celticman > January 2013: Rotation and Youth development
During January I’ve usually only got one thing to talk about – transfers. However this January there was very little turnover in the playing staff.
Transfers
Transfers 2012-13
In came two players – Andreou Marinos, a Cypriot winger whose sole purpose is to help countryman Pabos Kleanthous settle now he is back from his leave of absence; and Ravel Morrison, an attacking midfielder I didn’t want from parent club Man Utd.
The main thing I wanted to do was reduce my wage bill this month as I am currently over-spent on wages. I have Tonel’s contract expiring the end of the season and I needed money to renew that. Furthermore the likes of Hooper, Juarez, McFadden, Commons are all out of contract the following summer.
Bogle and Towell had to leave on frees. Their contracts were out in the next 18 months and although Towell is ok, he was never going to be a challenger for a first team place. Liviu Ganea, who I thought was fairly decent, also left. He had limited opportunities due to the emergence of Shane Sutherland this year (more on that later).
Other than that I also tried to shift Scott Allan, Marko Vejinovic and a few U19 players out on loan but without luck. Finally, still almost £10k p/w over budget I tried to sell Baba, only for the transfer to be cancelled because it wasn’t concluded in time.
Contracts
The wage situation looks like this.
Budget
And the players out of contract in the next 18 months are as follows.
Players in last 18 months of contract
Of these, I regard only Tonel and Hooper as must renew. I’ve offered one to Tonel which he looks like he’ll accept. I don’t [...]