Rovers Boss Ronnie has begun his summer squad re-shuffle by releasing four players and offering new contracts to a number of others as he looks to build a team that this time will not fall short of the play-off places like they did this time around.
With the summer approaching fast and with teams already re-building for next season's campaign, it appears that Rovers Boss Ronnie Moore has made his decision about who he wants to keep and who no longer has a future at the Club and whilst most of the players released are little surprise to the fans, there may be a small few that thought at least one may have been retained for next season.
That player is Edrissa Sonko who only joined Rovers last summer having previously been at Walsall and whilst he hasn't always performed well, he has become something of a popular cult figure with a section of Rovers fans and a few will be surprised and sorry to see him leave.
As well as Sonko, three other players have also been released in the shape of Danny Holmes, Luke Waterfall and Adnan Ahmed the latter having spent the majority of the season out on loan.
Danny Holmes is a graduate of the youth system at Tranmere and the majority of fans who have seen him play will feel he wasn't given a fair chance to prove himself in the first team in recent years.
Danny Holmes has been Released!
When he made his first start for the first team away at Yeovil earlier on last season, it looked as if Danny's time may come with the return of Ryan Shotton on loan from Stoke City in January and Gareth Edds preferred ahead of Danny in Shotton's absence, his first team chances never came.
Like Eddy Sonko, Luke Waterfall only joined Rovers last summer on a one-year deal from Barnsley and since then has mostly featured for the Reserve Team and as a back-up for the first team as a substitute.
Things looked promising for Waterfall in pre-season has he netted a brace of goals and impressed in defence during the thrashing of Cammell Laird but as the season got under way it became apparent that for this season at least, Luke would be a back-up for the first team as he moved out on loan to Blue Square Premier side Altrincham.
However Ronnie Moore has clearly decided that Waterfall's future lies elsewhere and along with Adnan Ahmed who also spent time out on loan this season at both Mansfield Town and Port Vale he leaves the Club this summer.
Speaking about the players who have been released, Rovers Boss Ronnie Moore told the Tranmere Rovers Official Website.....
"I'd like to thank the four players for their time at Prenton Park and wish them all the best for the future."
"We came so close to the play-offs last season and know the areas we need to improve upon so we'll be working hard over the summer to bring the right players to the Club".
Steven Jennings is One of a Number of Players Offered New Contracts
Tranmere's Official Website also reports that new contracts have been offered to the other players out of contract this summer in the shape of Antony Kay, Steve Jennings, Ben Chorley, Danny Coyne, Charlie Barnett, Ian Moore and goalkeeper John Achterberg who has been offered a role as goalkeeper coach.
Ian Goodison, Terry Gornell, Aaron Cresswell and recent professional signings Ashton Taylor, Josh Macaughley and Ryan Fraughan are already tied to new deals from earlier in the year.
We will bring any further news on signed contracts or departures as we get it so stay tuned to Total Tranmere and we would also like to wish the four released players all the best for the future and thanks them for their time at the Club.
Summer Re-Build Begins with Clearout
Posted by: Total Tranmere (IP Logged)
Date: 18/05/2009 18:23
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Thought Danny Holmes may have been given more time and am very suprised at Waterfall. Thought he had talent to be fair. Hopefully all the contracts will be accepted!!!!
Seems like a good move,
sonko wasn't good enough
waterfall & holmes had plenty of chances to play but rm chose against it
we barely got to see ahmed so can't comment
i have no qualms.. we may be missing a trick releasing the young lads, but none impacted on our previous season and so don't really put us out at all by losing them.
Can't be too disappointed about the lads that have been released. Holmes maybe should have been given more of a chance, I've seen Waterfall play twice, once at Colwyn Bay, the other time against Everton reserves, both times we conceded loads so I imagine, if he'd been put in the first team he wouldn't quite have been good enough. It's a shame really, Ahmed was alright, never going to be better than Jenno, Kay or McLaren last season so obviously didn't get a chance, I'm not too fussed about these to be honest, if anything its paving the way for our better youngsters to progress. Remember we've still got Gerwyn Jones coming through along with Fraughan etc who are looking like hot prospects, we're also hoping to get Shotton back who is another young player and looking at some lad recently released by Liverpool so releasing these guys is probably a positive step. No mention of Shuker yet?
Writing was on the wall for Holmes as Moore seemed to prefer anyone else to play other than him - I think the 1 month loan of Johnson clarified that.
I used to put this against Moore but he did give Gornell and Cresswell a decent go instead of getting players on loan/playing guys out of position so maybe he's just not good enough.
Coyne - sign
Kay - off
Moore - sign but I hope its not a big deal, I'd like to see him as the 3rd forward behind Bas and curran
Barnett - off
JA - sign
Jennings/Chorley - I reckon we'll get one of them back, of the 2 I'd rather have Chorley as unerstanding is key to the back.
Are Baz and Edds signed up then I thought they were only 1 years.
I think Adnan looked decent in the reserve games I saw him in. Perhaps not he toughest but some deft touches and some brill free kicks. Have to agree with Stanj though any clearout of plyers like Holmes and Waterfall is for the benefit of the likes of Denson, Fraughan, Jones, and Taylor, who are the future of the club. Waterfall has been poor all season for me.
Waterfall was good in the air, but awful at everything else unfortuantly. Holmes should have been given more of a chance. He's looked good when i've seen him. Ahmed I haven't seen much of, but when I have seen him, he didn't look bad, but didn't look good either. And Sonko lacked quality, but his work rate and energy were good for the team I felt. Bit sad to see the pope leave.
I'm disappointed but not surprised Holmes has been released. Totally unfair on the lad. Never had a fair chance, impressed when he played but cast straight back off to the reserves as soon as possible.
Waterfall, well started well but certainly faded in the reserves.
i would be extremely surprised if a youth player released by tranmere rovers would be signed by a mls team more than likely a junior league or a university scholarship.anyway good luck to the lads.
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