U's squad set for shake up (From Gazette)
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U's squad set for shake up
10:30am Wednesday 20th June 2012 in Sport By Jonathan Waldron
Target? Freddie Sears is thought to be one of the strikers the U's are looking to bring in this summer.
More players could follow Steven Gillespie out of Colchester United this summer, as part of a shake-up of their first-team squad.
U’s boss John Ward has set about the task of recruiting a brand new strike-force, ahead of the new League One campaign.
Colchester are on the lookout for at least two new forwards, following Gillespie’s departure to Fleetwood Town.
It followed hot on the heels of last season’s player of the year Kayode Odejayi joining Rotherham United.
Their departures have left the U’s without a specialist striker.
Ashley Vincent and Martin Rowlands have also left the Weston Homes Community Stadium this summer.
And manager Ward revealed there could be more changes in the coming weeks, as he looks to shape his team for next season.
The Colchester manager has made signing at least two new forwards his top priority.
And West Ham United youngster Freddie Sears - who spent more than three months on loan at the U’s last season - is believed to be at the top of his shopping list.
Ward said: “We’ve finished eighth, tenth and tenth in the three years that I’ve been at Colchester.
“They constitute some of the best finishes in the club’s history.
“But I’ve been at Colchester for three years now and I think it needs a little shake-up, which is what is happening.
“We received a good financial deal for Steven from Fleetwood and the money we receive from that will help us to improve our squad.
“It was very tight before in terms of the budget but this will enhance things.
“The money will go towards us concentrating on bringing a couple of new strikers in.
“I think it’s obvious that we will need to bring players in in that area, after Kayode and Steven have gone.”
See Wednesday's Gazette for more on this story and all of the latest Colchester United news.
Comments(10)
up the U's paul
says...
12:40pm Wed 20 Jun 12
Lodgie__
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12:52pm Wed 20 Jun 12
Mr Honest
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2:39pm Wed 20 Jun 12
jpis247
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3:29pm Wed 20 Jun 12
crazy comments
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5:48pm Wed 20 Jun 12
jpis247 wrote:Develop a squad. Ward has had two full seasons to do that. If he had wanted to do that he would have got rid of Heath, Izzet and certainly not resign Duguid for another season.
Mr. Honest, you're boring. We're not going backwards, we're back to where we've always been, a mid-table League One side. We had 1 good season in League One and the Champ, which was never financially sustainable. Its only June and Ward's not an idiot. He know's we need players and we will see who he gets in. The pessimism you call 'honesty' is rubbish. Lets see who we get in and how it goes before we write off Ward. Let him develop a squad, not inherit one.
jpis247
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5:58pm Wed 20 Jun 12
crazy comments
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6:34pm Wed 20 Jun 12
jpis247 wrote:I am a big fan of Dugie but he has not the pace for this league any more. I watched him closely against Hartlepool this season and he was beaten for pace and left floundering time and again down the flank. Izzet again was a good player for this league but this is a hard league with lots of teams with super fit players. He creates nothing going forwards and without that you dont create goal chances. Hopefully the new lad Bean will be the boy this season for doing that. How Matt Heath was kept over Baldwin I will never know, though I think Pat was getting past his best. I watched Luton reserves against our reserves recently and their number 10 got two cracking goals and gave Heath the complete runaround. He would have been saying goodbye there and then if I was a manager. If anyone sane that knows about football can tell me that John ward is a decent manager then I will walk off a cliff and hopefully Super and Nora will be at the bottom to save me.
Like it or not the above mentioned players are good squad players for a club of our stature. Never get the hate for Duguid or Izzet. They did the job when needed last season. Heath.....criticism justified.
angryman!!!
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6:55pm Wed 20 Jun 12
Blue & White Robbo
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9:10am Sat 23 Jun 12
If we are honest we have all said that Dizzy never repaid our faith or money, so why not accept a decent fee for him??
If Freddie Sears does sign, along with a big target man, who says they cannot reproduce the Cureton / Iwelumo form of our promotion and 1st season in the Championship.
Who of us had heard of Big Chris before he signed ??
JW has a few bob more now and we have to trust him to do the right thing.
Does anyone really think that JW & RC want us to fail ??? It's their investment, reputation and career.
I have my fingers crossed for a couple of good signings (who stay fit !) and a couple of youth players stepping up.
If it has all 'Gone Pete Tong' by next May, then have a pop at the Management and me if you like.
I have cautious optimism and say now we will finish higher than tenth.
You heard it here first folks.
Up the U's
super waluigi says...
11:16am Wed 20 Jun 12
Like him or loath him, he is entitled to have this opportunity because of the amount of garbage player he has put up with from the last 3 managers. I admit that George, lambert and boothroyd all bought in some quality, but let's not forget the Vernons, Ifils and Hackneys that we paid for.
We will still have limited resources, and will have to accommodate old, new and youth in to our new look squad. But this is a new Dawn for Colchester united, let's all get behind them.