We're back: How Argyle are shaping up for the season
We're so back. Here's everything we missed
Finally, we’re back. Welcome back to a new season of One Team In Devon – the Argyle newsletter/fanzine.
After the final day heroics of last season, I needed a proper break from Argyle. For whatever reason, while others itched for rumours and news (“where’s the fitness coach/assistant/signings”) – I couldn’t get away from it fast enough.
I deleted and logged out of all social media, and refused to get sucked into the rumours, speculation and moaning online. It’s taken me a couple of weeks to get back into a headspace to start thinking about Argyle again.
So consider this newsletter pre-season training for me to get match fit before a few chunkier newsletters land in the coming weeks.
Argyle’s summer kicks off
After the early signing of Nathanael Ogbeta, the rumour mill stopped turning – and nothing really happened for a few weeks.
Argyle got Pete Shuttleworth’s appointment over the line which was held up by the contractual and legal side of things. If there was any consideration given to Mick Phelan (remember that?) it was never serious. Shuttleworth is Rooney’s man – as OTID readers will know from our last Rooney newsletter.
Since then we’ve had Darko Gyabi’s return, and Muhamed Tijani through the door.
I’m going to do something on signings as we see more, but winning the signature of a 6’3+ striker (on loan with an option to buy) before pre-season, is good business. As is bagging the outright tekkers of latest signing Ibrahim Cissoko, who looks extremely promising. See a brazen panenka below
Warming to Rooney
It felt like it took an age for Rooney to start at the club – but once he got to work, it’s been all good vibes. The recorded opening chat to the players was fascinating, and Rooney outlined his commitment to openness, every player having their chance – but that the desire to succeed “must come from inside.”
And his words that “This is the best feeling I’ve had joining a football club” had fans, myself included, on toast.
Whether he has the tactical acumen to see the job through, remains to be seen. But the club’s plan to bring Rooney in as a component of a the ‘One Argyle’ vision feels like it’s working to perfection so far.
But tactical acumen is nothing if we can’t improve the squad. And for that to happen, we will need to see more from the window. That illusive Azaz replacement still feels essential. And I’d like to see a quality RB and CM in, even if that means a couple moving on.
Like I wrote in the last newsletter – it’s also likely we will see some scary outgoings. Most likely is Michael Cooper, who hasn’t signed a new deal and is linked to teams in the Premier League and Sheffield United.
Curiously, Rooney, during a fan Q&A in Marbella said that “In my opinion, Michael Cooper will be here for the season.” That seems extremely unlikely. Cooper would leave for free at the expiration of his contract in summer 2025. While his value will have already diminished, even a value of £4-5m (a lowball figure) would be attractive to the club. That itself would be 5x our record transfer fee. And retaining Cooper’s services simply kicks the can down the road for a year. Fans have to trust the recruitment team that they can secure the services of a ball-playing ‘keeper who actually wants to be at the club.
I also think it’s this transfer that kick-starts the summer’s proper business. Much of the transfer activity so far has been in the loan market. I’m expecting Argyle to sign young, exciting players hopefully across the spine of the team – and that may go down to the wire.
Pre-season starts
Argyle also got off to a good start with a 2-2 draw against South Africa’s Orlando Pirates in Marbella. And just three days later, the Pirates went on to beat Sevilla 2-0. So it was a decent result, even if it was just a fitness exercise.
It was hard to glean too much from the game tactically. We certainly retained a strict 4-4-2 out of possession, but didn’t pile forward into a 2-3-5 as Rooney has previously outlined.
Comments from Rooney hint that the bulk of the tactical work hasn’t started fully yet, with the focus on fitness at the start of pre-season. So it will be interesting to watch that evolve over the next pre-season games. A reminder of those dates are below:
Cheltenham Town (A) - Saturday, 20 July, 3pm
Torquay United (A) - Saturday, 27 July, 3pm
Bristol Rovers (A) – Tuesday, 30 July, 7pm
Milton Keynes Dons (A) – Saturday, 3 August, 3pm
(You can rewatch the game here – and kudos to the Pirates not only for the excellent commentary, but also that’s the stream has been viewed 227,000 times).