The Merry-go-round Continues

Carden has been speaking to the BBC about his decision, but rather than live in the past Brian Little has been rather busy himself. The protracted Tom Kearney saga has finally ended with him signing on, and if the rumour mill is to be believed Weymouth's Kyle Critchley and Paolo Vernazza and Woking's Guiseppe Soleare on the way!

So it's true!

Looks like Carden's on his way to Cambridge. With McEvilly already there, it looks like we've got our first Conference rivalry!!

It'll be interesting to see if the club sits tight over this-we might find out what a pre-contract's actually worth!

There are cases of clubs successfully suing for compensation over a player reneging on a pre-contract, but I'm struugling to find circumstances which are exactly the same. The Fran Merida case suggests that a pre-contract is worth something, but the £2million compensation seems to be down to the fact that Barcelona paid for his development as a youth player and the fact that he has potential to improve, neither of which scenarios apply to Carden obviously!

It looks like Morton midfielder Chris Millar signed a pre-contract to go to St Johnstone, but changed his mind and stayed put last month, and there don't seem to have been any repercussions. Also, AZ Alkmaar's attempt to hijack Afonso Alves' move to Middlesbrough fell through; apparently in that case the pre-contract was ruled invalid as Alves' advisors weren't present when it was signed.

Not sure where all that leaves us, but I can't believe we'll be seeing Carden in a Wrexham shirt unless Cambridge, who are cutting costs dramatically, baulk at a possible compensation payment. If that happens, though, would we want a disaffected player in our ranks?

Carden's Deal Not Assured?

So is Paul Carden about to be whisked away from us, denying Brian Little of a key part of his restructured side and forcing him to reassess his plans? According to today's edition of the Non League Paper (there's no link for the moment-they don't put it online until later in the week) they say that Cambridge are expected to name Southport's boss Gary Brabin as their new manager, and Carden, who is a friend of Brabin, is in line to be assistant.

Okay, we have a pre-contract agreement, but any deal can be torn up if the circumstances are right. Let's hope this is just paper talk though; the story does have a scatter-gun feel to it, even though their line is that Brabin will be appointed. There are other possible candidates explored, and Carden is not described as a shoo-in, but apparently United "sounded out Brabin about taking over, with his friend Paul Carden" (the quote has to end there as, frustratingly, there's a typo-the story switches to an inner page and a mistake means it pretty much ends there apart from seeming to suggest that appointing Carden would be a way of saving on an assistant manager's salary for a club which is embarking on what looks like a self-destructive cost-cutting exercise.)

Losing Carden would blow a big hole in Little's plans. It's no coincidence, I feel, that Carden was his first signing, and having released Danny Williams and Neil Roberts we need to import experience in the centre of the pitch. If Little is lining up a midfield of Carden and Tom Kearney, who is in limbo as we wait to see if Halifax will decide to defy logic and fight liquidation, then he might have to take emergency action soon. He seems to have acted swiftly to ensure they were in place, yet he might not have either of them.

The Jones Enigma

Good luck to Mark Jones if his move to Peterborough materialises. There have been many disappointments over the last few years, but our failure to see the likes of Jones and Matty Done fulfil their potential with us is right up there.

Jones developed from a frail youth into a fine goalscoring midfield, but then like a flash of gunpowder it was gone and a player who clearly depended on his confidence to perform fell into a self-fulfilling tailspin of poor form.

You can see why John Toshack and Darren Ferguson have faith in him though. It's a common impulse in managers; indeed probably in mankind. The desire to show that you can achieve something no-one else has managed. It's what inspires managers to take jobs like Man City or Newcastle, figuring that eventually someone will unlock their potential, and it will be them.

You can see why a manager would see glimpses of Jones' undeniable talent and decide to try to make the most of it. I hope for Jones' sake that whoever takes him under his wing succeeds as he's as genuine a lad as I've ever met in football.

The New Done

The signing of Shaun Whalley from Accrington certainly suggests that Brian Little doesn't let the grass grow under his feet! No sooner had Matty Done departed than a replacement is sorted, and from what I've seen of him it looks like a decent move! Bearing in mind what I said about Done;s lack of end product yesterday, it's encouraging that we've brought in a guy who scored a beauty and set one up superbly against us last season (embarrassing Steve Evans in the process as he turned him and sprinted of into the distance!)

On the other hand, clubs have a habit of signing players who did well against them only to find it was the only time they'd performed like that this season. I believe it's called Graham Cooper Syndrome-Ricky Shakes might become our second case of the Summer!

Done Gone

I'm not going to pretend I wasn't disappointed that Matty Done didn't sign a new contract for us, although it wasn't much of a surprise bearing in mind the time the decision was taking and a crytpic comment from Brian Little last week which implied he wasn't holding his breath over a deal. I think he could have been a real force in The Conference with his pace and direct approach.

However, there is another side to the argument and, though I'm not totally convinced by it, I'm going to trot it out, if only to try to convince myself that this isn't as bad a blow as it's starting to feel. Done hasn't scored since we knocked Sheffield Wednesday out of the League Cup at the start of the 2006-7 season, and hasn't had all that many assists since then either. His pace and the width he offers can really stretch a side; I particularly recall his impact as a sub in a number of games, particularly in the win at Bristol Rovers when Brian Carey's side battled their way to safety. However, the bald stats tend to suggest there wasn't enough end product from him. He's still young and will surely improve on this, but maybe we shoudl draw small consolation from the fact that Little might be able to bring in a more finished article for next season.

It all puts his effereverscent early impact at Hereford at the end of last season into a different context though, doesn't it?

Conference Won't Let Us Mess Around

The Non League Paper carried a story on its front page yesterday which could have repercussions for us in the near future. Bearing in mind our reluctance to file our accounts, the fact that they intend to compel clubs to regularly disclose their financial information, with particular emphasis on any debt to the Inland Revenue, could be a timebomb for us. Remember, this is a body which isn't scared of relegating clubs if they don't meet their strict fiscal regulations-just ask Halifax, Nuneaton and Boston, who were relegated for failing to exist a CVA by the deadline, even though they did it within a week of that date.

The Conference cut you no slack, and we seem to have a culture of relying on being allowed just that. Despite the noise Brian Mawhinney makes, the Football League is a cosy boys' club that isn't averse to playing favourites and turning a blind eye to clubs that exploit loopholes. Don't expect that to apply in The Conference.

Louis Arrival to Drive Hope Out?

So how do you convince a player who you're desperate to offload that he should walk away rather than sit on his contract and draw an extra year's salary out of you? Well, you could always sign a player who has recently given him nightmares!

I recall Jefferson Louis as a big, awkward target man, limited in movement but nontheless capable of bamboozling Richard Hope. Hope spent the game against Mansfield at The Racecourse trying to haul him to the floor in the box, incapable of finding another way of dealing with a big lump of a striker, but for some reason the referee turned a blind eye. Karma would get us in the crucial return game when Town took the lead through a penalty conceded when Gareth Evans was blatantly pushed onto the ball. And who scored the penalty? Step forward Mister Louis!

As you can see from this Times article, he has certainly experienced a few things in his life. Richard Hope's close attentions would hardly register.

Stockholm Syndrome

Matt Crowell's warning to Wrexham in the Evening Leader is appropriate, but I can't help feeling I wouldn't mind him being on our side as we face up to the fight. Is this a strange psychological symptom in me? I can't help noticing a certain regret as I see our previous players at different clubs-it's almost like Stockholm Syndrome! I've started to hanker after the players who handcuffed us to the Conference radiator!

I know we had to have a clear-out, but Crowell was a good battling midfielder, Lee McEvilly was an awkward so-and-so (I'm just talking about on the pitch here!) and don't get me started on the likes of Neil Roberts!

I know I'm wrong on some of these cases. I know we had no option but to get rid of McEvilly, who wasn't fit half the time, and that included when he was playing. I know Crowell also had injury problems, and the circumstances at the time meant he had to go. But if McEvilly had been in our squad last season, would he have done any worse than our strikers did? Would you be happy to add Crowell to our squad now if you could?

Kearney To Sign?

http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/southport-sport/southport-fc/2008/05/23/southport-fc-boss-gary-brabin-goes-for-class-101022-20964730/

It seems we've bought Tom Kearney according to Southport's manager. I have a vague recollection of him playing in midfield for Bradford, but can't remember too much detail on him-a Halifax fansite says when he was at alley Parade he was thought of as the next Stuart McCall!

If he arrives on top of Carden (not literally!) it certainly makes a return for Neil Roberts or Danny Williams look unlikley.

The fact that Southport boss is entertaining hopes of signing Phil Bolland makes the heart sink though. Why on earth did we let him go????

Faint Praise For Carden

Interesting to see the the Non-League Paper rated Carden as Cambridge's best player in the play-off final, though with the proviso that there wasn't much to choose from!

Thank You Denis

So Denis Smith is leaving the area, and his departure is more than just symbolic.

The very fact that he immediately bought a home in Gresford signalled his intent to commit himself to Wrexham's cause, something Brian Flynn was criticised for not attempting (harshly in my eyes.)

Furthermore, he often commented on his love for the area and his hopes that the club could represent the region in a fitting manner. He even looked to pack his side with local lads and Welshmen, clearly pursuing a deliberate policy to create a clearly Welsh squad. He managed us with the zeal of a convert to the North Walian cause.

Quite apart from such values, there's a greater reason why I'm sorry to see him leave an area he didn't just work in but looked to represent. While I accept things were going a little astray near the end of his reign, I still strongly believe that if he had remained in the job we wouldn't be in The Conference now.

The Mystery of Trundle

If anyone can explain the enigma of Lee Trundle I'd love to hear it.

I've watched football long enough to understand that players can enjoy a sudden upturn of fortunes with a change of club; a guy who looks like a total donkey can dramatically flourish and look like a different man. However, what has ahppened to Trundle is subtly, perplexingly different.

Yesterday Trundle was ninety minutes away from getting into the Premiership; indeed, if a late close range chance that fell to him had found its way in he would have been the author of his elevation. He has, of course, been a cult hero over the last few years at Swansea and Bristol City, and I just don't get it.

I've never seen anything like Trundle's first six weeks in a Wrexham shirt; I honestly thought I was watching a player who would go on to the highest level as he didn't just look too good for the Third Division, it was like watching a professional play against the Under-10 team! A procession of match-turning performances and incredible goals, from an overhead kick to spark a 3-2 win from 2-0 down at league leaders Walsall to the best hat trick I've ever seen a Wrexham player score against Oxford. And then nothing.

Well, I suppose that's a bit harsh, but suddenly teams worked him out. They realised he was one-footed, and if you kept him on his right he wasn't going to hurt you much. In his first full season he produced very little as we were relegated, and although he went on to play a big role in our promotion in 2003 he had reinvented himself as a foil for our main striker, Andy Morrell.

So how come he has since gone on to a higher level and reverted back to his old self? Surely better defences than he came up against for Wrexham should have worked him out too? Has he improved so much? Has he been subjected to stricter coaches-I often felt brian Flynn indulged him a little, and he didn't like it when Denis Smith appeared to insist on a more disciplined approach. Whatever the reason, it's a mystery!

Carden Parked

Brian Little's first acquisition of the Summer looks a sound one. I seem to recall Paul Carden as a solid box-to-box midfielder, but more importantly he has just been a key part of the Cambridge team which got to the play-off final last weekend. Having seen some high profile Conference players move clubs already it's good to see we're not going to be scraping around, but are looking to sign the type of player who has succeeded at that level.