GTFC Going for it?

Wow, so much negativity on the forum and we aren't even in pre-season yet!

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Like Cricklewood says we will have to wait and see what we end up with but you can`t argue that these 2 incomings are anything but quality league 2 signings . I am optimistic that more will follow and Hanson in interview gives that pointer so let`s enjoy today`s news and cross our fingers for more.

Yeah, I'm with you really, I need to lighten up!

UTM.

Quoted from 123614

Wow, so much negativity on the forum and we aren't even in pre-season yet!

It is a reaction against all the stupid hype we have seen over the past few years that have led to little except a belated promotion.

Can’t really blame people for being pessimistic or sceptical about signings they have hardly heard of who may not be over the hill but are not in the first flush of youth either. One thing about being a pessimist, we are rarely disappointed.

The game has changed and the fortunes of this club have changed at the same time - an unfortunate coincidence when it comes to attracting and signing players. We have enough “older heads” in the squad now, I would tend to agree with Micky that what we need are some long term loans from the Championship or Div 1 to bring the sort of quality and energy we got from Embleton last year. Either that or take a punt on some non-leaguers.

Or both.

I think the two strikers we’ve signed could be regarded as really positive although there might be some understandable reservations about their age/fitness.


We still need a few more players to pull us up to competitive quality in my view. I’d like us to acquire a at least 2 quality defenders, at least 2 quality central midfielders, one of whom should be of the Embleton type and at least one quality wide player, maybe two. Max Wright is promising but is a kid. Hanson and Green will require crosses to be seen to best effect. We must set our stall out that way.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

My point is Lew it must have been agreed to get players in and meet higher wage demands if required . Both these players will command higher wages than I bet we have paid out pro rata for years?

Maybe I see things differently but we released 6(?) players , which frees up 6 wages. We have signed 2 players so far , which means we are in " credit " with the playing budget. If we sign 2 more quality players then the overall impact on the playing budget should balance out. I know we have a wage ceiling but surely this will rise each year?

Quoted from rancido

Maybe I see things differently but we released 6(?) players , which frees up 6 wages. We have signed 2 players so far , which means we are in " credit " with the playing budget. If we sign 2 more quality players then the overall impact on the playing budget should balance out. I know we have a wage ceiling but surely this will rise each year?

Surely it will only rise if the income rises. Not looking likely at the moment.

Two good solid signings so far, would think that would be it for strikers now. Need 3 defenders 1 central midfielder and a couple of wide men and we should be set. If they are of the calibre of the two we have got so far then I’ll see it as an improvement on the previous season. I think that’s all we can do, slowly improve year on year. I think handing out two year contracts helps in this regard.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

My point is Lew it must have been agreed to get players in and meet higher wage demands if required . Both these players will command higher wages than I bet we have paid out pro rata for years?

As much as I would like to agree with you I think it is unlikely that the budget is any different to previous years.

One thing Jolley will have learned is that he has to juggle our limited budget to the absolute max - so no more Welsh type signings.

I suppose if season tickets sales continue to bomb then Fenty might have a shortfall to make up but that is not the same as any positive intention to go for it.

Here's hoping Jolley does the business.

Quoted from rancido

Maybe I see things differently but we released 6(?) players , which frees up 6 wages. We have signed 2 players so far , which means we are in " credit " with the playing budget. If we sign 2 more quality players then the overall impact on the playing budget should balance out. I know we have a wage ceiling but surely this will rise each year?

Hooper (High earner given he came from League 1)
Welsh (High earner and marquee signing)
Thomas (High earner)
Whitmore (Moderate earner)
RHJ (Low to moderate earner)
Collins (Moderate to high earner)

Purely speculating on the wages but most of the players released will have been decent earners. Fenty openly said that he didn't back MJ enough last season which suggests a budget increase this season. Strikers generally cost more and we have doubled the experience up there. If we can get another 2 or 3 players in before pre-season starts I think we will be in a very good position.

Are we going for it?

Not really whipping myself up into a frenzy quite yet. We've signed two forwards who have the profiles of typical signings for a mid-table League Two side. Both have got the capability to be a success, but both also could disappoint going on recent history and both could easily be on the downgrade. One not good enough for a side that are promotion favourites, the other nowhere near the quality of the forwards signed for his home town club who are also promotion favourites. And then there's the question of who is going to supply the chances for them. We're nowhere near having that conundrum sorted either. Finding myself keeping my hopes in check and would prefer to be pleasantly surprised rather than brought back down to earth by getting giddy over two signings that teams at the top of League Two wouldn't be inteested in. Age a bit of an issue for me as both are in their thirties, and would have liked us to invest in a forward from the lower leagues or an academy higher up the ladder alongside one or the other.

Long way to go yet.. and I'm really not falling for the "going for it" marketing ploy from GTFC until I see the rest of the signings.. and there should be another half a dozen to come in. And as for Whitehouse being intended to be our star player last year.. he spent most of the time on the bench for a play-off team the season before and then has had a significant injury. I think we need to calm down our expectations about him next season, the lad will need time and not any weight of expectation on his shoulders for him to hopefully come good..

Haven't seen anything to get giddy about... yet..