George Long

[TarquinDelouche]

I was told fuck all, because I don't know anybody who's business it is. And I wouldn't post anyone's salary details on a public forum if I did.

 

[blade too long]

there were NO players on our books on 5 figure a week wages in Wilders first season

not one

not even billy

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

I know for a fact he wasn’t and isn’t on 12k a week. In League one his contract was agreed and the good players there get 3-4K a week.

The story I heard was most of our guys were on c£2k basic with appearance and win bonuses to make up the rest.

That was when I started to realise Tufty wasn't your average, run if the mill manager!!

 

[Dec]

Not exactly but I know what he was offered under Adkins, which was revised. That wasn’t £12k. From someone who absolutely knows!

This.

 

[8lade]

I was told fuck all, because I don't know anybody who's business it is. And I wouldn't post anyone's salary details on a public forum if I did.

Thank fuck for that! I was starting to think I was the only one who didn't have a clue except by looking at the accounts and then guessing. So many people 'knew for a fact' this, that or the other I was feeling left out.

 

[EddieColquhoun]

I was told Adkins offered him 7k a week ,which Wilder reduced to 5 when he took over. Long decided that wasn't good enough having been offered 7 and looked elsewhere ,when nothing came up he decided to take the 5 ,however Wilder didn't like the way he tried to have Utd over and reduced the offer to 3 and a half which he eventually accepted. Not gospel ,but someone close to Utd who has been very accurate previously

I heard a very similar story. Adkins offered £8k. CW took over and offered 3.5. Stories mysteriously started appearing in the press of Prem interest (WBA was one) and a week later Long signed.

 

[CopenhagenBlade]

When was he “not shit”? Plenty of occasions. That’s not to say he wasn’t much more than fairly average for us throughout his time, but certainly better than “he was shit”.

I hope Long goes on to be a successful Championship level keeper. The crap that is thrown his way by ‘fans’ that don’t seem to understand what it’s like to,
play in goal
Play behind a defence that changes every week
Play in a team that is seriously under performing
In front of fans, who are hurling vile abuse towards you and fighting amongst themselves
Keepers need stability and especially young keepers. You could argue that he lacks the mental strength to succeed at the highest level but in my view, he was unlucky to be introduced to professional football in such poisonous environment that was SUFC at that time

 

[AdamSufc1997]

so we didn't want to pay blackman his wages but pay 12k a week to long yh ok then

 

[Jehovah]

Never jeered or booed him, but he was next to useless. No command of his box, no voice, defence no idea what he was going to do next and his performance v exeter was like a circus.

 

[mosbolad]

Never jeered or booed him, but he was next to useless. No command of his box, no voice, defence no idea what he was going to do next and his performance v exeter was like a circus.

Oh yeh....The Exeter match? The one in 2011 when he was 18? Shocking.....

 

[RedandWhite]

I don't think he was shit, but I don't think he was good either. He would parry almost all types of shots and 65% of them would be straight to an opposing player who would score from it.

 

[Deleted member 875]

I had high hopes for him when he first came through, you could tell he had everything you need to make it as a top class goalkeeper, but few a mixture of different reasons he didn’t make it with us.

He would have been better served by United serving his time in the development teams instead of being thrown in at the deep end. He started far too early in the first team, mainly because we for the majority of the time he was only one of two first team goalkeepers, the other being the decidedly average Mark Howard and before him the calamitous Simon Simonsen, and often would be recalled to the first team as the other keeper was either injured or off form.

I can remember several of his games for reasons both good and had. What I thought was his breakthrough was when he came on early as sub against Leyton Orient in Wilson’s second season when Mark Howard got injured, and from a shaky start it was fantastic seeing him grow in confidence during the match. Villa away in the cup where looked imperious, but on the other side there was horror shows at Gillingham, and in his last league start at home to Southend where looked bereft of confidence, seemed unable to communicate with his defence, after which Wilder rightly in my view went out and brought in a replacement straight away.

What United fans saw was a young goalkeeper making a lot of errors along the way as he served his development in the glare of the first team. We might not have seen the best of him, or him reach his full potential, but I think he will carve out an excellent career as a decent lower league stopper, but now he will only ever be at best a second string for a bottom end championship club. I hope he moves on and does well, but his time with us came and went a long time ago, and I wish the lad well,

 

[BushBlade]

I had high hopes for him when he first came through, you could tell he had everything you need to make it as a top class goalkeeper, but few a mixture of different reasons he didn’t make it with us.

He would have been better served by United serving his time in the development teams instead of being thrown in at the deep end. He started far too early in the first team, mainly because we for the majority of the time he was only one of two first team goalkeepers, the other being the decidedly average Mark Howard and before him the calamitous Simon Simonsen, and often would be recalled to the first team as the other keeper was either injured or off form.

I can remember several of his games for reasons both good and had. What I thought was his breakthrough was when he came on early as sub against Leyton Orient in Wilson’s second season when Mark Howard got injured, and from a shaky start it was fantastic seeing him grow in confidence during the match. Villa away in the cup where looked imperious, but on the other side there was horror shows at Gillingham, and in his last league start at home to Southend where looked bereft of confidence, seemed unable to communicate with his defence, after which Wilder rightly in my view went out and brought in a replacement straight away.

What United fans saw was a young goalkeeper making a lot of errors along the way as he served his development in the glare of the first team. We might not have seen the best of him, or him reach his full potential, but I think he will carve out an excellent career as a decent lower league stopper, but now he will only ever be at best a second string for a bottom end championship club. I hope he moves on and does well, but his time with us came and went a long time ago, and I wish the lad well,

That ^^^^. We were far too reliant on him when he was too young to handle it.

 

[Grecian2000]

He would parry almost all types of shots and 65% of them would be straight to an opposing player who would score from it.

This was, indeed, a flaw that crept into his game his latter season or two. However, it is also a charge that can be levelled at Moore (especially last season) and even Blackman toward the end of last season.
I am beginning to think we have a lack of goalkeeping coaching in that particular area.

Fwiw, I work with a Wimbledon supporter who reports he was outstanding last season (and very popular with the crowd). I dampened his spirits somewhat with tales of Jimmy Hanson's goal scoring prowess in our team.

 

[Balham]

This was, indeed, a flaw that crept into his game his latter season or two. However, it is also a charge that can be levelled at Moore (especially last season) and even Blackman toward the end of last season.
I am beginning to think we have a lack of goalkeeping coaching in that particular area.

Fwiw, I work with a Wimbledon supporter who reports he was outstanding last season (and very popular with the crowd). I dampened his spirits somewhat with tales of Jimmy Hanson's goal scoring prowess in our team.

Not sure it's a coaching issue, more a quality of player issue. Confidence plays a part, it's a special skill to be able to push a shot around the post - ie take enough off a shot to stop it going in but not enough to send it back into play. Long's issue with that seemed limited to shots close by his feet which he had to drop quickly onto - Walsall away in 15/16 springs to mind.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Long will have a decent career at at least League One level and probably higher. Quite what the numbskulls hurling abuse at him or sarcastically cheering him claiming a cross were trying to achieve is beyond me.

GLTTL.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

This was, indeed, a flaw that crept into his game his latter season or two. However, it is also a charge that can be levelled at Moore (especially last season) and even Blackman toward the end of last season.
I am beginning to think we have a lack of goalkeeping coaching in that particular area.

Fwiw, I work with a Wimbledon supporter who reports he was outstanding last season (and very popular with the crowd). I dampened his spirits somewhat with tales of Jimmy Hanson's goal scoring prowess in our team.

Just last week Wilder lauded Darren Ward as the best Goalkeeper coach in the division.

 

[The Crab]

Not sure it's a coaching issue, more a quality of player issue. Confidence plays a part, it's a special skill to be able to push a shot around the post - ie take enough off a shot to stop it going in but not enough to send it back into play. Long's issue with that seemed limited to shots close by his feet which he had to drop quickly onto - Walsall away in 15/16 springs to mind.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Long will have a decent career at at least League One level and probably higher. Quite what the numbskulls hurling abuse at him or sarcastically cheering him claiming a cross were trying to achieve is beyond me.

GLTTL.

Maybe a little of both? A good coach will spot the flaws in a goalies game and work with them on it.

 

[s4-blade]

Just last week Wilder lauded Darren Ward as the best Goalkeeper coach in the division.

So has pretty much every goalkeeper that’s been at the club recently as well.

 

[BushBlade]

This was, indeed, a flaw that crept into his game his latter season or two. However, it is also a charge that can be levelled at Moore (especially last season) and even Blackman toward the end of last season.
I am beginning to think we have a lack of goalkeeping coaching in that particular area.

Fwiw, I work with a Wimbledon supporter who reports he was outstanding last season (and very popular with the crowd). I dampened his spirits somewhat with tales of Jimmy Hanson's goal scoring prowess in our team.

But in the time between him being poor for us and good for Wimbledon he was being coached by our keeper coach. Maybe it’s the coaching that helped to improve him?

And do you not think that Blackman improved over the season?

 

[Jehovah]

Oh yeh....The Exeter match? The one in 2011 when he was 18? Shocking.....

Yes that one when he was shocking.

 

[robbiez666]

I still think he's a quality keeper. He was treated incredibly badly by manager and fellow players during his dodgy spell. Sapped all his confidence. It's probably better for him to move away as there will always be that past history hanging over him here.

 

[mosbolad]

Yes that one when he was shocking.

Ah yes his 3rd league match.

Somewhat astoundingly he has gone on to have nearly another 200 pro games!..........You would have thought he would have quit whilst he had the chance.....

 

[Addison]

GLTTL in his future endeavours. He did well at Wimbeldon and he's liked there. He should temper his wage expectations and sign for them if they come up with a fee for him. Don't think he's any higher than league 1 level. Watched some of his games last season and he still lacks the confidence to boss his defence and command his area. Good shot stopper though.

 

[Grecian2000]

But in the time between him being poor for us and good for Wimbledon he was being coached by our keeper coach. Maybe it’s the coaching that helped to improve him?

And do you not think that Blackman improved over the season?

That's why I put "in that particular area".
I think all the keepers are at least solid and, sometimes, very good. The ONE issue that seems to be common with all of them, at some point, is the tendency to parry the ball back into the danger area. Moore did it almost as frequently as Long but, for some reason, doesn't get the same amount of opprobrium that George does for it.

 

[Dellas Cowboys]

I always wanted him to play more outfield, you know like Neuer.

 

[BushBlade]

That's why I put "in that particular area".
I think all the keepers are at least solid and, sometimes, very good. The ONE issue that seems to be common with all of them, at some point, is the tendency to parry the ball back into the danger area. Moore did it almost as frequently as Long but, for some reason, doesn't get the same amount of opprobrium that George does for it.

Perhaps the reason is that Moore was part of 100 points, 100 goals whereas Long was part of a shower of shit, some of whom weren’t fit to wear the shirt?