[CONFIRMED] Surely not? Sky report Wolves in for McDonald

Guesty · Aug 9, 2013

alcoblade said:
Agreed, but we didn't have a team full of quality footballers last season, and we don't this. McDonald IS very limited in that he needs others around him to really make it happen.

UTB

Quite possibly true (though I personally think the team will be much weaker without McDonald) but his point was that other players don't matter, a quality player is always quality. Which certainly isn't true.

yorkshirecoast · Aug 9, 2013

alcoblade said:
McDonald made a negative impact on us last season, he was that poor.

Interesting post though ref the deal, thanks.

UTB

Negative impact? Eh? Not at his best for much of the season but still the only quality player we have.

davidpinder · Aug 9, 2013

Does anyone really think we"ll be doing our best to keep him?

Deadbat · Aug 9, 2013

My take for what it is worth:

He is our best player and probably most important. That is not saying much. He was poor most of last season but still one of our better players. He could be anything he wanted if he could be arsed. Most of the time he isn't but is still one of few United players who can make things happen, see a pass, get on the ball and generally do positive things. Yeah no club is bigger than a player and he is not totally irreplaceable but there are several things that irk me about the imminent sale (he will go that I am certain of).

1) Clause garbage. Yes maybe we could have only kept him if he signed had this clause inserted but lets be honest he would have gone last summer if anyone really wanted him. We were offering him jack and he still stayed. It is just another convenient excuse for me. Like with the Higginbotham clause and many others, we as a club seem to have a real talent at inserting such daft clauses. Maybe other clubs and teams do it but we always seem to be the victims of such clauses. When do we hear we have signed so and so as we have recognised there was a clause in his contract?

2) Rivals. You don't sell to a team considered to be one of your main rivals in the division. They are now stronger. We are now weaker. It's a no brainer to anyone really.

3) Effect on team/formation - Weir set up much of the side and formation around McDonald in the number 10 role and just behind the strikers. Others could be interchanged you could say to some degree but McDonald was one player there is noone quite like in the side I would argue. Now what? Does he have to change 3 or 4 players due to 1 going, does he have to change the formation completely? Has he wasted 4 or 5 weeks of work?

4) Effect on manager. Weir may say he knew what he was coming into but the effect on him after spending time planning side/formation cannot be underestimed. Being honest how do you think he feels tonight? A little annoyed, fed up, p****d off completely or maybe even regretting coming at all. It is not just about one player for me; it is what it says about the club he has come into. First sign of a sale/money and boom. We all know there will be more and how long before he just says, 'Sod this for a game of marbles' and goes. Maybe he won't and will be in it for the long haul but look at messrs Spackaman, Bruce (can argue they were quitters etc but more than one have walked due to boards lies/false promises). Hope I am wrong but a few more decisions like this and he must wonder what he has done?

5) Timing. Weir has now little time to replace him. We face a tough game without him tomorrow and now with only a few weeks left it means scratching around with others etc who aren't up to such a role to replace him and to be honest will he ever see any of the money?

6) Fans. Listened to Radio Sheffield tonight and many were a bit over the top with their comments; 'Season ticket for sale!' or 'That's it I am done' but could you understand their anger and many fans of the other local teams perhaps did not realise it was not about one player or the affect this season. It is abut this happening time and time again. The message of the board is almost, ' We've got their ST money. F**k em. Here's our chance for some more money!.'

The message to the fans is basically we ain't bothered about ever going back up the leagues. Let's just piss about in these lower divisions for another 5 years+ They don't seem to grasp the concept that by continually selling our best players we ain't going anywhere. They can bleat about 'clauses, money, nothing we can do, agents, we are in League One etc,' but if ever hope to get back to some kind of level of respectability let alone move up a league (or two) then we have to keep our better players (even just for a bit). Quinn, Blackman, Lowton, McDonald etc in the last few years alone.

So what next?

We are now left with only maybe 2 assets in Maguire and Long. Let's be honest how many think they will still be here in 12 months time? In fact it would not surprise me if both are gone by the end of January. Then what? The rest of the side (jury out on new ones) is mostly very ordinary at best. There is no goals and little creativity (better signs from Murphy and Brandy last week admittedly)

All the players that many are so harsh on supposedly such as Williams, Porter, Flynn etc will be the spine of the side. These players are mostly garbage. Sorry to be harsh but it is true. Porter has missed 3 open goals in a week but is hard working apparently and does a lot for others? Williams has no options to pass to so has to kick it out and Flynn is struggling as he is not fit? Sorry but this is utter rubbish. We will see how underrated these really are when they are part of a side fighting relegation. I remember when Quinn went last year and everyone said he was overrated and then the same for Blackman. Well look where it got us.. McDonald isn't all that but s better than anything else we have and we will see that when he goes. Feel free to keep this post and come back to it in a few months. Will happily eat humble pie if we do not miss him!

All in all; a typical day to be a Blade. Nothing surprise me anymore. As Brian the Blade said (talks a lot of twaddle but was spot on tonight); we are SUFC as we are Selling United Football Club. Will never change whether we are in the top division or the bottom. Sadly my Dad was right. I don't get stressed anymore as I expect it. It will never change.

I'll keep going at home and enjoy the banter with friends/family (few beers around the match) but expect little on the pitch these days. I certainly will only go to odd away games. It is a lot of money to follow someone who just take you for a ride. Fair play to those who keep chucking...sorry spending money on travel/tickets etc (I am one of those mugs to a degree) but I cannot motivate myself to spend anymore (ST already bought) than I already have really. Saying that I am going to Bradford in a few weeks but only because got ticket and train for £30 combined. If I had gone to Brentford tomorrow it would have been getting on for £100 all in for a day out I bet. I cannot justify spending such money on a club who basically does not give a damn about its customers.

Flatulent_Bob · Aug 9, 2013

davidpinder said:
Does anyone really think we"ll be doing our best to keep him?

why wouldn't we be? Not that we have a lot to offer, because a new contract shouldn't be one of things he gets. What we do have is the new formation, which he likes, and Weir.
Its his decision, and lets remember this is the guy who was more than happy to sign for the piggies but they wouldn't give him a 2 year deal.

Deadbat · Aug 9, 2013

Flatulent_Bob said:
why wouldn't we be? Not that we have a lot to offer, because a new contract shouldn't be one of things he gets. What we do have is the new formation, which he likes, and Weir.
Its his decision, and lets remember this is the guy who was more than happy to sign for the piggies but they wouldn't give him a 2 year deal.

I would be staggered if he stays. All this talk about he will go back to the club before he makes his decision is nonsense. He has had his medical and already discussing personal terms according to official Wolves website. They will be paying him way more than we are and we ain't going to suddenly match him. He's gone unless medical shows his lazyitis up.

Oh well, maybe the might Flynn can do a job in the hole at Brentford tomorrow?!!?

Kenilworth · Aug 9, 2013

I just keep trying to blow up these lead balloons but, feck me, they just never get off the ground.
Thank fuck for beer.

#UTB

JohnDenver · Aug 9, 2013

Flatulent_Bob said:
why wouldn't we be?

Quite simply because the wage bill might need further trimming, and we're being offered a couple of hundred k in the bank.

I might not be happy about it, but it's the logical extrapolation of what Winter has been saying all along. Moreover, it's what we're stuck with as long we continue to cut every year. Until the budget is stable we swim against the tide.

United Aren't Back. · Aug 9, 2013

This one is to deadbat. Excellent post above, in fact they cynically waited til the season started then dumped this on us. Well there is no ambition and a very very poor squad, a rookie manager etc. Anyone, like me, remember the late 1970s early 80s/ That`s the malaise we are again entering now, only we have to buy tickets at 26 quid a go rather than 1 pound 50 or something.

Deadbat · Aug 9, 2013

Another point re - the clause. Small point but surely the clause could have said a club in a league above. Maybe money is money but selling to one of probably rivals (although maybe not now!) for promotion is surely madness and makes us further look totally devoid of ambition. If he had gone to say a Champ side I don't think there would have been as much fuss.

Like if we had gone up no one would have had a major issue if Higginbotham had been retained because we would have had far more money etc and would not have mattered so much. Now he eats up even more funds. Why would the clause be certain amount of games not on promotion?

The rolling over of contracts for players such as Tonne, Chappel, Philliskirk before he was released ; when they were nowhere near first team occasionals let alone regulars was more madness.

Add to contracts and extensions in recent times for Cresswell, Doyle, Williams and the club keeps making excuses. It is appalling decisions from them that contribute and keeps on adding to this mess we are in. I have no trust in anyone to make sound decisions for the football and financial future of the club and feel sadly we have not even bottomed out yet. Worrying times ahead I feel.

TarquinDelouche · Aug 9, 2013

Deadbat said:
The message to the fans is basically we ain't bothered about ever going back up the leagues. Let's just piss about in these lower divisions for another 5 years+

I honestly can't imagine there is a business in the land that is uninterested in expanding into a larger market. All this "Let's tread water in a smaller market for less money" crap is precisely that. Crap. I'm not saying that it doesn't LOOK like that, but I'd be amazed if the board feel like hanging around in League One might be a good business model.

alcoblade · Aug 9, 2013

Deano said:
Negative impact? Eh? Not at his best for much of the season but still the only quality player we have.

A complete passenger for most of the season, as he was against 4th division Burton the other night. He's good when those around him are, without them he's a luxury.

I think he will be a loss this season. But definitely replaceable.

UTB

Deadbat · Aug 9, 2013

TarquinDelouche said:
I honestly can't imagine there is a business in the land that is uninterested in expanding into a larger market. All this "Let's tread water in a smaller market for less money" crap is precisely that. Crap. I'm not saying that it doesn't LOOK like that, but I'd be amazed if the board feel like hanging around in League One might be a good business model.

I am not sure it is a conscious decision and of course they would love to move up but as soon as any chance to grab a quick buck arises they grab it. There is no sense of what we need to do long term to move back up the pyramid. There is no plan, no foresight. They talk about a long term project, stability etc but how can there be any of that when every year we sell our main assets and best chance to move up the leagues and get back to such stability/better income etc.

There is one thing saying they want to get out of this league and get this club moving in the right direction which maybe they do want as you say. There is another actually doing it. Over the least 2 or 3 season any assets we have slowly but surely have moved on and soon the side will be a carcass of even the one that came down from League One. Good in some ways but we may be starting again from League Two in a few years if things carry on. At one point will they say right now we are going to keep a team together and try and give a manager a chance?

TarquinDelouche · Aug 9, 2013

Deadbat said:
I am not sure it is a conscious decision and of course they would love to move up but as soon as any chance to grab a quick buck arises they grab it. There is no sense of what we need to do long term to move back up the pyramid. There is no plan, no foresight. They talk about a long term project, stability etc but how can there be any of that when every year we sell our main assets and best chance to move up the leagues and get back to such stability/better income etc.

There is one thing saying they want to get out of this league and get this club moving in the right direction which maybe they do want as you say. There is another actually doing it. Over the least 2 or 3 season any assets we have slowly but surely have moved on and soon the side will be a carcass of even the one that came down from League One. Good in some ways but we may be starting again from League Two in a few years if things carry on. At one point will they say right now we are going to keep a team together and try and give a manager a chance?

But your whole grievance seems to be based on the premise that we had a choice in accepting the Wolves bid. As far as I understand, we didn't. It's not "grabbing a quick buck", it's "honouring a contract".

Blade59 · Aug 9, 2013

Deadbats post is spot on. People can argue that McDonald under performed last season but very time he wasn't in the team we looked worse without him. Maybe we are powerless because of the clause in his contract but we are not powerless in what we do to replace him. Will we go out and try and get Freeman from Stevanage, Frecklington from Rotherham are any other half decent midfielder at this level. Sadly based on previous experience we all know the answer and at best we will end up with some championship reserve youngster on loan or some has been winding down their career. Any money received will disappear into the black hole that are Uniteds finances. Long and Maguire will go the same way and if Taylor and Brandy prove any good we will be lucky to keep them beyond the January transfer window.

alcoblade · Aug 9, 2013

TarquinDelouche said:
But your whole grievance seems to be based on the premise that we had a choice in accepting the Wolves bid. As far as I understand, we didn't. It's not "grabbing a quick buck", it's "honouring a contract".

And to be fair, if the club had previously said "we let him walk for free because he insisted on a £750K get out clause", there would have been complete uproar.

UTB

Sirius · Aug 9, 2013

bartman said:
Agree to a certain extent. However,if KMac has made it clear he wants to leave to a club who will no doubt significantly increase his salary, do we really want to keep a player who was inconsistent last year(and that's being generous) who doesn't want to play for us ?

Personally I wouldn't sell to a promotion rival no matter what but if Weir has been promised money for a striker(even if on loan for the season) who it be worth it ?

I expect that Man U fans feel this way about the possible sale of Rooney. If similar circumstances dictate their transfer/ or retain policy, I would think that we have less chance of holding on to K. Mac..

Deadbat · Aug 9, 2013

It's the same with every sale though. 'We did not have a choice.' 'He wanted to go.' 'The agents got involved.' 'There was a clause.' 'This is the situation we are in.' We are in this situation because of YOU - the owner, chairman and board of SUFC.

My whole grievance is based on the complete and utter mismanagement of SUFC's board of directors over the last 6 or 7 years. This latest cock up is just a small part of it. It seems we were not prepared for this as Weir says we have no back up plan for such a sale and building the whole side/formation around a player that is now going a week into the season; is baffling but sadly predictable for United.

It does seem when there is a potential sale, in most if not all cases in recent years they go. Maybe United have turned down bids or offered better contracts to stop sales but I doubt it. Whenever there is a bid, contract or no contract the player is gone.

The first chance this club has to make a quick buck they take it. Whatever circumstance and whatever contrived excuse they come up with. I am done with making excuses for them or saying they had no choice etc. They are the ones that write such contracts/transfers/extensions etc that has seen us in such a dire mess. They can't keep good players yet somehow sign to longer contracts poor ones or ones who never play? It is their job to ensure they appoint a manager and to help him build a side that can be successful. They fail time and time again.

As others have said, does anyone think we will seriously go out and sign a player to replace him or a striker?

Deadbat · Aug 9, 2013

Sirius said:
I expect that Man U fans feel this way about the possible sale of Rooney. If similar circumstances dictate their transfer/ or retain policy, I would think that we have less chance of holding on to K. Mac..

Of course the pound signs may change his mind today when he sees Wolves offer but he did not strike to me as someone whose was looking to leave ASAP?

On the eve of the season: "It's been nice. The manager has come in and put me in that position and you feel more free; he just wants you to go out there and express yourself further up the pitch and that's what we've all been doing up that top area.

"The manager wants me in that area to try and create things more because obviously I'm usually further back and it's massively different but it's been good and I'm just buzzing to get the season started in that new position."

This week: "The manager and his staff have been really good, giving me a few little tips and pointers here and there, about how to keep on improving.

“I’m really enjoying myself and that’s something they’ve made clear they want us to do. Play with a bit of freedom, albeit with a good plan, and enjoy and express ourselves.

“When you’ve got that attitude, I think it’s fair to say that you’ve got a better chance of performing at your best.”

Not the words of a player desperate to leave.

chesblade · Aug 9, 2013

If Kenny jacket was after him at millwall, how come he didn't get him last year when he was out of contract. Feel sorry for dw, finally finding out what our board of directors are truly like. Can just imagine some of the rubbish they preached to him

chesblade · Aug 9, 2013