CONFIRMED Craig Alcock

[Droppingwell]

I did say it remains to be seen.

However, I am not hopeful; when he arrived we were told that the investment had to be kept quiet in case it led to inflated prices. But now, having gone large with a PR campaign and professed how we're aiming for the premier league those claims need to be followed up on otherwise they just look stupid. It would be good to know that the plan is on track before the trumpeting of another right back from Walsall.

Bloody hell he has been here just 9 months! Business people think medium to long term not 9 months. The prince will be projecting over the next 3 to 5 years. But in any event there has been huge changes since he arrived. We were bottom of the league and going down, since he arrived we shot up the league and got to a semi. We don't have to sell our best players and have turned down sizeable offers. We have paid transfer fees for scougall, Mcnulty and funded brayfords wages amongst other things. Season tickets sales are up and we have a new shirt deal. So much is moving in the right direction. The prince coming in has been fantastic. It is not a coincidence. Anyone who is on a downer at the moment needs to actually think where we were at the Princes first game away at toy town and where we are now. This season will be great.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Whilst I reserve opinion on this lad (don't know anything of him or remember seeing him play) I would like to dismiss the myth that you 'don't need to spend big' to get out of league 1. Look at the promoted sides last season, they all spent much more than we have so far. Now I don't care to debate the prince's influence, but we can objectively see that our wage bill / summer spending doesn't come close to matching the promoted sides of last season, which is a very useful yardstick to measure against. Our current squad doesn't match the quality of rovrum/wolves/Brentford last season, and that's my biggest fear currently.

Really depends on what sort of squad you're starting from - and we finished with what ultimately proved to be a very decent team. Didn't Yeovil spend very little two years ago when they were promoted?

Compare against our brilliant promotion season in 05/06. Anyone that went to the latter games the season before will have seen a team that ended on a low and needed a lot of change. Warnock was given a sensible budget, and we made a series of freebie transfers (HMS, Short, Gillespie, Unsworth, and.....Nalis....) and what cash we had we spent on Ifill (£800k), added to the Webber transfer from the previous season being made permanent. That gave us a much stronger squad capable of promotion, with very little spent in transfer fees relative to others in the division - with what was spent focused on one main player. Compare with that season 1. Reading (£2m), 3. Watford (£825k), 4. Preston (£160k), 5. Leeds (£3m), 6. Palace (£4.8m).

It's really not about how much we're spending in transfer fees. We don't need to go crazy - we may spend a reasonable amount on a couple of players, and those are likely the ones to take time. We seem to be forgetting due to the remarkably quick activity to date that we have a lot of time left to get the transfers we do spend cash on completely right.

 

[Droppingwell]

Bloody hell he has been here just 9 months! Business people think medium to long term not 9 months. The prince will be projecting over the next 3 to 5 years. But in any event there has been huge changes since he arrived. We were bottom of the league and going down, since he arrived we shot up the league and got to a semi. We don't have to sell our best players and have turned down sizeable offers. We have paid transfer fees for scougall, Mcnulty and funded brayfords wages amongst other things. Season tickets sales are up and we have a new shirt deal. So much is moving in the right direction. The prince coming in has been fantastic. It is not a coincidence. Anyone who is on a downer at the moment needs to actually think where we were at the Princes first game away at toy town and where we are now. This season will be great.

I apologise for the positivity and optimism in that post I appreciate it has no place on a Blades forum.

 

[bartman]

I did say it remains to be seen.

However, I am not hopeful; when he arrived we were told that the investment had to be kept quiet in case it led to inflated prices. But now, having gone large with a PR campaign and professed how we're aiming for the premier league those claims need to be followed up on otherwise they just look stupid. It would be good to know that the plan is on track before the trumpeting of another right back from Walsall.

You're making yourself look silly now. Stick to Porktalk

 

[Kazarre13]

Aggressive,disciplined and young player. Good transfer

 

[FTPE]

It's pretty clear not many of us know much about him...
How about we give him the benefit of doubt and see how he plays in our majestic new kit!?

 

[itsinyerblood]

I apologise for the positivity and optimism in that post I appreciate it has no place on a Blades forum.

No, don't you dare Droppingwell, your comments were of the Churchillian variety, so much so that I dropped my strides and cracked one off, such was the inspiring nature of your comments.

When all around are doom and gloom, you'll be an oasis of hope and optimism, more please!

 

[gavtheblade]

At least we are `signing `players and not loaning them.
The `big` signing yet to come methinks!!

 

[bartman]

Whilst I reserve opinion on this lad (don't know anything of him or remember seeing him play) I would like to dismiss the myth that you 'don't need to spend big' to get out of league 1. Look at the promoted sides last season, they all spent much more than we have so far. Now I don't care to debate the prince's influence, but we can objectively see that our wage bill / summer spending doesn't come close to matching the promoted sides of last season, which is a very useful yardstick to measure against. Our current squad doesn't match the quality of rovrum/wolves/Brentford last season, and that's my biggest fear currently.

Did anyone think that Rovrum had a better quality squad than us at the beginning of last season ?

They didn't spend big to go up and i don't think,Brentford did last season or Yeovil the year before.. What the comparative wage bills are I don't know but I would be surprised if our wasn't the 2nd biggest in L1 last season and will be the highest this season.

 

[stringjunior]

Now that you own Mickey now, any thoughts where you're going to keep him?

He'll be following Maidenhead round holding on to his trouser pocket. Not that Maidenhead is that way inclined or anything, it's just.....
Oh never mind. I'll think of a better one.

 

[Foxy]

Did anyone think that Rovrum had a better quality squad than us at the beginning of last season ?

I'm not utterly convinced they had a better one than us at the end of the season. I mean, they obviously went up, meaning that, they did from that point of view... but player for player, how many would you have swapped for the run in?

 

[Pinchy]

Did anyone think that Rovrum had a better quality squad than us at the beginning of last season ?

They didn't spend big to go up and i don't think,Brentford did last season or Yeovil the year before.. What the comparative wage bills are I don't know but I would be surprised if our wasn't the 2nd biggest in L1 last season and will be the highest this season.

By the end of the season they were not as good as our kids!

Hugely overestimating the opposition at the expense of our own club - it's the Bladesfans' Way.

 

[blader]

I'm not utterly convinced they had a better one than us at the end of the season. I mean, they obviously went up, meaning that, they did from that point of view... but player for player, how many would you have swapped for the run in?

I would say of our remaining squad, only murphy, scougall and Maguire would have got in their startif 11 last season IMO. And considering Maguire could be off I thnk that means we have a long way to go.

 

[Pinchy]

I did see the Kaiser. Fantastic with the ball, not close to Baresi without it. As an all-round player he's in the top 5 ever. Purely as a defender, he's behind Baresi, Moore, Maldini and Scirea for me.

We'll have to agree to differ; That's fine.

 

[Pinchy]

I'll stick my neck out when it comes to class defenders....one who should have played for England but the powers that be were too dense to recognise his worth, Mark Lawrenson. Forget the TV pundit we've become underwhelmed by, as a footballing C/H he was a thoroughbred and recognised as such by his peers at the time he played before injury finished his career.

And can anyone tell me why Frank Rijkaard hasn't been mentioned so far? As good as anyone on his day and difficult to find a superior centre-back.

Whatever you think of Alan Hansen as a pundit (and I think he's been one of the best) he was a magnificent, elegant, footballing centre-back. One of the best Britain has produced. We nearly signed him once...

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

We'll have to agree to differ; That's fine.

I like my defenders with a ruthless Italian streak, as you may have gathered. Mind you I draw the line at Claudio Gentile, he was something else

 

[metalblade]

The present squad is better than last seasons we now have plenty of options in all positions bar up front and I fully expect this to be rectified sooner rather than later.

 

[Pinchy]

I like my defenders with a ruthless Italian streak, as you may have gathered. Mind you I draw the line at Claudio Gentile, he was something else

Gattuso ahead of Platini, then? Or is it more sophisticated the further forward we go?

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Gattuso ahead of Platini, then? Or is it more sophisticated the further forward we go?

Ahh, now we need lots Latin flair alongside a man who can keep the shape of the team, so Zico alongside Makelele

 

[Pinchy]

Ahh, now we need lots Latin flair alongside a man who can keep the shape of the team, so Zico alongside Makelele

Mmmm, Mike Lake and Nick Montgomery don't really do it for me.....

 

[Kev Gee]

People seem to forget we signed high profile players & got exactly no-were.

We then overspent & ended up in League 1.

Id rather Clough signed players on merit & talent than a 'big profile'.

 

[Kev Gee]

?????

You never saw Franz Beckenbauer then, SEB? He was twice the player. Not only that, he was a world-class midfielder as well. Truly one of the greatest footballers of all time.

Joe Shaw would not have coped with the giant centre-forwards of today. Neither would Alcock, or Terry Kennedy for that matter.

Cannovaro also wasn't the tallest cb ever and he won a world cup!

 

[Davie Blade]

I suspect the reality is different. Try this scenario: McCabe couldnt believe his luck when Prince Abdullah bought into the club - halving the McCabe family's liability and kick starting KM's exit strategy at a stroke. While the fans are getting excited about Marc McNulty (Lyle Taylor II) McCabe was laughing all the way to his "home" in Belgium. See you later Kev put the keys through the letterbox on your way out.

Are you really a Blade? I don't think you are at all.
Just a Pig in disguise.
What sort of fan criticises, a player who hasn't even played for us yet! FFS
Amazing.
FOP.

 

[Mickey Jupp]

Nothing against McNulty, possibly a competent player - just think we should be aiming higher. Could be that we are but not seen any evidence of it.

No piggie here - just trying to understand what's going on. The "project" is to get to the premier league - so why has the half-chairman naffed off back to Saudi rather than guide the process?

Re Maguire - After forty odd years watching us selling our best players you'd think I'd be used to it but I'm not.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

I'll stick my neck out when it comes to class defenders....one who should have played for England but the powers that be were too dense to recognise his worth, Mark Lawrenson. Forget the TV pundit we've become underwhelmed by, as a footballing C/H he was a thoroughbred and recognised as such by his peers at the time he played before injury finished his career.

And can anyone tell me why Frank Rijkaard hasn't been mentioned so far? As good as anyone on his day and difficult to find a superior centre-back.

And there was me thinking it was because he was Irish!



UTB

Reminds me of Danny Baker who said whenever he sees Andy Townsend or Mark Lawrenson pontificating about the England team he thinks "What has it got to do with you?!

 

[itsinyerblood]

Reminds me of Danny Baker who said whenever he sees Andy Townsend or Mark Lawrenson pontificating about the England team he thinks "What has it got to do with you?!

It's an interesting point Sothall_Blade, how many players were denied the chance to play in the top international competitions, therefore seem to vanish off of list of names who are constantly returned to as worthy contenders for discussion?

As I said, Lawrenson was all you could wish for in a great central defender. The fact that he had Hansen alongside him made this a pairing as good as any I've seen. I agree with SEB that the Italians do seem to turn out single minded defenders who take no prisoners, and do it well I should add. The former Milan player, Nesta, was exceptional and personified all the qualities I'd associate in a great defender, Italian or otherwise.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

It's an interesting point Sothall_Blade, how many players were denied the chance to play in the top international competitions, therefore seem to vanish off of list of names who are constantly returned to as worthy contenders for discussion?

As I said, Lawrenson was all you could wish for in a great central defender. The fact that he had Hansen alongside him made this a pairing as good as any I've seen. I agree with SEB that the Italians do seem to turn out single minded defenders who take no prisoners, and do it well I should add. The former Milan player, Nesta, was exceptional and personified all the qualities I'd associate in a great defender, Italian or otherwise.

In the case of Lawrenson, he was born in Preston so could have played for England. It looks like Ireland offered him an International place when he was a 19 year old Third Division player and he pinned his colours to their mast. I agree that he would have have been a good asset for England four or five years later (after proving himself at Liverpool) but it was much too late by then. He obviously didn't back himself to be that good.

Baker's point to Lawro and Towno remains. "You chose Ireland over England. What have our problems got to do with you?"

 

[itsinyerblood]

In the case of Lawrenson, he was born in Preston so could have played for England. It looks like Ireland offered him an International place when he was a 19 year old Third Division player and he pinned his colours to their mast. I agree that he would have have been a good asset for England four or five years later (after proving himself at Liverpool) but it was much too late by then. He obviously didn't back himself to be that good.

Baker's point to Lawro and Towno remains. "You chose Ireland over England. What have our problems got to do with you?"

Point taken about Danny Baker, but not playing for a country doesn't exclude you from commenting on that country and it's fortunes. As for which country Lawrenson chose, I think there's more to it than simply suggesting he didn't have faith in himself. Context is everything, so at that time I think that many lower league players could never imagine getting a look in with England (not much has changed really), so Lawrenson took a punt on the supposedly 'lesser' footballing nation. It doesn't lessen his quality as a player, just as it didn't lessen George Best for playing for N.Ireland.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

It's an interesting point Sothall_Blade, how many players were denied the chance to play in the top international competitions, therefore seem to vanish off of list of names who are constantly returned to as worthy contenders for discussion?

As I said, Lawrenson was all you could wish for in a great central defender. The fact that he had Hansen alongside him made this a pairing as good as any I've seen. I agree with SEB that the Italians do seem to turn out single minded defenders who take no prisoners, and do it well I should add. The former Milan player, Nesta, was exceptional and personified all the qualities I'd associate in a great defender, Italian or otherwise.

Did you ever see the great Giacinto Facchetti? He was tough and ruthless but always played it fair, which you never say about the hardest, nastiest player I've ever seen play the game, Claudio Gentile. If you have a chance check out the film of his performance against Maradona in the World Cup 1982, every trick in the book.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Did you ever see the great Giacinto Facchetti? He was tough and ruthless but always played it fair, which you never say about the hardest, nastiest player I've ever seen play the game, Claudio Gentile. If you have a chance check out the film of his performance against Maradona in the World Cup 1982, every trick in the book.

I recall Fachetti well SEB, a master of defensive capability. As for Gentile, whoever christened him should have changed that surname to Bastardo.