Released and retained lists....

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Released;
Vassell
Young
Parsons
Cole
Blanchard
Trotman
Boco

Contracts offered to;
Nelson
Lecointe
Berry
Gurreri
Thomas
Wotton

Stand out released name there is is Luke Young. Promises much and in fairness has delivered the odd delivery of promise in games too. It's a tough one but given the manager's aim of having a smaller and better quality of squad he has to decide just how many 'potential quality' players he can carry. He could well be one that bites us on the arse, but do we carry players like that for 'X' years just in case they're going to come good? (see Vassell, what's been the point of his involvement for the last few seasons).

Cole is another that arguably would've been worth keeping 'just in case'. Having started as equals vying for the shirt over the season Luke has nailed his claim to be the first choice, he's delivered better performances. So do you keep two good keepers 'just in case' or as a smaller, better squad do you keep a quality #1 and utilise the loan market if/when he's not available. Ideally you'd keep both, but as we don't operate in ideal circumstances I say it's fair enough. Of course the release of Trotman means an injury to Luke is now less likely 

The others?, none of them can make a justifiable case for not being expendable. A word of thanks to Blanchard though, two seasons back he was possibly the first name on the team sheet.

Stand out contract offer there is Wotts, clearly. I would say 'sentiment aside' but you can't, it's great his character and cover might still be around.

One might however question where that fits in with the 'quality v quantity' aim. If tough decisions are being made on carrying young players who promise something but might not come good (Young), then where does that sit with players whose legs have gone for 40-50 games a season? Likewise in the same vein LeCointe, he is morally 'owed' a fair crack of the whip after his injury this season, but at the expense of Luke Young?

Nelse, a given, it would've been nuts to release him.

Great to see Nathan Thomas offered a contract, he was a positive addition on Saturday and clearly promises much. Again though, has he delivered more than Luke Young?, will he get the games?

Gurreri, he's hot and cold for me. Played in the right way he's been very good at times this season but often he's anonymous, can we afford that?

Lots of tough decisions have had to be made over this list, in's and out's. Of course nothing in the fact these players have been offered contracts means they'll be accepted, they might all decide to go elsewhere. If so we've got a paper thin squad for next season. It'll be a long, slow couple of month now as we wait for them to sign and wait to see who else is brought in to demonstrate the 'quality' part of the 'quality over quantity'.

Not surprised by those lists tbh.

A new number two goalkeeper would be good as Cole was a mare at times. Glad Gurreri has been offered a new contract, as he has promise and can learn more while here.

I can imagine Wotts has been kept on a player contract so he's available to the squad if demand requires his services, but more than likely I expect him to adopt a coaching role- especially following the dismissal of Owers and the decision not to replace him.

Overall happy with that.

Young lacks consistency and hasn't developed much, wouldn't be surprised to see him at Torquay next season.

Fingers crossed Nelson and Thomas sign up.

No Parsons hopefully means plenty of games for Purrington next season.

spowell92 wrote:

I can imagine Wotts has been kept on a player contract so he's available to the squad if demand requires his services, but more than likely I expect him to adopt a coaching role- especially following the dismissal of Owers and the decision not to replace him.

My thoughts too.

Over on PASOTI they are fuming that Young has gone, but as JS has said he had hard calls to make. He is the manager and whatever we say or think will not bother him. It is part and parcel of the game.

I see Crawley have released 11 players....

Surprised trottman,young, max and parsons have been released
why we carried vassell so long god only knows.

Releasing Luke Young and keeping Gurrieri is very strange to me.

Letting Cole go, fine with that - McCormick the no. 1, emergency loan market for cover.

Blanchard needed to go, Trotman is a controversial one. Looked good at times but lost concentration too often IMO.

Lecointe must look good in training as Sheridan has really wielded the hatchet this time.

We have let our best and most composed passer of the ball leave.

I will defer to Sheridan's knowledge of a quality centre mid, but it is a bold decision.

We could have had Luke Young on a pretty cheap deal too, so in honesty a bit disillusioned about that one.

Top post on Pasoti.

Biggs wrote:

Stunned, staggered and gutted that Luke Young has gone. 21 years of age, homegrown, 93 games and 8 goals, universally acknowledged as the best passer at the club, so much potential and 33 appearances this season. I can't believe that decision.

I can see your line of thought ejh, but whilst Young clearly has technical skills, he's lacking in physical attributes and consistency, which are very important in a central midfield role.

Do you remember Richard Logan? Technically not the most gifted, but was all heart and workrate, and strong as an ox. We need a bit more of that in the engine room next season, A Leadbitter or Hargreaves type would be ideal, a strong, tenacious all-rounder, that keeps it simple and who'll give you 7/10 every week.

He may well have been offered a deal if he was versatile as Gurrieri, and Allen wasn't coming through.

This one is marginal for me, I can see both sides of the argument. We have quite a few midfield options, let's see what River Allen can bring to the table this season.

I will be staggered if Young makes it somewhere else.
It just doesn't work having Young and Hourihane in midfield and of the two it's Hourihane by a mile.
We need a real ball winner and motivator in midfield and Young just isn't the one.
I am sorry because he is a local boy but Sheridan is paid to make tough decisions and I believe he has got this right.
We all have opinions and my issue would be why keep Gurrieri.
Doesn't offer much. A hard worker but that's about it.

Gurrieri is versatile, but below average in every single position he plays.

Luke Young is the best passer at the club, the most composed player, the best technical player and has more vision than any of them to play our forwards in (see the chance created for Reid on Saturday - one on one, served on an absolute plate).

Even if he is not first XI, he is a great bench player, and a different option to play a possession game, or to playmake. The same as Thomas, who Sheridan quite rightly, saw the light in retaining and developing. When you put young lads like that on, they force a change in the game - but instead, we opt for Blizzard, Wotton and the like.

This releasing top technical players because they are not big enough malarkey. It's all just so very English.

In Spain, Young would have been the first one offered a long term deal. Meanwhile Gurrieri and Blizzard probably wouldn't even be playing professional football.

Very sad day, but Luke Young should take heart that the majority of Argyle fans think Sheridan has got it utterly wrong with this decision.

ejh wrote:

Top post on Pasoti.

Biggs wrote:

Stunned, staggered and gutted that Luke Young has gone. 21 years of age, homegrown, 93 games and 8 goals, universally acknowledged as the best passer at the club, so much potential and 33 appearances this season. I can't believe that decision.

Virtually anonymous on Saturday as he's been in quite a few others......is the flip side to that arguement.

The time to be 'gutted' is if/when he comes good somewhere else and goes on to reap that club gazillions in transfer profit, but that's a big 'if'. The very self same 'if' that accompanied every young local player released by the club for decades. Be it at youth, apprentice or professional level a dozen or so go every season, so of the 100-150 released over the last decade how many have ACTUALLY proved anyone wrong?

Besides times to be "stunned, staggered and gutted" is at the point of hearing a loved one has died suddenly or hearing earth shattering world news, the Kennedy assassination or 9/11 for example. The release of a fourth division midfielder with promise but questionable pedigree falls somewhat short of 'stunning'.

ejh wrote:

Releasing Luke Young and keeping Gurrieri is very strange to me.Letting Cole go, fine with that - McCormick the no. 1, emergency loan market for cover.

Blanchard needed to go, Trotman is a controversial one. Looked good at times but lost concentration too often IMO.

Lecointe must look good in training as Sheridan has really wielded the hatchet this time.

Agree with that.Although Young has proved to be infuriatingly inconsistent at times,the same could also be said of Guerrieri and Young has more time on his side to improve-scores a few more goals as well.Very surprised at this but won't quibble with the rest of the list-there are some marginal cases there but decisions have to be made in the final analysis and a clear out was unquestionably needed.There is no guarantee that players offered contracts will accept them and did Shez also not say that there could also be some contracted players who could be on the way out as well? Should be very interesting to see what happens between now and August-hope that Young's release doesn't come back to haunt Shez.Having said that,good luck to all the players on the way out,never pleasant when you're told that you aren't wanted at any organisation.

X Isle wrote:

ejh wrote:

Top post on Pasoti.

Biggs wrote:

Stunned, staggered and gutted that Luke Young has gone. 21 years of age, homegrown, 93 games and 8 goals, universally acknowledged as the best passer at the club, so much potential and 33 appearances this season. I can't believe that decision.

Virtually anonymous on Saturday as he's been in quite a few others......is the flip side to that arguement.

The time to be 'gutted' is if/when he comes good somewhere else and goes on to reap that club gazillions in transfer profit, but that's a big 'if'. The very self same 'if' that accompanied every young local player released by the club for decades. Be it at youth, apprentice or professional level a dozen or so go every season, so of the 100-150 released over the last decade how many have ACTUALLY proved anyone wrong?

Besides times to be "stunned, staggered and gutted" is at the point of hearing a loved one has died suddenly or hearing earth shattering world news, the Kennedy assassination or 9/11 for example. The release of a fourth division midfielder with promise but questionable pedigree falls somewhat short of 'stunning'.            

He played Reid through one on one with a pass Andrea Pirlo would have been proud of? Reid really should have done better. No other Argyle player produces moments of creative quality like that. Conor is fantastic but for different reasons - I am sure he would confess to wishing he could think and pass and create like Young on the ball.

I was always a fan of Youngs however I have seen our best and most consistent passer of the ball play twice this year and both games he was lucky to make fifty percent of passes, simply not good enough and turns defence into attack in an instant. Simple ball possession has been our downfall too often even for league two. Funnily enough Guy BRANSTON was co hosting with Sparksey a couple of times this season and when Sparks said about Youngs potential he got a bollocking from Branno who said that too many people have been blowing smoke up the kids arse and he believes that he is the finished article but he is way off it in his opinion. Branno said that when he hits a player with every cross he makes he will be snapped up by a top CCC team if he plays as he does now he will struggle in League 2, I agree with him, we can't afford potential.
As for Wotts he is needed as a midfield general and that's why he's been kept on, if we needed a coach we would hire one I would imagine. We need the odd senior player.

ejh wrote:

X Isle wrote:

ejh wrote:

Top post on Pasoti.

Biggs wrote:

Stunned, staggered and gutted that Luke Young has gone. 21 years of age, homegrown, 93 games and 8 goals, universally acknowledged as the best passer at the club, so much potential and 33 appearances this season. I can't believe that decision.

Virtually anonymous on Saturday as he's been in quite a few others......is the flip side to that arguement.

The time to be 'gutted' is if/when he comes good somewhere else and goes on to reap that club gazillions in transfer profit, but that's a big 'if'. The very self same 'if' that accompanied every young local player released by the club for decades. Be it at youth, apprentice or professional level a dozen or so go every season, so of the 100-150 released over the last decade how many have ACTUALLY proved anyone wrong?

Besides times to be "stunned, staggered and gutted" is at the point of hearing a loved one has died suddenly or hearing earth shattering world news, the Kennedy assassination or 9/11 for example. The release of a fourth division midfielder with promise but questionable pedigree falls somewhat short of 'stunning'.            

He played Reid through one on one with a pass Andrea Pirlo would have been proud of? Reid really should have done better. No other Argyle player produces moments of creative quality like that. Conor is fantastic but for different reasons - I am sure he would confess to wishing he could think and pass and create like Young on the ball.

He also played a precision ball for Reid to score his goal from.

Young is 21. Scores free kicks. Plays sublime passes. Spots passes that no one else does.

This is genuinely baffling, he is a player with potential. Bulking up will come but he's only 21 and unlike Harvey is much more physical and gets involved.

The others aren't a surprise but I'm actually a little angry about this, gutted.

ejh wrote:

X Isle wrote:

ejh wrote:

Top post on Pasoti.

Biggs wrote:

Stunned, staggered and gutted that Luke Young has gone. 21 years of age, homegrown, 93 games and 8 goals, universally acknowledged as the best passer at the club, so much potential and 33 appearances this season. I can't believe that decision.

Virtually anonymous on Saturday as he's been in quite a few others......is the flip side to that arguement.

The time to be 'gutted' is if/when he comes good somewhere else and goes on to reap that club gazillions in transfer profit, but that's a big 'if'. The very self same 'if' that accompanied every young local player released by the club for decades. Be it at youth, apprentice or professional level a dozen or so go every season, so of the 100-150 released over the last decade how many have ACTUALLY proved anyone wrong?

Besides times to be "stunned, staggered and gutted" is at the point of hearing a loved one has died suddenly or hearing earth shattering world news, the Kennedy assassination or 9/11 for example. The release of a fourth division midfielder with promise but questionable pedigree falls somewhat short of 'stunning'.            

He played Reid through one on one with a pass Andrea Pirlo would have been proud of? Reid really should have done better. No other Argyle player produces moments of creative quality like that. Conor is fantastic but for different reasons - I am sure he would confess to wishing he could think and pass and create like Young on the ball.

You could've said exactly the same about Luke Summerfield too, only he was giving those glimpses of 'an eye for a pass' in the championship. He hasn't come back to bite us, only time will tell but if Luke Young does.

Besides, as stated earlier, it's academic. Managers manage and spectators just spectate, it's Sheridan's call and there ain't a whole heap we can do about it. In an ideal world i'd prefer to keep him and see what develops personally, however I accept and respect that in the situation we find ourselves, some luxuries we just can't afford.

(Edited to add - Branno (via Iggy) alludes to the possibility of a bit of a high opinion of himself. How a player trains, his desire to improve himself and any attitude he may bring to the wider group is something a manager would see and we would not. Not saying it's true, he might be a grounded and model professional for all we know, just saying Sheridan WOULD know).

With crowds of 6000ish in league 2 with the club having to pay for the asset strippers acquisition how many players with POTENTIAL can we keep FFS? We need players now that can cope in league 1 and above, I am sick to death with earring that our signings are "good at this level" that is what has kept us at this level since Brent took over. We have a team full of POTENTIAL, league position attained this season 9th, I rest my FOOKIN case, well done Shez.

UndercoverGreen wrote:

Young is 21. Scores free kicks. Plays sublime passes. Spots passes that no one else does.

This is genuinely baffling, he is a player with potential. Bulking up will come but he's only 21 and unlike Harvey is much more physical and gets involved.

The others aren't a surprise but I'm actually a little angry about this, gutted.

The trawlermen of the South West are having a seriously busy day today  

He's had to make a series of tough decisions for the good of the group and the cloth he has at his disposal to tailor. He's made those decisions. Most we agree with, some we don't, but 'gutted'?

Iggy wrote:

With crowds of 6000ish in league 2 with the club having to pay for the asset strippers acquisition how many players with POTENTIAL can we keep FFS? We need players now that can cope in league 1 and above, I am sick to death with earring that our signings are "good at this level" that is what has kept us at this level since Brent took over. We have a team full of POTENTIAL, league position attained this season 9th, I rest my FOOKIN case, well done Shez.

I know this'll hurt Iggles but I fully agree, It's the only pragmatic position to take.

With regard to the £2,500,000 we must pay back in the next two seasons I suspect the words "If we keep him and he comes good we could sell him for £2.5M, just like Gosling and clear our debts" are heading towards this thread with ill-deserved and simplistic confidence.  

We could also try digging up the car park hoping to discover a long lost hoard of Spanish bullion left over from Drake's days to clear our debts too. It's all about weighing up the outlay against the probability of success.

IMO Sheridan is looking for a squad of fifteen (due to his budget) if the squad were to be 22 players, Young would be staying -Youngs departure is therefore down to Brent not Sheridan........

Think Guy Branston was talking about Jason Banton, not Luke Young

PatDunne wrote:

IMO Sheridan is looking for a squad of fifteen (due to his budget) if the squad were to be 22 players, Young would be staying -Youngs departure is therefore down to Brent* not Sheridan........

Or......

IMO Sheridan is looking for a squad of fifteen (due to his budget) if the squad were to be 22 players, Young would be staying -Youngs departure is therefore down to the legacy of outstanding debts from the previous regime (despite the best efforts of the present regime not to make the same mistakes of the past and live beyond our means), not Sheridan........

(delete as applicable depending on personal choice, tint or respective perception of glass content)