Retained list (Merged and confirmed)

[Jannerz]

I'm a bit surprised with Wilson. He's 34. I think he's actually improved in his fitness and his passing on the ground has upped a level in the run in. Maybe Schuey motivated him to work on that dangling a contract, he's imo played his best football in the last 10 games. But would he be a squad player next season? I'd think so because he's just not quick enough I feel. I don't think his fitness is an issue tho. I'm not big on looking at former loanees but if Zak Vyner is being released, as rumoured, (just checked their list is not released yet), I feel that's a no brainer for us imo.

edit. just checked the media and Zak isn't realistic..according to Bristol Live..

"The recent links of a possible transfer to Premier League side Brentford this summer did raise the debate about where Zak Vyner's long-term future lies after his brilliant season. Whether a move to the top flight materialises remains to be seen but City could be cornered into a decision over the next handful of months.

The club recently activated the one-year option in his contract tying him down until the summer of 2024 with further talks ongoing over extending that deal. His importance on the side this season was reflected in making 45 Championship appearances, finding those levels of consistency that proved elusive 12 months ago."

 

[Nobby]

With the reference above to us needing more number 10’s, I was quite intrigued that the retained list specifically said Will Jenkins Davies will join the senior squad, but it doesn’t say the same for any of the other young pros. He has excelled for the Academy so I wonder if he may be more involved than we are anticipating?

 

[Frank the Phone]

I know Wilson is old, and a big unit, but I actually think he's sufficiently quick and surprisingly so. I recall a few times this season where he has sprinted back effectively to cover a mistake. I think he's noticeably quicker than Scarr, for example. So he will be just fine next season in my view.

 

[Matt Green Army]

I know Wilson is old, and a big unit, but I actually think he's sufficiently quick and surprisingly so. I recall a few times this season where he has sprinted back effectively to cover a mistake. I think he's noticeably quicker than Scarr, for example. So he will be just fine next season in my view.

Totally agree Wilson has been outstanding for Argyle these last 2 seasons and seems to have a nasty streak as well which is very endearing.
Age is only a number in his case and the same for Captain Joe

 

[greenpilled]

I see it as a good thing. Those released aren't good enough for the Championship so it gives us a partial clean slate to work with.

With 101 points, I'm not sure we needed a clean slate. Last season's squad was obviously too good for League 1, which is a pretty good clue of their ability to play in the Championship. Ideally we'd have kept them together with more limited incomings and outgoings. But that's a result of our use of the loan system, which has worked very well for us so not complaining.

Certainly the difficulty of recruiting players for a Championship campaign is a nice problem for Argyle to have compared to others that have afflicted the club over the past decade.

 

[jimsing]

IMO you cannot separate the two. If we paid less wages than our competitors and therefore the players were of lesser value we did overachieve in being champions. It’s the “massively” I struggle with. If that is your perception we stand no chance in the Championship .How can you go better than “massively overachieve”?

Are you saying, Oldy, that by paying less for a player, that immediately makes him a lesser player, because that is where we differ. Hallett said that we cannot compete on player finance, so we become smarter in our acquisitions. We mould a team of lesser players to compete against better quality players and that comes from the tactics set out by the manager.

Yes, we massively overachieved with the players that we had last season from a financial point of view, and it may be possible to massively overachieve with better quality players that will enhance our currently small squad next season, but it still means that we may have a relegation fight on our hands. We will be competing with other clubs that CAN spend money to get higher quality players, but it doesn't mean that we will not be able to overachieve against them, massively or not.

 

[oldage]

I didn’t say lesser player I said they were of lesser value. You are arguing with yourself in so far as we agree Argyle exceeded expectations this season and will hopefully do the same in the Championship.

 

[Jon with no H]

Totally agree Wilson has been outstanding for Argyle these last 2 seasons and seems to have a nasty streak as well which is very endearing.
Age is only a number in his case and the same for Captain Joe

I love the use of "endearing" here, I always describe him as "not easily daunted".

We need a couple of experienced heads. Out of the players currently under contract, I think Captain Joe is the only one over 30.

Age is only a barrier to Argyle paying a big fee (by relative standards) for someone, rather than signing them full stop - I can't imagine they brought James Wilson into the club with a view to getting anything back in the event he moved on.

 

[jimsing]

I didn’t say lesser player I said they were of lesser value. You are arguing with yourself in so far as we agree Argyle exceeded expectations this season and will hopefully do the same in the Championship.

Quote - If we paid less wages than our competitors and therefore the players were of lesser value.
Ok, our interpretation of lesser value appears to differ.

How can you go better than “massively overachieve”
We can go better by massively overachieving with better quality players (in relation to last season), which we will need to do in the Championship, surely?

 

[Beyton Green]

Wrong in my view. Loads of our squad could play for other Championship sides. I think there's an over-inflation of the jump to this division. Sure we will get a hiding somewhere but I guarantee we will dish a few out too.

We are an unknown quantity to the established championship clubs and we will surprise a few no doubt. Newly promoted sides have been known to have a bounce factor - they've swept all before them and it can continue in their new division.

Sure we are playing some big names, but some are paper tigers compared to their glory years. Let's be disruptors, Let's be upstarts and let's get about them!

I think I was referring to the ridiculousness of Live it up's prior viewpoint of none of our players being good enough??

 

[Live it up]

I think I was referring to the ridiculousness of Live it up's prior viewpoint of none of our players being good enough??

I said 3 were good enough not none of them. If you’re going to quote me get it right.

We have a really good squad for league 1 - but we have to be realistic about what this squad can achieve minus mumba Azaz Cosgrove Matete etc

 

[oldage]

Quote - If we paid less wages than our competitors and therefore the players were of lesser value.
Ok, our interpretation of lesser value appears to differ.

How can you go better than “massively overachieve”
We can go better by massively overachieving with better quality players (in relation to last season), which we will need to do in the Championship, surely?

I give up.I know what I mean but not worth spending any more time on.

 

[James J]

I hope the players who have been offered new contracts sign on fairly quickly and it doesn’t drag on til the end of June which sometimes happens. I understand that players want to keep their options open but it creates uncertainty.

 

[Furnell]

I wonder whether injury records were a deciding factor. We have four excellent but injury prone players who, in my view, could be good in the Championship - Connor, Mickel, Brendon and James B.

We are committed to Mickel (under contract) and Brendon (option triggered) and maybe Connor and James’ injuries records represented too much of a risk with the need to bring in additional quality next season.

Connor has been a brilliant servant and both desperately unlucky. I wish them both the best of luck for a few injury free seasons to show their quality.

 

[BramcoteGreen]

Some of the debate on here is about the difference between facts and opinions.The fact that the bookies had us as such outsiders to be the Champions is evidence that we massively over achieved.Typically they are evidentially right more times than they are wrong which is why they are so rich.Argyle are not rich but they are evidentially better run than other clubs when you look at criteria like the accounts and the infrastructure of the ground(eg Birmingham).After that the biggest difference, which is an opinion, is the impact effective teamwork and good coaching can have on performance.Therefore highly effective players this year like Randell , Ennis and Hardie can still improve massively next year.They might not.The improvements from Butcher and Houghton at the back end of the season were obvious but I have no idea why or how this happened.I trust the methods and judgements of the management team and IMHO we should be optimistic about what can be achieved next year but to stay up we will probably need 5 excellent loans and 3 excellent players recruited which should keep us interested over the summer.