Our loan players return to their parent clubs this weekend.
Jason McCarthy
Nnamdi Ofoborh
Paul Smyth
David Stockdale
Giles Phillips
While CMS returns to AP before his contract expires.
Thanks for the memories and hoping to see some of you back in the not too distant future
Comments
Obviously money is a massive factor here, especially with what's happening atm, but I wonder if we'll see Smyth come back. Seemed to really enjoy things here, didn't look ready to break into QPR's first team properly.
Could be another one who comes back for Gaz, like McCarthy, Fred, etc
Stockdale leaving Birmingham when his contract expires as well. Never say never...
Surely there will be a rule change allowing for extensions of existing loans and standard contracts if the vote is to play on at all.
Before lockdown, GA was quite vocal about wanting to see Smyth and Nnamdi back at AP. I think Nnamdi is going to be a cracking player in a few seasons, so that would be a real coup if he could get him on a permanent.
Obviously everything is up in the air anyway now.
Ofoborh’s has been extended until the end of the season. I expect they all have.
Out of all of them, Nnamdi would be the one to keep for me. Smyth flattered to deceive quite a bit, and despite all of then excitement surrounding his signing, I found him quite underwhelming. Stockdale seems like a top bloke - but we have Rocky already, and he was rumoured to be on 40k a week. We don't need McCarthy when Grimmer is back, and Phillips wasn't great
Smyth’s ability to run with the ball at speed was pretty valuable at times. Certainly a good option to have, even if he lacked a bit of consistency.
'We don't need McCarthy' ???
I don't want to think we could lose him again. A top, top player
Cant see this being an issue for those players with longer term contracts. As I understand it Stockdale's contract expires on 30 June. Unlikely Birmingham would wish to extend it beyond that date just so he can play for us if any playoffs/regualr matches are not done by then. Possible he may then be allowed to sign for us for a short contract until say end of July.
If we want to press on next season (wherever we are) I would like Grimmer AND McCarthy. Though I agree that Smyth looked a bit less effective after his injury if GA can get him and Nmandi back I would be very impressed as I reckon both are great young players and will want to prove themselves. I'm not as much of a Rocky hater as some either so I would rather any money went on outfield players meself.
He's been released by Birmingham so I doubt they're overly concerned
Ofoborh and Mccarthy would my picks, the first for his potential and the second for his versatility. Smyth is grossly overated, Stockdale seems to have weight issues and is past it anyway and Philips is limited.
Go up and I think we could possibly entice Stocko back, although it would obviously take a serious pay cut - a top 'keeper when he's fit. Nnamdi and Paul I'd have back in a flash - don't forget Smyth played most of the season out of position due to Fred's injury and the performances of Wheeler, he's a completely different proposition when on the right, his proper side.
Might be a bit more complicated than that. If the league allow us to sign him from free on a short term deal until the propper end of this season that would be ok, if they were only to allow Brum and other clubs to extend existing contracts and loans then they might well not be keen to subsidise us £200k odd at their cost.
Going to be really interesting to see what market there will be for highly paid out of contract players. I imagine some players might need to decide if playing is more important than maintaining a salary
I'd try and keep all of them apart from Phillips. Out of all of them McCarthy would be number 1 priority... can play right back or centre back.. perfect !!
Agreed, they all have real promise. Phillips probably didn’t show his best for us. Having Grimmer and McCarthy is really useful as it gives us cover across the back four for injury and rest.
Birmingham have already confirmed that Stockdale’s loan would be extend should the season continue in any way, prior to his release.
Agree about Smyth being overrated..... Nnamdi and McCarthy are superb would love to see them stay
Smyth is agonizing, because those couple of games he was "on", he was a nightmare for the opposition. He just did not do it enough, and I'm sure the injury did not help.
Smyth is a great player and in my opinion with Fred coming back he was about to come into his own as teams wouldn't have been able to double up on him
Think that is a good point @eric_plant. I would have thought that Smyth is worth a 1/2 year contract, depending on which division we find ourselves in, if he is released by QPR or let go for free to join us. I don't know his contract circumstances.
I agree with this. I understand why some people are unsure about his consistency but I think that can be explained by his long injury lay off and being asked to play in a way he wasn’t used to. Gaz expects his wide players to track back and he was starting to adapt to this new requirement before his injury. He’s a potential match winner, so good at taking players on and getting us up the field quickly when Bayo isn’t in the team. Get the ball to his feet and he’s a top player.
Smyth would surely be expected to play a major part in the playoffs if they happen (injury and availability permitting).
Two of him, Wheeler and Bloomfield would surely start along with Bayo, Fred, Thompson and Gape in the front six?
Smyth is a really good young player. The injury affected him but when fit he starts for me. Also, wasn't he great when he helped Phil commentate on Iplayer...probably a good character in the dressing room and on the training ground. And if you perform on the training ground then you will get to start.
As I said above...I think the injury knocked him back and he did not really ahve time to get back up to speed. Smyth and Fred being available for our run in would (in my opinion) have made the difference between promotion/playoffs and just ending in the top ten. If Gaz can get him I would be very impressed.
I think that's pretty much spot on, with a possibility of Freeman and/or Samuel depending on how Gaz wanted to approach the game. And let's not forget that Scott Kashket would have been available again
Some decent options there though and further cause for me to think that we were heading for a very exciting end to the season
Interesting reaction from some of the Charlton players today. A loan player refusing to go back and two players out of contract in July refusing to risk injury and refusing to play.
Wonder how isolated this will be or could we be without key players if we have to play again?