Keeper situation

[Ryaldinhio]

Lawlor and Jones on books

Ben Bottomley released. TLT sounds like he won't be returning from early reports and I doubt GM will hang about to find out any further.

GM already mentioned in his end of season interview that Kyle Letheren has been working since January identifying targets.

What are the thoughts?

IMO if Jones is happy to be back up I would keep him. Capable when needed. I did notice however when he came on after TLT red card that he wasn't listening to Woods and the others at the back wanting to continue playing short. This was either a sign that he doesn't train enough in the first team set up and play OR he is petulant and won't listen to the captain of the club. Either way not great.

Lawlor, seemed a quick signing last year, remember much surprise over it being the first signing. Either it was always planned for him to be 2nd choice and move Jones on OR lawlor didn't live up to expectation. I would say also a decent back up if willing to accept that.

To be honest there isn't a great difference between the two as a back up so for me would probably come down to commercial and I assume that would lean in Jones' favour.

I am fully expecting us to sign either a permanent or a season long loan No1. Then move on either Jones/Lawlor and also sign a 3rd choice or promote a youth keeper.

Trust in GM, he got TLT near on deadline day and none of us knew much about the lad!

[craigdrfc]

I could be, and probably am, wrong on this but I got the feeling that the Lawlor deal was already way down the line when McCann arrived and he just opted to go with it. Same with the Wood deal (although that one turned out well).

[ncRover]

Lawlor was the most bizarre signing of the last few years.

Senior goalie who was the reserve for 2nd tier Scottish side expected to be no.1 for a League 2 promotion team… nuts.

[Chris Black come back]

And we had seen Lawlor before, his strengths and weaknesses. It was immediately apparent in his time away from us that he hadn’t changed an iota.

[In the box]

If get the the Wrong keeper in next season and end up having  to draft in another  loan midway throug the season ….it will be yet another L2 for another season . TLT was partly responsible for the upturn in form when he arrived and had he been here from the start , we could have had an automatic slot and not a playoff place !!

[Janso]

And we had seen Lawlor before, his strengths and weaknesses. It was immediately apparent in his time away from us that he hadn’t changed an iota.

That's not true.

I thought he was worse this time.

[ravenrover]

But he can kick the ball miles

[PDX_Rover]

Easssssssssy for Dennis.

[Colin C No.3]

A good, no, very good keeper is essential to having a successful team.

Louis is a decent Lg2 keeper, no more no less imo. We don’t want decent we want better than decent if we want to be playing Lg1 football with aspirations to go higher.

Lawlor, I don’t know where his signing ‘came from’ except it had ‘Desperation written’ all over it.

So no TLT next year (good luck to him in the future) but I trust GM & his management team will find a keeper equally as good if not better, be that loan or whatever.

[mushRTID]

I’d get rid of both I’m afraid.

[Ryaldinhio]

I’d get rid of both I’m afraid.

And then sign 3 keepers????????

[glosterred]

Taking it that GM won’t be getting rid of either before their contracts expire, who does he play as first choice, Lawlor or Jones? For me Lawlor starts. Bringing in another keeper without getting rid of one or the other doesn’t really make a lot of sense to me.



COYR

[ncRover]

Taking it that GM won’t be getting rid of either before their contracts expire, who does he play as first choice, Lawlor or Jones? For me Lawlor starts. Bringing in another keeper without getting rid of one or the other doesn’t really make a lot of sense to me.



COYR

It’s simple. Loan Jones out to put himself in the shop window for when his contract expires.

[5minstogo]

From what I've heard LJ is getting rapidly disillusioned with being second fiddle.

[streathamdave]

Lawlors signing was the mistake of the season and I said as much at the time. Agreed with Jones as a number 2. We need a new number 1. Bottomly has basically been replaced by Oram as number 3. 4 keepers would be a mess. 3 keepers is spot on.

[johnny rovers]

From what I've heard LJ is getting rapidly disillusioned with being second fiddle.

Well, he needs to go and knock on the managers door then!! And see if he can be transfer listed. Hope he's got a good agent also?

[StocksArmy]

GK has to be the first position on the list after seeing how much better we were once that was addressed.

[drfcsteve]

From what I've heard LJ is getting rapidly disillusioned with being second fiddle.

Off to the national league then because he’s not first choice for anyone in league 2.

[ncRover]

GK has to be the first position on the list after seeing how much better we were once that was addressed.

Can’t see any obvious permanent options so might be later on in the window if it’s another loan. Which IMO is the more sensible thing to do.

[redarmi66]

From what I've heard LJ is getting rapidly disillusioned with being second fiddle.

Might end up being third fiddle!

[scawsby steve]

It's got to be a loan from a Premier League or Championship club, as in Sam Johnstone, Seny Dieng, and TLT.

I've not seen anyone in League 2 this season that's inspired me at all.

[grayx]

It's got to be a loan from a Premier League or Championship club, as in Sam Johnstone, Seny Dieng, and TLT.

I've not seen anyone in League 2 this season that's inspired me at all.

Agreed.
We’ve got a good relationship with spurs apparently. Wonder if they’ve got a decent keeper available for loan?

[drfcsteve]

It's got to be a loan from a Premier League or Championship club, as in Sam Johnstone, Seny Dieng, and TLT.

I've not seen anyone in League 2 this season that's inspired me at all.

Agreed.
We’ve got a good relationship with spurs apparently. Wonder if they’ve got a decent keeper available for loan?

Josh Keeley Spurs youth keeper has been on loan to Barnet the second half of last season so they’d probably loan him out to league 2 level. No idea whether he’s any good.

[DonnyOsmond]

From what I've heard LJ is getting rapidly disillusioned with being second fiddle.

He ummed and ahhed last season about signing the new deal because of that. Then we signed Lawlor ahead of him, I would have been annoyed.

[ncRover]

It's got to be a loan from a Premier League or Championship club, as in Sam Johnstone, Seny Dieng, and TLT.

I've not seen anyone in League 2 this season that's inspired me at all.

Agreed.
We’ve got a good relationship with spurs apparently. Wonder if they’ve got a decent keeper available for loan?

Josh Keeley Spurs youth keeper has been on loan to Barnet the second half of last season so they’d probably loan him out to league 2 level. No idea whether he’s any good.

Spurs extended his contract after his progress at Barnet. Irish u21 international too.

Can’t find anything else on him but he’s obviously got that TLT like composure.

https://x.com/owenthfc__/status/1673036539415207938?s=46

[Move DRFC]

From what I've heard LJ is getting rapidly disillusioned with being second fiddle.

He ummed and ahhed last season about signing the new deal because of that. Then we signed Lawlor ahead of him, I would have been annoyed.

To be fair he's had more than enough chances to have claimed the #1 shirt by now. Wellens literally gave him number 1. He's fine as back up but if he's not then its time to go.

[DonnyOsmond]

From what I've heard LJ is getting rapidly disillusioned with being second fiddle.

He ummed and ahhed last season about signing the new deal because of that. Then we signed Lawlor ahead of him, I would have been annoyed.

To be fair he's had more than enough chances to have claimed the #1 shirt by now. Wellens literally gave him number 1. He's fine as back up but if he's not then its time to go.

Probably best for his career to start fresh, like has been mentioned, loan him out then let him go once his contracts expired. Lawlor as second choice, Oram as third choice is fine.

The only thing with Lawlor on the bench how do we meet the homegrown rules? Keep Faulkner around and not loaned out or a Kuleya, Goodman or Flint on the bench?

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Isn't part of keeping Jones a rule about home grown players and having one ex academy player in the squad?

He's just not dominant enough to be our number one yet, we can't wait what's likely a few more years for him to get there. He's a few years older than TLT but levels away.

[Chris Black come back]

I know keepers mature later but he will be 26 in October and has played 65 first team games for us.

[GazLaz]

Kieran O’hara would be fine for us. At Killie, think he’s out of contract.