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A recap of whose in and out in the last couple of weeks

So far it’s fair to say Barnet FC have been leading the way in the National League transfer market bringing in five new signings to The Hive. After Swindon Town made an approach for Dean Brennan a couple of weeks ago which was rebuffed, new players have been arriving in a fashion we’ve not seen for a long while at the club.

We can only assume that the conversation between Brennan and chairman Tony Kleanthous, or possibly a three way including the new CEO Natasha Kleanthous was along the lines of ‘if you want to win this league and go one better, then this is the blueprint of how we do it’.

Or at least you might think that. Let’s look a little more closer at what’s happened since that play-off defeat to Solihull Moors. Six players departed the club from last year’s staff, five have arrived in the meantime.

Most have arrived from Step 2 downwards and to hazard a guess they’re not taking up a huge chunk of wages from those released a few weeks ago. So effectively the squad is almost at the same level it operated on last year for contracted players with a little still in that budget area.

I certainly don’t see this as the end of the incoming, we may even see a departure or two, let’s however take a closer look at the incomings and then the potential for one or two moving onto pastures new.

Rhys Browne was the first player through the door, a good season saw him get a move to Woking where he ended up side-lined last season due to a clause in his contract which would have triggered an extension.

A very good player on his day, a decent enough goal scoring record over the last few years, a few question marks over his fitness record which does go away from the type of player we have pursued over the last 18 months however the MT must see a way of being able to keep him fit and on the pitch.

Next in was a winger, Jermaine Francis. A player whose had a very quick rise up the non-league pyramid but one whose progress has been well documented. In fact he was with us last pre-season, it didn’t work out well enough but he’s got his head down, enjoyed a fantastic season in the National League South with Chelmsford City and now has his reward.

The signings of these two might suggest we’re going to head into the new season with pace down the flanks along with Idris Kanu, or it more gives us increased options of how we set up.

Next in were two lads already in the building but agreeing new one year contracts in Jerome Okimo and Ben Coker. In my opinion, both were vital due to the experience they bring to what is a pretty young squad currently.

They may not put in 50 appearances each next season but as I’ve previously said with people like these two, Gary Hooper etc it’s what they bring to a dressing room and on the training pitch as well, massively important and very easily forgotten because we see what happens over 90 minutes only.

Nik Tavares was next up from Dagenham & Redbridge. Having been tipped off one was incoming from East London it was a toss up between which two off their retained list. A very good player on his day, another with question marks over fitness levels but again one you believe the MT feel there is a way to get 30 plus games out of him.

Joe Grimwood the fourth player through the door arriving from newly promoted Braintree Town. Outstanding in their play-off final win at Worthing at the beginning of the month, a player who completed 45 of the 46 league games last year is our type of signing.

The last one so far to make his way to The Hive is Finley Wilkinson. This was one very much under the radar of most out there including me, many of us expecting a completely different player to be in the building.

Looking at his highlights clips there is plenty of potential in this signing and a few already likening it to the arrival last year of Callum Stead, having taken advice from others it’s good to see he’s comfortable off both feet.

So, that’s the in’s so far.

No news yet on Dale Gorman or Luke Freeman although I wouldn’t be surprised to see 50% of that resolved before the end of May.

We did however have one departure, which I think took everyone by surprise coming from the new club and not announced by ourselves.

Connor Stevens has pitched up at newly promoted Chesham Utd, who are into the National League South for the coming season. Stevens divided opinion throughout last season, many believing he wasn’t up to the standard required for us.

I don’t think bar the Southend Utd away game did we see anything like he could produce. Was it down to never being able to reach full fitness? Has he passed that limit of being enough for National League football? Will part time football suit him better? Questions to be answered over the coming nine months of a season, questions that could also be put to Freeman as well I hasten to add, although the undoubted talent is in his boots, before anyone confuses I’m tarring with same brush.

Rumour will follow us all summer about potential departures involving Danny Collinge and at a push Idris Kanu.

Collinge has added so much to his game in the last 12 months he should be on many a radar. Of course we expect Peterborough Utd to be heading the queue with Ronnie Edwards off this summer for a few quid. The question would be for Collinge, if it’s not League One, should I be interested?

If he stays then in a year’s time Barnet could be at the same level as a club he’s only just moved to. No one would begrudge him the move, it’s deserved for a very intelligent footballer who is now a goal scoring centre half, priceless.

Kanu will be talked about in circles. The boy has talent, and a lot of it but in equal amounts inconsistency. And that is what I feel holds him back from moving back into the Football League.

He can be unplayable, can win you games, high percentages up the pitch to relieve pressure. However, that can then be followed by four games where he doesn’t reach those levels and if I was scout watching that is what infuriates me.

The reason Ephron Mason-Clark got his move was he increased his numbers, great talent as we know but data is everywhere. When Idris cuts inside those numbers need to be shots hitting the target or ending up in the net or even an assisted lay off for a goal, but they’re not.

Decision making is where we see that gap between those two players, get that right and he’ll be on his way BUT not if it’s a flash in the pan few matches, now it’s down to him.

Don’t expect to see any EFL players moving just yet, they’ll be hanging on to get the best wage they can and it will likely be weeks before we see any action there, however we are now an attractive proposition and that may work in our favour than those holding out for more dosh.

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