Possible centre back coming in?

[Usher wide.]

With Richard Wood’s recovery having “taken a set back”, with only Tom Anderson as a ‘natural replacement’ for McGrath & Olowu now Faulkner has been released on loan, Grant has said he is looking for cover in that department in case of injuries one or more of those current three.

Given the window doesn’t close until Feb 3rd, has he been a tad hasty letting Bobby leave the ranks?

Wood is an aging (now) long term injury ‘luxury’ we could have well done without, but to now be looking to add another player to the books when loan offers for Westbrooke, Hurst, Jones, (Close?) have been “politely turned down”, it seems an odd thing to have done letting Bobby go unless the club doesn’t intend offering him a new contract when his current one finishes at the end of the season.

Perhaps Grant has an eye on who is worth keeping if we end up playing in a higher division next season?

[GazLaz]

Maybe we can recall Bobby if we need to.

[Usher wide.]

Maybe we can recall Bobby if we need to.

Do you mean it could have been written into his loan agreement that he could be recalled at anytime?

If so why bring in another centre back, unless as I alluded to he doesn’t rate Bobby?

[Draytonian III]

Aren’t you only allowed to name/play 5 players in one match day squad.
Teddy Sherman-Lowe
Patrick Kelly
Ethan Ennis
Rob Street
Charlie Crew

How many more can you have on the books  ? I think it might be 2 to make a total of 7

[ncRover]

Any free agent centre backs about? Grant said they monitor all markets and that’s the only one where someone would come in to be back up IMO.

[Bailey Vickerage]

Aren’t you only allowed to name/play 5 players in one match day squad.
Teddy Sherman-Lowe
Patrick Kelly
Ethan Ennis
Rob Street
Charlie Crew

How many more can you have on the books  ? I think it might be 2 to make a total of 7

Can have as many as u want but only 5 in a matchday squad.

Guessing Faulkner will be the same as any other loan to non league where we can recall him at anytime but not in the first 28 days.

[GazLaz]

Bailey or Senior would play there in case of emergency.

[Dutch Uncle]

Bailey or Senior would play there in case of emergency.

Is Emmanuel another emergency option at CB if he stays?

[EasyforDennis]

Bailey or Senior would play there in case of emergency.

Is Emmanuel another emergency option at CB if he stays?

What is happening with Josh? Is he injured or just not being selected?

[vaya]

Bailey or Senior would play there in case of emergency.

Is Emmanuel another emergency option at CB if he stays?

What is happening with Josh? Is he injured or just not being selected?

Has his contract expired? It was a short-term one, but I'm not sure about the specific duration.

[drfchound]

Didn’t he leave at the end of December?

[DonnyOsmond]

DFP said it was month by month now IIRC, he'll stay with us unless offered a permanent elsewhere.

[CheeseToastie]

Maybe we can recall Bobby if we need to.

Do people not realise that Faulkner isn't good enough? If he was Grant wouldn't have loaned him out he would have waited and seen how RWs recovery went. Unfortunately people on here seem to think he's the best thing since sliced bread he'll never play for this club again and as much as I would have loved a young lad to come through the academy and play for rovers for years to come it won't be Bobby. He's clearly not in favour here

[GazLaz]

Maybe we can recall Bobby if we need to.

Do people not realise that Faulkner isn't good enough? If he was Grant wouldn't have loaned him out he would have waited and seen how RWs recovery went. Unfortunately people on here seem to think he's the best thing since sliced bread he'll never play for this club again and as much as I would have loved a young lad to come through the academy and play for rovers for years to come it won't be Bobby. He's clearly not in favour here

Grant thought Olowu wasn’t good at the start of the season playing Anderson and Wood, when really he was/is light years in front of both. Managers often don’t know what they have.

[danumdon]

Maybe we can recall Bobby if we need to.

Do people not realise that Faulkner isn't good enough? If he was Grant wouldn't have loaned him out he would have waited and seen how RWs recovery went. Unfortunately people on here seem to think he's the best thing since sliced bread he'll never play for this club again and as much as I would have loved a young lad to come through the academy and play for rovers for years to come it won't be Bobby. He's clearly not in favour here

Not sure how you or even GM can come to that conclusion until he actually plays some games for us.

Would anyone consider he's had an "opportunity" to stake a claim?

[CheeseToastie]

I'm sure Grant will have seen plenty of him in training and behind closed door friendlys. Grant will know exactly where Faulkner is in his eyes. But he's a local lad so why not risk our promotion push and throw him in the team because it keeps a few people happy...
He's clearly not in grants plans and will be released at the end of the season but we'll still probably get a new thread opened on here everytime he wins a header like we do Alfie May

[sedwardsdrfc]

Training is important but if that’s all anyone needed to spot a good player Lewis Guy would have been signed by Man Utd.

Players need a run in the team to really have a chance. And that’s as much about luck in injuries, suspensions etc than it is about the manager just giving them a go.

What I’d say is we didn’t help anyone offering Wood and Anderson new contracts when we did have a decent line up of young defenders. Similar to signing loan players ahead of our own. Means players out of favour not only need to train well and get lucky for a chance they also have to hope a cheap kid isn’t on offer for 6 months in their position.

[Chris Black come back]

Some of this is bad luck and some perhaps bad judgement - but Wood, Close and Westbrooke have not played any role this season and will be all on good wages.

[CheeseToastie]

Training is important but if that’s all anyone needed to spot a good player Lewis Guy would have been signed by Man Utd.

Players need a run in the team to really have a chance. And that’s as much about luck in injuries, suspensions etc than it is about the manager just giving them a go.

What I’d say is we didn’t help anyone offering Wood and Anderson new contracts when we did have a decent line up of young defenders. Similar to signing loan players ahead of our own. Means players out of favour not only need to train well and get lucky for a chance they also have to hope a cheap kid isn’t on offer for 6 months in their position.

 Clearly offered Wood and Anderson new deals because he knew that our own coming through aren't anywhere near good enough to be near the first team

[Chris Black come back]

McGrath currently only contracted centre back for next season.

[dickos1]

Maybe we can recall Bobby if we need to.

Do people not realise that Faulkner isn't good enough? If he was Grant wouldn't have loaned him out he would have waited and seen how RWs recovery went. Unfortunately people on here seem to think he's the best thing since sliced bread he'll never play for this club again and as much as I would have loved a young lad to come through the academy and play for rovers for years to come it won't be Bobby. He's clearly not in favour here

Grant thought Olowu wasn’t good at the start of the season playing Anderson and Wood, when really he was/is light years in front of both. Managers often don’t know what they have.

Last season wood and Anderson were performing more consistently than olowu,
And contributed massively to the run we had

[GazLaz]

Maybe we can recall Bobby if we need to.

Do people not realise that Faulkner isn't good enough? If he was Grant wouldn't have loaned him out he would have waited and seen how RWs recovery went. Unfortunately people on here seem to think he's the best thing since sliced bread he'll never play for this club again and as much as I would have loved a young lad to come through the academy and play for rovers for years to come it won't be Bobby. He's clearly not in favour here

Grant thought Olowu wasn’t good at the start of the season playing Anderson and Wood, when really he was/is light years in front of both. Managers often don’t know what they have.

Last season wood and Anderson were performing more consistently than olowu,
And contributed massively to the run we had

Of the “10 in a row” games. Wood and Anderson played 5 and Wood and Olowu played 5. Olowu was excellent in those games.

[selby]

  If Bobby and Will Flint keep playing like they did last night in front of
 quite a few scouts the Rovers might not be their only option to consider, and who would put money on Olowu being here next season if he keeps his form up to the end of the season.
  The more successful we are in that period the less confident I will be Olowu will be here next season unless we break the bank.

[andyst79]

Maybe we can recall Bobby if we need to.

Do people not realise that Faulkner isn't good enough? If he was Grant wouldn't have loaned him out he would have waited and seen how RWs recovery went. Unfortunately people on here seem to think he's the best thing since sliced bread he'll never play for this club again and as much as I would have loved a young lad to come through the academy and play for rovers for years to come it won't be Bobby. He's clearly not in favour here

Grant thought Olowu wasn’t good at the start of the season playing Anderson and Wood, when really he was/is light years in front of both. Managers often don’t know what they have.

Last season wood and Anderson were performing more consistently than olowu,
And contributed massively to the run we had

Of the “10 in a row” games. Wood and Anderson played 5 and Wood and Olowu played 5. Olowu was excellent in those games.

Was superb in the Wrexham game especially

[jmt23]

I kind of over thought the “ a coffee with Joe” as there was some questions about what will you miss about… I don’t recall the same line of questions for others.

I hope he stays, he is by far the best we have had in long while and was very obvious from his very first game(to me at least)

[The Dav]

We need to get Joseph Olowu tied down pretty dam quick, I’m sure his agent will have a list of suitors waiting in the wings !

[GazLaz]

We need to get Joseph Olowu tied down pretty dam quick, I’m sure his agent will have a list of suitors waiting in the wings !

Surely no chance he signs a deal until he knows we are in L1. Even they he might not. Mismanagement by the club not giving him a new deal last season. Said for a long time, he’s our most valuable player. Huge error by McCann.

[Jonathan]

We need to get Joseph Olowu tied down pretty dam quick, I’m sure his agent will have a list of suitors waiting in the wings !

Surely no chance he signs a deal until he knows we are in L1. Even they he might not. Mismanagement by the club not giving him a new deal last season. Said for a long time, he’s our most valuable player. Huge error by McCann.

Without being pedantic, I’m pretty sure you said our most valuable player was / is Maxwell.

[Alan Southstand]

It maybe nothing to do with McCann - Joe maybe hanging back to see what other options he’s got!

He may well have an option of a further year anyway - we have no idea what the circumstances are!

However, we could do with a bit of a clear statement if only to settle a few supporter’s nerves!

[Usher wide.]

We need to get Joseph Olowu tied down pretty dam quick, I’m sure his agent will have a list of suitors waiting in the wings !

Surely no chance he signs a deal until he knows we are in L1. Even they he might not. Mismanagement by the club not giving him a new deal last season. Said for a long time, he’s our most valuable player. Huge error by McCann.

Without being pedantic, I’m pretty sure you said our most valuable player was / is Maxwell.

Perhaps it might change again, Luke Molyneau perhaps?