Shrimpsvoices

Barry fit again and did well until his injury. Mark has done well as his replacement. Where do we stand on who starts now. One has the shirt and is in form, while the other was in form before the injury and is also the captain. Bit of a decision for the boss to make.

Baz for me, Mark has done well, but back to the big man.

The person with the shirt at this moment in time has done nothing wrong to be relegated back to the subs bench. For me it would be a kick in the teeth if Baz was to return. You don't drop a player who has been playing well just because the club captain and the original custodian of the shirt is now fit to return.

Caton83 wrote:Barry fit again and did well until his injury. Mark has done well as his replacement. Where do we stand on who starts now. One has the shirt and is in form, while the other was in form before the injury and is also the captain. Bit of a decision for the boss to make.

As you say C83, a tough decision for the boss, both excellent goalkeepers. Maybe there was some sort of agreement/ understanding in the dressing room, about what would happen once Barry was fit???

Baz for me.

IMHO he is the best permanently signed keeper we have had in recent times and I feel more confident when he is between the sticks. I think he communicates better with the back line than Mark. But its great to have a decent back-up rather than some of the comedians we have had on the bench.

We're not talking about comparable/equal players. Roche is our long term goalie. Mark is his understudy in his first year with us. When Barry is fit, he returns, no question about that. Mark would have had to prove himself to be better than Barry to take over, in my opinion, he hasn't done that. He's been a perfectly good temporary replacement, far better than our sub goalies of recent seasons, and has proved himself worthy, perhaps even equal to Barry? But at the end of the day, Baz (in my opinion) is better or the same quality, so should return to regain his rightful place. Same as Old returning from injury and almost immediately taking his place back from the perfectly competent Yarney.

Hmmmmmm

For me it would be bad for team morale and competition for places.

The incentive for people not getting into the first team should work like if when you get a chance and play well you should keep that spot.

And i also think any player with anything about them would understand that, there should be no problems in any dressing room when a team is picked with that priniciple.

I think this is the first time e I have agreed with RR....if a squad player gets his chance and does a good job, then it's a kick in the teeth to be dropped, it sends out the wrong message to other squad players.

mrpotatohead wrote:I think this is the first time e I have agreed with RR....if a squad player gets his chance and does a good job, then it's a kick in the teeth to be dropped, it sends out the wrong message to other squad players.

We've more in common than some would believe.

It's a really tough one. I think other issues will be taken in to account. Is Barry becoming more injury prone? Is his career beginning to come to an end for physical reasons? Or, is he likely to be our first choice keeper next season and the niggles are just that?

If this is likely to be Barry's last season, based upon the physical demands upon his body, then I'd say Mark should keep his place, on the basis of having played well since coming in. If Barry is going to be here next season, then I'd say he should come back in as soon as fit, as he has been on some of his best form over the last couple of seasons and is still one of the best keepers in League Two.

So for me, the decision will be in part at least, an indication of succession planning.

The other thing to consider is whether Barry would benefit from a couple of reserve matches just to get match sharp again?

Another point in Mark's favour is that his distribution is far better than Baz's which for me has been a flaw in an otherwise excellent career.

No doubt whatever decision Jim makes it will not please everybody.