Clough's post match interview.

[Woodwardfan]

What i heard is the club supported him through a very serious careerer threatening injury ,

That is relevant, touch of the Paddy Kenny's then?

 

[Pinchy]

Good enough for Southampton and Juventus but not good enough for us to think about developing even though he scored for us at Preston only to be dropped and was a hero at york.

Clough is complex, I'll leave it at that.

Yes, I'm convinced. His one goal for us at Preston together with heroics at.....York....has persuaded me. He's now first name on the teamsheet. Pair him with Joe Ironside maybe....

And you call Nigel complex?...

You couldn't make this sort of stuff up, could you? Pure gold.

 

[Pinchy]

OK but any more comments on our tramline debate Pinchy. I'd respect your views.

I thought we'd both had a good say?...we agree to differ, that's fine.

I'll just add this, perhaps. I'm pretty sure (but by no means certain) that Reedy will make a go of professional football. I doubt he'll get any higher than League One, though. Like you I saw Badger et al. I don't mean to be rude but the suggestion that he will ever be in the same class as the players you name is quite ridiculous (and I'm no fan of one or two of them!) What on earth have you seen beyond decent ball-control and a good range of passing to have such high hopes for the lad? You even nominated him for Player of the Year didn't you? (Immediate apologies if I'm wrong.). That's crazy stuff, mate, it really is.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Yes, I'm convinced. His one goal for us at Preston together with heroics at.....York....has persuaded me. He's now first name on the teamsheet. Pair him with Joe Ironside maybe....

And you call Nigel complex?...

You couldn't make this sort of stuff up, could you? Pure gold.

Development players my friend. Just like Clough's signings McNulty, Adams, K.Wallace, McGahey. Is Diego poor in that company given he's a fair bit younger. none of them could lace Reed's boots in fact. nor Kennedy's if he was 100% fit. nor Whitehouse who was a leader on the pitch as well.

Pinchy, I think you are an inverted football snob re S2 and home grown prospects.!!!

 

[Pinchy]

What i heard is the club supported him through a very serious careerer threatening injury ,

Yes,of course they did but that doesn't make up for not having a guaranteed first team place and playing in precisely the position he wants. His five grown-up goals entitle him to far better treatment. Poor lamb.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

I have quoted Simon Clough's name so many times I have no regrets not doing so this time. Sometimes Nigel might dread hearing his father's name quoted in anything to do with him and I respect that as well.

Anyway, the last appointed Head Scout was Billy Dearden as far as I recall and I posted numerous times on here to ask what he was doing with his time. I happen to think fans deserve to know how big and effective the scouting section of the club is. I think it ought to celebrate its triumphs and explain what effort and expense is spent out of all club expenditure, which areas it covers and what its strategy is. Indeed I believe it's up amongst the top 3 most important areas of the club.

I also posted numerous times before that in a period of over two years when we had NO HEAD SCOUT but nobody ever listened.

Sothall, please do not treat me like a clueless chancer just posting things for effect. I am a Unitedite who just wishes to question, learn and gain confidence and hope.

I am also a professional plus a believer in some of the modern laws on equal opportunities. The appointment of your brother who has no achievements or qualifications in the industry other than he sat on his father's lap in Notts Forest dugout, was brought up in the great Brian c
Clough's household and is the brother of Brian's son, who became a professional footballer even though he wasn't as good as Simon himself, - is no qualification to be Head Scout at Bramall Lane. When his brother can't find him a job he is a newsagent, he doesn't work in football for anybody else.

As a supporter I question whether we might find a better Head Scout in the whole of football. After 18 months I look at our signings and I have to say YES.

Are you sure you posted about Dearden numerous times on here?
He left only two months after you joined and the search facility doesn't find anything.
Maybe you were on a different site before this?

So who was Weir's Chief Scout then? After Dearden left?
Who was manager when we didn't have one for two years?

My point stands that Dearden didn't get blamed for Wilson's failings on a daily basis. Neither did Weir's scouts or Adams' or Heath's. Whoever they were, they barely got a mention unlike "Clough's brother"

Who should be our next head scout do you think?
Can you name names?

 

[Woodwardfan]

I thought we'd both had a good say?...we agree to differ, that's fine.

I'll just add this, perhaps. I'm pretty sure (but by no means certain) that Reedy will make a go of professional football. I doubt he'll get any higher than League One, though. Like you I saw Badger et al. I don't mean to be rude but the suggestion that he will ever be in the same class as the players you name is quite ridiculous (and I'm no fan of one or two of them!) What on earth have you seen beyond decent ball-control and a good range of passing to have such high hopes for the lad? You even nominated him for Player of the Year didn't you? (Immediate apologies if I'm wrong.). That's crazy stuff, mate, it really is.

No I didn't nominate him for anything.

What I see is good touch, composure, plays with his head up, usually does exactly the right thing( IMO), rarely wastes the ball, holds good position, despite his age( and size) is never phased, held his own and more against Premier League players and physical teams, is sturdy relative to height.

Height will always be a question mark but none of my favourite all-time players have been over 5'10". Maybe all yours have and all of them were never 17 years old either of course they weren't.

He is the youngest player ever to represent our club and he will not be 18 until July. Heaven help him if he is good enough to play in League 1 and against Premier League teams already and never progresses beyond League 1 from now on as you say. Utter bollocks if I may say so on this occasion only!!

 

[Pinchy]

Development players my friend. Just like Clough's signings McNulty, Adams, K.Wallace, McGahey. Is Diego poor in that company given he's a fair bit younger. none of them could lace Reed's boots in fact. nor Kennedy's if he was 100% fit. nor Whitehouse who was a leader on the pitch as well.

Pinchy, I think you are an inverted football snob re S2 and home grown prospects.!!!

And I think you're a tiny bit crackers to be honest, mate. I'll take Che Adams to have a better career than either actually. As for lacing Reedy's boots - he played as though they were on the wrong feet on his last few appearances! Are you in denial about that?

Whitehouse? Were is this young superstar plying his trade? I must have taken my eye off the ball. Is he at Bayern Munich with Ironside, McFadzean and Jordan Chapell? We just haemorrhage talent don't we? They'll all come back to haunt us you know!

 

[Pinchy]

No I didn't nominate him for anything.

What I see is good touch, composure, plays with his head up, usually does exactly the right thing( IMO), rarely wastes the ball, holds good position, despite his age( and size) is never phased, held his own and more against Premier League players and physical teams, is sturdy relative to height.

Height will always be a question mark but none of my favourite all-time players have been over 5'10". Maybe all yours have and all of them were never 17 years old either of course they weren't.

He is the youngest player ever to represent our club and he will not be 18 until July. Heaven help him if he is good enough to play in League 1 and against Premier League teams already and never progresses beyond League 1 from now on as you say. Utter bollocks if I may say so on this occasion only!!

Of course you may! I don't hold back from expressing robust views and I'm perfectly happy for you to reciprocate. It's the cowards who dish out the bile but can't take it back that I despise.

My favourite player won the World Cup at 17. He'd already scored about a hundred more goals than Diego.

On Reed's last appearance he was the complete antithesis of the player you described and was taken off, in his own best interests I would suggest, at half-time. The same thing happened in similar circumstances at Oldham. As I said repeatedly during Dimaiogate, players (old or young; tall or tiny) are here to benefit our club, not the other way round. We are not required to be football's equivalent of the X-Factor and "give the lads a chance". The onus is on them I'm afraid.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Are you sure you posted about Dearden numerous times on here?
He left only two months after you joined and the search facility doesn't find anything.
Maybe you were on a different site before this?

So who was Weir's Chief Scout then? After Dearden left?
Who was manager when we didn't have one for two years?

My point stands that Dearden didn't get blamed for Wilson's failings on a daily basis. Neither did Weir's scouts or Adams' or Heath's. Whoever they were, they barely got a mention unlike "Clough's brother"

Who should be our next head scout do you think?
Can you name names?

If that's the case then it was on Bladesmad, by all means check, I would not lie for the sake of this thread, what's all that about?

Please have a look at my threads on scouting and Dearden on Bladesmad if it was not on here. I honestly believe the scouting section should be high profile with transparent communication of the size of the effort which is put into recruitment of players.

Anyway, that is a diversion from the point. Sothall - in all seriousness do you think it likely, probable or remotely possible that the best Head Scout for SUFC happens to be Nigel Clough's brother?

Second question. apart from Brayford and Done for whom we paid well over the odds according to their selling clubs and the media, has our Head Scout come up with any jewels and game-changers amongst his brother's 23 signings for SUFC, ones who can be held up as real captures ? How many new journeymen recruits have we got on 2/3 year contracts Are you confident Simon will find four quality players to add to the squad this summer? All these are relevant questions which should be answered with conviction and honesty because I think like many others that we have signed a preponderance of ex-Derby. lightweight, short, lower Scottish league, ex-Blackpool journeymen. It leads us all to think the world ends within those areas for Simon. Even one of his successes, Adams (who we rarely play) appeared in his local newsagent's papers regularly while he played for Ilkeston. Come on, it would be a joke but it's not funny.

Aside from the family question, what do you think to our recruitment since October 2013?

 

[Woodwardfan]

Of course you may! I don't hold back from expressing robust views and I'm perfectly happy for you to reciprocate. It's the cowards who dish out the bile but can't take it back that I despise.

My favourite player won the World Cup at 17. He'd already scored about a hundred more goals than Diego.

On Reed's last appearance he was the complete antithesis of the player you described and was taken off, in his own best interests I would suggest, at half-time. The same thing happened in similar circumstances at Oldham. As I said repeatedly during Dimaiogate, players (old or young; tall or tiny) are here to benefit our club, not the other way round. We are not required to be football's equivalent of the X-Factor and "give the lads a chance". The onus is on them I'm afraid.

Reed had 32 appearances last season. He didn't score and had only three assists but was 10th in our whole club for assists.

Pinchy, you are so hard on a 17 year old, I give up.

Just give me odds of say 1/2 against him not forging a career above League 1 and I'll put a big amount on that.

 

[Woodwardfan]

And I think you're a tiny bit crackers to be honest, mate. I'll take Che Adams to have a better career than either actually. As for lacing Reedy's boots - he played as though they were on the wrong feet on his last few appearances! Are you in denial about that?

Whitehouse? Were is this young superstar plying his trade? I must have taken my eye off the ball. Is he at Bayern Munich with Ironside, McFadzean and Jordan Chapell? We just haemorrhage talent don't we? They'll all come back to haunt us you know!

Silly boy. Why suddenly talk about McFadzean and Chappell? Good night.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

If that's the case then it was on Bladesmad, by all means check, I would not lie for the sake of this thread, what's all that about?

Please have a look at my threads on scouting and Dearden on Bladesmad if it was not on here. I honestly believe the scouting section should be high profile with transparent communication of the size of the effort which is put into recruitment of players.

Anyway, that is a diversion from the point. Sothall - in all seriousness do you think it likely, probable or remotely possible that the best Head Scout for SUFC happens to be Nigel Clough's brother?

Second question. apart from Brayford and Done for whom we paid well over the odds according to their selling clubs and the media, has our Head Scout come up with any jewels and game-changers amongst his brother's 23 signings for SUFC, ones who can be held up as real captures ? How many new journeymen recruits have we got on 2/3 year contracts Are you confident Simon will find four quality players to add to the squad this summer? All these are relevant questions which should be answered with conviction and honesty because I think like many others that we have signed a preponderance of ex-Derby. lightweight, short, lower Scottish league, ex-Blackpool journeymen. It leads us all to think the world ends within those areas for Simon. Even one of his successes, Adams (who we rarely play) appeared in his local newsagent's papers regularly while he played for Ilkeston. Come on, it would be a joke but it's not funny.

Aside from the family question, what do you think to our recruitment since October 2013?

I didn't say you were lying. I said I hadn't read many comments about it. Which I won't have done if it was on Blades Mad not on here.

We all know we've had both successes and failures. Not much point going through them all. Any successes like Basham and Adams he probably only read about in the paper anyway.

Who are you suggesting as his replacement again?

 

[Pinchy]

Silly boy. Why suddenly talk about McFadzean and Chappell? Good night.

Because each of them were lauded in glowing terms on here at one time or another. Ironside was going to be another Shearer - first name on the teamsheet....

I repeat, you cannot wish a lad into a good player.

I sincerely hope Louis Reed has a spectacularly successful career here at SUFC because that will be great for our club. At the moment Im struggling to see quite what exceptional qualities will enable him to do that. I can see why Che Adams might, though but he's not as Bladey, is he?

Time will tell...

Sleep well, Woody.

 

[MiserableBlader]

Silly boy. Why suddenly talk about McFadzean and Chappell? Good night.

Silly boy is not the phrase I'd use.
Punchy might be more appropriate for his 'comments'.
McFadzean was playing for Scotlands U-21's, Diego for Italiy's U-20's as an U-19.
Are they really worth only 30 minutes of first teams football in 18 months :?
(When we have had 10 changes between games in the 'stable' regime of @@@@@ Nigel.)

When we had a good team years ago 9 every week were home grown players.
Just as they would be now IF WE HAD NOT SOLD THEM ALL FOR A PITTANCE and become 3rd division shite because of it
With as Woodward points out and even the blind could see - we have had an endless stream of expensive journeymen.

 

[MiserableBlader]

"The base is there, we just need to add three or four quality players .

I feel like I'm in the twilight zone.
Thats EXACTLY what he said this time last year!
Why am I apparently the only one who has noticed this :?

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Whitehouse? Were is this young superstar plying his trade? I must have taken my eye off the ball. Is he at Bayern Munich with Ironside, McFadzean and Jordan Chapell?

His 2014/15 season reads as 8 games for Notts County, 1 goal, with them loaning him to Nuneaton for 5 games mid-season. Perhaps he'll get more chances in the first team in League 2, but so far not exactly looking like a sale we will regret.

 

[Pinchy]

When we had a good team years ago 9 every week were home grown players.

Rather vague isn't it Misery? When was this and who were the nine? No fudging - a straight answer please.

Will McFadzean be joining Diego amongst the world's elite or sinking like a stone with Young Joe, Local George, Pacey Jordan Chappell, Elliott Whitehouse etc. etc.

The odd thing is, no club of any consequence has noticed that United are throwing away such a galaxy of talent and eagerly snapping them up. Incredible.

Altogether now: "Ironside....Ironside...."?

 

[Pinchy]

His 2014/15 season reads as 8 games for Notts County, 1 goal, with them loaning him to Nuneaton for 5 games mid-season. Perhaps he'll get more chances in the first team in League 2, but so far not exactly looking like a sale we will regret.

Thank you. I didn't know that. I would tell Woody, but he's gone to bed.

 

[Bladesway]

"The base is there, we just need to add three or four quality players to make up the slender margin by which we have missed out this season".

Personally think this statement is correct, 2 centre halves and perhaps a dominating midfielder and a keeper. This in my opinion will make or break Clough at BDTBL. We all hope it makes rather than breaks as promotion is a shared ambition we can all agree on.

 

[Bladesway]

How many will he sign to get these 3 or 4? 20? 30?

Does he really think that he's doen a good job in the transfer market this season? It's almost bordering on satire.

No, I think you are being unfair here. While he has made mistakes in the transfer market, Done, Davies, Brayford (obvious that one) and Basham (finally) combined with the fact he has got more out of Murphy and Flynn shows he can do it. Che Adams doesn't look like the worst signing in the world either and Wallace if he can be got fit would make a world of difference to our midfield.

I know you want him to be utterly shit but please don't look past facts to get to your version of the truth. Remember Warnock and Bassett? They had a few failures along the way as well.

 

[Revolution]

I thought we'd both had a good say?...we agree to differ, that's fine.

I'll just add this, perhaps. I'm pretty sure (but by no means certain) that Reedy will make a go of professional football. I doubt he'll get any higher than League One, though. Like you I saw Badger et al. I don't mean to be rude but the suggestion that he will ever be in the same class as the players you name is quite ridiculous (and I'm no fan of one or two of them!) What on earth have you seen beyond decent ball-control and a good range of passing to have such high hopes for the lad? You even nominated him for Player of the Year didn't you? (Immediate apologies if I'm wrong.). That's crazy stuff, mate, it really is.

I have to say I agree with this. Reed is pretty good on the ball but he has zero physical presence and there is little to no end product to his play. He's a poor man's Leon Britton at present, and as we showed in 2010-11 when the rest of your midfield isn't creative and doesn't score either such a player isn't much use to you. He's also played very poorly generally in recent weeks.

I do hold out some hope though. As I have said before, when Dane Whitehouse first came into the team with his cameo appearances in the back to back promotion seasons I never thought he'd make it as he was far too lightweight. He filled out and by 1991-2 was very strong for his size. Maybe Reed can fill out in a similar way.

 

[Silent Blade]

I have quoted Simon Clough's name so many times I have no regrets not doing so this time. Sometimes Nigel might dread hearing his father's name quoted in anything to do with him and I respect that as well.

Anyway, the last appointed Head Scout was Billy Dearden as far as I recall and I posted numerous times on here to ask what he was doing with his time. I happen to think fans deserve to know how big and effective the scouting section of the club is. I think it ought to celebrate its triumphs and explain what effort and expense is spent out of all club expenditure, which areas it covers and what its strategy is. Indeed I believe it's up amongst the top 3 most important areas of the club.

I also posted numerous times before that in a period of over two years when we had NO HEAD SCOUT but nobody ever listened.

Sothall, please do not treat me like a clueless chancer just posting things for effect. I am a Unitedite who just wishes to question, learn and gain confidence and hope.

I am also a professional plus a believer in some of the modern laws on equal opportunities. The appointment of your brother who has no achievements or qualifications in the industry other than he sat on his father's lap in Notts Forest dugout, was brought up in the great Brian c
Clough's household and is the brother of Brian's son, who became a professional footballer even though he wasn't as good as Simon himself, - is no qualification to be Head Scout at Bramall Lane. When his brother can't find him a job he is a newsagent, he doesn't work in football for anybody else.

As a supporter I question whether we might find a better Head Scout in the whole of football. After 18 months I look at our signings and I have to say YES.

Am trying to picture what you look like ;-)

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

I have to say I agree with this. Reed is pretty good on the ball but he has zero physical presence and there is little to no end product to his play. He's a poor man's Leon Britton at present, and as we showed in 2010-11 when the rest of your midfield isn't creative and doesn't score either such a player isn't much use to you. He's also played very poorly generally in recent weeks.

I do hold out some hope though. As I have said before, when Dane Whitehouse first came into the team with his cameo appearances in the back to back promotion seasons I never thought he'd make it as he was far too lightweight. He filled out and by 1991-2 was very strong for his size. Maybe Reed can fill out in a similar way.

Kyle Walker springs to mind. Always a great player but he's bulked up tremendously at Spurs. Not sure if Reed can carry that weight but he'll be a different player at 20-21 and beyond. A boy in a man's game atm. Really hope he doesn't sink.

Incidentally isn't this a drawback of the U21 system? When do development players play against a full team of adults? Happened with DCL at Orient.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Am trying to picture what you look like ;-)

I'm on my avatar Hull semi-final plus wife and daughter. It's Brayford's beard BTW, or Trevor Hockey's, one of the two. Don't dare say "yours or your wife's?!"

 

[Blade56]

I'm on my avatar

Your a woman

 

[Woodwardfan]

Your a woman

Does that change our relationship? Not a modern man then?

 

[Blade56]

Does that change our relationship? Not a modern man then?

I'm shit scared of women who can hold a football conversation.

 

[Woodwardfan]

I'm shit scared of women who can hold a football conversation.

My wife helped me to appreciate Doyle's strengths about three years ago. Hard to take!

I've not convinced her about Baxter yet though!!

She's a gem and a True Blade. We were at the same school but met again in later life, guess where? and that was that ( no smiley for cupid)

 

[Davie Blade]

I agree with Woodwardfan who raises lots of concerns regarding the 'quality' of our scouting system,.
I can't for the life of me understand how we couldn't have sorted out a settled back four and/or CB's in the JTW and loan market.(and a striker other COG)
Someone also raised the question if NC rubs up other managers the wrong way was a reason why we cant get loans in, or something along those lines.
I've no idea of course.

Out of interest I looked up where Burton got their free and loan players from this season.
Always good to see what successful teams do.
free
Preston North End ,Leicester City Bradford City Belgium Royal Antwerp Netherlands Achilles '29
Netherlands Kozakken Boys ,Scotland Hamilton Academical

loans
Sheffield United Preston North End Leicester City Birmingham City
Liverpool Middlesbrough Norwich City Blackburn Rovers Derby County

By any measure a pretty extensive scouting system and connections for a tiny league two club.
It does make you wonder.