DROC

[Barmby Rover]

Alright, more than half way through the transfer business, loans still to come, any more now feel like members of the Optimists Club? I have always been there of course, and KS seems to be in the DRMC (Miserable club) but what about you undecideds out there?

[Jonathan]

Honestly, I would have said at this time yesterday I was feeling optimistic because I'd been impressed with our start in the transfer market and felt if we could add a few more key players (central defender, midfielder/Mason, striker) we would be looking in good shape for the new season.

After reading that the budget has been spent and no more significant incomings expected, I'm genuinely concerned. Despite bringing in some good players and some excellent promise, I don't think we have added enough to our weak defence yet and I think we could still do with a bit of extra quality to lift us.

It's not all bad, we just haven't done enough to be ready to compete. No rose tinted glasses, that's my honest opinion.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I can see Jonathan's point and would agree really.

I think we're already stronger than last season and have more depth and dimension.  What I still feel is the lack of a good ball playing midfielder. I actually feel the defence is ok though ideally a young, pacy CH would help.  But, the guys in there are good enough.  I still feel that our weakness defensively was in some part down to midfield and attack not keeping the ball or having an out ball.  Brown and Bennett will be good out balls I reckon.  That should take pressure of the defence to an extent.  I also feel if we settle a back four we'll be stronger.

I'm more optimistic than 3 months ago, SOD's done ok, but we still need a loan or two and I can't see how we won't get a couple of loanees in.

[jonnydog]

Optimistic. I'm pretty sure we will acquire some of the trialist and hopefully 60% of those we offer contracts to will be good enough for the league. I also hope Vine is one of them because then we definately would have more options available to us.

I'm still confident the problem areas will be sorted before kick off, and hopefully our 1st choice keeper will feel more confident with a settled 4 in front of him.

I would be the picture of positivity if we had another keeper, as 3 is safer and with both our current No' 1's having picked up injurys back end of last season it's better to be safe than sorry IMO.

But ov overall my mood has shifted somewhat and I have noticed on here that it's not just me!

RTIF'kin'D

[Wellred]

At the moment I am in neither simply because I don't know which JR we currently have.
Is it the JR who speaks to the fans?
Is it the JR who speaks to the press?
or is it the JR who speaks to Gartom?

The problem is we get three different versions of what SODs budget is, have we spent what we can? Is there any more players coming in? Why are we looking at trialists if there is no more money in the budget?

Confused or what?

[bedale rover]

i think that we will be ok i am sure that 2 or 3 of the triallists will sign and then an occasional loanee will be signed

so definitely in the optimists club

[VikingJames]

Definitely still need another central defender, Stock role midfielder and another option up front, at the very least.

As a few of the others have said, I'm quite pleased with our signings so far. I think Spurr, Bennett and Brown are all shrewd additions who could prove important for us. Naylor I'm not so keen on, but if he's cover then hopefully he'll be better than Thomas/Souza. Baxendale could be a star of the future. So far so good, but it is worrying that we're unlikely to see much more. Hopefully we've factored in the trialists and have enough money left to sign most of them up - McDonald and Vine in particular would be good additions to our squad.

So, I'm pleased with what we've done so far, but we desperately need at least one more addition in each area, otherwise we'll be looking at a similar situation to last season - decent starting XI, but a totally inadequate squad.

[Jonathan]

I wonder if Gartom or anyone else that had attended the meeting could clear up point 1 from the update?

i.e. by don't expect any more significant signings, is money still in the budget to bring in some of the trialists (or equivalent) or is that genuinely it? I read it as no more signings basically (for example a player of Vine's pedgiree would be significant, as would the required centre half) hence while I'm struggling to be optimistic based on that comment.

[Lewis Guys Dentist]

I will start been optimistic when we have the defence issue resolved. If we ship goals like we did last season we will get punished, as this league is much better ( in my opinion ) than last season.
Maybe sign Vine? would give us another option.. Then loan Fairhurst out?
Bouhenna?.Looks good. I reckon maybe after Mansfield/Carlisle. We will find out whats happening.
But yes id really like to see, Vine, Bouhenna, a holding midfielder (Stocks role) and some loans. Mason? The Celtic cb?
Then ill be happy.

[RedJ]

I wonder if Gartom or anyone else that had attended the meeting could clear up point 1 from the update?

i.e. by don't expect any more significant signings, is money still in the budget to bring in some of the trialists (or equivalent) or is that genuinely it? I read it as no more signings basically (for example a player of Vine's pedgiree would be significant, as would the required centre half) hence while I'm struggling to be optimistic based on that comment.

While Vine's got class and ability, I'm not so sure that us signing him would be seen as significant. He's after a club, we need (well, could do with) another striker, and it wouldn't be that much of a shock, and that's why I wouldn't put it in \"significant\". Mason, for example, would be significant, but not a free agent in my opinion.

[hoolahoop]

Optimists club , I'm more than happy with the signings so far and yes like others would like another couple .......especially Mason.
Far far more comfortable than this time last year, however I'm wondering why Gareth and JR are getting stick re. the report back from their meeting.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

by don't expect any more significant signings, is money still in the budget to bring in some of the trialists (or equivalent) or is that genuinely it? I read it as no more signings basically (for example a player of Vine's pedgiree would be significant, as would the required centre half) hence while I'm struggling to be optimistic based on that comment.

We can't spend SOD's budget for him. He'll know what the priorities are and I'm quite happy that we're nearly there. We cannot control finances although the more folk who buy flexi tickets and come a long on a match day will be most welcome. A couple of good early results will do nicely.

I'm convinced SOD wants to reproduce some of our best football and, we've had our new signings with us for a while and when the season starts they should well on with their 'education'.

I am optimistic we're going to run the legs off a few teams with our passing and if Mason completes the loan deal, on he graces the pitch on a regular basis with Sharp etc, I think we have enough goal power. Obviously, question marks remain about the defence but with Naylor on the pitch, or even off it, we have someone who can get that back four organised.

[Kenny_Senior]

There is little reason to be optimistic. We were crap at the back last season and we haven't significantly improved in this area. Further up the pitch we have strengthened, but our transfer work for the summer should not be done. We have to add a quality centre half or we shall face the consequences.

[VixDRFC]

I wonder if Gartom or anyone else that had attended the meeting could clear up point 1 from the update?

i.e. by don't expect any more significant signings, is money still in the budget to bring in some of the trialists (or equivalent) or is that genuinely it? I read it as no more signings basically (for example a player of Vine's pedgiree would be significant, as would the required centre half) hence while I'm struggling to be optimistic based on that comment.

From reading Vine's comments on Twitter over the past week it would seem to be a loan deal. And he really seems to want to come here too!

[wing commander]

I am a huge fan of Vine,i was delighted when i heard he was on trial.However if the budget has been spent and we are left with some loan options,i would have to go for another Defender first as a priority..
  Ideally another midfield loan as well but the budget is what it is..

[Filo]

Latest tweet

aslrowanvine Aslrowanvine
Just chilling at the nuffield..wired up again...the things we do for love..#dedication http://yfrog.com/khqamej

Would that be the nuffield health and fitness centre on white rose way, and do rovers use this place to conduct medicals?

[wing commander]

We do medicals?????

[Persuadle]

Very very optimistic.

Delighted with what has been done and truly believe there is more to come.

Without sounding disrespectful to Gartom, I do not think that the Chairman has declared his full hand to him and why should he.

He knows that Gartom would be reporting back and there is no way we are going to be told anything until it happens. The actual business of signing players is not ours to know until it happens. That is the way it is and always has been.

I am aware that some believe they are sending out mixed messages. I do not see it that way. I think they are doing the business correctly and keeping things close to their chest.

[i_ateallthepies]

I will start been optimistic when we have the defence issue resolved. If we ship goals like we did last season we will get punished, as this league is much better ( in my opinion ) than last season.
Maybe sign Vine? would give us another option.. Then loan Fairhurst out?
Bouhenna?.Looks good. I reckon maybe after Mansfield/Carlisle. We will find out whats happening.
But yes id really like to see, Vine, Bouhenna, a holding midfielder (Stocks role) and some loans. Mason? The Celtic cb?
Then ill be happy.

I really don't get this view that keeps being pedalled that the Championship is stronger than last season.
The three strongest have been promoted out of the division.  Three are coming down and have to seriously rebuild their squads due to losing their best players and the three teams replacing the relegated three are coming up from a lower division.

Ok, if all of those six proved to be strong, (unlikely in my opinion) the other eighteen are the same clubs as last year and already we can see that some of those are significantly weaker than last season.  Only Leicester stand out as likely to be significantly stronger.

If there are half a dozen strong teams this season the remaining eighteen all have the same difficulty getting anything off them.  It's the same every season.

[Bretby Rover]

Mixed feelings for me. The centre half and left back positions worry me. Having said that I think the squad is a stronger one for this season and that I am confident we will still add to it in the next month.

[Mr1Croft]

There is little reason to be optimistic. We were crap at the back last season and we haven't significantly improved in this area. Further up the pitch we have strengthened, but our transfer work for the summer should not be done. We have to add a quality centre half or we shall face the consequences.

Forget SOD, this guy knows what he's talking about give him the managers job, he obviously has more experience and knowledge of football to help us grace the top flight...

Seriously though I do feel optimistic, whether it is because I am quite excited about this season than past ones or whether it is because of the signings. I do think that we are in dire need of at least 2 more players. a decent centre half to add depth to the defence and a central midfielder. We relied heavily on stock's comeback from injury last season and lets face it he was poor, his season was more or less on show against Leciester at the Walkers stadium. first half: decent performance stayed strong and well positioned and stopped Leciester attacking down the middle. Second half: Leciester out muscled him and dominated the game with that hold in the middle of the park...

It was the same story in all of our batterings, once the opposition realised that we don't effectivley challenge for the ball they used their srength as our weakness, bullied us off the ball too often and put us to shame. Wolves, Reading, Leciester, Ipswich, Cardiff, the story was always the same one. The signings we have made are encouraging but Naylor aside and we still have pacey-good on the ball but no power-muscle players behind the ball. That will be the story of our season IMO, we will have a great season using our stength in pace with our passing game, or we will get torn to shreds and endure another horrid season.

Optimistic? Of course I am, I trust SOD will come up with the goods this season...