James Wallace

[WORKSOPBLADE]

Not seen any news about him for quite a while. Anyone know about his progress and what chance he might be ready for the new season ?

If fit, as said numerous times before, he can be a real star for us.

 

[true99blade]

Hope this season can finally work out for him. There's a reason he's in League 1 and we all know what that is. When fit he's a class above this division and potentially even better than that. Fingers crossed for the lad, this season is make or break for him unfortunately. It'd be a real shame if he has to be released at the end of next season. It's probably the only realistic option for him sadly. Him and Basham in midfield would be too much for opposition midfield.

 

[ziggy4001]

Apparently Wallace broke down during the fitness tests carried out at Sheffield Hallam Uni today.

I made that up but it's probably sadly true.

 

[Blade]

My wife said his boiled eggs are over poached.

 

[bertieblade]

Ziggy, you are not funny!
If one bloke in our squad deserves an arm round his shoulder it is Wallace, his whole career depends on this pre season and ability to prove that he can contribute for the forthcoming season.
If he does it will be like signing a £1 million player, if not his career is washed up

 

[Blade82]

What the lad needs is a manager with a background in physiotherapy, to nurture him and find a way to get him back to full fitness

 

[Kenilworth]

He's the feller covered head to foot in bandages and wearing a dodgy rain coat.

You ain't sin me. Reight

 

[ziggy4001]

Ziggy, you are not funny!
If one bloke in our squad deserves an arm round his shoulder it is Wallace, his whole career depends on this pre season and ability to prove that he can contribute for the forthcoming season.
If he does it will be like signing a £1 million player, if not his career is washed up

I want Wallace to succeed as much as anybody but the lad is a proven crock. Poor signing by Clough in my opinion.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

I want Wallace to succeed as much as anybody but the lad is a proven crock. Poor signing by Clough in my opinion.

He was a great signing by Clough, but a gamble none the less.

Some times things don't work out - shame Clough has to keep taking a battering.

UTB

 

[Guesty]

I don't think you can call it a great signing. Great player, maybe (I wouldn't know, I've never seen him for more than about 20 minutes at a time) but a terrible signing.

 

[Darthblade]

I don't think you can call it a great signing. Great player, maybe (I wouldn't know, I've never seen him for more than about 20 minutes at a time) but a terrible signing.

Great "potential" ..... yet to be realised, but if he can get over his fitness problems in this pre-season, he will save NA from having to make a very expensive signing in that position.

That would be good as it will then allow him to concentrate on getting two big, dominant CHs and at least 1 if not two fast, strong, goal hungry strikers ......
UTB & FTP

 

[Mouth of the South]

I'm one of JW's biggest fans. Having seen him a couple of times for Tranmere (& almost single-handedly putting them in with a shout of promotion) and witnessed the masterclass he put on when running the show in the leage game v Crewe last season, I really hope that the exteneded layoff has enabled him to get over his injury problems and allows him to do a full pre-season as he has the potential to easily be the best midfielder in the league. A potential midfield partnership with Basham would undoubtedly dominate most, if not all, other L1 teams.

Unfortunately the chances of that happening, him coming back as strong and as good a player as he was and being able to play the majority of next season currently seem somewhat remote.

In terms of assessing him as a signing - as always hindsight is 20/20 but signing a player not fully recovered from such a serious injury having not proven his fitness was a massive risk and one, at the moment, that hasn't paid off. Furthermore, given that he was signed as an alternative to Coady, when it became apparent that NC wouldn't/couldn't get him (with the money earmarked for Brayford it seems), it looks an even worse decision given how well Coady played in the league above.

 

[Bladesman]

Could be one of our best midfielders but I am not sure we will ever see the best of him.

I do hope Adkins can work his magic on him though.

 

[bladeinspaceandtime]

He was a great signing by Clough

UTB

Why? To keep the physio occupied?

 

[ziggy4001]

He was a great signing by Clough, but a gamble none the less.

Some times things don't work out - shame Clough has to keep taking a battering.

UTB

How was Wallace a great signing? Can't remember any goals or assists in the few games he did manage. He is probably on decent money and in effect is picking up his wages for doing nothing. Surely with someone who has his injury record you offer no more then a one year deal.

I'm sure he does have talent but it's no use whatsoever if you are continually crocked, which he is. Waste of wages so far.

 

[SandyMcBlade]

This signing players with long term injury problems seem to be a reoccurring feature with the Blades, dun it ...I mean Matt Done was due a operation when we signed him Paul Coutts hadn't played for yonks after a serious injury, Cuvelier is injury prone and then there is Wallace...
I think signing a manager who is also a physio fits in very well with our recruitment policy.....

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

How was Wallace a great signing? Can't remember any goals or assists in the few games he did manage. He is probably on decent money and in effect is picking up his wages for doing nothing. Surely with someone who has his injury record you offer no more then a one year deal.

I'm sure he does have talent but it's no use whatsoever if you are continually crocked, which he is. Waste of wages so far.

A great signing and a great gamble rolled into one . Depending on his salary , and length of contract , its the latter which will stick with both Clough and Wallace .

I cannot see Wallace just being fit enough to be a regular first team player , with only cameo roles , in a fits and start career at the lane . Great pity , but IMO we just cannot rely on , or build a side , around Wallace or indeed Coutts , who both fall into the same category , unfortunately.

UTB

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Why? To keep the physio occupied?

no because the lad is a quality player.

We haven't seen much, but what we have seen is way better than some of the dross others have turned out during the season.

The lad just needs a good pre-season and we wait and see.

Of course if he breaks down again then that is not good - trouble with some on here, because CLOUGH signed him, it seems to seems as though the vitriol is still being dished out regardless and Wallace is on the end of it.

These things happen in football, just give the lad a chance.

UTB

 

[Fulwood Blade]

How was Wallace a great signing? Can't remember any goals or assists in the few games he did manage. He is probably on decent money and in effect is picking up his wages for doing nothing. Surely with someone who has his injury record you offer no more then a one year deal.

I'm sure he does have talent but it's no use whatsoever if you are continually crocked, which he is. Waste of wages so far.

exactly the same could be said of Cuvellier - don't see any shit going his way..............oh, I remember, Wallace is a CLOUGH signing.

Some just can't let go of the Clough legacy - very sad really.

UTB

 

[sheffielder]

Wallace is probably the best player we have, however can't stay fit. I hope he gets that chance this year, because last season Clough said he was going to give him more time he was either back in the squad or playing. Unfortunately Wallace is facing the vitriol of being Coady's replacement, and people wouldn't have been jumping up and down if we had signed them both.

 

[Guesty]

exactly the same could be said of Cuvellier - don't see any shit going his way..............oh, I remember, Wallace is a CLOUGH signing.

Some just can't let go of the Clough legacy - very sad really.

UTB

No, the difference is that no-one is advocating building a team around Cuvelier. People are talking about doing so with Wallace which is just madness.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

No, the difference is that no-one is advocating building a team around Cuvelier. People are talking about doing so with Wallace which is just madness.

Now that I am in total agreement. To say Wallace should be the kingpin is stupid. The lad obviously has injury problems, but some players go through that type of thing. Wallace is a quality player (at this level) if FIT - the word fit is the key word, he should be eased back into the team hopefully on the back of a good pre-season, with perhaps starting and doing 70-80 minutes, missing the cup games and just getting proper match fit. The point for Wallace has to be made with football common sense in mind and to be brutally honest some of our fans lack this attribute.

My whole argument is the fans who call him shit, or crap Clough signing purely because of the injuries. Yes, it's not good, but he needs to be given some space to prove how good he actually is. Most fans (who have actually seen him in the limited appearances) can see a quality player.

I will repeat what I have written before, If Clough had Wallace available all season and had a pair of decent centre halves, it is IMHO we would have gone up last year. All water under the bridge now, but lets all hope Adkins (and us the fans) can benefit from a very fit James Wallace.

UTB

 

[Bartleby]

What the lad needs is a manager with a background in physiotherapy, to nurture him and find a way to get him back to full fitness

or to prove whether he is in fact capable of getting fit enough to play - gather they'll be testing the fitness levels again after the pre-season games to compare against the benchmark they took this week.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

he should be eased back into the team hopefully on the back of a good pre-season, with perhaps starting and doing 70-80 minutes, missing the cup games and just getting proper match fit.
UTB

If he's not match fit at the start of the season, goodbye.

 

[Bugboyblade]

What is actually his his injury ? He's been out that long I honestly can't remember.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

What is actually his his injury ? He's been out that long I honestly can't remember.

Knee ligament damage wasn't it? Then just some niggles which you're likely to get when being out for so long.

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

Presuming we play 4-4-2, would a 100% fit centre midfield of Wallace and Basham be good enough?

Resounding yes from me.

 

[finlaytheblade]

Now that I am in total agreement. To say Wallace should be the kingpin is stupid. The lad obviously has injury problems, but some players go through that type of thing. Wallace is a quality player (at this level) if FIT - the word fit is the key word, he should be eased back into the team hopefully on the back of a good pre-season, with perhaps starting and doing 70-80 minutes, missing the cup games and just getting proper match fit. The point for Wallace has to be made with football common sense in mind and to be brutally honest some of our fans lack this attribute.

My whole argument is the fans who call him shit, or crap Clough signing purely because of the injuries. Yes, it's not good, but he needs to be given some space to prove how good he actually is. Most fans (who have actually seen him in the limited appearances) can see a quality player.

I will repeat what I have written before, If Clough had Wallace available all season and had a pair of decent centre halves, it is IMHO we would have gone up last year. All water under the bridge now, but lets all hope Adkins (and us the fans) can benefit from a very fit James Wallace.

UTB

I will 2nd

Now that I am in total agreement. To say Wallace should be the kingpin is stupid. The lad obviously has injury problems, but some players go through that type of thing. Wallace is a quality player (at this level) if FIT - the word fit is the key word, he should be eased back into the team hopefully on the back of a good pre-season, with perhaps starting and doing 70-80 minutes, missing the cup games and just getting proper match fit. The point for Wallace has to be made with football common sense in mind and to be brutally honest some of our fans lack this attribute.

My whole argument is the fans who call him shit, or crap Clough signing purely because of the injuries. Yes, it's not good, but he needs to be given some space to prove how good he actually is. Most fans (who have actually seen him in the limited appearances) can see a quality player.

I will repeat what I have written before, If Clough had Wallace available all season and had a pair of decent centre halves, it is IMHO we would have gone up last year. All water under the bridge now, but lets all hope Adkins (and us the fans) can benefit from a very fit James Wallace.

UTB

I 2nd that motion Fulwood. Wallace
Has had. some bad luck with injuries over the last 2years before. That his fitness levels were on a par. With his peers.he obviously has to find a good level of fitness soon or the professional game will pass him by
and that would be a shame as he has all the ingredients to be a top player in league 1 and beyond Clough new what a quality player he waa

 

[finlaytheblade]

Knee ligament damage wasn't it? Then just some niggles which you're likely to get when being out for so long.

Knee damage followed by groin problems last season was punctuated with a series of niggles. Hopefully he will be free of those this season we will then have some player on our hands, fingers crossed!!

 

[Balham Blade]

Knee ligament damage wasn't it? Then just some niggles which you're likely to get when being out for so long.

He missed December 12- November 13 with a knee injury, then March 14-June 14 with another knee problem. His issues since joining United have been related - mainly muscular; as he's not been able to cope with the motor issues from that year out. Hopefully the decision to keep him out of the last 6 weeks of last season will pay off.