I wouldn't get too excited Dan its only because Sean is still recovering from his surgery and Ben Judge isn't available tonight. JJ goes back to the states in a couple of weeks.
Nice to see a match of any type at long last although tough to gain any real insight into the squad in such a match. Matches against EB borough, Thamesmead ( now in the Ryman prem ) and the type will tell us much more.
Wasnt expecting to see Jordan Woodley back tbh but if he stays fit and motivated he could be a real assett for next season, still need a good quality striker though and such a shame JJ is off again in 2 weeks unfortunatly as despite the OG at the very end he looked solid as usual.
Was pleased with the crowd size though, the club only expected around 300 to turn up for a brighton youth game so 714 was really good!
Last night like last season, little creative play once they scored game over. yeah dont matter in friendly and know it early but worrying. surprised to see JJ and Woodley back and agree that if he can get fit, sort his attitude out he will be decent. Pogue back well maybe he will be ok at Ryman South level. not really much to get excited about though overall.
Can not see why on earth jj was playing if he going back to america in 2 weeks, hope that is most bizarre decision this season but doubt it. if we are paying decent money this season to get back up why are we struggling to get better players?
based on last night i reckon mid table unless the clubs love affair with the manager crumbles and someone with contacts and ideas come in
Someone please put me right if I am wrong in anyway. Last game of the season, Dave Walters stood in the middle of the pitch with a microphone and amongst some heckling and booing from the main stand he clearly said that he would be giving Sean a healthy budget for next season and would be investing money made from the FA cup run into the squad to get us STRAIGHT BACK UP, Fact! Now all we hear is that we want to build a squad based on local talent, most of which seems to be over at Rye. So has Sean turned down Dave's offer of a healthy budget to get us straight back up? Do the manager and chairman have different ideas on how to proceed this season? Has Sean in fact been given any money?
I was so excited about this pre season and we are only 1 game in but I just expected so much more at this stage. We know Sean is recovering from injury and has a lengthy ban coming up so why do we have only Richardson and Judge as central defenders? JJ should never have played in that game. And everyman and his dog know Pogue is not the answer up front. Hard worker but never been prolific even at EastSussex level. And sorry Dan, I cannot agree with Woodley, we may as well get Terry White back out there playing. These are all decent players but at County level! we are talking about getting the one and only guaranteed promotion spot in the Ryman South.
We had 20 players on show on tuesday and i think only 7 possibly 8 are good enough for this seasons squad. I don't know about others but I cant help flicking through other Ryman South websites to see other teams have signed 7,8,9 new players who are already in place for the new season but just see so little activity at Hastings. Please someone prove me wrong. Just think we are all desperate for a couple of marquee signings to cheer us all up.
-- Edited by johnw on Thursday 11th of July 2013 09:44:12 AM
Peter spot on JJ decision was ridiculous, doesn't take us forward. But I will say again why will good players come to a club with a manager who is tactically nieve at best, hopeless at worst, no man management skills and no proven track record. You see him say he has no contact with last years captain, well ring him then, if he won't answer or reply, say he didn't return by calls, at least you know where you stand. If the club isn't careful this could get ugly if the squad from this game isn't drastically improved.
I wasn't convinced about us aiming for promotion challenge when it was first mooted and said I'm expecting more of a mid-table finish, I'm slowly becoming more and more confident that's where we'll end up...
So yeah, what's happened to this FA Cup money, so far there's no evidence of it in our playing budget, can't argue that it was spent on bonuses last season, as an ex-players dad told they hadn't even received any?
I really fail to see how this club is going to progress with Walters still in charge... Since he's been in charge we've seen long term fans refuse to attend games and thus put any money into his pocket; previous members of the supporters club committee slagged off by him - probably connected to my previous point; created a massive divide between supporters - the other forum is evidence of this...
Mick summed it up well with his last post, I agree and getting fed up with it... The sooner Walters clears off and allows someone else in with fresh ideas on how we can progress as a club, the better...
-- Edited by Leon on Thursday 11th of July 2013 02:07:26 PM
Just think the club have missed a trick. They had a massive opportunity after the relegation and huge amount of anger, disappointment and unrest on the forum and amongst supporters, to really win back some respect and put a smile on a few faces by going out and making a real statement of intent in the transfer market. But instead we have seen nearly all of last years squad leave and replaced with inadequate and dare I say, cheap replacements (at the moment). I'm hearing more and more stories of last years playing staff wanting to stay but never even receiving a call. Did we go all out to speak to the likes of Crellin, Vickers, Cox, Okojie, Goldburg, Dixon etc etc? Some fans have been quick enough to moan at them walking out on the club but did they? From what I have seen Lee Carey is the only one who said he did not want to play Ryman South I don't think anyone would question their departure if adequate replacements were coming in but where are they?
I know we are only one pre season game in but Dave Walters said at the last home game that work had already started on next season's squad. That was the 27th April, 75 days ago and we've brought in Matt, Josh and Timmy, decent players, but 2 county league and one player who played just a handful of games at the same level last year. Perhaps Sean has a master plan and a number of big signings are about to come in. If so I will be the first to put my hand up and say fair play, but is it going to happen? Even the most die hard supporters are starting to worry.
-- Edited by johnw on Thursday 11th of July 2013 02:54:22 PM
Very good post, John. Agree 100% with you this time.
I honestly think that despite briefly enjoying a high profile during our F A cup run we simply aren't an attractive club to play for simply because we are known to have such limited ambition.
I love Sean as a player but I fear he hasn't got the contacts or the 'pull' to draw in the players that we need. Prospective players will now be looking at our squad and thinking 'well they're going nowhere' and so we are now trapped in a Catch 22 situation.
Hopefully we'll be good enough to keep clear of the drop zone this season but mid table obscurity is probably as good as we can hope for. Just about sums the club up really.
I'm sure Sean realises the side we had out against Brighton wouldn't win the County League. 3 or 4 new players needed to give us a chance in the Ryman South.
hope he realises but using someone that aint even gone to be here this winter does not give me confidence. Hastings and Rye United sounds grim but most players that played that were at Rye had played for Hastings before such as Maclean, Radley, Adams................
Agree with John W all those words of we are going for it from the Chairman look very hollow. looks more like the manager has not got the contacts than club not have the money so question why manager with limited resource is still here. is the loyality based on the fa cup run? misguided loyality imo but i probably will be told not to panic. if Ray had gone at end of season maybe Gary Wilson could be tempted with a decent budget and the club might have started going somewhere. this season looks like mid table to me at best.
oh well, that's that then. Sean Ray states in the Observer "we're still in talks with one or two but we're not actively going out to try and recruit" So we are going with what we got. Now lets see people come on here and defend the squad and signings we have made. Where has the money gone?? Where is our new striker?? Where is our creative midfielder?? barely a clean sheet kept last season but we keep the same 3 central defenders. Lowest goalscorers in league and we bring in Kenny Pogue. I don't get it anymore. Someone please explain what happened to DW's promises.
Can't believe you believed what DW said, as no one in there right mind would have kept Sean on after last years shambles. Yes it's right that keep changing managers doesn't help, but if you have a bad one you have to accept it and get rid, and cut the losses. No one on here can justify why Sean should stay on his league record, So why is he still here. I still hope I'm wrong about him but I doubt it and we will finish in the bottom 8.
Was the first time i visit Pilot Field for a game with 3 of my sons during my holiday. Beautiful ground with a lot of historic elements. The game against Brighton was someting we will try but have no confident , mainly in the attaching way. Only the last 10minutes there was some action before the Brighton goal with a few corners.
What i saw was sometimes a poor technical skill from the players and after the relegation I hope there will be a quick change in that and in the attacking force !
Although of some negative aspects i was glad to vitit the game !
