CONFIRMED George Long joins AFC Wimbledon on season long loan

[Top Cat]

England under 19 and under 20 caps.....100 games for the Blades....meltdown when Merchandise United were chasing him.

Clearly everyone in the world is wrong and you are right, as per, Pep

 

[Pinchy]

Good luck to him.

Has the ability to be a top keeper

He hasn't. That's wishful thinking unsupported by evidence. We've seen him play often enough now.

What are his qualities? He can't catch a football cleanly; His positioning is random; He's beaten far too often from distance and/or at his near post; He fumbles routine shots at goal; when he does stop a shot it is not cleared but parried into the path of the opposition forward for a tap in.

You can fool yourself all you like but the bloke is a complete liability. He is woefully lacking in every respect. No amount of Bladey Wishing on a Star is going to change that.

Next: Ironside to return. Still very young. Dear, oh dear, oh dear...

 

[Pinchy]

England under 19 and under 20 caps.....100 games for the Blades....meltdown when Merchandise United were chasing him.

Clearly everyone in the world is wrong and you are right, as per, Pep

Yes. I saw his performances far too often for comfort. It was car crash, bomb scare goalkeeping.

If you're suggesting Third Rate England Babies caps are any sort of quality assurance, I'm afraid you are knocking on precisely the wrong door. It means absolutely nothing whatsoever. I've seen Little Louis play as well. How's Ray Storey these days? Italian international De Juve?
Jordan Slew?

No England cap ever saved a goal. Calamity George hasn't very often, either.

 

[Top Cat]

So he's not as good as the best keeper that you have ever played with Seen it all and Done it all. Who is the best keeper that you have ever played with?

I'd go for Eric Nixon as the best I've ever played with.

 

[nopigfansintown]

Out of all the players who would stop for photos after games with the fans, one fan being my son, I can honestly say no matter what happened in the games for us he held his head high and still had the photos took with the fans and stopped on every occasion to chat to them. Quite a lot of players didn't I may add.

Only speaking from personal experience and from my son's thoughts on him but he really is a top bloke who deserves everything he gets in life, which signifies to me will be more than what people think on here.

He might not have been good enough for us at times but you don't go on a run we had under Clough, without conceding hardly any goals, being a shit GK. He will come back from this loan a much better GK, with some much needed confidence and character. All GKs' are crackers, he just doesn't seem crackers enough right now but it's nothing the Dons can't sort out.

Great post! George is a fantastic young man whose a credit to his parents. He's also a dyed in the wool Blade who made it in to the Blades team that he used to watch as a nipper. He lived the dream. If he never does anything in the game again, he'll be remembered for a great display at Ibrox, resulting in the famous Glasgow Rangers staying out of the SPL for another season. It'd be nice if Blades could act with a bit of decorum towards "one of our own" :

 

[BigBed]

Who is our longest serving player now ?

McCabe is our longest serving PLAYA pal, he's also in the PUSSEY PATROL.

 

[The Crab]

Getting your angles right is the basis you work from.
I've said it many times he doesn't get his positioning correct often enough , at his age it's something he should be doing as second nature now.

Sorry George, but good luck for the future.

True, getting that right makes shot stopping much easier.

 

[Liverpool blade]

George was a top bloke. Some of his errors were basic for me! Positioning ect?. I wish him well at Wimbledon and hope he can find a career for himself elsewhere!. He would have really struggled next season if he'd ever been called upon but wilder had already seen that problem and has dealt with it!. Wilder will find another keeper but cost could be a major issue in some circumstances?. Utb

 

[LenTednTony]

Yes. I saw his performances far too often for comfort. It was car crash, bomb scare goalkeeping.

If you're suggesting Third Rate England Babies caps are any sort of quality assurance, I'm afraid you are knocking on precisely the wrong door. It means absolutely nothing whatsoever. I've seen Little Louis play as well. How's Ray Storey these days? Italian international De Juve?
Jordan Slew?

No England cap ever saved a goal. Calamity George hasn't very often, either.

I suppose it's more noticeable as a keeper that your shortcomings are seen. However, it doesn't mean he can't improve. On 2 x previous occasions, we had a striker who seemed to never get his shot off correctly or was never positioned right to receive the ball or was just off the boil and didn't quite 'cut it' as a striker. However, he is back now and scoring for fun. Maybe a move away from the Lane will benefit George just the same, who knows? Slagging George off will not benefit his confidence at all. Give the kid a break FFS!

 

[BushBlade]

Wish the lad the very best. Great attitude shame it never worked here. His position is all about confidence and unfortunately when playing in front of us lot he no longer has any.

The kid is not Dean Hammond though, the stick he's taken is uncalled for, Wimbledon announced it via twitter and there are blades on that thread slating him still,just leave him be for fucksake let him get on with his career.

It's disgusting. When all's said and done, the bloke's a Blade. I bet most of those on twatter lead really sad, inadequate lives.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Not to drag up the past again but surely this casts a bit more light on the odd decision to sell ramsdale - highlights the folly in letting youth players go cheap.

Especially now we need a replacement keeper.

Say we sold ramsdale for a million. We now have to go out and replace him.

Say we want smith.

- Signing on fee - c50k
- wages of a former number one - c5k p/w on a three year contract. C £780k

Cost £830k.


Say ramsdale as a youth player was on c£1k per weeks £150k for the same 3 years

Really once you take into account the wages etc. The net profit from selling him is only £320k.

Does that represent value for money?

You're forgetting that Ramsdale was no where near good enough to play in the first team.
If we get Smith, we have a better back up keeper for less money.

Surely that makes sense?

The only unknown variable is POTENTIAL.
Many thought Ramsdale had the potential to be a great keeper
But the same people were predicting that Long was the future and we should resist all offers.
Players with potential are always risks, so to get £1 million for a risk seems excellent business for a club with our finances.

Once we get in the PL then no doubt we can afford to risk £1 million here and there and we'll be able to plan more for the future and keep all our promising youngsters.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Regards George wish him luck where ever he goes.

He reminds me of a poor mans Joe Hart.
George has ability at shot stopping and occasionally makes excellent reflex saves.
But he's got a touch of the Alan Simmonsens about him, doesn't like to come off his line, not vocal enough to order/ organise his defense and is prone to occasion blunders which knocks his confidence.

He has potential and ability, so I woudnt write him off just yet.

 

[Nade]

Etheridge would be good because I've been to the Philippines and watched him play for their national team and have met their national football superstars of Phil and James Younghusband.

 

[Nade]

I've just Googled him and he's joined fucking Cardiff. Wanker.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Not to drag up the past again but surely this casts a bit more light on the odd decision to sell ramsdale - highlights the folly in letting youth players go cheap.

Especially now we need a replacement keeper.

Say we sold ramsdale for a million. We now have to go out and replace him.

Say we want smith.

- Signing on fee - c50k
- wages of a former number one - c5k p/w on a three year contract. C £780k

Cost £830k.


Say ramsdale as a youth player was on c£1k per weeks £150k for the same 3 years

Really once you take into account the wages etc. The net profit from selling him is only £320k.

Does that represent value for money?

Ramsdale wouldn't be on £1k per week for the next 3 years. Think his contract was due to expire this summer and he would have wanted decent money to stay.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Out of all the players who would stop for photos after games with the fans, one fan being my son, I can honestly say no matter what happened in the games for us he held his head high and still had the photos took with the fans and stopped on every occasion to chat to them. Quite a lot of players didn't I may add.

Only speaking from personal experience and from my son's thoughts on him but he really is a top bloke who deserves everything he gets in life, which signifies to me will be more than what people think on here.

He might not have been good enough for us at times but you don't go on a run we had under Clough, without conceding hardly any goals, being a shit GK. He will come back from this loan a much better GK, with some much needed confidence and character. All GKs' are crackers, he just doesn't seem crackers enough right now but it's nothing the Dons can't sort out.

Mark Howard was in goal for that run under Clough. Take the rest of your point though.

 

[Bladeinleeds]

You're forgetting that Ramsdale was no where near good enough to play in the first team.
If we get Smith, we have a better back up keeper for less money.

Surely that makes sense?

The only unknown variable is POTENTIAL.
Many thought Ramsdale had the potential to be a great keeper
But the same people were predicting that Long was the future and we should resist all offers.
Players with potential are always risks, so to get £1 million for a risk seems excellent business for a club with our finances.

Once we get in the PL then no doubt we can afford to risk £1 million here and there and we'll be able to plan more for the future and keep all our promising youngsters.

Tbf others have seen more of ramsdale than me. But I would have thought having him to develop behind an established number one would have been the ideal scenario.

We just seem to be slow on the uptake in terms of new trends in foootball - I don't know why we can't just see that a million in literal pocket change to these PL clubs and factor that in to drive a hard bargain.

My point was it's only excellent business when you don't consider we have essentially stopped the progression of players to the first team if they get sold before they get here. The fees we are getting looks even worse when you take into account the fact we have to buy replacements because they don't make the side. A Million seems to be the going rate for bang average players in championship - so for potential we should be demanding much more especially now we are a championship club - or at least I hope so.

 

[Bladeinleeds]

Ramsdale wouldn't be on £1k per week for the next 3 years. Think his contract was due to expire this summer and he would have wanted decent money to stay.

You might be right but I'd Guess it would still be substantially less than a player who's been a number 1.

Along these lines - long isn't on bad money so I hope wilmbledon are paying his wages so we aren't out of pocket when signing a replacement.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

The kid is not Dean Hammond though, the stick he's taken is uncalled for, Wimbledon announced it via twitter and there are blades on that thread slating him still,just leave him be for fucksake let him get on with his career.

There has been a peculiar level of bile directed at Long throughout the last 2-3 seasons. It goes beyond his disappointing performances – for some at games he became the immediate target before doing anything wrong, which given his visible confidence issues was counterproductive in the extreme. He wasn't what we needed, but he wasn't anywhere near as bad as some might have you believe – and up against Howard in his last season there was barely anything between their distinct averageness.

Already been said, but good luck to the lad etc etc

 

[Sheffsteel]

Tbf others have seen more of ramsdale than me. But I would have thought having him to develop behind an established number one would have been the ideal scenario.

We just seem to be slow on the uptake in terms of new trends in foootball - I don't know why we can't just see that a million in literal pocket change to these PL clubs and factor that in to drive a hard bargain.

My point was it's only excellent business when you don't consider we have essentially stopped the progression of players to the first team if they get sold before they get here. The fees we are getting looks even worse when you take into account the fact we have to buy replacements because they don't make the side. A Million seems to be the going rate for bang average players in championship - so for potential we should be demanding much more especially now we are a championship club - or at least I hope so.

Kind of agree.

Player valuations have all gone to pot, there's no book price anymore due to the PL millions.

If a PL club offered 8 million for Fleck, he's no where near worth that amount.
We could accept because £8 million is a massive amount to us
Or we could refuse because £8 million isn't much to a PL club and they could afford a lot more.

Agree that now we are in the Championship we can afford to knock back £1 million bids for promising players. At least it shows how productive our Academy is.
We are constantly producing league standard pro footballers.

It's a similar situation to Leonard at Southend, he's almost out of contract.
We could offer £500K because it's not that much much to us, that is probably why Southend are holding out.
But our current offer of £350K is serious serious money for a league 1 club like Southend.
Don't think they can afford to turn down £350K, although I suspect they might be waiting until January18.
They'll know their promotion push is going and might cash in then, but of course they won't get as much.

 

[BushBlade]

Kind of agree.

Player valuations have all gone to pot, there's no book prove anymore due to the PL millions.
If a PL club offered 8 million for Fleck.

We could accept because £8 million is a massive amount to us
Or we could refuse because £8 million isn't much to a PL club and they could afford a lot more.

Agree that now we are in the Championship we can afford to knock back £1 million bids for promising players. At least it shows how productive our Academy is. We are constantly producing league standard pro footballers.

It'd a similar situation to Leonard at Sputhend, he's almost out of contract.
We could offer £500K because it's not that much much to us, that is probably why Southend are holding out.
But our current offer of £350K is serious serious money for a league 1 club like Southend.
Don't think they can afford to turn down £350K, although I suspect they might be waiting until January18.
They'll know their promotion push is going and might cash in then, but of course they won't get as much.

Why is £350k 'serious money for a league 1 club like Southend'?

 

[wizadry]

Mark Howard was in goal for that run under Clough. Take the rest of your point though.

I do apologise, you are indeed correct. He did make 13 clean sheets though under Adkins with a shite defence in front of him which is no mean feat. I suppose I'm looking for positives in such a nice bloke, unfortunately football doesn't work like that.

Glad you agreed with the overall point though, Dane!

 

[Sean Thornton]

Regards George wish him luck where ever he goes.

He reminds me of a poor mans Joe Hart.
George has ability at shot stopping and occasionally makes excellent reflex saves.
But he's got a touch of the Alan Simmonsens about him, doesn't like to come off his line, not vocal enough to order/ organise his defense and is prone to occasion blunders which knocks his confidence.

He has potential and ability, so I woudnt write him off just yet.

The ex Barcelona and Charlton firward Alan Simmonsen?

 

[BushBlade]

The ex Barcelona and Charlton firward Alan Simmonsen?

That's the one. Useless in goal.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

I do apologise, you are indeed correct. He did make 13 clean sheets though under Adkins with a shite defence in front of him which is no mean feat. I suppose I'm looking for positives in such a nice bloke, unfortunately football doesn't work like that.

Glad you agreed with the overall point though, Dane!

He also went on a great clean sheet run under Wilson. The kid isn’t as bad as some would have you believe. He has had some very good games and made some very good saves along the way. The problem seems to be that he appears mentally fragile, lacking the thick skin required for a ‘keeper. Simmonsen had similar issues. When he first came on loan, he looked great. Many saying he was better than Paddy Kenny but once the mistakes started creeping in, he became more and more fragile to the point that everyone in the stadium knew he was a liability, himself included. He became a figure of fun. He didn’t lack ability but he lacked the mental strength to not let his mistakes get to him.

 

[Dellas Cowboys]

Withdrawn from MK Don's v AFC Wimbledon match day squad after being named on team-sheet due to "illness". Has been playing well, could there be offers? Or has he got Australian flu / glandular fever.

 

[Ghostshark]

Ramsdale was offered a lot of money..set him up for life...he wanted to go

 

[Woodwardfan]

He also went on a great clean sheet run under Wilson. The kid isn’t as bad as some would have you believe. He has had some very good games and made some very good saves along the way. The problem seems to be that he appears mentally fragile, lacking the thick skin required for a ‘keeper. Simmonsen had similar issues. When he first came on loan, he looked great. Many saying he was better than Paddy Kenny but once the mistakes started creeping in, he became more and more fragile to the point that everyone in the stadium knew he was a liability, himself included. He became a figure of fun. He didn’t lack ability but he lacked the mental strength to not let his mistakes get to him.

And he just turned 24 last November, still a young age for a keeper.

 

[Ihadadream]

Ramsdale was offered a lot of money..set him up for life...he wanted to go

It will no doubt come out one day but he never wanted to go or asked to go

 

[Ainsley Harriott]

Ramsdale was offered a lot of money..set him up for life...he wanted to go

Banked half a million since being there. Not bad for nowt