**Successive relegation seasons have landed the Hatters in something of a pickle when it comes to our squad.**
Our rapid drop, from the Premier League to League One, in a matter of twenty-four months, has saddled the Hatters with a raft of problems.
**Sales**
The squad, as it now stands, carries a financial burden that is not befitting a League One club, with many of the current squad on salaries that are just not standard for a club of our diminished stature, when it comes to the division we are now set to play in.
Naturally, with such a scenario, Luton Town will be, I feel, looking to offload those who can be placed in the bracket described above.
Unfortunately, that will not be something that is easy to do.
Over the years, attitudes have changed in this sport of ours.
Once upon a time playing the game was what it was all about, players operated under a maximum wage principle and all that mattered was match time.
Now, sadly, some in our game are all too willing to sit around, although I’m not saying it is the case at Kenilworth Road, bank their weekly salary and live the high life.
Why would anyone want to move on, to another club, knowing that they’ll be on far less a salary and may have to adjust their life style in a downward trajectory.
You end up with a situation where clubs are either forced to pay the weekly salary, with very little reward, try desperately to move the player on, or offer to pay their contracts up, a very costly scenario, especially if there are half a dozen, or so, cases to be settled.
When it comes to the Hatters squad, I’m hoping that professional pride will see those who may fit into the above profiles, decide to take up a fresh challenge.
But recruiting replacements, especially in our case, can prove to be a challenge.
Our fall from grace has narrowed the possible candidates we can chase.
**Recruitment**
We could be limited to those who are free agents, those who are approaching the end of their careers or those youngsters who, just might, be eager to prove themselves at our level.
We are not going to get those whose talents would command a fee of circa £4 million and above, they’ll be destined for clubs in the EFL Championship, a league, this time last year, we thought would be a breeze, how wrong we were.
Also, our current situation, as a club building for the future, with the development of Power Court set to commence, in earnest, this summer, may not cut the mustard with those players who chase instant success in glamorous surroundings.
Kenilworth Road my be quaint and, at times, appealing to us, the Luton Town support, but there’s no arguing it is antiquated and far from its best by date.
One way to boost recruitment, aside from excessive salaries that could prove to be our downfall, is use of a persuasive tongue, selling the club, pointing out it is, despite our current situation, a club on the way up.
But the danger of that is overselling, you could resemble a salesman plying his trade on your doorstep, with you just waiting to slam the door in his face, it is a difficult balance that needs to be struck.
Now, I’m as guilty as anyone in wanting our summer business to be concluded early, thereby allowing the group to bond as both a team and a unit, but, as you can see, it isn’t as easy as that, our status has landed us in a Catch 22 situation, a scenario in which we need to plan and tread carefully.
COYH
