Goughy said:
I know now is not a good time due to all the changes but sometime in the future before the halfway stage can we have a very short trading period.
Since the pre-season trading period, we have had a chance to properly assess out teams and have added the rookies.
For example-
- At SA we have 5 keepers now (2 rookies) and it would be good for the squad to trade away our 3rd ranked non rookie keeper. He is a good player but will not get close to getting a game.
- We have another very good player but as the season has worked out is unlikely to get a game this year. He could probably help someone else and I could get someone that helps me.
Its just an idea, but it would be nice to have the chance to reassess the squad after having a few games to get to fully understand the dynamics of our squads.
Also, with their being managerial changes and 2nd team managers added, it would help them to get squads that would match their ideas.
Let me be the first to jump right in here...
While I am not a board member, I am a WCC staff member...but I am not typing this as a staff member, rather as the Manager of Yorkshire.
You raise some good points and have been discussed in the past (the mid-season trading).
I have 6 wicketkeepers at Yorkshire - 4 regular and 2 rookies. Vincent is my 1st choice keeper, with Boucher as my FC backup if Vincent is injured. Salman is my OD keeper with Gonsalves as my back up. Nick with the 2nd team gets the same luxury in being able to have back up keepers with his 2 rookies. Though at the moment, Boucher and Gonsalves are also the backup keepers for him with our rookies going gun
While 6 keepers may seem excessive, I think it's a good balance for me, personally. None of my keepers are good at both forms. They are one form players. This is why I need my four keepers (I say 4 as I can't pick the rookies, obviously). If I had just Vincent, Boucher and Salman, that'd be fine as well. Provided I don't get an injury to Salman. Then Boucher or Vincent would have to play and their OD stats aren't very flash - averages of 20 or there abouts.
It'd be worse if it were reversed. if I had Vincent, Salman and Gonsalves and Vincent got injured...I'd then have to use Salman or Gonsalves - both with averages around the 15 mark in FC.
So as you can see, I enjoy the luxury of having these back ups
Anyway, I don't think I've really answered your questions yet.
- We have another very good player but as the season has worked out is unlikely to get a game this year. He could probably help someone else and I could get someone that helps me.
I think there's quite a few teams with the same problems
With the new format and squads having 30 players, and each manager being able to choose from 25, somewhere there's going to be 8 players not playing. The main sticking point here is injuries - but also form. Last season at Yorkshire with a squad of 15 I used everyone in both forms except for one bowler who had horrendous One Day stats so I didn't bother picking him.
The 'left over players' who don't immediately play in the first or second XI squad serve two purposes.
1). If a player in the 1st XI is injured, no doubt a 2nd team regular will be called out. Usually someone who's just outside making the 1st XI team anyway. This will cause the 2nd XI manager to call someone up from the remaining players.
This also somewhat applies to form. If a player plays 10 matches on the trot and is terrible, he'll probably get dropped, and the same thing occurs as above. Except the 2nd XI manager may bring him into his side.
2) Pitches. Due the varying pitches managers may choose 4 seamers, 3 seamers and a spinner, or 2 seamers and 2 spinners on a turning pitch. They also may bring in all-rounders to have extra bowling options without losing batting options.
It's all about flexability. At the end of the season, there may be players who end up playing no matches at all in FC or OD in 1st XI or 2nd XI - but IMHO there won't be many. The season is very long and I think a lot of managers will try all their options by seasons end.
As far as mid-season trading goes...it really is a big hassle for the staff.
Player movements have to be kept track of, database code changed etc etc. Any amount of time trading mid-season will result in a long period of waiting while the staff get the databases ready. And right now with Blewy leaving the board will be busy with sorting out other things. Plus it's only the third round
Anyway, we had a long trading period before the season. While a lot of 2nd XI managers didn't/couldn't get too involved, the 1st XI managers (again, IMHO) had plenty of time to get in the right amount of players they needed for either form, with enough backup players for the 2nd XI teams.
I just typed all that and none of it really answered anything or tell anyone anything they didn't already know.
Okay, to sum up...
Mid season trading: No. Too annoying and a lot of extra hassle for the staff.
