08 May 2014 18:37:20
For next season how about this squad

Squad
GK: Howard Joel Springthorpe
RB: Coleman Browning Hibbert
CB: Jagielka Distin Stones Martins Indi(5m) Duffy
LB: Baines Oviedo Garbutt
DM: Mcarthy Barry(Free) Gibson Milner(loan)
RM: Mirralas Delefeou(loan)
LM: Mcgeady Piennar
AM: Barkley Osman Ledson
ST : Lukaku(20m) Traore(loan) Naismith Kone

Only out Alcaraz

1.) 08 May 2014
I'd like to think we'd be able to get more players than that, also ones of higher quality. Therefore, my preference would be:

GK: Howard, Marshall (£6m) (For obvious reasons), Joel.

RB: Coleman, Browning, Hibbert

CB: Stones, Vertonghen (£18m) (Unlikely but I think he's a magnificent player who'd only get better under Martinez), Distin, Jagielka, Alcaraz.

LB: Oviedo, Garbutt, Ben Davies (£5m) (Every time I've watched him play for Swansea he's been magnificent, definitely one for the future).

CDM/CM: McCarthy, Barry (free) (Mr. Consistent), Baines (Martinez has previously stated that he wants to move him into a deep lying midfielder role and I think next season will be the year he makes the transition. Also, if it doesn't work out, he could always go back to LB), Gibson, Emre Can (£6m) (Been very impressive for Leverkusen this season and is still young, reminds me of McCarthy but scores goals).

LM: Pienaar, McGeady

RM: Mirallas, Deulofeu (loan) (Would like to see him develop more with a second stint)

AM/CF: Barkley, Naismith, Thorgan Hazard (loan), Ledson.

ST: Lukaku (£25m) (Was such a difficult decision between him and Bony but for all we know, Bony could be a one season wonder, at least you know what you're going to get with Lukaku - Goals. He's proved that the last 2 seasons and he's still on 20! Is Bony really worth the risk?), Remy (£15m) (Brilliant player when he's fit but seems to be a money grabber. Again, unlikely.), Traore (loan) (Give the big fella another shot), McCaleny.

Obviously I don't know how much we have to spend and I've probably went way over our budget, but that would be the ideal Summer for me. We definitely won't get all of them but they are just some suggestions who I think can take us to the next level.

2.) 08 May 2014
Sorry I forgot Kone and Osman in my post.

3.) 08 May 2014
Sounds good, but we have to careful with registered squads.
For the Premier League, our 25-man squad of aged over-21 (as at 1st January 1993 for the 2014-15 season) players must contain no more than 17 non-homegrown players (such as Howard and Distin) The others (at least 8) in the squad must be homegrown - that's players brought through as youngsters at English or Welsh clubs (such as Baines and Jagielka). Coleman, Naismith, McGeady, etc., - having come through Irish and Scottish youth systems - are therefore classed as non-homegrown. You can, of course, have more than 8 homegrown players and thereby reduce the number of non-homegrown players, but the squad is still limited to 25 players. If we can't name 8 homegrown players, then we just have to name a smaller squad. Any number of players aged under 21 can then be registered in a separate under-21 list - essentially all of your development and academy players.
For the UEFA Europa League, the rules are similar, but with some key differences:
(1) The 8 homegrown players must include 4 trained by the club itself as youngsters (such as Hibbert and Osman). If we can't name 4 club-trained players - or 4 other homegrown players - then we just have to name a smaller squad. We're restricted to a maximum of 17 non-homegrown players in a squad of no more than 25. If we have more than 8 homegrown players, then they just take up some of the 17 non-homegrown slots. In theory, any club that can't name any club-trained or other homegrown players at all is limited to a squad of 17. That's not enough for a full eleven and the seven subs!
(2) The UEFA Europa League squad must included at least 2 goalkeepers.
(3) Any player aged under 21 who has not been with us for two years continuously cannot be named in the under-21 squad. Those players have to be registered in the 25-man squad. So, players like Lukaku, Deulofeu - even Stones - would have to be named in the senior squad.
(4) All of our other under-21 players would be registered in the UEFA Europa League under-21 squad. These players can be named the day prior to a UEFA match, although I imagine all of ours would have been registered well in advance.

Things can change during the subsequent transfer windows - and as, obviously, players go past the under-21 registration date - but that's about it.

All this talk of squad sizes and incoming transfers is fascinating, but the club has to be careful with who - and how many - could be registered in the two squads. Most senior players will be named in both 25-man squads, but there might have to be some omissions (especially from the UEFA Europa League) squad.

Any thoughts?

4.) 08 May 2014
Informative as always Sid, it's an interesting one for me because obviously you want to see homegrown talent come through, but unfortunately, it's not the quick solution most fans are hoping for and there lies the problem.

5.) 08 May 2014
My squad:
Goalkeepers: Howard, Alex McCarthy (£2m), Joel
RB: Coleman, Browning, Hibbert
CB: Stones, Bruno Martins Indi (£5m), Jagielka, Distinct
LB: Baines, Oviedo, Garbutt
Cm/CdM: Barry (Free), McCarthy, Diame(£3m), Colback (Free), Gibson
Lm: Pienaar, Carles Gil (£5m)
Rm: Mirallas, Mgeady, deulofeu (Loan)
Am: Barkley, Osman, Firmino (£8m)
St: Kone, Naismith, Bony (£20m), Batshyaui (£8m)

I feel we could afford that squad and it would be a very good and young squad!

{Ed025's Note - looks good josh...we just need to convince bobby and bill now mate..

6.) 08 May 2014
Firmino would be a great buy forgot about him

7.) 09 May 2014
Sorry but I understand reasoning regarding Irish clubs being non home grown, but what is the difference between Welsh and Scottish clubs as mentioned by Cowpat Sid 2, is it purely because Welsh clubs compete in English Leagues?, (hope I didn't tread in anything Cowpat!)

{Ed002's Note - In the case of Everton, home grown refers to players who spent the required time playing for clubs under the Football Association or the Football Association of Wales before they were 21.}

8.) 09 May 2014
Josh good list but be realistic that's 51 mill in fees if your guestimations are correct, plus god knows how much on wages. You could half that amount and be closer to our budget mate

9.) 09 May 2014
Jonno: it has to be because so many of the 'bigger' Welsh clubs choose to play in the English leagues. I can't think of any other reason. I wonder what would happen if Celtic joined the English Premier League?
Interestingly, those Welsh clubs that play in the English leagues are banned from playing in the Welsh Cup (the rules have changed back and fro over recent years) and therefore can only qualify for Europe via the English league and English cup competitions. that's what Swansea City did by winning the English League Cup last season.
Why are the football regulations so complicated these days? It must be due to the trough of TV and prize money that everyone's trying to get their snouts into :-(