Squad: June 2024 | Vital Football

Squad: June 2024

Scotimp

Scotimp

Vital Football Legend
OK, time to take a look at the current squad and begin the conjecture process. Ages are at 30 June 2024 with contract dates in brackets. There may be errors in there - the club has tended not to divulge certain details, so I am giving an estimate as stated. As ever, positions may be fluid - for instance, is Dylan Duffy a winger or a wing-back now?

Goalkeepers: (3)
Lukas Jensen, 25 (June 2025)
Jordan Wright, 25 (June 2025)
Sam Long, 21 (June 2025)

Central Defenders: (7)
Adam Jackson, 30 (June 2025)
Sean Roughan, 21 (June 2025)
Paudie O'Connor, 26 ('long-term' contract, minimum June 2024)
TJ Eyoma, 24 (probably June 2024)
Zak Bradshaw, 20 (June 2026)
Elicha Ahui, 20 (probably June 2025)
Michael-John Kamson-Kamara, 18 (minimum June 2025)

Lewis Montsma, 26 (out of contract)
Hayden Cann, 20 (out of contract)

Wing Backs: (3)
Jaden Brown, 25 (June 2025)
Lasse Sørensen, 24 (probably June 2024)
Jay Benn, 22 (probably June 2024)

Central Midfielders: (4)
Ethan Hamilton, 25 (June 2026)
Alistair Smith, 25 (June 2025)
Ethan Erhahon, 23 (probably June 2025)
Oisín Gallagher, 19 (probably June 2025)

Teddy Bishop, 27 (out of contract)

Wingers: (2)
Reeco Hackett-Fairchild, 26 (June 2026)
Dylan Duffy, 21 (probably June 2025)

Hakeeb Adelakun, 28 (out of contract)

Strikers: (6)
Jack Moylan, 22 (probably June 2026)
Freddie Draper, 19 (probably June 2026)
Ben House, 24 (June 2025)
Tyler Walker, 27 (June 2025)
Jovon Makama, 20 (probably June 2025)
Danny Mândroiu, 25 (minimum June 2024)

Contracted: 25
Out of contract: at least 4
In on loan: 0
Out on loan: 0

Average age at 30 June 2024: 23 years, 11 months
excluding players out on loan
 
Others who may be out of contract: Lasse Sørensen, Paudie O'Connor, TJ Eyoma, Jay Benn, Danny Mândroiu.
 
First time I’ve seen O’Connor as potentially out of contract. That would mean we signed Bradford’s captain and POS on a 2 year deal.
Surely more likely 3 year?
 
This year, perhaps the odd one or two next, will be the end of the period where where we didn't disclose contract lengths I'm guessing.
 
Of those listed as been out of,or maybe out of contact I would release Eyoma,Adelekun,Montsma,Cann and Benn. I would also expect Brown to have a termination arrangement for the last year of his contract. Our squad at 25 after the potential removal of the out of contract players,is still too large. We need to try and move on /sell /severance deal several more. I would include Smith and Long in this. The one I'm not sure about is Bishop. I would probably offer him a 1 year deal on reduced terms.
 
I see the argument about numbers, but if we can loan young players out and cover their wages, it makes sense to keep them on the basis that they are "investments" that may make us some money or become first team players down the line. I expect Adelakun on his own is probably earning more than the half dozen youngsters we had out on loan this year.

On goalkeepers specifically, I think we probably don't need both of Wright and Long, but the thinking is that Long won't progress by being backup on the bench here. Therefore we send him out on loan to develop, presumably covering his wage at the same time. The question to ask, I guess, is whether we realistically see him as a first team 'keeper in the future if and when Jensen leaves.
 
We do have one goalkeeper too many. Long wasn't able to pin down a place in the Scottish third tier (rough equivalent: NLN or Northern Premier League), which may be a concern. Wright will almost certainly want first team football elsewhere.

If Eyoma and Montsma are released, as many seem to expect, and Mitchell never returns, we look very short at the back.

Central midfield is an issue if Erhahon goes, we need a Bridcutt in there. With Hamilton set to miss the start of the season and Bishop a question mark, lots of work to be done there too.

We need a goalscorer, Taylor leaves some very big headphones to fill (and some very tight shorts too). It is too much to expect Draper and Makama to score regularly, I don't think they have that in their lockers just yet.

Incidentally, Taylor finished top scorer for Colchester too (11 league, 1 League Cup) - quite an achievement for a 21-year-old to finish top scorer for two different clubs in the same season.
 
that contracted list of 25 is really two squads in one, the first team squad (17) and the development squad (8). i would still put draper and Makama in the second section.

and hard to say the contracted squad is too large when we often struggle to put out 18. the way the game is played has accelerated, leading to more emphasis on the need to be 100% fit to get a game, and more injuries from training and in-game. bigger squads favour the richer clubs. with our relative lack of funds, we try to short cut the bigger squad ethos with quality over quantity... but were caught out twice this season (first with forwards, second with midfield). very tricky to get the balance right and also compete in the top half of L1.

the other issue is that developing players from the academy via a bridge into the first team is completely new at lcfc, and takes time. roughan, (plus draper, makama to a lesser extent) are the first graduates... under cowley with an academy player (chapman - still only 23!) it was straight into the first team squad (he had 1 loan in the middle) and had to sink or swim, plus we rose three levels in that time.

running the loans as a development squad has only really been going on seriously since the cowleys left... approx 4.5 seasons? and in that time the intake interview would have started as 'new to league one level' but has since fortunately evolved to 'we aim to develop you to top end league one/possibility of championship level'... so the best of that intake may not be seen for a couple of seasons.
 
nlondonimp said:
that contracted list of 25 is really two squads in one, the first team squad (17) and the development squad (8). i would still put draper and Makama in the second section.

and hard to say the contracted squad is too large when we often struggle to put out 18. the way the game is played has accelerated, leading to more emphasis on the need to be 100% fit to get a game, and more injuries from training and in-game. bigger squads favour the richer clubs. with our relative lack of funds, we try to short cut the bigger squad ethos with quality over quantity... but were caught out twice this season (first with forwards, second with midfield). very tricky to get the balance right and also compete in the top half of L1.

the other issue is that developing players from the academy via a bridge into the first team is completely new at lcfc, and takes time. roughan, (plus draper, makama to a lesser extent) are the first graduates... under cowley with an academy player (chapman - still only 23!) it was straight into the first team squad (he had 1 loan in the middle) and had to sink or swim, plus we rose three levels in that time.

running the loans as a development squad has only really been going on seriously since the cowleys left... approx 4.5 seasons? and in that time the intake interview would have started as 'new to league one level' but has since fortunately evolved to 'we aim to develop you to top end league one/possibility of championship level'... so the best of that intake may not be seen for a couple of seasons.
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Totally agree, we need to increase our first team ready numbers to around 22. Been very short on the bench at times this season when we have needed to bring experince on to really influence a game. To still have the development element also, which we should have, will mean a slightly bigger squad and bigger budget. Has to be done if we seriously want to try and improve on this season in my opinion.
 
Skooby suggested in the Hopeless Glory interview that Erhahon has 'a couple more years' on his contract - assuming that is not disingenuous at all, I will amend that in the next player update (probably upon the release of the retained list).
 
Oldshepherd Imp said:
Totally agree, we need to increase our first team ready numbers to around 22. Been very short on the bench at times this season when we have needed to bring experince on to really influence a game. To still have the development element also, which we should have, will mean a slightly bigger squad and bigger budget. Has to be done if we seriously want to try and improve on this season in my opinion.
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Totally agree, Skubala mentioned post match that I would like to have 24 players as Portsmouth have, very unlikely
 
Oldshepherd Imp said:
Totally agree, we need to increase our first team ready numbers to around 22. Been very short on the bench at times this season when we have needed to bring experince on to really influence a game. To still have the development element also, which we should have, will mean a slightly bigger squad and bigger budget. Has to be done if we seriously want to try and improve on this season in my opinion.
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The budget has already provided a 22 Man squad all capable of affecting the first team.

Hamilton, McGrandles, Hackett, House have missed big chunks of the season and Walker and Montsma in effect the whole season....

...and still TJ, Duffy and Moylan have struggled to get a game in recent weeks.

1- Jensen
2- Wright
3 - Sorensen
4 - Eyoma
5 - Jackson
6 - Mitchell
7 - O'Connor
8 - Roughan
9 - Hamilton
10 - Erhahon
11- McGrandles
12 - Bishop
13 - Mandroiu
14 - Duffy
15 - Hackett
16 - Moylan
17 - House
18 - Walker
19 - Draper
20 - Makama
21 - Taylor
22 - Montsma
 
Chimpimp said:
The budget has already provided a 22 Man squad all capable of affecting the first team.

Hamilton, McGrandles, Hackett, House have missed big chunks of the season and Walker and Montsma in effect the whole season....

...and still TJ, Duffy and Moylan have struggled to get a game in recent weeks.

1- Jensen
2- Wright
3 - Sorensen
4 - Eyoma
5 - Jackson
6 - Mitchell
7 - O'Connor
8 - Roughan
9 - Hamilton
10 - Erhahon
11- McGrandles
12 - Bishop
13 - Mandroiu
14 - Duffy
15 - Hackett
16 - Moylan
17 - House
18 - Walker
19 - Draper
20 - Makama
21 - Taylor
22 - Montsma
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Think Moylan and Duffy are still in the development stage (look at the impact Moylan had when he came in the first team) and hopefully both will push on next season.
 
Scotimp said:
Skooby suggested in the Hopeless Glory interview that Erhahon has 'a couple more years' on his contract - assuming that is not disingenuous at all, I will amend that in the next player update (probably upon the release of the retained list).
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Excellent news if so, means we can ask for a good price in total confidence.
 
Chimpimp said:
The budget has already provided a 22 Man squad all capable of affecting the first team.

Hamilton, McGrandles, Hackett, House have missed big chunks of the season and Walker and Montsma in effect the whole season....

...and still TJ, Duffy and Moylan have struggled to get a game in recent weeks.

1- Jensen
2- Wright
3 - Sorensen
4 - Eyoma
5 - Jackson
6 - Mitchell
7 - O'Connor
8 - Roughan
9 - Hamilton
10 - Erhahon
11- McGrandles
12 - Bishop
13 - Mandroiu
14 - Duffy
15 - Hackett
16 - Moylan
17 - House
18 - Walker
19 - Draper
20 - Makama
21 - Taylor
22 - Montsma
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Too many centre halves (Montsma didn't play at all, Eyoma barely) and also too many long term injuries (Walker, Montsma didn't feature/barely featured). McGrandles also only played 5 games, Moylan was only here half a season. Obviously you'll never have 100% availability, but they're big holes.

Of course as well as those 22, we had Burroughs, Smith and Brown for parts of the season.
 
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