Fortunately (as it turns out), we have been able to let go the high-earning Terry and also Snodgrass, who himself must have been costing us a fair bit, even if West Ham were making contributions to his salary (as is often the case in loans deals). Of course, we are still lumbered with the likes of Micah Richards and Ross McCormack, the Villa careers of both of whom seem dead and buried.
I’ve read posts and articles which suggest we should be trying to move on other supposed high earners like Mile Jedinak and Henri Lansbury, and perhaps we might. But in the case of Jedinak, he was an integral part of our first team last season, and there is no reason to suggest he would be any less important this time around. I am no fan of Lansbury but he is an experienced player at this level and he should be considered – at least – an important squad player.
But I digress. The point is, I really don’t think we should be looking to bring in expensive loan signings in another attempt to use experience to get us over the line. We have enough ‘experienced’ players at the club with the likes of Chester, Alan Hutton, Tommy Elphick, Lansbury, Whelan, Jedinak and Albert Adomah. Now is the time for our much-trumpeted youth academy to shine through.
André Green needs to put his injuries behind him and step up to the plate. Keinan Davis needs to start delivering on that promise from last season. Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, Callum O’Hare and Jake Doyle-Hayes (not to mention Mitch Clark and Jordan Lyden) need to be knocking at the door of the first team.
Add to the equation bit-part players like Lansbury, James Bree and Ritchie de Laet and Bruce has a very respectable squad of players available to him for the coming season. And I’ve not even mentioned the possibility that Jack Grealish might stay, perhaps permanently, perhaps only until January depending on the size of the FFP hole to be filled.
We need to move on from the tried-and-tested. Sure, it could work (and has worked for Bruce in years gone by). But the evidence of last season is not compelling enough for me that we should follow that model again. Indeed, financially, I can’t see how we can follow that model again.
It is time for the coaches and players we have on the books to stand up and be counted. They should be galvanised by their failure of last season and the near-miss from administration and being hampered by a possible twelve-point deduction before they’d even started. They have a second chance. Much has been made of the team spirit instilled by Bruce and his coaches over the past 18 months. As it stands, we’ve only lost three players from last season, and it’s not like they are irreplaceable.
Our fans are among the very best in the land. We will be here for the big season ahead. The question is: will the players? It’s time to do the talking on our shiny new pitch. Come on Steve, come on boys, show us that you, too, are Part of the Pride.
