Peterborough United are looking to reduce their first team squad to a maximum of 20 players.
Posh boss Darren Ferguson has always liked a large squad whilst he`s been at Posh but that is to change for the forthcoming season.
“At the moment, I don`t want any more numbers,” Fergie said. “I probably want to reduce the numbers that I`ve got at the moment. I think I`ve got 22 and I want to get down to a maximum of 20 players. I don`t want any more.
“We had too many last season. I want to work with a smaller squad; I think it brings more of a unity but it really depends on whether Barry [Fry] can get one or two out and we`ve been working on that. There`s been a number of enquiries but nothing concrete. I suppose this time of season that can be a little bit frustrating but we`ll just have to wait and see.
“If they don`t, the obvious one`s that have been out on loan, they`ll be part of the squad.”
At the end of last season, five players left the club after coming to the end of their contract while two other players have also departed London Road after rejecting new terms offered to them. Attacking full-back Mark Little has since joined League One rivals Bristol City while midfielder Danny Swanson is currently talking to a couple of League One sides about a possible deal.
Nine players were placed on the transfer list as well at the end of the season. Bobby Olejnik, who kept 22 clean sheets last season, Joe Day, Nicky Ajose, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Charlie Coulson, Michael Richens, Kane Ferdinand, Tyrone Barnett and Shaun Brisley all find themselves on the transfer list but some of these are due to being in the final year of their contract.
“The situation with all the players is simple. There`s obviously ones on large financial package and we have to look at it like that as a club. We`re no different to anyone else. Our gates are down quite a lot last season for whatever reason so there are players on high wages who we`d have to move on for that reason,” explained Darren Ferguson.
“Bobby [Olejnik] is on the last year of his contract and we`ve got a certain thing about that where if they are on the last year we will put them on the list. If he hasn`t moved on, he`ll be here fighting with Joe Day, who again is on the list as well if he hasn`t gone, and it`ll be the same as last season and all the seasons before that whoever does best will be the number one and everything else that has gone on in the past won`t really come in to it.
“We`re fully aware and fully prepared that certain players that have gone on the list at the end of the list will probably be here come 9th August. We`re fully prepared for that. Ideally we`ll move them on and bring others in but it`s not always the case.”
The danger with this policy, especially when both goalkeepers are on the list, is if someone comes in close to the start of the season or even right up to the close of the transfer window and put in an offer Posh refuse. What would happen then?
“That`s the issue with players in the last year,” Fergie continued. “We could get to the 7th or 8th August and someone could put a bid in which we can`t turn down and all of a sudden you`re having to play a goalkeeper you weren`t expecting to but that`s the risk you take.
“That`s the decision we`ve made as a club and we have to just abide by it. At the moment we haven`t had any enquiries about Bobby so we`ll just have to wait and see on him.”
UP THE POSH
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