‘There’s only one Josh Taylor … one Josh Taylor  … living in a Taylor wonderland 🎵🎵’ 

This is really good news and a boost at a good time for the team … #Wanderers 

https://dwfc.co.uk/2024/03/josh-taylor-is-here-to-stay/  

… and he is back from suspension on Saturday too 

@sddwfc Certainly missed his influence in the last two games. Great news that he's signed a new deal

That's great to get his commitment considering the precarious position the team are in. Hope it gives everyone a lift.

Is Josh a full time member of the squad or only part time?

Great news about Josh Taylor, in my opinion the currently best player on the team. Hopefully an indicator of the mood amongst the squad and that any changes we see over summer give us minimal disruption for the next season.

Great to hear Marc talk about other players contracted for next season in the update this morning - Josh, Carter, Blair, Rutherford, McShane, Pybus

If we were to be relegated, I wonder how many would leave to play at higher level?  Carter would be prime candidate. Great that Josh Taylor has signed new contract and let's hope others would stay too, if asked. 

On that front, I agree that a big refresh will be needed, in favour of youth and pace at the back and front.  JP could no doubt still do a job at NLS but I think the team needs another forward who can be a target as well as run in behind to stretch defences. 

I would keep Jimmy Muitt on the back of what he did last season and has shown flashes of this season. Bowerman has not progressed at all in terms of impact and may be too lightweight.  Jebb and Kuhl I thought both good players not given a fair chance; or perhaps that did not adapt quickly enough. I think March took against them both for playing too many long balls. But he needs someone in to build from the back. Pybus is not bad at that and is the natural successor to Luke Moore. I don't think Niall has enough impact at this level to keep on.

I am a big fan of Harry Ottaway as a link man, but agree he does better off the bench and is not the sort of goal threat that we would ideally want.  Hollis may be the right choice in the middle for certain games against a big slow forward, but we need quicker options.  If Cook sorts out his discipline, he should be part of the squad. 

But it is only worth getting rid of players if you are replacing them with better ones; or ones who will become better.  There seems to be a lot of talent coming through the academy so maybe it is time to give some a chance, or raid the NLS for best young talent. 

I liked the messaging from Marc this morning - basically, come what may, whichever division we find ourselves in, we will continue to progress on and off the field. Next season will be a better team than this season.

Loving the positivity.

PS Disagree about Bowerman, he's not really had much of a chance this season being injured for the majority of the time, and when he's played (i.e. in the week) to me, he's impressed. Heaps of potential, shown he can do damage on the LHS, an eye for goal and hugely committed. First choice imo.

Just looking at our recruitment over the last 2 seasons. These are the players that have come into th club. I'm going to give them a mark out of 10.

Seb Bowerman. 6/10 season of injuries 

Jo Cook.  5/10 poor discipline 

Jasper Patterson 5/10 only 2 games.

Dan Quick 5/10 was played out of position. 

Archie Proctor 5/10 wasn't trusted enough. 

Harrison Male 8/10 saved the team in many games. 

Daniel Pybus 7/10 defending could be better. 

Tony Craig.  10/10 great leader and defender. 

Tom Blair.  8/10 chipped in with a few goals. 

Hayden Hollis. 4/10 legs have gone.  Probably why he was let go.

Charlie Carter.  10/10 best signing 

Alex Lankshear. 5/10 wasn't given a chance, looked good.

Matt Everitt. 0/10 never saw him.

Joe Rabbett. 2/10 nowhere near the standard. 

So 14 players and I feel only 5 or 6  players have really worked out.

@happy-hammers 

I cannot argue with any of those ratings Gary. Marc mentioned in a recent podcast that Cookie is his favourite National league manager. He said he gave him advice that recruitment is 9/10ths of the law at this level. He said he has only realized how important that advice was this season. Mentioned he gave a player an 18 month contract and now regrets it...then stopped himself. 

Lets also not forget some of his other signings in recent years. Adam Mecki was one of his big signings when the team first went up, and was bombed out very quickly barely ever involved. Jack Jebb was the other big signing from that summer, and is now out on loan and never coming back. 

So the majority has been very poor and its the probably main reason why the team is where they are.

@happy-hammers Not sure how Quick, Lankshear and Procter all have higher ratings than Hollis when all 3 of them were awful and Hollis has actually been pretty good bar a few a games...

Rabbetts hasn't played a game as he's been out on loan at Bognor both seasons so not sure how we can rate him (or Everitt). They're both youngsters for the future.

Because I don't rate Hollis and I think both the other players are better players if there were given a little more time. 

@happy-hammers Still feel that way after today? Thought he was great, with several crucial interventions.

Lol

Not sure about Tony Craig (brilliant in 2022/23 but a liability in a few games this season, as much as any other defender) and Charlie Carter (underwhelming recovery from injury and a few glaring missed chances) being flawless 10/10 signings, by that standard Harrison Male should be higher than an 8 and considering we lost Dan Lincoln I'd say we were lucky to land who is statistically the top GK in the league.

I agree with you all that signings haven't been the strong point this season, unfortunately in any work environment that's the nature of recruitment, sometimes an on-paper ideal hire just doesn't work out and this year we've been hit by a few of those.