Squad 2021/22
The salary cap has now been axed, however the limiting squad size is still in the EFL’s plans. League One squads are limited to 20 players, however as a relegated Championship team we get one season with a limit off 22.
We can have as many U21’s in the squad as we like and they do not count towards the 22, unless they are on loan.
Next season we currently have 17 players on contracts with no goalkeepers in that 17. Add in two goalkeepers and we are up to 19.
Mehmeti would still be U21 so would not count towards the 22. He is yet to sign but we have a years extension as part of his current contract.
The following players are out of contract with us or their parent club.
Ryan Allsop
Alex Pattison
Cameron Yates
Giles Phillips
Adebayo Akinfenwa
Darius Charles
David Stockdale
Josh Knight
Admiral Muskwe
Dennis Adeniran
Nandi Ofoborh
The following players are out of contract from our B Team and are over 21 on January 1st 2022. Thus if signed for next season would be counted towards the 22
Andre Burley
Andron Georgiou
The following players are out of contract from our B Team and are under 21 in January 1st 2022. Thus if signed for next season will not count towards the 22.
Curtis Anderson
Anis Mehmeti
Malachi Linton
James Clarke
Gareth looks like he has room for three signings or possibly four if he keeps Anderson and signs one senior keeper. Emergency keeper loan at any time during the season would be possible as Anderson is U21.
Comments
Presumably we could sign Burley or Georgiou for another season without them counting in the 22 if they didn’t appear in a first team squad?
I would presume so
A players union wrote to the EFL saying 20/22 was too small a number and they believe it should be 25 players across all 3 divisions. I think it all depends really.
I was convinced, but could easily be wrong, that u21 players dont count towards the total even if they are here on loan
Nnamdi is signed to Rangers, isnt he?
Chris is quite right that there is no obligation to include players paid by us in the 22 man squad list - that applies to the young kids Burley and Georgiou but also to more experienced players. If for example GA saw the disappointing loan spell at Orient as evidence that Nick Freeman was not Lg1 standard, there is no obligation to include him in the 22. You would have thought though that all three would need to play so perhaps more likely they would be loaned out - although with squad limits kicking in, it may be difficult to find them places at higher than National League level.
Holmer is quite right that incoming loan U21 players do not count in the squad at Lg1 level. You would have thought there would be high demand for such players to fill out the squads next season.
Curtis Anderson is an interesting case. If GA thinks he is worth persevering with he would not count as a squad member BUT assuming Charlotte Independence and the second division of US football counts as a "professional league", then he would count as a "professional goalkeeper" and hence loan in of a temporary GK would not be allowed if first choice keeper got injured.
Yes, he signed a pre contact here
https://www.rangers.co.uk/Article/rangers-sign-nnamdi-ofoborh/55AwyDclx4LEUkiIUvX2L6
With players inevitably getting injured or suspended, teams with no youth team are not going to be able to have a full bench a lot of the time. As an example Bristol City currently have 7 first team players out injured. Injury numbers will probably increase as teams will have less chance to "rest" players who have slight niggles or tiredness.
Clubs will be reluctant to sign players with a history of injury absences such as Charles and Kashket.
Clubs who have two internationals regularly playing for their country will be particularly hit during International breaks.
Overall, limiting squads to this level will leave many players having to drop out of the EFL.
@DevC
I’d missed the U21 rule for Lge1 and Lge2. No way the EFL will change the squad sizes with loan U21’s not counting towards the 20/22.
We could theoretically have five playing U21 loanees and a squad of 27, plus our own U21’s. That’s a bigger squad than this season!
Squad For next season as it currently is
GKs - none contracted - will likely go for one new contract (Stockdale?) plus either Anderson or another U21 keeper - 0 signed 0 likely outs 1 likely in 1 u21
Defence - Grimmer, Jacobson, Stewart, Tafazolli, McCarthy, Obita - Likely to bring in at least two more, perhaps one a U21 loanee 6 signed, 0 likely outs likely in 1 likely u21 in 1
Midfield - Gape, Wheeler, Bloomfield, Horgan, Thompson, McCleary, Freeman, Onyedinma - I suspect Matt B has decided enough is enough so will not be registered for league at least. personally I suspect Freeman will not make the squad, another one new one plus a U21 loanee? 8 signed likely outs 2 likely in 1 U21 in 1
Forward - Ikpeazu, Kashket, Samuel - 3 signed likely outs 0 likely in 1 u21 in 1 - Looks the weakest area at present - at least one newbie plus a loanee??
All above assumes none of our existing players get an offer to stay in Championship. If I am right (which lets face it is unlikely) - I am getting a squad size of 19 plus 4 u21 loan ins - which means that Burley and Georgiou could be registered after all
You missed out Bayo Dev? Freeman is on a 3 year contract so what happens if we can't move him on?
Also no Pattison?
Above is only those under contract. Bayo isn't. If we resign him (or Pattison or Allsop) for a final year, it takes up one of the empty spaces
With Freeman, it obviously depends on whether GA wants him and believes he has a role to play or not. If not my guess is we try to loan him out/agree mutual termination. If we can't he is here for one more season. Whether he is included in the squad between Aug and Jan then depends on whether we have room for him. Based on above we probably would.
There will be a lot of players out of contract in the summer, hopefully we have our eyes on some new gems and one or two more established players.
I think it might be time to let some people go but Ainsworth is nothing if not loyal. Don't be too surprised if some unlikely renewals happen, numbers might be short but cheap players who won't rock the boat and can fill in occasionally might be more valuable than you think.
Also as always it'll depend on any offers received, If Freeman for example, or any of the out of contract players got an opportunity they were keen to follow I don't think we'd try too hard to stop them.
I usually hang on until the July 'Only weeks to go why haven't we signed anyone what is Ainsworth doing why aren't the club telling us anything...Jason Guaranteed Hat-trick is available and won't cost much...running out of time...and who the hell is THAT???' stage before joining the squad debate.
These squad size limits are going to leave alot of players either without clubs or sitting on clubs wage bills outside of the playing squad. Doesn't sound great for players or clubs.
Also finding certain 'assumptions' about Nick Freeman quite offensive and certainly devoid of any fact.
Maybe it will be good for clubs if it drives wages down.
All that will happen is that those who make the cut will get more.
I’m still convinced Freeman is one of the most talented players in the squad.
Brilliant! Your parody skills are a joy to behold.
Seconded!
Thirded......and that the move to a 3 at the back approach will suit him well.
Is it true that we could register say 27/28 players, then only name 22 as being in the squad but change those named 22 players as and when we like as has been suggested above?
Surely that totally defeats the cap on squad sizes as any team that can afford it would just do that and effectively still have a squad of 27/28?
I would understand the club being able to change the named 22 during the transfer window but outside of that window it must remain fixed.
Doesn't make sense to me otherwise.
I believe you can only change the squad twice a season
In January, I assume. When else?
@DevC : you didn’t mention Mehmessi.