Well folks, it’s been a week since our latest Wembley woes so probably time to reset and start looking forward again.

There is, of course a World Cup on the horizon for those that can stay up late enough / get up early enough (other timezones are available on DiasBoro) but Boro fans will be at least as interested – and in many case probably much more interested  – in the comings and goings at Hurworth over the coming months.

If they’re not already, the papers, blogs, socials and podcasts will soon be awash with rumours of key players leaving and fresh faces arriving from far flung destinations across the globe. We may even have a change or two in the Recruitment Dept if those particular whispers bear any truth.

So let’s use this space to leave the Playoff Final behind and collate our thoughts for the next assault on Championship promotion.

At the time of writing, with the retained and immediate leavers list announced, the senior squad appears to be as follows:

Sol Brynn

Seny Dieng

Callum Brittain

Luke Ayling

Alfie Jones

Dael Fry (expected - subject to contract renewal)

Adilson Malanda

George Edmundson

Neto Borges

Alex Bangura

Fin Munroe

 
Aiden Morris

Hayden Hackney

Law McCabe

Riley McGree

Leo Castledine

Morgan Whittaker

Jeremy Sarmiento

Delano Burgzorg

Sontje Hansen

Abdoulaye Kanté

Micah Hamilton

 
Tommy Conway

David Strelec

Kale Sene

 
At this stage it might be best to assume that Hackney will leave and Fry will extend. That appears to be the most likely scenario at the time of writing.

If so, using KH’s 3-4-3 formation that he employed most often by the end of the season, the squad looks something like this:

 -----------------Brynn---------------------

----------------(Dieng)--------------------

--------Jones | Fry | Malanda---------

--(Ayling | Edmundson | Borges)---

Brittian | Morris | McGree | Bangura

(??? | Kante | Castledine | Munroe)

----Whittaker | Strelec | Conway----

---(Sarmiento | Sene | Burgzorg)---

+ McCabe, Hansen & Hamiton (possible Harley Hunt?)

Of course, a different formation creates a different set of blank spots and Hellberg hasn’t rigidly stuck to one shape but hopefully the above gives some view of where we might be lacking in numbers and/or quality.

For me, the summer wishlist would be as follows:

 - Move on Dieng and replace with an experienced back-up who can also be a good training partner/mentor for Brynn

 - Consider the fullback/wingback positions and whether cover / quality is needed there

 - Replace Hackney (somehow) and add another experienced central midfielder in the mould of Alan Browne

 - Add quality across the front three including pace out wide, physical presence centrally and the ability to finish across all three

 - Move on surplus forwards

Over to you, DiasBoro Crew.