Roy and Ray with their 40 years professional experience, their coaches and experienced youth and u23 staff see the players every day so they wouldn't need to let us be the judges or set young players up to fail.

The u23s were bottom of their league last season (which isn't a very strong one) and having seen a few fringe players fail to distinguish themselves in the cups in recent seasons when given the opportunity I'm not surprised that the squad has been managed in the way it has. De Boer seemed to like Lokilo and Lumeka but they weren't good enough.

Any manager has his favourites or players he trusts more than others. Roy would be no different.

I completely agree. I don't really get the idea that we won't know how capable the youth players are unless we give them a game. They spend all day every day showing the staff exactly how good they are in training.

There’s a piece in the Evening Standard quoting Roy saying that he has no plans to retire and wants to continue in management .
This would mean the impetus for a change would have to come from Parish.
On the basis that we survive with something to spare, which looks possible, I don’t think Parish will be minded to make a change.

So, this means we are spending a load of money on players who will never make the grade. Sounds like a fantastic business plan to me. I wonder if they have all been told they are a waste of time and should go and seek a job elsewhere?

Mr Hodgson and his dear wife Sheila celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in September, so perhaps he will feel it would rather spend it on a luxurious holiday than enduring the rigours of being a football manager.

I think this is one thing that most of us agree on, whomever is in charge next season the squad needs significant investment. Unlike in previous windows, this coming summer we need investment in all areas of the pitch bar a new goalkeeper (unless Vicente leaves). Ferguson and Eze were a start in injecting youth into the squad, but we need more energy and pace if we are to remain competitive. If we don't invest then next season we will have to sit even deeper.

It does increasingly feel like the summer will be key to defining our future as a club. Thankfully, for all his detractors, it does seem Roy should be able to sail us safely into port where the board can then plot our next course.