McCann Appointed

[RedJ]

It happened before he was even officially announced.

[Boomstick]

Any news on his assistant ?

[Bentley Bullet]

If the budget isn't big enough he'll have to perform magic to get us to the playoffs. With that in mind, he might have more chance with the lovely Debbie McGee as his assistant.

[anton123]

He said on radio Sheffield there is money for transfer fees not just free transfers so we will av to see who he brings in

[Dare to dream!]

Although McCann & the board are putting it out there that the aim is promotion (which is different to the normal hush hush approach) I dont think that is their realistic targets. We are still a few seasons away in competing at the top end of the table imo + the league looks very strong this year

[Michael Shaw]

We have had to be very patient so far, so we will have to carry on waiting. I just hope we don't have a reprieve for all the players we have already decided should go or been transfer listed. We don't want to just have nearly all the same players we had last season. We need to strengthen and can only wait and see, and then judge the board's commitment. 

[DonnyOsmond]

He said on radio Sheffield there is money for transfer fees not just free transfers so we will av to see who he brings in

You know some free transfers cost as much as ones with fees attached and it all comes from the same pot?

[DonnyOsmond]

Although McCann & the board are putting it out there that the aim is promotion (which is different to the normal hush hush approach) I dont think that it there realistic targets. We are still a few seasons away in competing at the top end of the table + the league looks very strong this year

I wouldn't have said we were a million miles away from the play off teams last season in quality, add a 3/4 more players and a bit of luck and we'll challenge top 6.

[Alan Southstand]

It's recognised that we had a small squad last season and now we are 5 players down on last season. We need at least 5 just to get back to where we were, squad wise! Yes, we have given some of the young lads short-term deals, but that was to ensure we had a strong development team, going forward.

Out of the 5 needed, I would say 3 midfielders, 1 striker and 1 defender. And all should be capable of going straight in the first team.

[Dutch Uncle]

It's recognised that we had a small squad last season and now we are 5 players down on last season. We need at least 5 just to get back to where we were, squad wise! Yes, we have given some of the young lads short-term deals, but that was to ensure we had a strong development team, going forward.

Out of the 5 needed, I would say 3 midfielders, 1 striker and 1 defender. And all should be capable of going straight in the first team.

I assume you mean some of those 5 to be loanees Alan?

Last season we had a squad of 25 senior professionals - 21 Rovers players and 4 loanees (we also had Lund & Evina out on loan).

Right now we have 20 of our own players (including Lund back from loan) and as far as I can see 9 youth contracts. So yes 5 short including loanees.

I personally would prefer 1 defender, 2 strikers and 2 midfielders in the new players, and I agree they should all be capable of being straight in the team. Tough ask methinks.

[Alan Southstand]

Yes, Dutch, my 5 were:

Baudry, Williams, Alcock, Houghton and Kongolo.

I didn't include Anderson, as we've now signed him. So we are down 1 striker, 2 defenders and 2 midfielders.

[Jonathan]

I’m hoping we don’t rely too much on loanees. I’m all for it to cover injuries to first choice players (like Toffolo, Anderson and Boyle did when we needed them) but I think we should be looking longer term for compiling our core group of players.

[Alan Southstand]

The biggest problem with that, Jon, is the striker! To get a quality striker for our level and, hopefully, above, it will cost us and that will be a significant lump out of whatever our budget is! I would rather have permanents in for midfield and defence and then hopefully get a diamond in on a season long loan to play alongside JM.

[The Red Baron]

The biggest problem with that, Jon, is the striker! To get a quality striker for our level and, hopefully, above, it will cost us and that will be a significant lump out of whatever our budget is! I would rather have permanents in for midfield and defence and then hopefully get a diamond in on a season long loan to play alongside JM.

Didn't McCann "discover" Jack Marriott, who was a fringe player at Luton before McCann signed him for Peterborough? Perhaps he can work his magic again.

[sedwardsdrfc]

If we get loan players they need to be actually good enough for the 1st team. I couldn't stand Kongolo last year so frustrating watching him play when theres better players we own on the bench!

[Iberian Red]

I wonder what our odds for promotion are NOW !!

Silly wee wee flap

[scawsby steve]

Yes, Dutch, my 5 were:

Baudry, Williams, Alcock, Houghton and Kongolo.

I didn't include Anderson, as we've now signed him. So we are down 1 striker, 2 defenders and 2 midfielders.

Dead right Alan, and there's one other as well, Boyle, who played in plenty of games towards the end, so in actual fact we're down 6 players from last season.

Regarding a striker I totally agree with you on that as well; I've said on here several times that to get the kind of quality striker we need, we'll have to go into the loan market.

[BigH]

I would be hopeful that McCann brings a greater knowledge of the lower leagues and non-league than DF when it comes to player recruitment.

I consider it a bit of a flaw of DF's that he would too often go with a Premiership/Championship loanee option which, I'm guessing, probably came attached with appearance requirements and, quite possibly, a financial implication.

It'd be good if he was able to bring in a few seasoned knucklers who knew their way around.

[RoversAlias]

I like how he came across in his first interview with Football Heaven, wants to play expansive football, speaks of a competitive budget and ambition to go up the league.

Only question mark I had was he kept calling our star striker "Mar-keese".

[bedale rover]

Amazing we appoint a manager just in time to take the squad away for pre-season training in Spain almost like it was planned?

[RedJ]

I like how he came across in his first interview with Football Heaven, wants to play expansive football, speaks of a competitive budget and ambition to go up the league.

Only question mark I had was he kept calling our star striker "Mar-keese".

Sackable offence imo.

[Filo]

No word on his assistant, who was supposed to be in yesterday

[bobjimwilly]

Cliff Byrne appointed assistant manager
https://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/2018/june/byrne-is-new-rovers-assistant/
https://www.drfc-vsc.co.uk/index.php?topic=266542.0