Cal Roberts

[DangerousSausage]

Here's a disclaimer - every time we have a bad result, the usual suspects on social media start speculating that there's been a bust-up behind the scenes. I generally don't buy into it at all - just because we've lost or had a poor run, it doesn't mean there are punch-ups going on in the dressing room.

But! Roberts hasn't played for Notts in a month, since Stockport away. He was fit enough to play 90 minutes for England C, before again being left out of the squad for the two Notts games following it. IB is now claiming that he left Roberts out of the matchday squad on merit. If words have been exchanged behind the scenes, he can hardly go public on it, but this explanation does not make sense. Roberts has been one of the first names on the team sheet this season, even though Rodders has taken his preferred position. You would AT LEAST expect him to be on the bench as an impact sub.

Normally I'd be inclined to take IB and CR's word for it. Maybe it's nothing more than the manager simply wanting to give him a wake-up call. I'm just a bit concerned there's more to it and that it'll drag down performances.

[Dripsey3]

Cal Roberts was England's best player against Wales. To not even make the Notts match day squad is bizarre. Something has happened behind the scenes and it's not being handled very well. 

[menzinho]

Yeah it is a strange situation. So he was ill/injured, 50-50 for Chesterfield but played 90 for England C... Then deemed not needed/recovering from England for Southend and then just left out at the weekend for Torquay. I’ve got no inside knowledge but it does make me think something has happened. I get why Roberts wouldn’t start in a 3-5-2 but I agree it’s odd you wouldn’t have him on the bench.

But both IB and Cal himself have played down all the drama (mainly caused by social media as things always get blown way out of proportion on there). So if something has happened then it would suggest to me it’s not a massive issue/been dealt with.

For me, given the result against Torquay and how he played against Kings Lynn last time out I’ll be very surprised if he’s not in the matchday 16. And then hopefully we can all forget move on from it. (*Cue my view being completely wrong and a massive meltdown when he’s not in the squad again this Friday)

[DonnyNotts]

As people have said something doesn't seem right, pure speculation until we hear otherwise. He can be a quality addition when in the match day squad, but sometimes can tend to have a very quiet game. Regardless of any speculation I personally think he will be gone come the end of the season, as will a few others, just my opinion.

[DangerousSausage]

On 11/04/2022 at 21:04, menzinho said:

For me, given the result against Torquay and how he played against Kings Lynn last time out I’ll be very surprised if he’s not in the matchday 16. And then hopefully we can all forget move on from it.

Fingers crossed. There might be nothing more to it than IB wanting to give him a wake-up call, and the timing of the England C game was just a coincidence.

8 hours ago, DonnyNotts said:

Regardless of any speculation I personally think he will be gone come the end of the season, as will a few others, just my opinion.

Possibly, although Roberts hasn't been one of our star performers this season. Rodders, Palmer and Wootton are all out of contract and have all attracted interest, but it partly depends on where we're playing next season (however unlikely promotion feels right now). If they move on, we'll just have to find better replacements, that's the game.