As we are approaching the end of the season and with safety all but secured, I thought it might be worth looking ahead to the squad for next season - especially as many players may already have been offered deals. I'd be very interested to hear what others think and if I have missed anybody please let me know. Here's my take:
Goalkeepers
Kai McKenzie-Lyle - Keep - Good backup/cup goalkeeper. Would still like a more consistent no 1 brought in.
Defenders
Jamie Sendles-White - Keep - For me the toughest call of the lot. A very good player on his day and has won this league before with Torquay. Has great pedigree in higher leagues as well and has improved in the last few games. He has played poorly over this season though and if he is asking for too much money I would let him go. I suspect he will leave when we start training evenings anyway.
Taylor Curran - Release - Not shown enough for me to warrant a new contract. Can't risk someone with his injury record.
Manny Parry - Keep - Seems a new player at DM. We need leaders in the dressing room and Manny brings that. A good role model for younger players like Andrews.
Chi Ezennolim - Keep - I really like Chi and think he is often thrown under the bus by Feeney for no real reason. A great attacking outlet, I hope he stays at the club for many seasons to come.
Rob Howard - Keep - A solid player who has asserted himself more in the RB position as the season has progressed. Can only see him getting better.
Aaron Barnes - Keep - A utility man who has played consistently well over many seasons in poor teams. A good one to have around the squad.
Sam Cox - Keep - Has come good when called upon this season, I would definitely register him next season should the worse happen and we are light on numbers.
Midfielders
Taylor Maloney - Keep - Midfield maestro and a contender for POTY. I really hope he stays for next season.
Medy Elito - Release - Often goes missing in games. I was expecting alot more from him when he first signed.
James Dunne - Release - On his day looks a good player, but those days don't come around frequently enough. Another one with a very poor disciplinary record and is one that I would expect to be on a fair whack aswell.
Amadou Kassaraté - Keep - Looks a decent player when he can stay on the pitch, hopefully he can improve his discipline and make a greater impact next season.
Christie Pattisson - Keep - I wasn't at the game yesterday but it looked a very good goal in the highlights. Was an important player for Maidstone last year and with a full preseason could be a star player for us next year.
Abel Vendrells-Parcerisa - Keep - Haven't seen anything of him, however, he has a good record at South Park and could be a good player to have in the U23s whilst playing the odd senior game.
Cameron Andrews - Keep - The best prospect the club has had in years. I just really hope he gets the playing time he deserves next season and a nice long contract to boot!
Forwards
Sadik Balarabe - Keep - A provisional keep. Not played frequently enough to pass judgement, however, may be worth bringing back to have a look at in pre-season.
Ade Azeez - Keep - A physical specimen, he has caused defences problems when we play to his strengths. With better service next year I can see him top his already impressive 14 league goals.
Stefan Payne - Release - Awful disciplinary record and a poor return for the season, he has proven himself to be a complete liability. As one of the clubs bigger earners he has been a real disappointment. Get rid ASAP.
Kyrell Lisbie - Keep - Promising in games so far, hopefully will get more playing time next season. One to look out for!
Anthony Papadopoulos - Keep - Another provisional keep as we need squad players in case of injuries. So long as his wages are low I think he should be kept, although I haven't been overly impressed by him.
Manager
Warren Feeney - Release - For me, he is the reason why this season has been so poor. Awful anti-football tactics and a complete disregard for supporters. He is too far up his own ass to see the damage he has done to this club - he and he alone is to blame for the terrible atmosphere and attendances at PVR these past months. Although I appreciate he did not sign most of the squad, he has had time to bring in his own players and I think he has massively underperformed given the quality of some of the squad. I am crossing every finger and every toe that he decides to walk at the end of the season because he will never be pushed. I fear for more of the same next season if he stays.
I think given the wages some are reportedly on and the fact that we've paid a premium on wages due to training days you've been a bit generous with a couple. Next season training evenings again we can get a lot more value for money elsewhere. Lyle, chi, Pattinson, Andrews and Maloney depending on his wage is all I would keep. Cox is obviously part of the management team and if he stays and plays more then that's also a good thing.
If Warren is kept on will have a big knock on impact on who stays or goes. If he goes, then many players would want to stay with us, if he stays lots of players will want to go to avoid another season of him managing them.
Let's say you were Chi, Antony, Aaron, Cameron, Abel Vendrells-Parcerisa, it is hard to imagine you'd want to sign for another season of being largely overlooked or constantly abused by him, with loan players brought in and played ahead of you, then you may get odd games when they go back. What goes around comes around for managers.
Then the more established players, do they want to risk another season like this one, or the one before, and the one before that too? It looked a joyless slog for the players for months under this manager, I wonder how many really want to risk that again with him? The fans don't want another season with him, why should the players be different? Some of our players have done really well individually this season, and will be in high demand from other teams.
I really like this team, and would love to see most back. Agree with releasing Taylor C, Medy Elito, and Stefan. I would keep all others. James won me over as the season went on, as he is so consistent, and I like how he switches play sideways, but wish he would look for more forward passes. I joke with my son I have never seen James score, as he gets excited, and shoots wide. But I live in hope!
It is contradictory though, wanting many back, despite the team underperforming. I place that on the manager being too fixed in how he sets the team out, and what fixed positions he plays players. Switching Manny to a holding midfielder has been so successful, Stefan moving to central midfield was an improvement over him in attack, others could equally swap roles successfully, and have in recent games due to injuries forcing swapped positions.
We quickly lost 9 of the 25 players that started the season. But at least we know what we have in the team now, I prefer that to yet another rebuilding with lots of unknown untested players coming in, many also quickly leaving. Our biggest successes seem to be with a settled team for several seasons, and the fans connecting with the team.
Once again, Wallop is so busy looking to attack he can't actually keep up with the conversation to get his facts right, which is a shame, as if before criticising he had actually read what he is criticising, he'd realise rather than it being a "Stephen Payne" love in, everyone - including me - is saying he should be released. That's why I say calm down and cheer up Wallop. It is all a game Wallop, banter is cool and fun, but toxicity is crap.
Half the Premiership and League South managers were sacked this season, football management is so short term it is a poor career choice for ex players, better to have stability from a portfolio of football related jobs - running coaching set ups, scouting, advising... Warren could well step down as Welling manager and fit in Northern Ireland FA coaching, helping get players for Welling from Ireland and the US, and get more money and fit in more family time and have more stability than just managing Welling. It would be interesting to know if the Havant manager who moved up misses managing the team at all. I'd hate to have to rely on an inconsistent football team for my sole job.
New managers often bring their own choice of players in, Warren rebuilt the team last season, then rebuilt again this season, so a new manager could affect the likelihood of how many new come in next season.
