Sheffield coach Mark Aston has admitted he already knows who will be part of his plans at the Eagles next year – and who will be leaving as he seeks to revitalise the club.
The Eagles have struggled at the wrong end of the Championship for the majority of 2018 – though they are now unlikely to be dragged into a relegation battle in the final four weeks of the season.
Nonetheless, Aston insists he has given his entire squad enough opportunities to impress: and has subsequently already decided which players will be offered new deals, and which will be released.
“I know who’s going and who’s staying,” he told the club’s website.
“Those who will be staying will be talked to and sorted out pretty sharpish then we can get on with our recruitment,”
“I’ll end up in a straightjacket if I was to carry on like this.
“I know what I’m doing, I’ve given them enough opportunities and not one person can come back and say ‘he didn’t give me a chance’.”
Aston also admits he’s determined to improve the culture at Sheffield in 2019 – after pulling no punches on his assessment of his squad.
He said: “Obviously the culture (in this squad) is poor and we’re not disciplined and respectful enough. In the days when we were successful, there’d be enough people in this room to say you’re being disrespectful.
“People like Misi Taulapapa would absolutely challenge these on the training field and get into it. We haven’t got enough of that. The culture is massive for us.”
