Squad 19/20

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Re: Squad 19/20

Postby Tichtheid on Wed Feb 26, 2020 10:50 pm

btw, I've never liked slating players on a public forum, these guys are living the dream but they also sacrifice their youths and a lot of their family lives to get there.
They are always at risk of a career-ending injury, their whole world can be turned upside down in a moment, and I think a lot of fans can be very unfair on players.

Having said that, we do operate on a budget and I can't honestly say that Hickey has been worth his rumoured salary, he hasn't been someone who can direct a whole game, not like Pyrgos can from 9, and he hasn't been someone who can cut a game open like Hastings can do along the road there.
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Re: Squad 19/20

Postby Friday Knight Lights on Thu Feb 27, 2020 9:17 am

Tichtheid wrote:btw, I've never liked slating players on a public forum, these guys are living the dream but they also sacrifice their youths and a lot of their family lives to get there.
They are always at risk of a career-ending injury, their whole world can be turned upside down in a moment, and I think a lot of fans can be very unfair on players.

Having said that, we do operate on a budget and I can't honestly say that Hickey has been worth his rumoured salary, he hasn't been someone who can direct a whole game, not like Pyrgos can from 9, and he hasn't been someone who can cut a game open like Hastings can do along the road there.


The way we play the 9 is the general - very French. It's a shame Laidlaw isn't in this side.

Hickey was signed to help us become an expansive team but it's not really up to him when tactically we're very forward oreinted. I think he's getting better this year with a tactical shift.
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Re: Squad 19/20

Postby robdinsdale on Thu Feb 27, 2020 9:40 am

I think Hickey was also signed as a reliable goalkicker but Jaco really developed that part of his game at the start of last season - one reason why he became first choice.
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Re: Squad 19/20

Postby biffer on Thu Feb 27, 2020 1:49 pm

robdinsdale wrote:I think Hickey was also signed as a reliable goalkicker but Jaco really developed that part of his game at the start of last season - one reason why he became first choice.


Yeah Jaco really put a lot into improving his goal kicking after Hickey arrived.
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Re: Squad 19/20

Postby joe soap on Thu Feb 27, 2020 1:50 pm

Friday Knight Lights wrote:Hickey was signed to help us become an expansive team but it's not really up to him when tactically we're very forward oreinted. I think he's getting better this year with a tactical shift.


I get the shift but your first sentence there points up contradictions and confusion from the coaching team. Why would a coach sign a player for a gameplan he had no intention of using? Or did he sign a player who was not nearly as good as he thought?

h ehas shown a few bits this season, but TBH he has barely looked bottom half pro14 standard most of the time
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Re: Squad 19/20

Postby The Incredible Shug on Fri Feb 28, 2020 1:12 am

I feel as though the final answer to what happens to Hickey's contract status lies in the fact that we're having this discussion at all. The truth of the matter is that he's likely on a decent wedge. With players such as Ritchie and Graham having exploded onto the scene, we will need to be able to free up some cash from somewhere.

That brings me onto my next point.

The only really integral player we have left unsigned is Matt Scott. He's perhaps been our form back this season once you discount Duhan – he's had a fantastic season, and probably ought to be the starting #12 on a national level. I absolutely believe we should keep him at all costs.

But there's obviously a 'but' in there somewhere.

Scott was noticeably absent from Cockerill's statement discussing Hickey and Ceccarelli's contract statuses. That either means that he's an impending re-signature or definitely out the door.

I would love to think that it's the first one, but I don't think we should discount the possibility that he goes at the end of the season. It's not necessarily the injury issues so much as it is that we also have Chris Dean – who Cockerill clearly rates enough for him to have captained the club – and George Taylor breaking through during the last two seasons, plus Mark Bennett at #13. Taylor's no Scott – very few centres are – but he's looked as though he could perform a similar role. Then there's James Johnstone to consider, plus the fact that we might be bringing in a new fly-half – possibly meaning a new option at #12 to chuck on the pile. (But then that's utterly speculative.)

Scott is absolutely integral to our gameplan and we can't really afford to lose him – but we might not get much choice if we need to free up the wage bill and offers do come in (this is the part that might save us, considering his injury history). I know Sale Sharks need a centre to replace Cammy Redpath, for example. I think Scott'd do well there.

I'm really hoping that the club are saving up Matt Scott to be the final, big marquee re-signing. But I think it's possible that he leaves.

If we do keep hold of Scott, then I don't think we'll retain Hickey. As for the others, I don't think Fife stays – in fact, I'm under the impression he's already been released? – while it sounds an awful lot like Ceccarelli will be moving on (a shame considering that he's been our best tighthead at times this season, and still can't make the Italian 23, despite Giosuè Zilocchi's best efforts to make a place for him in the side last Saturday). Barclay will almost certainly retire – there's a part of me that wants him to stick it out another season, but I think that's decidedly remote – and Fenton depends, as others have said, on whether or not we can get Ashman back in again. I think Baggott is off, and maybe Stanley too.

Hodgson's a difficult one; I think Thomson will get another year, and whether Hodgson does or not might well depend on how well Kunavula is going in training. Ideally, I'd keep them both, but I think Thomson currently has the upper hand if we can only retain one. Of course, if we do end up retaining Callum Hunter-Hill, then there's no way that both JH and ST are staying. I think that's unlikely, though.

Conor Boyle should really be in the senior squad next season, I think. Ultimately, he's been both the U20s captain and is probably already the Super6 player of the season, which is pretty impressive. I think Rory Darge could join him, too.
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Re: Squad 19/20

Postby Journeyman on Fri Feb 28, 2020 1:21 am

Reliably informed that Cockers is not renewing Matt Scott's contract.....no money left in the budget allegedly.....our most effective ball carrying and line-breaking centre.... crazy.
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Re: Squad 19/20

Postby TheGreatestSchoeman on Fri Feb 28, 2020 10:21 am

Ceccarelli off to Brive for two years.

https://www.cabrive-rugby.com/index.php ... qu-en-2022

Makes sense as he is no longer around to cover in the international periods and gives the young guys a chance to build on last weeks showing!
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Re: Squad 19/20

Postby Journeyman on Fri Feb 28, 2020 2:49 pm

Reliably informed that Edinburgh aren't renewing Matt Scott's contract because they've no budget for it.....?! Their most effective ball-carrying and line-breaking centre by far......madness.
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Re: Squad 19/20

Postby Rico on Fri Feb 28, 2020 5:44 pm

Wee bit sorry to see Ceccarelli go as he’s been good for us. Not disastrous though.

If, however, it’s true about Scott not being renewed on budgetary ground, it’ll be one of the worst decisions by ER/the SRU in recent memory. If money is that tight, I’d have rather let the likes of Farndale and Hoyland go, and filled out the ranks with academy players, if it meant keeping one of the best centres to ever play for us.

Really hoping it’s not true though...
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Re: Squad 19/20

Postby TheGreatestSchoeman on Fri Feb 28, 2020 5:59 pm

We are well stocked at centre with Dean, Taylor and Johnstone all being good quality for Pro 14 level. Bennett and Scott are a level above that though and unless we hang on to these sort of players we are never going to move forward to challenging for trophies.

I can't imagine Cockerill would be happy to let him go but surely he must have had an idea of Scott's salary demands before completing other re signings?
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Re: Squad 19/20

Postby Tichtheid on Fri Feb 28, 2020 6:20 pm

It would be a major disappointment if we couldn't find the money to keep Scott on, we finally look like we are getting somewhere and he has been instrumental in that.
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Re: Squad 19/20

Postby The Nudger on Fri Feb 28, 2020 7:10 pm

Getting shot of Dodson and hiring a chief exec on a salary appropriate to the size of the SRU as a business would free up plenty of cash!
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Re: Squad 19/20

Postby The Incredible Shug on Fri Feb 28, 2020 8:16 pm

Journeyman wrote:Reliably informed that Cockers is not renewing Matt Scott's contract.....no money left in the budget allegedly.....our most effective ball carrying and line-breaking centre.... crazy.


Wow. I didn't expect to actually be right here. That's nuts.

Literally my first post, and I called it! But I'm not happy about that. Let's just hope that this 'information' turns out to be unsubstantiated.

Ultimately, if Hickey's future is openly uncertain, as opposed to him definitely leaving, then it's a sure sign that we're freeing up wages elsewhere in the squad, so maybe it's not all that surprising.

The Nudger wrote:Getting shot of Dodson and hiring a chief exec on a salary appropriate to the size of the SRU as a business would free up plenty of cash!

I'm raging at Dodson. Done nothing but degrade Scottish rugby while hiding his juicy earnings behind the Super-ficiality of the Super6 branding and our international attendances. By the looks of things, he's screwing not only Edinburgh but also Matt Scott, whose Scotland prospects look a bit worse considering he'll likely end up in the Premiership if this is true.

Nope, Dodson can bloody well get to the proverbial.
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Re: Squad 19/20

Postby dolf_lundgren on Sat Feb 29, 2020 7:32 am

Journeyman wrote:Reliably informed that Cockers is not renewing Matt Scott's contract.....no money left in the budget allegedly.....our most effective ball carrying and line-breaking centre.... crazy.


Hmm, heard a different version last night. Not certain but I would put a tenner on an announcement the run up to the Glasgow game.

We do have a strong crop of centres, but no more so than back row or prop.
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