Retention list 24/25

[roversfan99]

20 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Personally see it as cost cutting, they could have triggered an extension and tried to sell for money, yet letting him leave for free.

That doesnt really make sense.

Any potential fee would have minimal anyway and you then risk him staying or having to subsidise his wage, if he even would have considered a new deal.

[davulsukur]

2 hours ago, K-Hod said:

Retaining Hedges is a waste of time, but I know why we’ve done it- because he’s cheap.

Correct. I do wonder if Hedges was angling for a bit of a payrise, as we've been unable to agree terms on a new contract with him? 

Figured a new contract, on the same terms would have been a pretty straightforward new contract signing for both parties.

[JPTSwindon]

Markandy is a strange one - came to us with high expectations, with only fleeting glimpses.  Prospered on loan, but unlike others hasn't returned to boost our squad.  Presume he will be snapped up by a League One team.

[Upside Down]

7 hours ago, CD_93 said:

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2025/may/19/retain-list-2025/

When you look at the list of pros retained it's a really poor squad.

[arbitro]

I'm surprised that Harrison Wood and Zac Stritch have had their extra year triggered particularly Wood. I understand both will be earning a pittance but neither have shown to me that they are anywhere near good enough.t

It's another example of the low hanging fruit that Gestede likes to pick.

[Mattyblue]

Had a look at a Leyton Orient forum. ‘Decent feet, pushed off the ball a bit easy’… not sure he’s found League 1 all that comfortable either.

[KentExile]

54 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I'm surprised that Harrison Wood and Zac Stritch have had their extra year triggered particularly Wood. I understand both will be earning a pittance but neither have shown to me that they are anywhere near good enough.t

It's another example of the low hanging fruit that Gestede likes to pick.

Strich has looked ok in patches, and is  still a teenager, so that one I can understand, low cost, low risk. 

Wood though is 21 before next season kicks off, and had 3 very unimpressive loan spells this season (all at pretty low levels), has always looked like he could nick a goal at U21 level, but seems miles off it in men's football, reminds me of Joe Nuttall in that regard (not in style)

Edited May 20 by KentExile

[roversfan99]

Elliott Jackson has done a bit of a spin aarticle saying how ruthless we have been with that retained list.

Have we? We have given Hedges a new deal as its easy and cheap. We have given Weimann who is old and injured a contract offer, obviously Batth is a no brainer so that only leaves Forshaw who even then, and as he admits, we may revisit that one.

[AspRover]

Ideally Hedges isn't a starting player, but I can sort of understand keeping him around if only because it's one fewer player we need to sign.

I think we genuinely need to be signing six or seven players minimum at this point, at least half of them regular first team starters. I think we are going to sign maybe four. If we released Hedges we'd need to sign seven or eight, and we'd still likely sign four. He works hard, can cover several positions and is cheap. He's not great, but he's not quite as bad as some on here make out.

Would I trust our recruitment to replace him with a better player on a free transfer on similar wages whilst also addressing all the other gaps in the squad? I'd barely trust them to get the order right at a chippy.

It's all depressing.

 

[Wheelton Blue]

My guess is that Hedges has been kept around with a view to him being a regular starter, rather than merely being a squad player.

[MarkBRFC]

Always maintained next years retention list will be more interesting.

Unless any are sold, then Batth, Weimann (if they sign), Hyam, Brittain, Travis, Tronstad and Hedges will be all out of contract this time next year.

That's likely over half of our first choice starting 11 this coming season.

[Tomphil2]

3 hours ago, Wheelton Blue said:

My guess is that Hedges has been kept around with a view to him being a regular starter, rather than merely being a squad player.

Won't be for long though he's no stranger to the treatment table.

[NeilInBristol]

10 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Elliott Jackson has done a bit of a spin aarticle saying how ruthless we have been with that retained list.

Have we? We have given Hedges a new deal as its easy and cheap. We have given Weimann who is old and injured a contract offer, obviously Batth is a no brainer so that only leaves Forshaw who even then, and as he admits, we may revisit that one.

Mate his article is frustrating 

Makes no sense. It's not even readable.

So we have not extended forshaw ? 

The article suggests we will make a decision later but then says we aren't retaining him

[bluebruce]

On 19/05/2025 at 20:16, roversfan99 said:

That doesnt really make sense.

Any potential fee would have minimal anyway and you then risk him staying or having to subsidise his wage, if he even would have considered a new deal.

An extension option is very rarely up to the player. They're usually purely for the club to decide whether to activate, and have been here in every single case I'm aware of.

[riverholmes]

On 20/05/2025 at 06:35, arbitro said:

I'm surprised that Harrison Wood and Zac Stritch have had their extra year triggered particularly Wood. I understand both will be earning a pittance but neither have shown to me that they are anywhere near good enough.t

It's another example of the low hanging fruit that Gestede likes to pick.

If they're kept on as back-up, that's one thing. Wood has been fairly prolific when fit. However, this season showed that the standard needs to be drastically improved at U21s level. The level sunk so low that the team were struggling to beat non-league second strings.

To my mind, the club needs to recruit externally, to support and challenge players like Tyjon and Boggan (maybe Joseph) who are the next hopes. 

[arbitro]

7 hours ago, riverholmes said:

If they're kept on as back-up, that's one thing. Wood has been fairly prolific when fit. However, this season showed that the standard needs to be drastically improved at U21s level. The level sunk so low that the team were struggling to beat non-league second strings.

To my mind, the club needs to recruit externally, to support and challenge players like Tyjon and Boggan (maybe Joseph) who are the next hopes. 

In my opinion keeping the likes of Wood and Stritch just creates a bottleneck which reverberates through the under 21's and 18's. 

I think they will be loaned out again (Woods couldn't cut it at Annan last season) which makes their signings even more pointless.

[lraC]

8 minutes ago, arbitro said:

In my opinion keeping the likes of Wood and Stritch just creates a bottleneck which reverberates through the under 21's and 18's. 

I think they will be loaned out again (Woods couldn't cut it at Annan last season) which makes their signings even more pointless.

I know you follow the progress of these youngster and 100% respect your opinion too, so have to wonder what the clubs agenda agenda is here, as we both know there will be one.

[arbitro]

7 minutes ago, lraC said:

I know you follow the progress of these youngster and 100% respect your opinion too, so have to wonder what the clubs agenda agenda is here, as we both know there will be one.

Me neither Carl. I was really surprised when I read it and to me it makes no sense.

Given our suspicions about the club I feel there could be some ulterior motive not necessarily football related.

[MarkBRFC]

I think Wood and Stritch have probably kept around as a couple of cheap "old heads" for the 21s to just pad out the squad no?

Really can't see it as much more than that and I love a good conspiracy theory.

[KentExile]

Stritch getting some undue "flack" (possibly not the right word)  in my opinion.  He has found the step up from U18s to U21 difficult so far (I suspect because he possibly had an overreliance on his strength at U18 level and needs to adjust), but he did only turn 19 six months ago.  He is not exactly past it, and triggering an option to see if he manages to step up over the next year seems logical to me

Wood makes a little less sense.  Has looked good at U21 level, but given he will be 21 during the summer, and he hasn't made any real impression in numerous loans in men's teams, seems like we are maybe keeping hold of him for the sake of it.  I would imagine that his option has been triggered to give one last chance/loan to see if he can step up

Edited 9 hours ago by KentExile

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

On 19/05/2025 at 20:05, chaddyrovers said:

what the issue with given Weimann a new deal? he is goal threat, can play a different attacking positions. another good squad player option

He’s only good for 20-25 minutes and that was before he got injured.

[chaddyrovers]

19 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

He’s only good for 20-25 minutes and that was before he got injured.

Don't agree there. He played more than his part in our season and Yes I would give him a new 12 months contract

[Wheelton Blue]

A new deal for Weinmann is a lazy option IMO. We should be doing better than an injury suspect 30 odd year old.

Good in his day, but his day has gone.

So we'll probably offer him a new deal...