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DumbleDelia is Magic

Squad size

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Roberts leaving has got me thinking about the size of the squad next year. You would think that being in the Premiership we would need a bigger squad than we have at the moment. At the beginning of the week our squad size was 25. With the departures of Sinclair, Roberts and Crichton this brings it down to 22. There is popular opinion that Easton, Rivers and Abbey will meet the same fate. This brings the squad down to 19. If we then break this 19 down there is 1 loan player (Cooper) who we might not sign on and 1 reserve goalkeeper (Lewis). This brings the squad size down to 17. Of this 17 there are 3 youth players (Shackell, Jarvis and not to the same extenet as he has more experience- Hendo). This gives us just 14 potential Premiership players:

Green
Briggs
Drury
Mackay
Fleming
Huckerby
Mulryne
Holt
Brennan
McKenzie
Edworthy
McVeigh
Svensson
Francis

Ok so say this is our squad going into the summer. (Worst case scenario). I didn''t expect us to bring in more than 5/6 new players. This would give us a squad of 19/20, with 3 youth players. This would give us a smaller squad than this year.

I know this is a worst case scenario as some of the younger players might feature next year and we might get Cooper but it does seem to be a pretty damn small squad.

Thoughts?

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Forgive the facetious response DD but it sounds like we are ready to "speculate to accumulate" for those that like the ring of this phrase. Like I''ve always said, this message board is a heck of lot of fun for all of us but, lest we ever forget, Norwich management is, always was, and always will be many steps ahead of us fans. I believe they already have a plan formulated of the number of players coming in, a list of potentials to fill that plan and a big smile on their faces if the odd one or two of them amuse themselves with our meanderings. Good thought process on your part however and it may be that your list of 14 potential Premiership players will be pruned by one or two further exits, possibly Briggs and Brennan. Could we be bringing 10 new faces in?

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Good analysis DD and I agree that the players you list will form the core of the squad next season. There is an alarming lack of cover in some positions, especially centre back and we have been fortunate to have had few suspensions or injuries during this season. That sort of run does not normally last two seasons.

However I would not be surprised to see either or both Jarvis and Shackell go out on a recallable loan to give them first team footie. I would be very surprised to see Brennan leave
as he provides valuable cover for both Drury and McVeigh. I can see Briggs moving on but only if we have signed another right back.

However I do not think that we will limit ourselves to 5-6 new faces and agree with YC that it could be 10 or more. Most of the signings will either be loans, short and long term, or on a Bosman. I think we only sign 1/2 players for a fee and they will probably be to fill the most important parts of the squad - a striker to take some attention away from Hux and a centre back. Spending the transfer kitty this way means we get the best possible improvement in the squad for cash available.

A rumour filled summer awaits..

OTBC

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Perhaps we will bring in a load new players, but from what I''ve read both in the EN and from Nige, the most important thing to them is to keep the nucleus of the squad that has got us up. Team moral can be just as important as quality on the pitch. Also, if we were to bring in 10 new players would our wage bill be able to cope? If the minumum weekly Premiership wage we would pay would be between £7000 and £10,000 a week/player (at the lowest) our wage bill would increase by £70,000- £100,000 a week!! I know we get stacks of cash for getting promoted but that''s a big increase. I agree that loan deals might be the key. Look at Birmingham. They got Taylor and forssell who have been arguably their best players all year. However, look at Leeds. They got in about 4/5 nobody''s and are going down. I''d rather do a Birmingham and get 2 quality Premiership players who can''t quite make it at their club.

Who knows. It''ll be an exciting few months ahead.

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I''m with DD on this - I''d rather chance a smaller squad, knowing it was better quality than if we went out and spent the same amount on a handful of players. I know it''s taking a risk, but given the fact that our disciplinary record is excellent, and the fact that we''ll play 8 less league games than we did this year, I think we could take it. I don''t want 10 new faces - it could really ruin team spirit if we got one or two rotten apples in there. Plus the fact that if you look at Leicester - they signed an entire new team last year for less than £500,000. What''s happened? They''re going straight back down. Let''s stick with what we''ve got - adding only in key areas. With versatile players like Holt, Brennan, McVeigh already in our ranks, I think we''ll be ok.

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With a premier kitty of £20m for next year alone I think we can cope with an increase in wage bill of over £100k pw - this is just over £5m for the season. I for one would be disappointed if that is all that Worthy is given out of £20m, and I have always argued that we should be prudent to safeguard the club.

I accept that Worthy will not get the full whack and we need to safeguard against over exposing ourselves like Leeds, Bradford, Binners etc but I would hope that Worthy is given a war-chest close to the £10m mark. With short term 1 season contracts on bosmans or season long loans there would be no long term threat to the future of the club of spending £10m on new players.

We could keep a smaller squad but would then hope that we sign some really sensational name given the same budget.

IF NW gets this amount I am sure that we will see some a truly class player come our way - although talk of the likes of Mills and his continued £40k pw claims are simply too far - £2.1m for the year - not sure he is worth that much - even Hux ''only'' goes up to £30k next season doesnt he?

A fascinating time to come.

OTBC

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I completely agree with ZippersLeftFoot (who is zipper and what''s so good about his left foot by the way?). I just hope we don''t do a Leicester and sign 10 average players.

Two or three strong signings is all we need with two or three cheaper back ups, be they bosman or loan. I''m sure Worthy won''t go crazy with greed with all this cash and sign rubbish. The man has shown he has a brain with his signings this season, I''m looking forward to some surprising and astute purchases.

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Zipper, with Abbey, Easton and Rivers possibly on their way out, you are right that it would possibly need to add 10 new players to take us up to other Premiership sides, but I do not think Nige will risk losing the excellent team spirit by having a dressing room full of strangers come July. Leicester really made the mistake of signing players who had a dodgy fitness record (Thatcher, Gillespie, Howey) - I was surprised Ferdinand lasted the course- and I think Worthy will sign about 4 player, hopefully including Crouch, who he knows will fit in. I do not think he will sign a keeper - he is more likely to get in a loanee if there is a problem.

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Jonzey - Zipper is Paul McVeigh, and as he doesnt use his left peg I thought I would claim it - discussed on the Nicknames post a few weeks back; worth seeking out as its a good read with some humourous explanations..

The thing with leicester is that they signed exactly the wrong sort of players - those at the end of their careers with very little to prove. What Our Nige has been good at is spotting good value players, who improve the quality of the squad without disrupting the harmony of the side. Given how strongly he has advocated team spirit there will be no Mills, Jeffers or Gillespie type attitudes signed in the summer - I am confident of that. Injuries are harder to legislate for - who can forget John O''Neils injury so soon after signing, or Emblens?

As far as trying to put 10 new faces into a squad you have to remember that since the end of the last season we have had Hammond, Brennan, Francis, Edworthy, Hux, Crouch, Harper, Sven, Leon & Cooper sign with no integration problems at all - thats 10 with no problem - why cant that be repeated? Worthy has the track record and I am confident that he will repeat it if needed.

OTBC

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