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Close-season silence at Pools is deafening

Danny Wilson
By Clarence Rode May 13 2008
It's all gone quiet at Victoria Park as Hartlepool go about their close-season in the midst of a media blackout. Well, it's not quite a blackout, but after the usual end-of-season rituals of the Player of the Year awards and the retained list being announced, there's not a lot going on at Victoria park at a time when the club will hopefully be rebuilding for next season.

The retained list and the list of players the club wants to keep by taking up options on their contracts suggests that summer changes will not be quite as wholesale as many fans hoped for.
Getting rid of six players, some of them presumably at the lower end of the club's pay scale, hardly leaves a lot of scope for summer signings. But of course some of the players the club wants to keep on its contract options thingy might decide to leave anyway.
There were no real surprises in the retained list or in the list of players the club wants to keep. But manasger danny Wlson did indicate that he would like to do a lot of rebuilding during the summer - it looks as if he miht not get a chance.
Some of the gossip circulating in the town's pubs and on message boards suggested Wlson was on the way out, but the fact that he wasn't shown the door as soon as the season ended suggests he's staying, though getting any comment from chairman Ken Hodcroft is like getting blood from a stone.
Hopefully, it's busier behind the scenes than it seems to be.
So if we were danny Wilson, we'd be aiming to sign:

A goalscorer - Joel Porter could be staying now, james Brown gets a few, and so does Richie Barker. But we do need another Adam Boyd.
A midfield general - Willie Boland was supposed to be that, but he didn't do it consistently last season, and lost his place late on. Gary Liddle etc need someboy to keep them right.
A right-back - or is Tony Sweeney the man?

They are the essentials, because for all we had a frustrating, inconsistent season, there is some qualiy in the squad and Andy Monkhouse;s recent comment that all the plyers need to look at themselves in the mirror fter last season just about sum it up.
As a team and as individuals, they could all have done better.

 

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Re: Close-season silence at Pools is deafening
Posted by: Wagga Dot (IP Logged)
Date: 13/05/2008 11:35

Well lets see what Danny Boy comes up with in terms of signings

Basis of a good team thee he just needs some more pace in the squad plus two full backs.

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Re: Close-season silence at Pools is deafening
Posted by: Rift House (IP Logged)
Date: 13/05/2008 14:43

There was the basis of a good team last season, but they let themselves down. Danny Wilson always got the blame, but if players who have proven ability don't perform, what can he do?

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Re: Close-season silence at Pools is deafening
Posted by: Monkey Maniac (IP Logged)
Date: 14/05/2008 09:20

What can he do (Sm102)

Stop chopping and changing the team
Stop finding a place for a player just cos he signed him
Stop playing players out of position like Sweeney at right back
Stop signing players passed their sell by date
Stop undermining players confidence by telling the Mail theyre CRAP
Stop blaming everyone else
Stop having a go at IOR who run the club brilliantly

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Re: Close-season silence at Pools is deafening
Posted by: Rift House (IP Logged)
Date: 14/05/2008 20:13

Looking at that list, there's only one or two I'd disagree with really -- Sweeney has done better than anyboy else this season at right-back, and when did he tell the Mail about@#$%&players? I totally agree with your point about playing those he signed.

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