Clough's cronies

[Fiery Blade]

I thought Ben Davies was awful when he came, wasted free kicks and hopeless crosses. Coutts was anonymous.

Yet Davies was superb when he came on last Tuesday !
Agreed he was awful yesterday

Most of the players were poor today including Murphy yet no one seems to be pointing the finger at him !

 

[DSB-91]

I love it how it's always Clough blamed for these little spats.

Well he is the common factor in all of them.

He does fall out with players with unusual frequency. Most of them hardly had a record for being troublemaking prima donnas either.

 

[Jon Bon]

Adams in my opinion isn't up to it yet ,unless we are on top in a game.

Like losing 1-0 to Spurs you mean? Yup...

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Diego is a prime example of what a modern footballer is, believes in his own self importance when in actual fact he's never proved fuck all. If his name was Dave digbert and not Diego nobody would give a shit about him !

I don't give a shit about him now. And I know he shares a first name with Argentina 's favourite drug addict.

 

[Cyprus Blade]

NC was directly asked on RS about Collins said Collins had a calf injury and hadn't been near the place or trained for over 3 months.

I am not one who thinks Collins is the god's gift for defence, but I do feel there has been a certain amount of disingenuous behaviour in NC's treatment of him and his comments. Personally I don't think this was all about Collins performances on the pitch.

Pre-season Collins was rumoured to be one of the players in the Butlergate debacle. Collins was dropped and the Blades started the season with novice Magahey and makeshift Alcock as C/H's v Bristol City at home - and lost. Butler and Collins played in the Capital One cup victory v Mansfield. Blades lost the next league match to Coventry City.Collins was recalled to the side v Peterborough. Blades won 2-1 away and Collins remained in the side for the next 10 matches - 2 defeats (both away - one of which with 10 men and Collins scoring), 7 wins, 1 draw.Collins plays last match for the Blades as a sub coming on as Centre Forward v Hartlepool in JPT on October 7th.

Collins was blamed and dropped after Swindon defeat.In November he gives interview to the Stir saying he is fighting to regain his place and does not want temporary loan. On January 7th the club site announced - ""We have had one club make a loan enquiry (believed to be Carlisle United) for Neill Collins, but he has a slight calf strain at the moment,"

On March 11th - the Sporting Life reports "Out-of-favour Neill Collins meanwhile, has been struggling with a calf injury, " On the same day the Worksop Guardian quoted NC on his announcement that Collins is back in training. The headline was that NC refused to hold out an olive branch to him.

“We have no objection to putting him in the team if we think he is worthy of a place, and if he is looking better than before he was injured. We have to be careful because when he played before, we let in five goals at Swindon and three at Chesterfield, and we haven’t conceded three goals since then. We haven’t seen much of him because he’s been out for three months and training with the kids, so it’s a big ask for him to come into the first team, with 12 games of the season to go, when he’s missed to much football.” - (will he say the same about Wallace I wonder).

Yet on March 16th the club RSS feed once again says " Blades boss Nigel Clough has confirmed that Neil Collins is sidelined with a calf injury too." nb 5 days after NC reported he was back in training. The Blades meantime continue to play out of position players as CH's since there is no cover for the injured Kennedy. No loan moves for an incoming CH.

March 26th - loan bid from Notts County withdrawn after Derry sacked. The same day Collins moves to Port Vale. In the Stoke Sentinel "Page added: "He has had a frustrating time of course. Every player feels that they are going to be good enough to play in their parent club's team. He has had a difficult couple of months with not playing and we have given him that opportunity now to go and show what he is all about."

March 28th Collins is fit enough to play his first league game in 5 months - PV go down to 10 men, lose and Collins scores OG.

 

[sitwell]

I am not one who thinks Collins is the god's gift for defence, but I do feel there has been a certain amount of disingenuous behaviour in NC's treatment of him and his comments. Personally I don't think this was all about Collins performances on the pitch.

Pre-season Collins was rumoured to be one of the players in the Butlergate debacle. Collins was dropped and the Blades started the season with novice Magahey and makeshift Alcock as C/H's v Bristol City at home - and lost. Butler and Collins played in the Capital One cup victory v Mansfield. Blades lost the next league match to Coventry City.Collins was recalled to the side v Peterborough. Blades won 2-1 away and Collins remained in the side for the next 10 matches - 2 defeats (both away - one of which with 10 men and Collins scoring), 7 wins, 1 draw.Collins plays last match for the Blades as a sub coming on as Centre Forward v Hartlepool in JPT on October 7th.

Collins was blamed and dropped after Swindon defeat.In November he gives interview to the Stir saying he is fighting to regain his place and does not want temporary loan. On January 7th the club site announced - ""We have had one club make a loan enquiry (believed to be Carlisle United) for Neill Collins, but he has a slight calf strain at the moment,"

On March 11th - the Sporting Life reports "Out-of-favour Neill Collins meanwhile, has been struggling with a calf injury, " On the same day the Worksop Guardian quoted NC on his announcement that Collins is back in training. The headline was that NC refused to hold out an olive branch to him.

“We have no objection to putting him in the team if we think he is worthy of a place, and if he is looking better than before he was injured. We have to be careful because when he played before, we let in five goals at Swindon and three at Chesterfield, and we haven’t conceded three goals since then. We haven’t seen much of him because he’s been out for three months and training with the kids, so it’s a big ask for him to come into the first team, with 12 games of the season to go, when he’s missed to much football.” - (will he say the same about Wallace I wonder).

Yet on March 16th the club RSS feed once again says " Blades boss Nigel Clough has confirmed that Neil Collins is sidelined with a calf injury too." nb 5 days after NC reported he was back in training. The Blades meantime continue to play out of position players as CH's since there is no cover for the injured Kennedy. No loan moves for an incoming CH.

March 26th - loan bid from Notts County withdrawn after Derry sacked. The same day Collins moves to Port Vale. In the Stoke Sentinel "Page added: "He has had a frustrating time of course. Every player feels that they are going to be good enough to play in their parent club's team. He has had a difficult couple of months with not playing and we have given him that opportunity now to go and show what he is all about."

March 28th Collins is fit enough to play his first league game in 5 months - PV go down to 10 men, lose and Collins scores OG.

Nobody knows the complete story ,but the only ones talking of scapegoating are some fans and those wankers on Radio Pig. Complete denial by everyone actually involved including Collins. What is noticeable is the lack of support from colleagues.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Nobody knows the complete story ,but the only ones talking of scapegoating are some fans and those wankers on Radio Pig. Complete denial by everyone actually involved including Collins. What is noticeable is the lack of support from colleagues.

There appears to be a lack of support individually or collectively both on and off the pitch . We supposedly have a happy ship , with everyone pulling together . Results and performances , tell and speaks for all.

UTB

 

[sheffielder]

Nobody knows the complete story ,but the only ones talking of scapegoating are some fans and those wankers on Radio Pig. Complete denial by everyone actually involved including Collins. What is noticeable is the lack of support from colleagues.

They would be out of the door with Collins if they did support him. One thing is for sure is that the week before the season started, something happened with Doyle, Collins and Butler. That's the untold story.

 

[Cyprus Blade]

Nobody knows the complete story ,but the only ones talking of scapegoating are some fans and those wankers on Radio Pig. Complete denial by everyone actually involved including Collins. What is noticeable is the lack of support from colleagues.

It doesn't take the brain of britain to work out that something smells fishy and doesn't add up though does it - a slight calf strain that apparently sidelines him for 3 months and for NC to say he has hardly seen him for months because he has been put with the kids and away from the first team - thus making a return to the side virtually impossible as NC himself suggests.

Followed by conflicting statements from the club regarding his fitness - yet suddenly he moves (and is fit enough for 2 division one clubs to chase him to go on loan) and miraculously he plays 10 days after the long-running calf strain returned (16th March). I doubt Collins is daft enough to say anything contrary to the line put out by the club as it wouldn't be in his interests to whilst he is still on the club's books, but the fact that he has gone (given his statements in November) seems evidence that he no longer thinks he has any future at the Lane under NC. In some other industry you could almost make a case for constructive dismissal. Meanwhile we have been scraping the barrel for a CH.

 

[Davie Blade]

Nobody knows the complete story ,but the only ones talking of scapegoating are some fans and those wankers on Radio Pig. Complete denial by everyone actually involved including Collins. What is noticeable is the lack of support from colleagues.

Oh give up Sitters.
FFS

All the players know what happened with Butlergate.
Do you really expect ANYONE to go up against the Fuhrer?
Everyone knows what happens if you back up one of your own players against the autocratic 2@ we have in charge.
My way or the Highway.

 

[SwissBlade]

Well he is the common factor in all of them.

He does fall out with players with unusual frequency. Most of them hardly had a record for being troublemaking prima donnas either.

Well I can't argue with that logic can I? I guess you know what went off...

 

[sitwell]

Oh give up Sitters.
FFS

All the players know what happened with Butlergate.
Do you really expect ANYONE to go up against the Fuhrer?
Everyone knows what happens if you back up one of your own players against the autocratic 2@ we have in charge.
My way or the Highway.

The fuhrer I presume you are suggesting he should done an Adams and bowed down to the likes of ward yeates and Evans and let them rule the club ? Total anarchy that's what we need eh ? We don't even know the story but everyone denies anything untoward. What havethey to lose. However it suits you to make stuff up to suit your adgenda. Maybe it's you who should give up ?


Have a FFs back

 

[sitwell]

It doesn't take the brain of britain to work out that something smells fishy and doesn't add up though does it - a slight calf strain that apparently sidelines him for 3 months and for NC to say he has hardly seen him for months because he has been put with the kids and away from the first team - thus making a return to the side virtually impossible as NC himself suggests.

Followed by conflicting statements from the club regarding his fitness - yet suddenly he moves (and is fit enough for 2 division one clubs to chase him to go on loan) and miraculously he plays 10 days after the long-running calf strain returned (16th March). I doubt Collins is daft enough to say anything contrary to the line put out by the club as it wouldn't be in his interests to whilst he is still on the club's books, but the fact that he has gone (given his statements in November) seems evidence that he no longer thinks he has any future at the Lane under NC. In some other industry you could almost make a case for constructive dismissal. Meanwhile we have been scraping the barrel for a CH.

Butler isn't on the books

 

[Davie Blade]

I am not one who thinks Collins is the god's gift for defence, but I do feel there has been a certain amount of disingenuous behaviour in NC's treatment of him and his comments. Personally I don't think this was all about Collins performances on the pitch.

Pre-season Collins was rumoured to be one of the players in the Butlergate debacle. Collins was dropped and the Blades started the season with novice Magahey and makeshift Alcock as C/H's v Bristol City at home - and lost. Butler and Collins played in the Capital One cup victory v Mansfield. Blades lost the next league match to Coventry City.Collins was recalled to the side v Peterborough. Blades won 2-1 away and Collins remained in the side for the next 10 matches - 2 defeats (both away - one of which with 10 men and Collins scoring), 7 wins, 1 draw.Collins plays last match for the Blades as a sub coming on as Centre Forward v Hartlepool in JPT on October 7th.

Collins was blamed and dropped after Swindon defeat.In November he gives interview to the Stir saying he is fighting to regain his place and does not want temporary loan. On January 7th the club site announced - ""We have had one club make a loan enquiry (believed to be Carlisle United) for Neill Collins, but he has a slight calf strain at the moment,"

On March 11th - the Sporting Life reports "Out-of-favour Neill Collins meanwhile, has been struggling with a calf injury, " On the same day the Worksop Guardian quoted NC on his announcement that Collins is back in training. The headline was that NC refused to hold out an olive branch to him.

“We have no objection to putting him in the team if we think he is worthy of a place, and if he is looking better than before he was injured. We have to be careful because when he played before, we let in five goals at Swindon and three at Chesterfield, and we haven’t conceded three goals since then. We haven’t seen much of him because he’s been out for three months and training with the kids, so it’s a big ask for him to come into the first team, with 12 games of the season to go, when he’s missed to much football.” - (will he say the same about Wallace I wonder).

Yet on March 16th the club RSS feed once again says " Blades boss Nigel Clough has confirmed that Neil Collins is sidelined with a calf injury too." nb 5 days after NC reported he was back in training. The Blades meantime continue to play out of position players as CH's since there is no cover for the injured Kennedy. No loan moves for an incoming CH.

March 26th - loan bid from Notts County withdrawn after Derry sacked. The same day Collins moves to Port Vale. In the Stoke Sentinel "Page added: "He has had a frustrating time of course. Every player feels that they are going to be good enough to play in their parent club's team. He has had a difficult couple of months with not playing and we have given him that opportunity now to go and show what he is all about."

March 28th Collins is fit enough to play his first league game in 5 months - PV go down to 10 men, lose and Collins scores OG.

Excellent forensic post Cyprus.

We needed you for Ched's trial

Seriously it proves that Chough takes us fans for mugs, and expect us to believe his nonsense.
What is worse is that Radio interviewers (I wont use the word journalists here) are not doing their job when so many 'discrepancies' at best, lies at worst go totally unchallenged.

Hope to hear you Cyprus, on Football heaven asking those microphone holders to ask the difficult questions of NC regarding Collins, Butler etc etc. This is just the tip of the iceberg in NC lack of transparency and deceit.

Getting the back four settled is pivitol to building a successful side, and Chough has fecked up time after time after time on this.

How many CB pairings is it now?

 

[sitwell]

Excellent forensic post Cyprus.

We needed you for Ched's trial

Seriously it proves that Chough takes us fans for mugs, and expect us to believe his nonsense.
What is worse is that Radio interviewers (I wont use the word journalists here) are not doing their job when so many 'discrepancies' at best, lies at worst go totally unchallenged.

Hope to hear you Cyprus, on Football heaven asking those microphone holders to ask the difficult questions of NC regarding Collins, Butler etc etc. This is just the tip of the iceberg in NC lack of transparency and deceit.

Getting the back four settled is pivitol to building a successful side, and Chough has fecked up time after time after time on this.

How many CB pairings is it now?

Why cant you just face the fact that Collins ,Butler and McCarthy haven't lived up to expectations ,are no better than what we have and we are still on the lookout for Maguires replacement.We are in the 3rd division ,for the most part Kennedy ,McEveley ,Basham and Brayford have done OK ,injuries and suspension have been a factor lately in not having a settled back 4. Lack of transparency ,deceit ,Fuhrer ?? Get a grip...... FFS

 

[Davie Blade]

The fuhrer I presume you are suggesting he should done an Adams and bowed down to the likes of ward yeates and Evans and let them rule the club ? Total anarchy that's what we need eh ? We don't even know the story but everyone denies anything untoward. What havethey to lose. However it suits you to make stuff up to suit your adgenda. Maybe it's you who should give up ?


Have a FFs back

Clough manages in a dictitorial style.
If you think that todays modern day managers have found success in English football by this you may care to name them.

 

[sitwell]

Name me a successful one that doesn't. All managers have to have authority or it simply wouldn't work. If he was such a dictator ,how come so many players follow him ?

 

[HillmortonBlade]

If he was such a dictator ,how come so many players follow him ?

I can think of a few 20th Century dictators that had plenty of followers who were not so successful.

 

[Davie Blade]

Why cant you just face the fact that Collins ,Butler and McCarthy haven't lived up to expectations ,are no better than what we have and we are still on the lookout for Maguires replacement.We are in the 3rd division ,for the most part Kennedy ,McEveley ,Basham and Brayford have done OK ,injuries and suspension have been a factor lately in not having a settled back 4. Lack of transparency ,deceit ,Fuhrer ?? Get a grip...... FFS

The fact of not ''living up to expectations''?
3 full seasons as main choice CB for Collins alongside Maguire.
Zero minutes in a league game for Butler.
What injury or suspension did they pick up?

Of course it is so obvious now
They picked up an injury and suspension.
Thanks for your insightful input to the debate!

 

[SandyMcBlade]

Rightly or wrongly there can be only one, the manager or whats the point in having one ?
If everyone can decide to play any way they want how can you have a team, or is this just too hard for some to understand ?

 

[sitwell]

The fact of not ''living up to expectations''?
3 full seasons as main choice CB for Collins alongside Maguire.
Zero minutes in a league game for Butler.
What injury or suspension did they pick up?

Of course it is so obvious now
They picked up an injury and suspension.
Thanks for your insightful input to the debate!

Go on then give me your insightful input. Why has he got rid of Collins and Butler ? If they were good enough would he not play them even at the expense of United ,to make us lose ? to get himself sacked ? tell me your thought process as to why he would not play them because Im fucked if I can think through it.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Rightly or wrongly there can be only one, the manager or whats the point in having one ?
If everyone can decide to play any way they want how can you have a team, or is this just too hard for some to understand ?

Sandy . Correct . But some of the management decisions are just bizarre , thats why fans question them , and i wouldn't be surprised if they create the same behind closed doors in the board room.

Do the team play the way they want or follow instructions . Either way , they are going the right way to get Clough the sack . Method in there madness.

UTB

 

[grafikhaus]

Well I can't argue with that logic can I? I guess you know what went off...

Fair point, Swiss. But equally nobody knows what has happened with Diego. Some are just going along with the inference (probably spread by Clough) that he's 'difficult', a 'prima donna' etc. but where's the proof of any of this? Bet his next club don't encounter these problems with Diego.

Funny, isn't it?

 

[Rodders]

Fair point, Swiss. But equally nobody knows what has happened with Diego. Some are just going along with the inference (probably spread by Clough) that he's 'difficult', a 'prima donna' etc. but where's the proof of any of this? Bet his next club don't encounter these problems with Diego.

Funny, isn't it?

He wears a cap.

 

[Bergen Blade]

I would also like to add that Anthony Grant is the best holding player I have seen in this league as I said when we played them before and he would be top of my shopping list this summer which ever league we are in.

Agree on Grant (again). No disrespect to Crewe and his other clubs, but what a waste of talent if he never plays for any bigger clubs (I know he started at Chelsea). There has been questions raised over his attitude though.

 

[sitwell]

Agree on Grant (again). No disrespect to Crewe and his other clubs, but what a waste of talent if he never plays for any bigger clubs (I know he started at Chelsea). There has been questions raised over his attitude though.

27 now isn't he ,hopefully he should be aware of this problem now. It is so difficult for managers to take a risk now with the phoneins and internet pressures ,personally I would with this one.

 

[Dkc]

We don't know what went on behind the scenes in "Butlergate" or afterwards, so why are we presuming it was all Clough's fault and down to his "dictatorial" management style? Who knows what happened?

 

[grafikhaus]

Agree on Grant (again). No disrespect to Crewe and his other clubs, but what a waste of talent if he never plays for any bigger clubs (I know he started at Chelsea). There has been questions raised over his attitude though.

Sounds nailed on for a Clough signing then. He could sign him and then ship him out, citing his 'attitude'.

 

[Cyprus Blade]

Butler isn't on the books

Correct,making him Collin's former colleague and now the Doncaster Rovers captain, who said (January 7th),

“Things didn’t work out at Sheffield United but thankfully I didn’t miss a lot of games.I was out on loan pretty quickly and then I came here which was great for me. All I want to do is play football.I want to put the Sheffield United thing to bed now and move on. I’m here to do a job for Doncaster Rovers and get them pushing towards the top of the table.”

Whilst he was on loan Doncaster lost just two of the 13 games that Butler featured in. He has now played 30 games for them, scoring 3 times. The same Andy Butler of whom the Swindon local paper, previewing the opposition, said on March 17th,

"Andy Butler at the heart of the Doncaster defence has been the most reliable player on the pitch in recent weeks.The centre half is known for sweeping everything up and providing a stable foundation for the rest of the team to play forward."

We don't know what went on behind the scenes in "Butlergate" or afterwards, so why are we presuming it was all Clough's fault and down to his "dictatorial" management style? Who knows what happened?

No we don't. I suspect the only people who know what went on are those directly involved. Others, including the Board, may know some of it but I doubt all.

But that misses the point which is that it was NC who was responsible for managing a situation which went toxic and resulted in the 2 most experienced centre halves after the HM transfer being sidelined, which was clearly not in the overall best interests of the club long term. Both of the individuals involved have not been known as troublemakers during their long careers. Indeed they have been described as model professionals by various sources. Neither have been replaced by NC - putting the club down by 3 experienced centre halves since the summer and reducing us to the position of having to play players out of position in central defence throughout the season. Whatever spin on is put on the Butlergate thing NC's management of the situation and the (lack of) effective remedies for the consequences for Sheffield United afterwards is, at the very least, questionable.

It did strike me that the three clubs who were in for Collins for a loan - Carlisle United, Notts County and Port Vale - all have one thing in common.They were managed by former Blades at the time of the approach (Curle, Derry and Page). A co-incidence ? Possibly.

On a positive note in just about every case, clubs Butler has played for have gone to Wembley almost immediately following his departure. It happened to Scunthorpe United in 2009 and Huddersfield Town in 2011, who both contested the League One play-off final after Butler had just left. It happened to Grimsby Town, where Butler spent a brief loan spells, when they reached the FA Trophy final in 2008. And now it has happened to Walsall in the JPT. Butler has never played at Wembley as far as I am aware so that is a good play-off omen for us and a bad one for Donny I hope.

Blades forever

 

[AlBlade]

[QUOTE="But that misses the point which is that it was NC who was responsible for managing a situation which went toxic and resulted in the 2 most experienced centre halves after the HM transfer being sidelined, which was clearly not in the overall best interests of the club long term. Both of the individuals involved have not been known as troublemakers during their long careers. Indeed they have been described as model professionals by various sources. Neither have been replaced by NC - putting the club down by 3 experienced centre halves since the summer and reducing us to the position of having to play players out of position in central defence throughout the season. Whatever spin on is put on the Butlergate thing NC's management of the situation and the (lack of) effective remedies for the consequences for Sheffield United afterwards is, at the very least, questionable.[/QUOTE]

Spot on Cyprus. We don't know what went off with NC and Collins and Butler, and as the manager he has every right to decide who he wants to play for the club. However, as a manager NC has managed a situation where we had 5 centre halves on the books at the start of the season, two of these have been sold, two have been sent out on loan, resulting in a situation where SUFC have only one centre half at the club, Terry Kennedy, who has played less than 15 league games in his career. NC should be hold to account for the fact that he has assembled a squad of 41 players, and we only have one centre half who (although a great prospect) has only made 15 league appearances.