Who goes... who stays

[Amor de Cosmos]

The really tough decisions have begun for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

Ale Faurlin and Clint Hill have been let go, and the club is in negotiations with Junior Hoilett and Karl Henry. Baskets of feathers and vats of boiling tar are being prepared on Shepherds Bush Green as I write.

Faurlin and Hill are probably the most popular players QPR has on its books. Faurlin as a tremendous, but crushingly unlucky, talent who has recovered from three ACL operations. Hill as the ultra-reliable defender captain who arrived with dodgy ankles at 33 and and is still doing yeoman's duty on them at nearly 38.

Hoilett OTOH is viewed as an overpaid chancer who's did fuck all until his four year contract began to wind down this past Winter. Henry is just viewed as hapless. A kind of soccer playing village idiot who's only there, until you find someone who can actually pass a football.

These, of course, are classic sentimental fan vs pragmatic manager type decisions.

The baseline for JFH are players who can give him 46 games a year if necessary. Faurlin and Hill can't. Henry, OTOH, appears to made of cast iron, and Hoilett's only 25 and has, objectively, been the club's best forward over the past four months.

I'm guessing the club will sign Henry, but can't afford Hoilett. And Neil Warnock's already on the phone to Hill and Faurlin.

[longeared]

Who goes... who stays

Sheffield Wednesday

Most of our first choice players are already under contract for next season, meaning that there will likely not be that many decisions that are dependent on whether we win the play offs.

Jose Semedo waved a tearful farewell to the fans after Saturday's game. He's a hugely popular player - as far back as 2012 we had a "Semedo Day" at the City Ground - and has been with us since the League One days. The progression of the club meant it was always likely we'd leave him behind at some point, but he can do a job elsewhere. Also he's best mates with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Another player who's drifted out of the picture is Liam Palmer, who's been with the club since signing as a kid at the turn of the century. He's been shifted from midfield to defence and had some unjustified stick from the fans. Given that most of our ex players seem to end up at Rotherham or Preston I'll hazard a guess Warnock will be on the phone.

Jeremy Helan is a versatile player who would be worth hanging on to if we don't go up. Wolves had him on loan recently and have indicated they'd like to buy him.

Caolan Lavery has seen his career stall this year, he's not good enough for this level. He'll go somewhere in League 1 and score a lot of goals if he gets regular football, he reminds me a bit of Ryan Lowe.

Our third choice keeper Lewis Price is out of contract - we could do worse than re-sign him as cover in the Championship. Fourth choice keeper Cameron Dawson is a player I expect to see in a non league game within the next couple of seasons.

Felipe Melo (not that one) has been permanently injured so will probably be shifted out. Modou Sougou and Lewis McGugan have been squad players and might be kept on if we're not promoted. Claude Dielna, Sergiu Bus ("the Romanian Wayne Rooney") and Marnick Vermijl have all had long spells out on loan and will probably not appear for the club again.

Of the players we've had in on loan, Vincent Sasso, Michael Turner and Joe Bennett - thank you and goodbye. Aiden McGeady has been too inconsistent and won't be kept either. Alex Lopez has "done a Jermaine Johnson" as it's known in the trade and been brilliant for the first and last month of the season with little in between. Daniel Pudil has been our first choice left back, the club tried to sign him permanently from Watford in January but it didn't go through for whatever reason.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Who goes... who stays

Oh and, we've also said farewell to Rob Green, Armand Traore, and Samba Diakite none of whom will be missed — except perhaps the latter for comedy value.

[Mr Beast]

Who goes... who stays

Who goes would ideally take me too long. In reality only Richardson and utter wanker Nzogbia are out of contract.

Longeared, I'm begging you, lose the forwarding address for Joe Bennett. Take him for a drive in the forest and set him free.

Clint Hill has been a good pro, I'm sure he'll be snapped up as Amor suggests.

[François dan un fez]

Who goes... who stays

Pochettino has got rid of all the wasters except Fazio in our epic clear out last summer.

The aim will be to hang onto the talents that a couple of the really big clubs might want.

we should try and get our money back on Lamela and buy a decent winger with pace.

Clinton Njie looks lightweight and short of what it will take to make the 1st team. That might be harsh as he.s mostly been injured.

Mason and Bentalib were in and out of the treatment room all season.

Kevin Wimmer stepped up when called upon but must want 1st team football.

big call is how much faith he shows in young players.

Pritchard, Winks, Carroll, Onoma, Marcus Edwards, Ball all have potential but it would be astonishing if they all made the grade quickly.

[hawkvshandsaw]

Who goes... who stays

We'll probably get rid of Mikel, and Remy and Ake will be moved on. Falcao will be off, and good riddance, and the jury's out on Pato - I'd keep him but the majority probably wouldn't. Marco Amelia, who never played, will leave, and that will be about it. Costa and Courtois won't go.

I'm less sure who we'll bring in. Nainggolan looks a certainty and I'd very much like him, but who our backup striker will be apart from Pato is anyone's guess. Bamford has been woeful on loan, not scored in over a year and will probably be moved on, and the youth aren't quite ready yet. We're linked with Griezmann, but I can't see him coming to sit on the bench.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Who goes... who stays

Lordy lordy, Remy should surely be getting regular games somewhere. He's way to good to warming the bench week after week.

[hawkvshandsaw]

Who goes... who stays

Amor de Cosmos wrote: Lordy lordy, Remy should surely be getting regular games somewhere. He's way to good to warming the bench week after week.

Definitely. I have always liked him.

[Jobi1]

Who goes... who stays

York have offered contracts to 4 (2 of whom almost certainly won't sign). Six are still under contract for next season, but 2 of them have been transfer listed, and everybody else has been released. I'd have been happy if every single one of them had left, to be honest.

[Sundeporino]

Who goes... who stays

Now that we know where we'll be next season the next stage of the clearout can start.

GK:Hopefully Mannone will be back up for Pickford instead of the other way around.
RB:Sell Billy Jones and Adam Matthews. Possibly sign Yedlin as back up if Levy isnt asking too much.
LB: Keep van Aanholt as a back up.
CD:Keep Kone & kaboul with Oshea as back up. Sell Coates & Vergini asap. Browns contracts up and wont be offered a new one. A back up reqd.
CM: Keep Kirchoff, Cattermole, Larsson & Khazri. Attempt to sign Mvilla. Sell Giaccarini & Gomez. Pay Rodwell off.
RM:Keep Watmore. Sell Borini if the rumours of interest from Roma are true. Pay Mavrias off.
LM: Sell Lens asap.
ST: Keep Defoe. Fletchers contract is up. Pay Danny Graham off so he can sign for Blackburn.

Theres a few more out on loan who we should just pay off.
Weve been a mess for a long long time. I never thought Id see the day when I was happy to see Allardyce with his hands on the cheque book but thats what its come to after two disastrous DOF experiments.
New CEO expected to be announced next week after season ends.
Every year I like football a little less.

[Crystal Staples]

Who goes... who stays

Jobi1 wrote: York have offered contracts to 4 (2 of whom almost certainly won't sign). Six are still under contract for next season, but 2 of them have been transfer listed, and everybody else has been released. I'd have been happy if every single one of them had left, to be honest.

Richard Brodie's rumoured to be rejoining you.

County released him last week along with fourteen others, which disappointingly included Young Player of the Season Danny Morton, although we signed Chorley's right-back on Monday so hopefully that's a trade up. Jamie Menagh can also consider himself unlucky. Little else to complain about though.

Pleased that Chris Smalley has agreed terms to stay. Of the retained list, the only eyebrow raiser is non-prolific centre forward Kayode Odejayi. I'd have kept Anoruo ahead of him, who only arrived in January but matched him for goals. And Glenn Rule will be staying as he's halfway through a rare two-year contract; he added some bite – not just to our midfield, but also to a Stalybridge player's thigh which earned him a ten game ban.

[Sam]

Who goes... who stays

Amor de Cosmos wrote: Hoilett's only 25

Bloody hell. If you'd asked me to guess Junior Hoilett's age I'd have gone for late 20s at least. How old was he when he made his professional debut, 12?

[Amor de Cosmos]

Who goes... who stays

You're not far off. He was at Blackburn since the age of 13, made his professional debut at 17.

[Gangster Octopus]

Who goes... who stays

When does he get to be Senior Hoilett?

[Kevin S]

Who goes... who stays

When everybody moves their feet and feels united.

[jwdd27]

Who goes... who stays

Heh.

Scunthorpe have released two of the stars of the 2014 promotion from Div 4, Sean Mcallister and Niall Canavan. McAllister was captain and player of the year then, but has struggled to get a game ever since, like Canavan he's Division 3 and a half standard.
Gary McSheffrey was out of the door on loan to Donny as soon as Alexander arrived, so obviously didn't have a future, but good luck to him as well, still a very good player.
Completing the (very short by Scunny standards) list of released players is fringe/reserve defender Andrew Boyce who also finished the season on loan, at Notts County.

[Mr Beast]

Who goes... who stays

Good work dogbeak. I hope your highly paid recruitment department pay attention.

[Borracho]

Who goes... who stays

Good read that. But why is Rob Elliot a cunt? (I know nothing about him except that he has played in a few friendlies for Ireland and now has a long-term injury.)

[Borracho]

Who goes... who stays

As for Celtic, I guess the priority is to hold on to the few decent players remaining, like Tom Rogic. Though the time may have come to cash in on Leigh Griffiths after his 40-goal season. A good striker, but a dislikeable little bigoted turd.

I'd hang on to Craig Gordon and Erik Sviatchenko too, and also Nir Biton in the unlikely event that he decides to snap out of it and look interested again. Kris Commons might just be good for one more season of goals, especially now that John Collins has gone, and Kieran Tierney should be made the first-choice left-back next season. The rest can all fuck off.

[Jobi1]

Who goes... who stays

Crystal Staples wrote:

York have offered contracts to 4 (2 of whom almost certainly won't sign). Six are still under contract for next season, but 2 of them have been transfer listed, and everybody else has been released. I'd have been happy if every single one of them had left, to be honest.

Richard Brodie's rumoured to be rejoining you.

I think that's as much him/his agent angling for a deal as genuine interest. He turned up at our last game of the season, and our manager has been polite enough to say he'll have a chat with him, but nothing firmer than that. I would like to think after the Derek Riordan debacle that we won't be signing any more players who were good at least 6 years ago.

[Tapiocahead]

Who goes... who stays

Bradford City are presumably going to wait until after their fate is decided before announcing their retained list.

The only certainties to be released are Alan Sheehan, who has spent most of the season on loan in League 2 and is already on holiday in Venice according to his Twitter (Alan Sheehan is almost 30 and his Twitter handle is Sheezdog) and Frenchman Christopher Routis who seems like a thoroughly decent sort but is simply not good enough.

I suspect there are going to be one or two players appearing for City in the play-offs that may end up sealing their fate away from the club if they get promoted.

[EIM]

Who goes... who stays

Sell Mata. It's no longer fair on him or us. If you truly love someone, set them free. Also sell Fellaini but for very different reasons.

[hawkvshandsaw]

Who goes... who stays

EIM wrote: Sell Mata. It's no longer fair on him or us. If you truly love someone, set them free. Also sell Fellaini but for very different reasons.

Not even pretending to be anti-all things United any more, eh?

[beak]

Who goes... who stays

Borracho wrote: Good read that. But why is Rob Elliot a cunt?

a number of petty and possibly factually dubious reasons:

1. obious crony signing on the part of pardew and his odious goalkeeping coach andy woodman.

2. turned up for his signing wearing a fuck off big ugly watch, and an ugly shirt.

3. gives off bad banter cunt vibes.

4. some garbage twitter tittle tattle was going around that he got collared in a nightclub by some fans, and proceeded to tell them that alan pardew was a top lad, and ben arfa a cunt that nobody liked.

[beak]

Who goes... who stays

actually, it's remiss of me not to include:

5. before his admittedly excellent performances this season he was fucking abysmal even by backup keeper standards. mike hooper de nos jours.