The summer cull must bring hope
02/05/05 | by Alastair Gunn

With relegation confirmed, Mark Arthur has rounding on Joe Kinnear and the present squad, laying the blame at their feet for a season best forgotten. These smear tactics and negative campaigning (for that’s what it is) is reminiscent of the election issues that have dominated the front pages these past few weeks. Clearly, in NG2, if not Number 10, change is afoot. Not that Mr Arthur’s job is at risk, I’m sure...

My challenge to Mr Arthur is to tell us who IS good enough to stay at Forest. Kris Commons’ first season at the club should ensure he stays. Paul Gerrard on merit will probably survive the cull. Gareth Taylor and Wes Morgan appear to have earned the respect of the manager already, both having worn the armband under him. James Perch and Ross Gardner are our two brightest prospects and surely will be given the chance to build on their first full seasons as well. As for David Friio, Adam Nowland, Neil Harris and Scott Dobie, it must be too early to think of offloading these respected talents, none of whom deserve to be at Forest.

Is anyone else safe? Jack Lester probably. I would like to think Matthieu Louis-Jean too. And that’s where the list ends. Neither our left-backs deserve to stay. John Thompson’s promise remains unrequited. Paul Evans’ star never truly shone even if his spirit did. Now might be the time to consider Chris Doig’s slow development more harshly. Surely Eoin Jess is surplus to requirements (and then some).

None of this considers a more pressing issue though… whom of the above really want to stay!?

If we hold onto even half of the poor unfortunates named above, it will be a summer well done in my book. Paul Gerrard is good enough to receive interest, Louis-Jean is one of the better right-backs outside the Premiership and the rest are all liable to attract bids from any team from outside the Championship play-offs. No doubt Luton and Hull will be looking to recruit too.

This all leaves us rather an unfortunate predicament where the “cull” will not be self-imposed or beneficial. We will be left with the players we can’t shift! This means Chris Doig and Gregor Robertson balancing a defence manned elsewhere by John Thompson and James Perch. The midfield dynamo will be Paul Evans, his subtle foil Darryl Powell. Kevin James’ agent probably won’t have to work too hard over the summer, which leaves us looking for a left-winger to complete the midfield. Alan Rogers shouldn’t be going too far too fast either, I suppose.

Gary Megson is a top quality manager with the faith of the fans, but to keep the players he needs the board will have to go out of their way to appease his wishes. Their record on this with previous popular managers is not commendable. Enticements galore will have to used to keep our best players. Listening to low offers so as to offload the crap is the only way to purge the squad of the players we do not want. With income inevitably falling once more, the financial situation will have to be monitored by the board very carefully to ensure we can become competitive in the transfer market again. Their record on this previously… you get it, I’m sure.

Ironically, perhaps, Chelsea and Forest have very similar summer transfer objectives. Both need a left-back, central midfield could do with strengthening, both would like a big name striker... well, relatively big for their respective divisions, anyway. This will be hard enough for Forest as it is. Even if we stick with the strikers we have (on paper the best squad of strikers in League One I imagine, even without David Johnson and Marlon King) we will probably have to strengthen other areas where we lose players. Certainly, I anticipate a centre-back to replace Wes Morgan.

Whoever we get rid of, it’s a busy summer ahead. The management are really going to have to move and move fast to appease the manager, those players they wish to keep and, in so doing, the fans. I cannot imagine a sustained turnout of more than 15,000 should the fans be let down as badly as they were for the past two summers. A mood of optimism about next season would keep attendance nearer 20,000 and buoy the team in a season where they could be favourites to go straight back up. 

That optimism is but a summer spree away and I urge the club to keep the players they need at any expense, sell the players they don’t at any concession and invest in new talent rigorously. We are a big name team that can offer real first-team opportunities to lower league talent. Now is the time to use that.

Like the Labour party, the club’s core support is disaffected and liable to abstain. Like the Labour party, the club has relied on negative campaigning far too much when they should have their own positive agenda to point to. Like the Labour party, the board look like they are going to get another chance. Now is another chance to turn things around and come good on a few promises like being serious about promotion. So come on, Mr Arthur, give us something to smile about! Some new hope for a new season is sorely needed and I want it now!