Player Contracts

Quoted from Rick12

Looking at the contracts these players get in lower league eg one or two year deals and then could get released you realise how precarious being a footballer is at this level financially.  A fair few few wont be  on that much better salary wise than a teacher   but the teacher has relative permanent job security if he/ she does the job right for life . I can understand how some dont bother with it all and do a more secure profession financially and play football on the side semi professionally. Likewise Iam glad the new Grimsby owners alluded to this as well last year eg FA need to look at more provisions  for those players who get released especially lower tier .

Credit to the owners as I understand that they’ve actually done something about it, I understand that part of Giles Coke’s role is to help the players think about what life could look like outside the game.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Credit to the owners as I understand that they’ve actually done something about it, I understand that part of Giles Coke’s role is to help the players think about what life could look like outside the game.

Good to read Herts . What puts things in perspective as well even from Grimsbys standpoint in the youth team is generally a low percentage will actually get any appearances for the first team. Same goes for other academy's in the lower leagues and premiership. Makes you appreciate how tough it is to make it .

Quoted from GollyGTFC

We desperate need to improve the quality in midfield. Or should that be to get some quality in midfield.

Agreed. It’s no coincidence that those clubs at the top end of the league have some top players in central midfield with experience well above League Two.

George Moncur and Darren Pratley at Orient. Michael Bostwick and Jake Forster-Caskey at Stevenage. Sarcevic at Stockport. Richie Smallwood at Bradford. Stephen Quinn at Mansfield.

Some good players there, and even if one or two of them are in the autumn of their careers have generally been mainstays for their teams this season. Of all our midfielders, only Morris has started games at a level higher than League Two, and hasn’t really been able to nail down a consistent place in the team.

If we can replace Morris with someone more akin to the above, that would be a very good start. Granted there are ways to do it and ways not to do it - another John Welsh is the last thing we need - and it’s not going to be an inexpensive acquisition, but objectively this kind of experience and quality is something we lack in comparison to the league’s top runners and riders.

Quoted from lukeo

*BLUSHES*

I clearly sat too long on the toilet with that post

Don’t worry

Sh1t happens

Quoted from GollyGTFC

I have to admit apart from Josh Emmanuel, keeping one of the goalkeepers & trying to make George Lloyd a permanent signing I'd be inclined to get rid of the rest of the senior pros.

Quite a sobering situation but I think I agree here.

Even Emmanuel has impressed in glimpses but largely has looked anonymous.  I suppose with him there is the absolute get-out that he's had so long out and then went straight into our starting eleven yet has done ok, with a full pre-season behind him he could be devestating.

My mindset on Crocombe is slowly changing. From looking like one of, if not the, best 'keepers in this league to a liability in a very short space of time.  Some interesting points raised on here, but for me it remains that we seem to go through this cycle of bringing in good 'keepers who tail off once they don't have serious competition.

I'm in agreement with skaface that we don't need two outstanding 'keepers but it feels to me like complacency has crept in here.  As it did with McKeown, who continually picked up once his place was under threat.  Battersby isn't a threat and the sheer number of games he hasn't played suggests that Hurst doesn't view him as ready to challenge.   If Crocombe can get close to what he produced last season and the beginning of this season then we should want to keep him, but he needs to know he's going to be challenged.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Didn’t Hurst know he was small?

Hurst might think he's still growing

Quoted from Poojah

Agreed. It’s no coincidence that those clubs at the top end of the league have some top players in central midfield with experience well above League Two.

George Moncur and Darren Pratley at Orient. Michael Bostwick and Jake Forster-Caskey at Stevenage. Sarcevic at Stockport. Richie Smallwood at Bradford. Stephen Quinn at Mansfield.

Some good players there, and even if one or two of them are in the autumn of their careers have generally been mainstays for their teams this season. Of all our midfielders, only Morris has started games at a level higher than League Two, and hasn’t really been able to nail down a consistent place in the team.

If we can replace Morris with someone more akin to the above, that would be a very good start. Granted there are ways to do it and ways not to do it - another John Welsh is the last thing we need - and it’s not going to be an inexpensive acquisition, but objectively this kind of experience and quality is something we lack in comparison to the league’s top runners and riders.

Need someone who can drive the ball forward through the middle of the park. Fox did it well at the end of last season, Jay Matete was fantastic at it, but we don’t have anyone in that mould at the minute. Morris and Hunt play the ball well but are quite static when they receive it. Green & Holohan have their qualities but this isn’t one of them.

At the minute if we want to progress up the pitch it invariably requires a long(ish) ball into the channels or the full backs bombing on. It’s all a bit basic and quite easy to defend if you haven’t got really good movement up top. We need someone with a bit of physicality who can carry it 10-15 yards and ride a challenge before offloading.

If we manage to pick up someone with those qualities, I think we’ve a decent midfield 3 with Hunt & Green alongside them.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Quite a sobering situation but I think I agree here.

Even Emmanuel has impressed in glimpses but largely has looked anonymous.  I suppose with him there is the absolute get-out that he's had so long out and then went straight into our starting eleven yet has done ok, with a full pre-season behind him he could be devestating.

My mindset on Crocombe is slowly changing. From looking like one of, if not the, best 'keepers in this league to a liability in a very short space of time.  Some interesting points raised on here, but for me it remains that we seem to go through this cycle of bringing in good 'keepers who tail off once they don't have serious competition.

I'm in agreement with skaface that we don't need two outstanding 'keepers but it feels to me like complacency has crept in here.  As it did with McKeown, who continually picked up once his place was under threat.  Battersby isn't a threat and the sheer number of games he hasn't played suggests that Hurst doesn't view him as ready to challenge.   If Crocombe can get close to what he produced last season and the beginning of this season then we should want to keep him, but he needs to know he's going to be challenged.

If we keep Max i highly doubt we will bring in another senior keeper , Hurst has always only had one in the main throughout his time in management -i still dont think we always have Battersby on the bench ; think it's one senior keeper and an emergency loan if that keeper gets injured .

Quoted from Mappers

If we keep Max i highly doubt we will bring in another senior keeper , Hurst has always only had one in the main throughout his time in management -i still dont think we always have Battersby on the bench ; think it's one senior keeper and an emergency loan if that keeper gets injured .

Let’s not forget that Crocombe was the other ‘keeper. Perhaps it was a prescient move and Hurst knew the end was nigh for McKeown, but it was certainly handy to have Max to step straight in and make the shirt his own.

Quoted from ska face

Need someone who can drive the ball forward through the middle of the park. Fox did it well at the end of last season, Jay Matete was fantastic at it, but we don’t have anyone in that mould at the minute. Morris and Hunt play the ball well but are quite static when they receive it. Green & Holohan have their qualities but this isn’t one of them.

At the minute if we want to progress up the pitch it invariably requires a long(ish) ball into the channels or the full backs bombing on. It’s all a bit basic and quite easy to defend if you haven’t got really good movement up top. We need someone with a bit of physicality who can carry it 10-15 yards and ride a challenge before offloading.

If we manage to pick up someone with those qualities, I think we’ve a decent midfield 3 with Hunt & Green alongside them.

The best player we have for that is Clifton, who can definitely drive forward from midfield, although whether he is still here next season...