of which were Jalal, Riley and White. Roll on seeing a team of 100%ers next August to join Carrington , Penn and hopefully Jennings. The three good prospects Harry, Marx and Smith need to learn off committed Keates type players and not the driftwood here last season.