[HaslandBlue58]

Several quality saves again today, well done,and also a big shout for Ash Palmer and his recent performances.

[Westbars Spireite]

Quite happy for him to be #1 next season.

[Goku]

 HaslandBlue58, on 22 March 2025 - 08:30 PM, said:

Several quality saves again today, well done,and also a big shout for Ash Palmer and his recent performances.

Ash Palmer’s return got me wondering if we should offer him another year 👀

[Westbars Spireite]

 Goku, on 22 March 2025 - 08:45 PM, said:

Ash Palmer’s return got me wondering if we should offer him another year 👀

He's been superb to be fair. I didn't see it coming so will happily eat humble pie. Thought he'd be run past regularly but his positional sense has been excellent and he's rarely been in danger.

[Mr Mercury]

 Goku, on 22 March 2025 - 08:45 PM, said:

Ash Palmer’s return got me wondering if we should offer him another year 👀

Whisper it but I’d go for him ahead of Grimes in the contract stakes

[hilly81]

 Mr Mercury, on 22 March 2025 - 09:03 PM, said:

Whisper it but I’d go for him ahead of Grimes in the contract stakes

You don’t need to whisper that. I’d still want him to be 4th choice though.

[jack bauer]

 Mr Mercury, on 22 March 2025 - 09:03 PM, said:

Whisper it but I’d go for him ahead of Grimes in the contract stakes

palmer has been excellent since he came back in and just what we needed, as for new contract... not sure and grimes may have the edge on account of being left sided, we take dunkley (presumably) into next season, unsure what will happen with williams, then there's fadz,

[1978blue]

 HaslandBlue58, on 22 March 2025 - 08:30 PM, said:

Several quality saves again today, well done,and also a big shout for Ash Palmer and his recent performances.

Boot my man of the match closely followed by Palmer👍

[danblue]

 1978blue, on 22 March 2025 - 09:23 PM, said:

Boot my man of the match closely followed by Palmer👍

If we were to be in L2 next season, I'd probably want these two in the squad.
Very tricky not to fall into the trap of wanting to keep hold of players for nostalgic reasons, but these are doing it on merit.
Just chucking it out there, would you keep Boot for L1? Or Palmer? Palmer and Boot operating on a decent level atm

[Cosmo Kramer]

Boot did a great job again today, it’s nice to have an experienced and steady goalkeeper. He has his limitations but who doesn’t at this level? I have a feeling that we’ll try again for a number 1 this summer but , if we end up with Boot then I wouldn’t be worried.

The Ash Palmer situation reminds me of when Haydn Hollis came back in under the previous management when many of us had written him off and he became a solid part of the defence. Obviously different players and different levels but it’s always nice to see players prove that they can do it at levels that you thought they didn’t have in them

[dim view]

 Cosmo Kramer, on 22 March 2025 - 11:32 PM, said:

The Ash Palmer situation reminds me of when Haydn Hollis came back in under the previous management when many of us had written him off and he became a solid part of the defence. Obviously different players and different levels but it’s always nice to see players prove that they can do it at levels that you thought they didn’t have in them

Fabulous result for Tamworth.
Our Youth Coach might be playing against us next season.

[Rodney's Moustache]

 Goku, on 22 March 2025 - 08:45 PM, said:

Ash Palmer's return got me wondering if we should offer him another year 👀

100% Palmer should be offered a new contract he's been solid since his return.

[The Earl of Chesterfield]

Boot, like Palmer and several OOC players, deserve enormous credit for their professionalism.

They have and continue to earn themselves worthwhile contracts.

But sadly not at Tairn. We have to evolve to challenge next season...

[plannerj]

 The Earl of Chesterfield, on 23 March 2025 - 08:44 AM, said:

Boot, like Palmer and several OOC players, deserve enormous credit for their professionalism.

They have and continue to earn themselves worthwhile contracts.

But sadly not at Tairn. We have to evolve to challenge next season...

I don’t get this. What, in particular, is the problem with Boot that would prevent him being offered a contract extension and being our number 1 keeper? Come on, spell it out!

 The Earl of Chesterfield, on 23 March 2025 - 08:44 AM, said:

Boot, like Palmer and several OOC players, deserve enormous credit for their professionalism.

They have and continue to earn themselves worthwhile contracts.

But sadly not at Tairn. We have to evolve to challenge next season...

I don’t get this. What, in particular, is the problem with Boot that would prevent him being offered a contract extension and being our number 1 keeper? Come on, spell it out!

[dim view]

 The Earl of Chesterfield, on 23 March 2025 - 08:44 AM, said:

Boot, like Palmer and several OOC players, deserve enormous credit for their professionalism.

They have and continue to earn themselves worthwhile contracts.

But sadly not at Tairn. We have to evolve to challenge next season...

Any idea when we're entitled to ask what's up with Dunkley and whether we need a replacement?

[dim view]

 plannerj, on 23 March 2025 - 09:17 AM, said:

I don’t get this. What, in particular, is the problem with Boot that would prevent him being offered a contract extension and being our number 1 keeper? Come on, spell it out!

I'll have a go, without it getting personal and keeping it technical.

In the nicest sense of the word, he's too weak imo. Not big enough, not strong enough. His reflexes are excellent though so he makes great saves. I look at his parrying and his punching (one good example yesterday). The ball doesn't make it to safe areas.

I also thought there were 2 occasions yesterday when he would have won races for the ball with the forrad but opted to retreat.

He's on a good roll though and thoroughly deserves the run he's getting. I think he's very good value as a squad goalie but, as I've said before, our budget should be more than enough to ensure that nobody else in L2 has a better goalie, and we've not achieved that this season.

[lindave]

 Westbars Spireite, on 22 March 2025 - 08:39 PM, said:

Quite happy for him to be #1 next season.

He has always been my no.1 ahead of Tyrer and Thommo.

[dtp]

 dim view, on 23 March 2025 - 09:35 AM, said:

I'll have a go, without it getting personal and keeping it technical.

In the nicest sense of the word, he's too weak imo. Not big enough, not strong enough. His reflexes are excellent though so he makes great saves. I look at his parrying and his punching (one good example yesterday). The ball doesn't make it to safe areas.

I also thought there were 2 occasions yesterday when he would have won races for the ball with the forrad but opted to retreat.

He's on a good roll though and thoroughly deserves the run he's getting. I think he's very good value as a squad goalie but, as I've said before, our budget should be more than enough to ensure that nobody else in L2 has a better goalie, and we've not achieved that this season.

I will repeat what I have said before -

In my opinion we will not get a better No2 than Ryan Boot and on that basis I would offer him another contract.

However, I do think we could get a better No1, and that should be our target. But, to date, I am not sure we have found better since he has been with us.

Cook was lucky to have Tommy Lee during his first spell with us. Fortunately, Tommy rarely missed a game because whoever was our No2 at that time seemed to struggle when called upon.

Boot, in comparison, is reliable when chosen and professional when not chosen. If he was to leave does anybody think we can sign 2 keepers better than him?

[Waller is my hero]

Boot has taken his opportunity extremely well…he has been a serious game changer at key moments in games…deserves another contract

[boot]

 dim view, on 23 March 2025 - 09:35 AM, said:

I'll have a go, without it getting personal and keeping it technical.

In the nicest sense of the word, he's too weak imo. Not big enough, not strong enough. His reflexes are excellent though so he makes great saves. I look at his parrying and his punching (one good example yesterday). The ball doesn't make it to safe areas.

I also thought there were 2 occasions yesterday when he would have won races for the ball with the forrad but opted to retreat.

He's on a good roll though and thoroughly deserves the run he's getting. I think he's very good value as a squad goalie but, as I've said before, our budget should be more than enough to ensure that nobody else in L2 has a better goalie, and we've not achieved that this season.

The problem with your analysis, and it may well be right, is that in the quest to achieve it this season we landed ourselves with a keeper who, in my opinion, is evidently not as good as second choice Boot. Boot deserves a new contract, If we can get a keeper matching your spec, all well and good, but it's not easy.