WARREN Feeney’s decision to admit that most of the current Newport County AFC squad will be shown the door in the summer is a brave one and it could easily backfire.

After Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Cambridge United – a fifth defeat in succession – the Exiles boss revealed that he is planning a clear-out come the end of the season.

As I wrote last week I think it would be a mistake to repeat last year’s mass cull of the playing staff when 15 left the club.

But Feeney understandably wants to bring in his own players and to be judged on his own squad and that means there will inevitably be casualties.

What is more contentious is the timing of his statement, which has echoes of the situation at Rodney Parade this time last year.

After the match on Saturday, Feeney said: “I know what I need in the summer and what I want.

“There are some that will be [here next year] but, no disrespect, you’ve got to move on and bring your own players in – that’s what you’re judged on.

“That’s what I want and unfortunately that’s football.”

Asked if there could there be a big clear-out like last summer he said: “Yeah. I think that’s the rotation of the club. I want to bring my own boys in. I’m not going to lie.

“They’ve been brilliant for me but you look at these teams that are challenging and they have the mentality to win promotions.

“A lot of our boys have come from the league below or have had relegations in this league.

“You want to make them better but you look for that little bit of quality to grind games out.

“Players are available in the summer and people are playing for their futures.

“You’ve got to get the ball rolling but until we get over the line we’ve got to go with what we have.”

Wind back the clock 12 months and then-County striker Aaron O’Connor, who faces his former club with Stevenage this weekend, was lifting the lid on the dressing room unrest that followed similar comments from then-director Howard Greenhaf.

On February 8 last year, while discussing a reduction in the playing budget for this season, Greenhaf said: “The good thing for us as a football club next season is that all of the players are out of contract, there's only a few left.

“So whoever is there will have a clean slate. Justin [Edinburgh] was aware of that and was really looking forward to starting again with another new squad.”

Greenhaf later explained what he had meant, stating: “What I’m saying is we have a group that are nearly all out of contract so they need to be busting a gut or running through brick walls to try and earn a deal for next year, here or somewhere else.

“We have very few players who are secure on two-year deals and know they are assured of staying next season who can take it easy and put their feet up.”

But that did not placate O’Connor, who told the Argus: “From a players’ perspective, when you read certain things that were said when we were in the position we were in it does derail you.

“It feels like you don’t have the support it was a bit derailing.”

County’s season was indeed derailed as they missed out on the play-offs under Justin Edinburgh’s former assistant Jimmy Dack.

And, with League Two survival still not mathematically certain this season, some have suggested that Feeney was wrong to tell the media of his plans for the summer.

It’s highly unlikely that bottom two York City and Dagenham & Redbridge will be able to catch County in 21st or Stevenage in 22nd.

But some fans on our website and on social media argue that Feeney’s statement is hardly likely to improve morale in the squad with five games still to play.

It’s a fair point and he will presumably have considered the effect his words would have on his players.

All managers know they are speaking to the dressing room as much as the fans when they talk to the media.

There is no suggestion that Feeney has told the players who will be kept and who will be on their way in May.

All he has intimated in public is that several will be leaving.

It’s now up to the players who know they are at risk, who know that they have been under-performing of late, to respond.

They have a clear choice. They can either start planning for life elsewhere or they can resolve to prove the manager wrong and give everything they have in one last effort to earn a new contract.