Retained list

https://www.newport-county.co.uk/news/2024/may/retained-23-24/

Confirmation of those released

To be honest I might have gone a bit deeper...

Wildig and Charsley both disappointed last season. If either go elsewhere I won't be too bothered. It will be good to see some new faces rather than the same players making the same errors.

I wonder how many of the players not retained anyone would have liked to be offered a contract and was it to do with finances that they weren't offered new contracts

Good question crazy frog. If rumours of Bogle and Zanzala's wages are true, finances could have played a part. Alternatively they and others could have made it clear they didn't want to be offered new contracts?
Given the small number offered new contracts it think it will be a major challenge in affording/ attracting players in sufficient numbers.
Was sure Rai's contract was up? Yet no mention of him?

According to the argus rai under contract,be surprised if beno doesn't stay but wouldn't let any player hold us to ransom I would give them till the end of the month to sign contract if not bye bye

Oldcromwellian wrote:Good question crazy frog. If rumours of Bogle and Zanzala's wages are true, finances could have played a part. Alternatively they and others could have made it clear they didn't want to be offered new contracts?
Given the small number offered new contracts it think it will be a major challenge in affording/ attracting players in sufficient numbers.
Was sure Rai's contract was up? Yet no mention of him?

Zanzala's injury record would count against him and Bogle having a strop if taken off should have counted against him. Rai needs to be on a regime that's going to add a bit of weight so he's harder to shift off the ball.

If you look at those contracted then you've got three CB's (Jameson, Clarke and Seberry) and Sanca learning, you've got McLoughlin as right back/wing back/CB/midfield and up front you've Evans, Jephcott and Rai. Midfield is looking sparse but Bennett with Morris gives a reasonable starting point. I want to see the Charsley that started 2023/24, playing as an attacking midfielder. Although I'd like to see Bennett re-sign, I'm also mindful that County need to be looking for someone that will ultimately replace him. Another years contract and his replacement to learn from him would be a sensible option.

The other thing to mention is Nathan Wood isn't in the released list. Perhaps he'll be better for a season at L2 level (okay it was half a season). Perhaps his performance levels will mirror Will Evans improvement from 2022-23 to 2023-24...

Nathan Wood was signed on a 2 year contract.

My only thoughts when I saw the list of released players was simply that it echoed my thoughts : looking at it dispassionately I couldn’t make a convincing case for retaining any of them. The trick will be to attract better ones to replace them. It’ll be a busy close season.

Oldcromwellian wrote:Nathan Wood was signed on a 2 year contract.

Perhaps I should have said that he could have been on the 'released' list as it wouldn't have been a large use of resources to do so. Taking the comparison with Will Evans, who came from the Welsh Premier League the year before him, Wood didn't have the same impact of Evans in his 'transition' season. Both players got moved around a bit in their first season and maybe in Woods forthcoming season we'll find him played primarily in the one position. I think there was potential there...

lowandhard wrote:My only thoughts when I saw the list of released players was simply that it echoed my thoughts : looking at it dispassionately I couldn’t  make a convincing case for retaining any of them. The trick will be to attract better ones to replace them. It’ll be a busy close season.

I agree. There didn't seem to be any 50/50 calls. All were reasonably in favour of release. I'd say the same about the loanees, Palmer-Houlden apart. If any of last years loanees were to become available to sign (other than Palmer-Houlden) then it should be a firm no from County...

wattsville_boy wrote:

Oldcromwellian wrote:Nathan Wood was signed on a 2 year contract.

Perhaps I should have said that he could have been on the 'released' list as it wouldn't have been a large use of resources to do so.  Taking the comparison with Will Evans, who came from the Welsh Premier League the year before him, Wood didn't have the same impact of Evans in his 'transition' season.  Both players got moved around a bit in their first season and maybe in Woods forthcoming season we'll find him played primarily in the one position.  I think there was potential there...

I think Wood was thrust into the first team as a starter earlier than planned and earlier than was good for him. I'm assuming here that the development plan was for him to be a squad player.out on loan during this past season to get him ready to be a first team regular for this coming season. In my opinion, he never let us down while looking just short of being first team ready, which is to be expected. It was certainly fortunate for us that he was available for the games he did play. I'm now hoping that sending him out on loan will benefit us next season, otherwise it looks like we made a mistake as we certainly could have used his legs in the squad at the end of the season.

wattsville_boy wrote:

lowandhard wrote:My only thoughts when I saw the list of released players was simply that it echoed my thoughts : looking at it dispassionately I couldn’t  make a convincing case for retaining any of them. The trick will be to attract better ones to replace them. It’ll be a busy close season.

I agree.  There didn't seem to be any 50/50 calls.  All were reasonably in favour of release.  I'd say the same about the loanees, Palmer-Houlden apart.  If any of last years loanees were to become available to sign (other than Palmer-Houlden) then it should be a firm no from County...

Lewis is out of contract at Liverpool and Baker may be out of contract at Stoke but I can't find anything definitive on that.

Amberexile wrote:

wattsville_boy wrote:

lowandhard wrote:My only thoughts when I saw the list of released players was simply that it echoed my thoughts : looking at it dispassionately I couldn’t  make a convincing case for retaining any of them. The trick will be to attract better ones to replace them. It’ll be a busy close season.

I agree.  There didn't seem to be any 50/50 calls.  All were reasonably in favour of release.  I'd say the same about the loanees, Palmer-Houlden apart.  If any of last years loanees were to become available to sign (other than Palmer-Houlden) then it should be a firm no from County...

Lewis is out of contract at Liverpool and Baker may be out of contract at Stoke but I can't find anything definitive on that.

That's my understanding too.

There was plenty of effort last season but not much going on in the way of passing and moving at a tempo which would stress the opposition.
I would have got rid of Wildig and Charsley too.
I like GC and hope he does well but his seat is already warm, and he has probably got 5-10 more games to show he is the right man.

We didn't have any creative midfielders last season, GC appears to me as a blood and guts player and now a manager, I will be surprised to see a good standard of football next season.

ajs wrote:We didn't have any creative midfielders last season, GC appears to me as a blood and guts player and now a manager, I will be surprised to see a good standard of football next season.  

I think Wildig and perhaps Charsley are both supposed 'creative players'. I'm not entirely sure what a Manager with a very limited budget is supposed to do when his supposed 'creative players' are injured/out of form...

wattsville_boy wrote:

ajs wrote:We didn't have any creative midfielders last season, GC appears to me as a blood and guts player and now a manager, I will be surprised to see a good standard of football next season.  

I think Wildig and perhaps Charsley are both supposed 'creative players'.  I'm not entirely sure what a Manager with a very limited budget is supposed to do when his supposed 'creative players' are injured/out of form...

Wildig and Charsley made 80 appearances between them across all competitions last season