It's starting........

[TheSkipper]

The business model of finding talent that can do well at our level, but attract interest higher up is starting to take hold. Ruben Rodrigues is attracting interest from Blackburn Rovers. Supposedly Blackpool and Rotherham United are too.

I think its likely that Kyle Wootton and some of our other key players will be on the radar.

Notts has not managed to sell assets on successfully for years, yes we have let go of youngsters but a club like Notts this will always be the case. Pricing players wisely and recruiting replacements will be a test for Notts and something quite new. Yes, we have been doing well with this regards since the takeover of the club from the hands of Alan Hardy, but we have been lucky to retain the best players.

[Chris]

It's a sign of progression, isn't it?

The issue with having a squad that might attract outside interest, is keeping the focus on form and results.

I think Ruben Rodrigues is doing well to not allow his interest to turn his head. I am aware of some fallout during my time away at Skegness, where he mentioned the club having rejected a bid - however, I think that was all completely innocent.

He's continued his form somewhat, I mean his performances without scoring has been good - he's always involved.

Replacing players will always be a test, It is for any club. However, if someone does ends up leaving within a season - I think this would be harder to replace than it would at the end of a campaign. A new player would require time and patience, he might not light the world - much like Frank Vincent's first cameo appearance. Where some fans tweeted he looked crap or suspect.

I think with money Notts would be able to sign from a better pool of players, so I am not so worried. I just want to see the club retain it's promotion push, without allowing sales to derail things. I am sure the club feels exactly the same.

[BromPie]

Good, irrational people complain that Notts don't spend enough money on players.

The only way to buy in better, is to work with good players and make them marketable. Notts shouldn't sell any players mid-season, unless promotion is not the goal. Relegation or promotion they need retaining. Mid-table mediocrity is fine. All players leave at some point. When they go for free and go onto better, as Alan Judge and others have done it becomes annoying.

[menzinho]

The only way I can see Ruben leaving in January is if we get an unbelievable bid or he says he wants to go. I don’t think either are particularly likely to happen, but who knows…

Woots is someone we could lose on a free as his contract expires at the end of this season. I’m sure things will be happening behind the scenes, I just hope we can keep him here a bit longer. I think when you get to 6 months (or less) on a contract you can approach/be approached by clubs and sign a pre-contract agreement with them…

[liampie]

palmer also only signed a one year deal, so its important that rodrigues, palmer and wootton are given new deals. i think the pr work with showing rubens family round meadow lane is an attempt to show him how we value him.

[eighteensixtytwo]

If Notts allowed Ruben Rodrigues to leave within season, during a promotion chasing season I would be in despair. Go back to the early 90's and see how selling your best assets works out during the season.

It doesn't and that's how bigger teams survive by retaining their players until a suitable time to let them go.

[DangerousSausage]

When you do well, other clubs will naturally be interested in your best players. It's just how it is. Even if a big fee is on offer, selling is always a huge gamble - you've got no way of knowing whether the replacements you bring in will be better. Get it wrong and the season could be a write-off.

From the point of view of the players mentioned, I couldn't blame them for being interested after three years in the NL. On the other hand, they both know the backroom team at Notts, are well-liked and are among the first names on the teamsheet - not necessarily a given elsewhere. In a peverse way, us being in the NL could actually work to our advantage when it comes to keeping them - I doubt many L2 clubs could pay them significantly more than us, and I'm not sure it makes a massive difference to most players whether they play in L2 or the Bananarama League, and many L1 clubs might not be willing to take a chance on a player two divisions below. I expect us to get speculative offers anyway, but I think we'll hold on till the end of the season.