Brady

[KRBFC]

I don’t think it’s been downhill since that goal. In the following season he was a major influence in the team until the injury.

He got fit eventually, found Dwight McNeil in his way and has since had two years of injuries. A lot have been calf/hamstring injuries and that often happens after a long lay off. This more recent one though can be a bad one. It ended Jon Walters’ career and ruined Matt Taylor’s first season.

Wherever he is next season I hope he can get himself fit and playing regularly.

The players you mentioned is exactly the issue though, ancient players in football terms, clearly nowhere near as good as they once were and we are paying them huge wages to contribute nothing. We are paying Brady £2.1M a year (with bonuses on top) to do what exactly?

[GodIsADeeJay81]

We are honouring the contract we gave him quite simply.

We may not like the return we're getting on the investment, but that's football and the risks involved.

[KRBFC]

We are honouring the contract we gave him quite simply.

We may not like the return we're getting on the investment, but that's football and the risks involved.

You're right but we keep adding on top of it with more signings like Stephens who have 0 re-sale value, 0 potential to improve, big wages and he's taking up a spot and potentially blocking future incomings. Stephens is 4th/5th choice in central midfield and he must be close to top 5 earners.

We've built a very very good spine, a very good base to build upon. We have 9 or so players who are consistently available and consistent performers, we just need to add to it better.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

You're right but we keep adding on top of it with more signings like Stephens who have 0 re-sale value, 0 potential to improve, big wages and he's taking up a spot and potentially blocking future incomings. Stephens is 4th/5th choice in central midfield and he must be close to top 5 earners.

We've built a very very good spine, a very good base to build upon. We have 9 or so players who are consistently available and consistent performers, we just need to add to it better.

Cork was injured when we signed Stephens wasn't he?

It is what it is with Stephens, if Cork had been out for longer we would've started the season with Brownhill, Westwood and Benson as our only CM options... Doubt anyone wanted that let's be fair, especially those who've decided Brownhill is league 1 quality at best

[tiger76]

I wasn't on about Brady - I said he should leave - I was on about contracts generally.

It's fine extending contracts, but eventually you can end up with an ageing dressing room, which is exactly what we're in danger of, and then having to make sweeping changes in a short time which can really affect the morale and team ethic, plus any new players will need time to bed in, that's why ideally you recruit steadily window by window, however we've not had a decent window for a long time now. and these problems are about to come to fruition at a stroke.

I'm all for having an experienced core, but we have a handful of under 30's at the club, and it's showed on several occasions this season when we've looked leggy due to the quick turnaround in games.

This is why we need younger legs in this window to give us much needed energy , and if that means clearing the decks of some older faces then so be it.

[KRBFC]

Cork was injured when we signed Stephens wasn't he?

It is what it is with Stephens, if Cork had been out for longer we would've started the season with Brownhill, Westwood and Benson as our only CM options... Doubt anyone wanted that let's be fair, especially those who've decided Brownhill is league 1 quality at best

Surely it wasn't Stephens or nobody though. Hopefully ALK bring a freshness to our recruitment with data.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Surely it wasn't Stephens or nobody though. Hopefully ALK bring a freshness to our recruitment with data.

It was a strange time though and he's got PL experience and wasn't after a long contract.
Just helped us ensure we had enough bodies for this odd season.

Yeah there should be an improvement this summer with recruitment

[ClaretTony]

Surely it wasn't Stephens or nobody though. Hopefully ALK bring a freshness to our recruitment with data.

It was

[taio]

It's fine extending contracts, but eventually you can end up with an ageing dressing room, which is exactly what we're in danger of, and then having to make sweeping changes in a short time which can really affect the morale and team ethic, plus any new players will need time to bed in, that's why ideally you recruit steadily window by window, however we've not had a decent window for a long time now. and these problems are about to come to fruition at a stroke.

I'm all for having an experienced core, but we have a handful of under 30's at the club, and it's showed on several occasions this season when we've looked leggy due to the quick turnaround in games.

This is why we need younger legs in this window to give us much needed energy , and if that means clearing the decks of some older faces then so be it.

The point was that just because a contract is extended it doesn't mean the player will remain for the duration of the contract. That's all.

[Vegas Claret]

I'm expecting Brady, Dunne and possibly Stephens to go, you would expect that to be in and around 100K + in wages saved

[Jakubclaret]

We are honouring the contract we gave him quite simply.

We may not like the return we're getting on the investment, but that's football and the risks involved.

That’s true, at the end of the day we are the daft 1s for offering it & he’s a smart cookie for accepting it, him & his agent must have been singing from the rooftops before the ink had even dried.

[Cirrus_Minor]

If Dyche believes he can recapture the form and fitness he showed a couple of seasons (or so) back or even some of the form he was starting to show earlier this season then I suspect he will be encouraged to keep with our squad. But I suspect he knows where the wind is blowing in terms of first team appearances and may want to move on to somewhere like Celtic.

[tiger76]

The point was that just because a contract is extended it doesn't mean the player will remain for the duration of the contract. That's all.

Of course but I'd rather we gave contracts out to guys who'll actually be able to contribute on the park, I can only assume the situation was so bad last summer that SD felt he had no option but to keep Brady on, as it doesn't sound like there was anybody coming in to replace Robbie if we'd let him go, so Sean's hand was kind of forced in that sense.

Hopefully the new regime will be more forthcoming regarding funds to improve the squad, otherwise it could be a grim season next year.

[taio]

Of course but I'd rather we gave contracts out to guys who'll actually be able to contribute on the park, I can only assume the situation was so bad last summer that SD felt he had no option but to keep Brady on, as it doesn't sound like there was anybody coming in to replace Robbie if we'd let him go, so Sean's hand was kind of forced in that sense.

Hopefully the new regime will be more forthcoming regarding funds to improve the squad, otherwise it could be a grim season next year.

Once again I'm not on about Brady. I agree he needs to go.

[jojomk1]

I'm expecting Brady, Dunne and possibly Stephens to go, you would expect that to be in and around 100K + in wages saved

And where are you expecting Stephens to go ?

He's not going to get anywhere near the money he is currently on, even if a club showed any interest

Another one who will run down his contract

[Jakubclaret]

And where are you expecting Stephens to go ?

He's not going to get anywhere near the money he is currently on, even if a club showed any interest

Another one who will run down his contract

Should have given him a 1 year till this autumn & then assessed, but holding out for 2 he probably wouldn’t have agreed to even be here in the first place.

[tiger76]

I'm expecting Brady, Dunne and possibly Stephens to go, you would expect that to be in and around 100K + in wages saved

Brady & Dunne will probably go, but I can't see Stephens going anywhere, I'm afraid we're stuck with him for 12 months, so let's just hope he can actually show why we signed him, plus don't forget Gibson will also be off the wage bill, and I'd wager his salary was pretty hefty, so that should free up some slack for any incomings hopefully.

[jojomk1]

If Stephens gets anywhere near the starting 11 it means we have a lot of injuries

£8m from Gibson sale will not go far if we are looking for any reasonable quality and experience and we need that at the back even if JT stays

Given our new debt, it will depend a lot on what we may get for JT to see any significant incomings throughout other areas of the pitch

Unless we see some substantial additional investment from other partners sourced by ALK

[Tribesmen]

I think a few will leave over the summer and sad to say Robbie will be one of them .

Loved Robbie i have to say but just maybe it's time for him to move on .

[Vegas Claret]

Brady & Dunne will probably go, but I can't see Stephens going anywhere, I'm afraid we're stuck with him for 12 months, so let's just hope he can actually show why we signed him, plus don't forget Gibson will also be off the wage bill, and I'd wager his salary was pretty hefty, so that should free up some slack for any incomings hopefully.

I'm sure CP (or someone) posted on here that we had an option to release him at the end of this season - how factual that is I don't know of course

edit: CT says he's on a 2 year deal so we have him for another year unless we sell him

[Jel]

I think that his attitude is wrong, he's a liability, dives in late to tackles and that's what injured him against Leicester.
It's happened again more than once since his initial injury.
Time to go.

[warksclaret]

In fairness to Brady I think he has put himself under a lot of pressure to perform and his confidence is shot. This shows in his passing and crossing ability, the way he dives in to make amends for losing possession, and at times he appears to be a yellow or red card waiting to happen. He needs to find a new club where he can see out his career. Maybe a footballing club like a return to Norwich, or even Leeds or Brentford

[Top Claret]

I thought when he was fit this season he had a couple of good games and was regaining some form, reminiscent of his pre Leicester injury days.

He really isn't fit enough nor consistent enough to secure a deal with a premier league club, so I think we should offer him a new contract on championship rates, because that is where he will be heading if he left the Turf, the same would apply to JBG