Taylor targets a strong recruitment for Exeter
Exeter manager wants to add ‘difference makers’ to make City better for next season
EXETER City boss Matt Taylor has set his stall out for a strong summer of recruitment to ensure that the Grecians don’t miss out on the League Two play-offs next season.
Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Barrow saw City end the campaign ninth in the table - although other results on the final day meant even a win wouldn’t have been enough to gatecrash the top seven.
Having started the season strongly and been in the top three in December, City’s form tailed off in 2021, with Taylor’s side not having been in the top seven since mid-February, with a run of just two wins in 11 from early March to the end of April doing the damage,
The final day draw means that City failed to win three successive league games all season - although they will start next season on an unbeaten run of six which is the longest since November - and Taylor feels he has a strong base to start next season from.
The manager will hold meetings with all of the players individually this week to discuss their futures at the club - if they have one - with Taylor wanting to add at least four ‘difference makers’ to St James Park in the summer.
Some City players out of contract have already been informed they won’t be offered a new deal, while others have been offered deals but have yet to sign or have turned down contracts, with a handful of players under contract expected to be told they will be free to find another club.
Winger Randell Williams departure was all but confirmed by Taylor after the Barrow match, with him saying ‘he’ll obviously move on’, while it is understood that skipper
Jake Taylor is another set to depart with the 29-year-old yet to put pen to paper and instead is looking to move back closer to his Reading homeland.
“We have positions to fill,” Taylor said, when asked about his priorities for the summer transfer window.
“We have players out of contract who will leave the club, players under control who will be told their future, but this is not the time for talking about positions and personnel. We know we need a strong window of recruitment but what a strong base to build from to be building on with the youngsters and it is my job to add some quality to that.
“I am excited about the challenges but have to bring them in. It is difficult to attract them to the South West but we need three or four difference makers who will be consistently the better players. And when I say difference makers, top of the pitch, middle of the pitch, bottom end of the pitch, who will be consistently the better players.
“When we talk about the player of the season vote from fans or players, it has been the youngsters and they have really stood up to it, so we won’t be recruiting youngsters as such but hopefully some senior personnel to help the group. You are always depending on the core group of the senior players and build on the seniority and the young ones will flourish even more on that, but that’s where we have fallen short.”
Taylor will meet individually with each member of the squad on Monday and Tuesday this week and have an ‘honest conversation’ with them about how he sees them fitting into the plans for the 2021/22 season.
He added: “It they are to be here next year then what the
improvements needed and what it will take to get in the team, and then they’ll have a real reset and rest. We have been building for next season and where we cannot trust them for next season, we have to bring others in.”
One player whose future in Devon seems certain is top scorer Matt Jay, whose first half goal on Saturday took his tally to 20, and after the game he was named both supporters and players’ player of the season.
The popular 25-year-old signed a contract extension earlier this year, and after his most productive season in terms of goals and appearances, Jay is expecting a few comings and goings in what could be an exciting summer of transfer activity at St James Park.
“We have a good togetherness and there will be comings and goings, but the summer will be exciting and we will have to see what it brings,” the academy product said.
“Right now we are all down, but we have had a solid year, and we didn’t think we would get to where we were when we lost some big characters last year. We haven’t gone and spent lots of money and we are in a good financial situation, and it will be nice to push again next year.”
Jay was also named in the League Two team of the season, and took his tally to 20 midway through the first half on Saturday when he tapped in from close range from a Robbie Willmott cross.
Reflecting on the campaign, Jay said: “We are disappointed and think we could have done more, but we are where we are, and we didn’t think we’d get this high at the start of the season so that’s a positive.
Post-match, the 25-year-old picked up the accolades from the players and fans for his performances, and Jay said that it was a proud moment for him and recognition of him repaying the trust that manager Matt Taylor had placed in him.
“On a personal note it has been a good year and I have enjoyed football and having the rhythm and being on the teamsheet each week has been good. I am happy for the accolades and grateful to those who have helped me and long may it continue.
“I knew I could do it but it was taking the opportunity and getting the consistent trust, and full credit as they put the trust in me and people wrote me off as not the kind of player for League Two, but Matt has been really good and he thinks I have repaid him.”
And having hit his first target for the season of 15 goals, Jay made it to his 20-goal target as well with his goal on the final day, adding: “It was a brilliant moment. I was in the right place at the right time, which has been a factor in my game this season.”