Our Optimistic Nightmare Continues ...

[Yankee_Jack]

Back to training ... here's the video ... Video | Swansea City return to training | Swansea

There are some players there that I can't recognize to name, but they look a tad stiff. WTF have they been doing for the last two months. Can't they afford a stationary bike, a yoga mat and some elastic straps to help them stretch FFS.

Instead of moving in as a tight group through the drills there are clear leaders (reminds me of Ivor, Herbie and me at Ponty) and then the laggards (those that shall not be shamed). The separation between the few leaders and the majority lagging is ridiculous.

Question: is there any chance that we could do so badly in the final few games that we could be relegated. If we start off like this then any team with some get up and go will overrun us.

 

[Jackflash]

It may be just my imagination, but they seem to play better when there's just eleven on the park.

 

[ivoralljack]

(reminds me of Ivor, Herbie and me at Ponty

Yeah, because of his lack of height Herbie could resemble a barrel on legs. Super player though and one that Ivor told me should have been playing as a football league professional. He was definitely a fit little so-and-so, probably due to his job in the mines.

As for our lots' fitness levels, there should be no excuse for not having been ticking over during lockdown.

PS: Mind you, gently does it should be the keynote as they ease back to fitness. Don't want any pulls or hammys before they start back.

 

[KVetch]

Back to training ... here's the video ... Video | Swansea City return to training | Swansea

There are some players there that I can't recognize to name, but they look a tad stiff. WTF have they been doing for the last two months. Can't they afford a stationary bike, a yoga mat and some elastic straps to help them stretch FFS.

Instead of moving in as a tight group through the drills there are clear leaders (reminds me of Ivor, Herbie and me at Ponty) and then the laggards (those that shall not be shamed). The separation between the few leaders and the majority lagging is ridiculous.

Question: is there any chance that we could do so badly in the final few games that we could be relegated. If we start off like this then any team with some get up and go will overrun us.

The last time a club was relegated with 51 points was 2016/17. Nottingham and Blackburn level with 51 points each but Nottingham was -10 to their -12 goal differential. I'd say it's very unlikely with 9 matches to go. But possible if they lose every match.

 

[KVetch]

At the very latest, the decision to continue the Championship will be made June 8th. It would seem pointless to bring them back to train and not finish the season. Swansea are only 3 points from the final playoff spot. So playoffs are a better possibility than relegation if they can get all 9 matches in.

When will the Championship resume? Have the League One and Two seasons ended? What has the EFL said?

 

[Yankee_Jack]

At the very latest, the decision to continue the Championship will be made June 8th. It would seem pointless to bring them back to train and not finish the season. Swansea are only 3 points from the final playoff spot. So playoffs are a better possibility than relegation if they can get all 9 matches in.

When will the Championship resume? Have the League One and Two seasons ended? What has the EFL said?

Are they really going to run playoffs.

 

[KVetch]

The key points are the season must end before July 31 and they would like to get the standard 4 team playoff fixtures in. That's 11 matches that must be played in about 8 weeks if the season starts June 13. That's a busy schedule but not impossible. Every club is going to need all players fit and available for that schedule.

 

[KVetch]

What we know about Championship restart and when fixtures could return

Same news, the Premier League begins on the 17th. I would note that all 20 Premier League clubs voted unanimously to continue the season. I hope the Championship isn't waiting for the 17th to see how the restart goes. Championship clubs have until Tuesday the 2nd to give their final proposals on a restart. The league will finalize their decision on the 8th, next Monday. I'm not sure how long they will need to give the teams to prepare. Hopefully all clubs are training as if they were ready to start the 17th.

 

[Yankee_Jack]

They better sort it out soon. As crazy as it is already, if we come out of the gate like a greyhound we could still get promoted. Fantasy is a life saver when you’re isolated.

 

[CroJack]

Do you know what's going on with Brewster and Gallagher's contracts? Are they with us in July?

 

[Yankee_Jack]

Do you know what's going on with Brewster and Gallagher's contracts? Are they with us in July?

I don’t understand why play can continue into July with players whose contracts terminate or loan terms terminate. Typically the termination date is June 30, since clubs at most levels have players report for preseason during the first week of July. Players going out of contract either enter a new contract with a new club starting July 1 or are frantically looking for their next gig.

For example, VdH is out contract on June 30. Has the Club signed an extension?

What direction have the clubs of loaners given their players?

 

[ivoralljack]

I don't think anyone has a definitive idea of what's going to happen at the moment. Everything seems up in the air: but if the clubs do know they're keeping it to themselves. The juggling will stop when clubs know where they stand vis a vis their out-of-contract players. When this situation is clarified, I expect to see a domino effect taking place all over the shop.

PS: One of these computer projections has us finishing in 10th place with Leeds and WBA promoted along with one of Fulham, Brentford, Forest or Millwall. Preston, Cardiff and Bristol next followed by us.

 

[CroJack]

I think (and hope) that the players who are on loan at Swansea will have their contracts extended until August 1.

 

[Jackflash]

I think (and hope) that the players who are on loan at Swansea will have their contracts extended until August 1.

That would seem the sensible thing to do......but does common sense stand for anything these days.

 

[KVetch]

I think (and hope) that the players who are on loan at Swansea will have their contracts extended until August 1.

Liverpool 'agree to let Harry Wilson and Rhian Brewster extend their loan deals' | Daily Mail Online

Liverpool extended Rhian Brewsters loan until at least August. As for the other 6 loan players I have no idea. Charlton has players refusing to play including Lyle Taylor. Teams and lineups could look very different if more out of contract players or loan players are not extended. If this all goes as planned I hope Birch and the office are doing everything they can to keep Gallagher and Van der Hoorn to make a last run at the playoffs.

The restart date I saw is June 20th and the plan is to have the playoff final July 30th.

 

[Yankee_Jack]

I think (and hope) that the players who are on loan at Swansea will have their contracts extended until August 1.

I checked and the two key players are on long term contracts with their respective clubs. I think the key issue is the league's regulation on loan players. Do loans expire at the end of the season, the end of a "fiscal year", i.e. June 30 ... when exactly. And then, it comes down to the home club ... do they need them or are they amenable to the loan extending to August.

Either way ... we have players with contracts expiring on June 30: Mulder, VdG, Naughton, Dhanda (?), Montero, Routledge, Dyer, Baker-Richardson

Also Kalulu, Peterson, Asoro.

I am no longer (as of today) seeing Brewster et al on our squad list.

If you were an agent .... how would you play this. It's a shit show.

 

[CroJack]

Swansea players who are out on loan (contract expiry):

Kristoffer Peterson (June 2022)
Barrie McKay (June 2021)
Joel Asoro (June 2022)
Steven Benda (June 2022)
Courtney Baker-Richardson (June 2020)
Declan John (June 2021)
Jefferson Montero (June 2020)

First squad players whose contracts expire in June 2020:

Mike Van der Hoorn
Wayne Routledge
Nathan Dyer
Erwin Mulder
Kyle Naughton

The contract status of other Swansea players:

Andre Ayew (June 2021)
Joe Rodon (June 2022)
Jake Bidwell (June 2022)
Connor Roberts (June 2022)
Ben Cabango (June 2021)
Jordon Garick (June 2021)
Bersant Celina (June 2022)
Yan Dhanda (June 2022)
George Byers (June 2022)
Matt Grimes (June 2022)
Jay Fulton (June 2021)
Liam Cullen (June 2022)

 

[CroJack]

Either way ... we have players with contracts expiring on June 30: Mulder, VdG, Naughton, Dhanda (?), Montero, Routledge, Dyer, Baker-Richardson

Dhanda has recently signed a new contract.

 

[KVetch]

I checked and the two key players are on long term contracts with their respective clubs. I think the key issue is the league's regulation on loan players. Do loans expire at the end of the season, the end of a "fiscal year", i.e. June 30 ... when exactly. And then, it comes down to the home club ... do they need them or are they amenable to the loan extending to August.

Either way ... we have players with contracts expiring on June 30: Mulder, VdG, Naughton, Dhanda (?), Montero, Routledge, Dyer, Baker-Richardson

Also Kalulu, Peterson, Asoro.

I am no longer (as of today) seeing Brewster et al on our squad list.

If you were an agent .... how would you play this. It's a shit show.

As long as their wages are being paid I suppose. So far it seems most loan players across the Championship are having their contracts extended. There will be cases of players not returning. The one big one Lyle Taylor the striker from Charlton. Have to feel for them when they are facing relegation. There are suspicions VdH might not play because of fitness and contract. EFL needs to allow short term contracts.

Stoke City let Championship promotion hopefuls keep striker

 

[KVetch]

Swansea players who are out on loan (contract expiry):

Kristoffer Peterson (June 2022)
Barrie McKay (June 2021)
Joel Asoro (June 2022)
Steven Benda (June 2022)
Courtney Baker-Richardson (June 2020)
Declan John (June 2021)
Jefferson Montero (June 2020)

First squad players whose contracts expire in June 2020:

Mike Van der Hoorn
Wayne Routledge
Nathan Dyer
Erwin Mulder
Kyle Naughton

The contract status of other Swansea players:

Andre Ayew (June 2021)
Joe Rodon (June 2022)
Jake Bidwell (June 2022)
Connor Roberts (June 2022)
Ben Cabango (June 2021)
Jordon Garick (June 2021)
Bersant Celina (June 2022)
Yan Dhanda (June 2022)
George Byers (June 2022)
Matt Grimes (June 2022)
Jay Fulton (June 2021)
Liam Cullen (June 2022)

Cullen and Garrick could be playing if we fail to retain many of these players. Newscastle plans to send Woodman out on loan next season but not necessarily to Swansea again.

God forbid there are any COVID outbrakes for any club.