Westwood Going

[Jim]

Westwood along with several others are out of contract next summer. So do we discuss new contracts now or more than likely try to drum up some interest now for players who are probably not in JL’s long term plans who will leave for free next summer to get some much needed money in.

 

Personally I think we’ll try to do this but moving Westwood on now would make a play-off challenge next season unlikely IMO because neither Wildsmith or Dawson are at his level yet.

[oh_weds_we_love_you]

1 hour ago, just visiting said:

Two seasons ago maybe.

 

I can't see how £25k per week sat on your bench is a win win. Unavoidable due to his contract but hardly a win win for the club.

 

He’s still the best GK in the league, or at the very worst one of the best. If he’s fit, which after a summer break and pre-season he should be, he’ll be number one if he stays here.

 

And £25k a week is the going rate for top end Championship players sadly.

[kristmace]

16 hours ago, Owls-Fan said:

He’ll go to Stoke to replace Butland and help get them promoted 

 

If he goes to Stoke, get Lee Grant back from them in a swap with cash. 

[NorthernOwl]

12 hours ago, HOOTIE AND THE poo TU said:

I think it's pretty obvious we need to sell a player or three

 

And I understand people wanting to keep Westwood, in an ideal world I would too

 

But given the choice of losing Forestieri, Bannan or Westwood

 

It's Westwood all the time for me

 

Is that likely to be the choice though? Forestieri and Bannan would bring in significant sums whereas Westwood might bring in a couple of million. Selling him is not going to have a significant financial impact in the way that selling one of out other better players would.

[HOOTIE AND THE SHIT TU]

2 hours ago, just visiting said:

Think, due to injuries to Fairclough and Whyte, the players you're referring to played about seven times between them.

 

Wilko saw potential obviously, particularly in Wetherall but they were never going to replace our first choice older centre halves that season.

 

I'm related to Chris Whyte's step brother, his name is David and he lives in London

 

True story

[Malkmus]

Seems to be quite a few people who still don't understand the position we are in. It's going to be a different kind of rebuilding this summer.

There's going to be some tough decisions to be made.

What we need to do is stick with it whoever leaves and support the club.

[Mr. Tom]

Ten pages minimum.

[upperwinngardensowl]

Best Wednesday keeper I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot. 

[pgmetcalf]

Wouldn't be too bothered if he left anyway, we have more than suitable understudies 

[John T]

18 hours ago, acquiescefc said:

League One here we come

Knob

[John T]

Just now, John T said:

Knob

 

[sonofbert2]

Sell him for as much as we can get.

 

Been brilliant for us but we need to be ruthless this summer so sell him while we can and while he still has a chance to better himself.

 

I would consider silly money offers for any of our big names this summer.  The squad needs freshening up, Nuhiu and Joao are like two new signings anyway as is Venancio as he wasn't previously seen so get him sorted on a proper deal.

 

Jos has had a good look at all those fit enough to play and will know by now which current players "get it" and are able to carry out the new plan.

 

Time to let go of the recent past and thank and wish well all those do go and  who'll both help fund what's gone, what comes next and make way for their and our new future.

 

 

[Cypriot Owl]

Personally I would rather we sold Wildsmith, (rate Dawson higher), and kept Westwood.
FFP strikes again

[Walt]

2 hours ago, Malkmus said:

Seems to be quite a few people who still don't understand the position we are in. It's going to be a different kind of rebuilding this summer.

There's going to be some tough decisions to be made.

What we need to do is stick with it whoever leaves and support the club.

You may well be absolutely bang on but how do you and the other fans who quite rightly raise FFP concerns square this with the following club statement?

 

"Alternatively would you prefer the club to build on the current level of investment, maintain the pricing structure and extend our ongoing strategy geared towards promotion to the Premier League"

 

What you are alluding to seems to be the polar opposite of what the club promised us in return for keeping the current pricing structure. They can not have it both ways so it seems to me that the club must have a way of injecting cash into the club or they sold us season tickets under false pretences.

 

 

[sonofbert2]

1 minute ago, Walt said:

You may well be absolutely bang on but how do you and the other fans who quite rightly raise FFP concerns square this with the following club statement?

 

"Alternatively would you prefer the club to build on the current level of investment, maintain the pricing structure and extend our ongoing strategy geared towards promotion to the Premier League"

 

What you are alluding to seems to be the polar opposite of what the club promised us in return for keeping the current pricing structure. They can not have it both ways so it seems to me that the club must have a way of injecting cash into the club or they sold us season tickets under false pretences.

 

 

 

They'll flog a few and buy a few and we'll go up so all will be fine.

 

The prices won't go up for those who showed faith when we do go up and everyone will live happily ever after.

 

 

[Birley Owl 1867]

5 hours ago, just visiting said:

Two seasons ago maybe.

 

I can't see how £25k per week sat on your bench is a win win. Unavoidable due to his contract but hardly a win win for the club.

Westwood is best keeper in the league for sure. No one else is of his quality bar Fabianski and Butland who'll both leave anyway.

 

He also won't sit on our bench either. He joined us from Sunderland because he didn't want to sit on their bench, turning down the champions man city too because again he didn't want to be a back up keeper. If we told him he's got no future he'd leave.

Edited May 19, 2018 by Birley Owl 1867

[Bluesteel]

15 hours ago, HOOTIE AND THE poo TU said:

I think it's pretty obvious we need to sell a player or three

 

And I understand people wanting to keep Westwood, in an ideal world I would too

 

But given the choice of losing Forestieri, Bannan or Westwood

 

It's Westwood all the time for me

 

Thats it in a nutshell for me, I’d be gutted to see him go, like I was when Lee grant left. But we need to face the reality of our situation we can’t keep this squad together and avoid penalties in 18 months time (unless promoted but I’d rather not gamble). 

 

I also think there’s a prospect that we may have already had Westwood at his peak and if we are to raise any money now is the only time. 

[Utah Owl]

The thing that made Alex Ferguson such a great manager (and Bob Paisley before him) was that he new the right time to let a player go and sometimes it was controversial (Roy Keane, Paul Ince, David Beckham for starters) yet he was always proved to be right.

 

Ultimately if Westwood goes it will be because Jos feels the time is right and he's not in his plans anymore and on that we have to trust his instincts.

[Guest Arcadianrocket]

19 hours ago, Utah Owl said:

2014/15 - 43 games

2015/16 - 34 games + 3 play off matches

2016/17 - 43 games + 2 play off matches

2017/18 - 13 games

 

Source Wiki.

Very injury prone.The lack of respect for Westwood and appreciation that he is head and shoulders above Dawson and Wildsmith is staggering.

 

If Westwood leave people seem to miss that may then trigger someone like FF leaving too,

Its a massive sign we are not aiming for promotion if we allow westwood to leave.

[sonofbert2]

9 minutes ago, Arcadianrocket said:

Very injury prone.The lack of respect for Westwood and appreciation that he is head and shoulders above Dawson and Wildsmith is staggering.

 

If Westwood leave people seem to miss that may then trigger someone like FF leaving too,

Its a massive sign we are not aiming for promotion if we allow westwood to leave.

 

I for one am not doubting his ability or questioning his injury record.  He should have got treatment sooner instead of playing on and it clearly affected his early season form and made what was wrong worse.  He has been brilliant for us.

 

However, have you thought that maybe he might want more, Dawson in particular did well when covering and that it is inevitable that some of our best players in recent times will go this summer.

 

Why would his departure in particular sigmal we aren't aiming for promotion?  It wouldn't, that's why.

 

We are aiming for promotion whilst sticking to the rules.  Just because a few go doesn't mean the rest will so stop being dramatic until we also see who comes in.