Michael Higdon

[Lightsoot]

There's no doubt that Higdon was a major, major disappointment last season. Never got fit, appeared to have a bad attitude and then was injury prone.

Higdon's form in Holland and Scotland would suggest that he clearly underperformed and that, at League 1 level, he should be doing better.

Higdon did himself no favours but Clough didn't help him either, seldom playing Higdon alongside a recognised strike partner. Ultimately Higdon has himself to blame but I think he could fare better under Adkins.

He'll always lack mobility, but he does know where the goal is and is a presence. I'd be intrigued to see how Higdon would fair if paired up top with Matt Done, or even Che Adams for example.

Higdon could have no complaints if he was moved on in pre-season. But if he comes back from the holidays fit, and trimmer, then maybe Adkins could get the big man's mind right?

 

[blader]

I'd say he has even less chance of playing under Adkins. No way does he fit in with Adkins' style, the guy just isn't a good enough footballer to suit our style of play. He may have faired well in the warnock/Blackwell era, but Higdon should (and will) be shipped out for a more mobile and all round better footballer to lead the line.

 

[JohnDenver]

But if he comes back from the holidays fit, and trimmer,

I'm hoping to come back from the holidays running four minute miles and hung like a tyrannosaur.

My odds are better than Higgo's.

 

[maxtheblade]

Higdon & Murphy scored a lot together as a partnership at Motherwell - was surprised this wasn't tried more but I guess he didn't stay fit enough long enough

 

[Deadbat]

Adkins teams and his approach that has yielded a lot of success has depended on mobile strikers who close down. The aim is to press high up and stop teams from getting to hallfway with comfort, Sharp, Hooper, Beckford, Keogh etc

That said he did have a Ricky Lambert type but even Lambert said he had never been as fit under Adkins in his career and had to put a real shift in.

I do not see a future for Higdon but he may remain as he has another year and wont be on small wages.

 

[DronnieBlade]

Doesn't matter how fit or unfit he is.

Doesn't matter with whom he may or may not be partnered with up top.

Doesn't matter what tactics are employed in order to get the "most" out of him.

At what point do the Higdon fans give up the ghost and admit the bloke simply ain't good enough ???

UTB

 

[Living In a Fantasy World]

Adkins said he will give everyone a clean slate, lets see if Higdon impresses. I think we all doubt he will take the chance, but he may just surprise us.

 

[gavtheblade]

Put him on an Adkins diet!

 

[Ben_1982]

Looking at the goals video from last season he was involved in quite as few at the beginning. Knock ons etc do I think , no pun intended he'll be a big player for us next season. That vid also shows how much we'll miss Baxter and Murphy, if sold

 

[JohnDenver]

That vid also shows how much we'll miss Baxter and Murphy, if sold

We can't sell Baxter even if we wanted to. We could sack him...

 

[Ben_1982]

I meant murphy

 

[Fulwood Blade]

It seems as though the change of manager doesn't appear to allow Higdon a clean slate with some fans.

How about allowing disappointing players like Higdon a chance under Adkins.

Should they not all be allowed a moratorium and see what Adkins thinks?

UTB

 

[BushBlade]

It seems as though the change of manager doesn't appear to allow Higdon a clean slate with some fans.

How about allowing disappointing players like Higdon a chance under Adkins.

Should they not all be allowed a moratorium and see what Adkins thinks?

UTB

We're going to find out whether Clough was good at recruitment but not so good at tactics and man management or just crap at recruitment.

 

[DronnieBlade]

It seems as though the change of manager doesn't appear to allow Higdon a clean slate with some fans.

How about allowing disappointing players like Higdon a chance under Adkins.

Should they not all be allowed a moratorium and see what Adkins thinks?

UTB

I'll tell you why Fulwood.

We need players that will be at full tilt from game 1 to game 46.

We need players that can influence games in an individual and collective sense.

We need players that can, as a bare fucking minimum exhibit basic footballing talent on a consistent basis.

We need players with speed strength and stamina that can, when requested, complete 90 exhausting minutes at maximum intensity.

We need players that have the right attitude and character to help dig in when the chips are down.

Need I go on ?????

No personal agenda here. I hope Higdon has a marvellous season and contributes magnificently to our promotion season.

He won't

UTB

 

[Fulwood Blade]

I'll tell you why Fulwood.

We need players that will be at full tilt from game 1 to game 46.

We need players that can influence games in an individual and collective sense.

We need players that can, as a bare fucking minimum exhibit basic footballing talent on a consistent basis.

We need players with speed strength and stamina that can, when requested, complete 90 exhausting minutes at maximum intensity.

We need players that have the right attitude and character to help dig in when the chips are down.

Need I go on ?????

No personal agenda here. I hope Higdon has a marvellous season and contributes magnificently to our promotion season.

He won't

UTB

Well done - glad to see tolerance, understanding and a clean slate are something that is in your repertoire.
Also glad to see you are getting all the bile and venom out even BEFORE our new manager has a chance to work with players and to see if his man management is as good as people say it is.
You are just the sort of fan that Adkins needs to hear from, as your comments could be allocated to quite a few players Clough singed last year.
Keep up the good work, you'll have Adkins out of a job in a year.

UTB

 

[Fulwood Blade]

We're going to find out whether Clough was good at recruitment but not so good at tactics and man management or just crap at recruitment.

Agreed, we are going to find out - at least you appear to be giving him and the Clough players a bit of leeway - as against some others.

UTB

 

[DronnieBlade]

Well done - glad to see tolerance, understanding and a clean slate are something that is in your repertoire.
Also glad to see you are getting all the bile and venom out even BEFORE our new manager has a chance to work with players and to see if his man management is as good as people say it is.
You are just the sort of fan that Adkins needs to hear from, as your comments could be allocated to quite a few players Clough singed last year.
Keep up the good work, you'll have Adkins out of a job in a year.

UTB

Quite how you have managed to get that out of what I have ACTUALLY said is beyond me.

Shall we see just how well your man performs for us this season and then have a natter in a few months time ???

UTB

P.s. Could it possibly be that you recall I called Higdon out as being piss poor last August and are cheesed off I was right ;-)

 

[Blade82]

Clean slate for me. I've written off plenty of players before and new managers have got something different out of them to change my opinions.

Murphy was absolute dog shit under Wilson and he could have left with him for me. He's now our best player by a country mile. It took him time to get to grips with lg1 and hopefully the same with Higdon.

 

[BushBlade]

Agreed, we are going to find out - at least you appear to be giving him and the Clough players a bit of leeway - as against some others.

UTB

My opinion is that it's entirely up to NA who he keeps, who he doesn't, who he plays and who he ignores. That's his job. He's proven he's good at it.

We see 90/180 minutes of football a week, we don't know the players, we don't know what injuries they're playing through, we don't know what's happening in their private lives, how they train, how they interact with one another.

They've got a full pre-season with a good manager who'll prepare them properly, it's up to them to make the most of it and prove what they can do.

Five good signings and a side set up properly with players doing the jobs they're good at should see us promoted.

 

[JohnDenver]

There's a difference between giving players grief during games and giving an opinion of them on here.

To my eyes, Higdon has no hope whatsoever simply because of his truly appalling fitness and athleticism. Baxter similarly.

I'd ship them both out tomorrow if it was my my call. But if they're up front for us next season they'll still get cheered on.

 

[sheffielder]

Not sure about Higdon as he should be more than good enough for this division. He showed what he can do in his cameo against Spurs, and could easily work with Adams, McNulty or Murphy up top.

Hard to write him off when he had the same 'injury' problems as Collins last season.

 

[DronnieBlade]

Not sure about Higdon as he should be more than good enough for this division. He showed what he can do in his cameo against Spurs, and could easily work with Adams, McNulty or Murphy up top.

Hard to write him off when he had the same 'injury' problems as Collins last season.

This really amuses me how other fans saw this "cameo" against Spurs.

What did he actually do ??

Please excuse my lack of understanding here but from where I was sat that night ( and on the replays I saw) what he actually did was clumsily crash in to the Spurs CBs !!!

Now if this is what good looks like, I need a whole different perspective of the game.

UTB

 

[sheffielder]

Not here to amuse you mate, I was offering an opinion. If you don't think the course of the game changed with his introduction, I don't think we will agree on many things.

He did what a guy his size should do and take defenders out of the game, which allowed for us to get the ball wide, which created a few chances, and I am not ruling him out

 

[metalblade]

Where has this bit come from "he appeared to have a bad attitude" ? Maybe he is not a favourite of many but come on guys when has he caused trouble or unrest ? He is what he is a big strong centre forward who knows where the goal is even if he isn't very mobile.

 

[Bladesway]

It seems as though the change of manager doesn't appear to allow Higdon a clean slate with some fans.

How about allowing disappointing players like Higdon a chance under Adkins.

Should they not all be allowed a moratorium and see what Adkins thinks?

UTB

I'm all for that. Think he doesn't have a prayer but prepared to give him a chance under a new Manager.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

There's a difference between giving players grief during games and giving an opinion of them on here.

To my eyes, Higdon has no hope whatsoever simply because of his truly appalling fitness and athleticism. Baxter similarly.

I'd ship them both out tomorrow if it was my my call. But if they're up front for us next season they'll still get cheered on.

On the contract and salaries they are on who would buy them.

IMO , and i have said it before , Higdon may well surprise us all , and come good . I hope for his sake and more so, for the clubs , he does prove us all wrong .

UTB

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

This really amuses me how other fans saw this "cameo" against Spurs.

What did he actually do ??

Please excuse my lack of understanding here but from where I was sat that night ( and on the replays I saw) what he actually did was clumsily crash in to the Spurs CBs !!!

Now if this is what good looks like, I need a whole different perspective of the game.

UTB

Football is all about opinions . How many times do you walk out of the lane discussing the ins and outs of the match you have just watched , and the blokes in front of you , discussing the same thing , but from a entirely different angle / perspective . Where you sit , and what you follow by watching , can give us all a different slant .

Adkins will make the decision , and i hope Higdon does come good , so we don't have to ship him out , as a dud , and financial loss.

Clean sheet at BDTBL and us fans should follow suit , with all players on the books

UTB

 

[JohnDenver]

On the contract and salaries they are on who would buy them.

IMO , and i have said it before , Higdon may well surprise us all , and come good . I hope for his sake and more so, for the clubs , he does prove us all wrong .

UTB

Offer them on loan, or perhaps offer them a sum to cancel their contract and find another club. I honestly think both are a long way short of the mark. At the very best they're bit part contributors.

If either turns it around and plays a major part in a promotion season then I'll bow humbly and without reservation to one of the most unexpected feats I've seen from a player.

 

[MalvernBlade]

Jason Scotland proved at Swansea you don't need to be Ronaldo to get a team into the Prem, just a manager who plays to your strengths & a team of players around you who put the ball in where your chances of scoring increases. If the new manager gets us playing like that then I don't understand why anyone wouldn't want a current member of our team to do well & score the goals that get us up & have a great season.

 

[Esablade]

It's up to Higgo to get fit and give himself a chance before they come back early for pre-season.