How we miss Michael Doyle.

[Pinchy]

I miss Doyle most at about 11 a.m.

 

[Grecian2000]

Doyle was a limited footballer but a leader, a fighter and an honest player.

You can say a lot of things about Michael Doyle (some good, some bad, some indifferent) but I think his entire MO would mean the word "honest" wasn't amongst them.

It may have been part of his designated role but his sly, off the ball, behind the refs back antics mean he is one of the least "honest" players we've ever had in my opinion.

 

[boo radley]

Send him a postcard or email if you like.
Im not missing him one bit.

 

[Bladesway]

There is something over the medium term that is more significant than mentioning the individual (Doyle in this case). Whenever we have sold/released players and replaced them with lesser players we have gone backwards, the only exception arguably is when Robson got good players and made them into an awful team that even Blackwell improved. However, a great recent example is this year our forward line is better than last year. Why is this? Because we paid for and got better players in than last season and the one before.

Like anything, if you don't invest you go backwards. We keep going backwards because our midfield and defence needs investment. Until this changes then watch us continue to do no more than tread water. Adkins is partly responsible but you can hardly blame him one transfer window in and he did solve our goalscoring issues. Clough is partly to blame because these are issues he never quite got to grips with although you could argue that one full season wasn't enough (and I do). Wilson before him, Adams/Speed/Blackwell before them. Blackwell as much as he was hated for his methods got a great team performing until McCabe pulled the rug (been here before I know).

Once more, the board have to dip into their pockets to get us out of this. We can blame managers all we like (which the board like to do) but we have a deeper lying cancer that will only be cured by the investment of significant funds into a couple of players capable of not only getting us out of this division but leading us to stability in the Championship.

 

[bladesmanluke]

This club really do make everything look difficult.

Except for when it comes to selling a player of course

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Can't say I agree we miss Doyle specifically - he'd become so slow & immobile he'd virtually ground to a halt (except when dancing in front of outraged cockneys).

But see Woody's point & agree that that is the key position that needs money spending on it. We very much need an upgrade on what Doyle was able to offer in his limited, crablike way though.

As for who, Dean Saunders is waiting for the call, & Sam Morsy's bag is all packed ready to go...

 

[longinthe toothblade]

Then no one is disagreeing with you Woody. I think almost everyone would agree we need a good solid, vocal midfield organiser.

100% and Doyle did a fantastic job for Utd on and off the pitch.

Brilliant with the youngsters, who to a man, respected the guy as a player and as a very decent bloke.

First into training most of the time and last to leave. No one cared more about the club than Doyle and no one put in more effort nor a greater shift than he did on most match days.

Unfortunately, he became the scapegoat and the 'single point of failure' for far too many fans (who needed to blame somebody) and in private, he even took that on the chain too.

He's gone and that's that, but a] to set the bloke aside as we did, and moreover b] not having a plan in place to replace him was criminal.

Coutts - do me a fucking favour!

 

[Sean Thornton]

Blades need quality defensive midfielder shock. Did some not read all the comments about Dean Hammond?

 

[Woodwardfan]

You can say a lot of things about Michael Doyle (some good, some bad, some indifferent) but I think his entire MO would mean the word "honest" wasn't amongst them.

It may have been part of his designated role but his sly, off the ball, behind the refs back antics mean he is one of the least "honest" players we've ever had in my opinion.

I know what you mean but that's not the context I used the term, more whole hearted 100% trier, always up for the battle, never lets down his team-mates, a man to have on your side.

However the sly stuff, the deliberate provocation and the deliberate wind-ups are precisely the "quality"/ attribute which we are missing now he has gone - we haven't enough nastiness and manipulating situations and referees is part of item 2 in the OP.

 

[Silent Blade]

As for who, Dean Saunders is waiting for the call, & Sam Morsy's bag is all packed ready to go...

Spoke to a Chesterfield fan at work. Morsy isnt playing well at the mo. He thinks he has lost confidence due to the team having a poor run. He thinks Chesterfield will accept an offer for him rather than let him go at the end of his contract in the summer

 

[BushBlade]

Spoke to a Chesterfield fan at work. Morsy isnt playing well at the mo. He thinks he has lost confidence due to the team having a poor run. He thinks Chesterfield will accept an offer for him rather than let him go at the end of his contract in the summer

I'm sure he'll find his confidence a couple of weeks before the JTW.

 

[wizadry]

100% and Doyle did a fantastic job for Utd on and off the pitch.

Brilliant with the youngsters, who to a man, respected the guy as a player and as a very decent bloke.

First into training most of the time and last to leave. No one cared more about the club than Doyle and no one put in more effort nor a greater shift than he did on most match days.

Unfortunately, he became the scapegoat and the 'single point of failure' for far too many fans (who needed to blame somebody) and in private, he even took that on the chain too.

He's gone and that's that, but a] to set the bloke aside as we did, and moreover b] not having a plan in place to replace him was criminal.

Coutts - do me a fucking favour!

This scapegoat shit gets on my goat. People come on here and say he's a limited player but at the same time go on to say why he should be playing for us on this very thread. Now correct me if i'm wrong but should a limited player ever be playing professional football no matter how good he is off the pitch or with the youngsters? We carry too much shit and keep letting players get away with pinching a wage of us, now if we want to push on Doyle doesn't need to be anywhere near Sheffield, unless of course he's playing against us. Nice bloke but not very good at football but i do take my hat off to him for getting a good career out of it.

Whilst Coutts has certainly been hampered with a serious injury, Doyle isn't even in the same breath as him. Coutts has been playing quite well, and always will be a better footballer than Michael Doyle. I know this is hard to take for some because Doyle isn't our player and Coutts is, unfortunately that's how it is. Lets slag our own off and praise others, why does this happen all the time?

 

[longinthe toothblade]

This scapegoat shit gets on my goat. People come on here and say he's a limited player but at the same time go on to say why he should be playing for us on this very thread. Now correct me if i'm wrong but should a limited player ever be playing professional football no matter how good he is off the pitch or with the youngsters? We carry too much shit and keep letting players get away with pinching a wage of us, now if we want to push on Doyle doesn't need to be anywhere near Sheffield, unless of course he's playing against us. Nice bloke but not very good at football but i do take my hat off to him for getting a good career out of it.

Whilst Coutts has certainly been hampered with a serious injury, Doyle isn't even in the same breath as him. Coutts has been playing quite well, and always will be a better footballer than Michael Doyle. I know this is hard to take for some because Doyle isn't our player and Coutts is, unfortunately that's how it is. Lets slag our own off and praise others, why does this happen all the time?

Apols if it upset you but I have to disagree with you I'm afraid.

I don't think he was a 'limited' player [assuming I understand your meaning, i.e he wasn't very good?]. I would never ever describe him as 'shit' [period, at any point of his career] and as for him not being as good as Coutts, I simply don't agree with you at all. For one, you're not really comparing like for like and if you were, Doyle and Coutts at their best, I believe the former would come out on top without any of us breaking sweat.

As for scapegoating what else would you call the bile some folk on here heaped on his shoulders last season? Like others now (Howard's copping for it at the moment, McC and poor old Collins are never far away from it) and totally ignoring the fact that it's a team effort (including management who presumably determine the tactics), whenever things went wrong last time around he was singled out for some unbelievable, personal and totally inappropriate abuse. He didn't murder anybody!

Any hows, It's only my opinion mate and you and I don't have to agree. The world won't come to an end and it will make fuck all difference to the way we are playing.

Let's agree to disagree and let's continue to support the team in our own ways.

UTB

 

[longinthe toothblade]

One thing about Doyle is he was a leader and I imagine a exceptional captain. Another thing about Doyle was that he was crap at Football and a constant liability in the centre of midfield. Thus explaining why he is playing in a division lower.

He's playing in a lower division because he's coming to the end of his career - a pretty successful career - IMO. I'm one of those who insist we are missing Doyle, least we are missing someone to fill his boots. I'm not advocating that he should still be here but we should have sorted out a proper replacement before we offloaded him.

I don't really know enough about Morsy, nor the guy from Leicester but we definitely need more experience, leadership and quality in there. I said a few weeks back on another thread that I'd love us to go for another McCall or Speed type player. Perhaps the kid from Leicester (ex Southampton) is going to be the next player coach. Let's hope so.

 

[wizadry]

Apols if it upset you but I have to disagree with you I'm afraid.

I don't think he was a 'limited' player [assuming I understand your meaning, i.e he wasn't very good?]. I would never ever describe him as 'shit' [period, at any point of his career] and as for him not being as good as Coutts, I simply don't agree with you at all. For one, you're not really comparing like for like and if you were, Doyle and Coutts at their best, I believe the former would come out on top without any of us breaking sweat.

As for scapegoating what else would you call the bile some folk on here heaped on his shoulders last season? Like others now (Howard's copping for it at the moment, McC and poor old Collins are never far away from it) and totally ignoring the fact that it's a team effort (including management who presumably determine the tactics), whenever things went wrong last time around he was singled out for some unbelievable, personal and totally inappropriate abuse. He didn't murder anybody!

Any hows, It's only my opinion mate and you and I don't have to agree. The world won't come to an end and it will make fuck all difference to the way we are playing.

Let's agree to disagree and let's continue to support the team in our own ways.

UTB

Tbf mate I wasn't saying you was saying he was limited, that was in response to a few of the things I've read previously about him.

Fwiw I was pissed off with how we got rid of Doyle but at the same time was happy because I knew we needed better than him to make it to the Championship.

As for Coutts, you mentioned him, all I was saying is that especially before his near career ending injury he was a lot better footballer no matter what positions they play, and Coutts is still better now with his restricted movement, the divisions they play in should tell you this. Not upset mate, I just can't understand the clamour from a few for Doyle and I really can't understand this scapegoat malarkey. The good players don't get made these scapegoat types

Totally agree with your sentiments at the bottom, lets keep the faith and live in hope that we never have to see Doyle at the lane again

 

[longinthe toothblade]

Tbf mate I wasn't saying you was saying he was limited, that was in response to a few of the things I've read previously about him.

Fwiw I was pissed off with how we got rid of Doyle but at the same time was happy because I knew we needed better than him to make it to the Championship.

As for Coutts, you mentioned him, all I was saying is that especially before his near career ending injury he was a lot better footballer no matter what positions they play, and Coutts is still better now with his restricted movement, the divisions they play in should tell you this. Not upset mate, I just can't understand the clamour from a few for Doyle and I really can't understand this scapegoat malarkey. The good players don't get made these scapegoat types

Totally agree with your sentiments at the bottom, lets keep the faith and live in hope that we never have to see Doyle at the lane again

I'll give you that and let's hope they replace Coutts with a footballer very soon.

Who knows, Wallace could soon be fit and let's face it, if he is, "he'll probably be the greatest player in the league?"

 

[wizadry]

I'll give you that and let's hope they replace Coutts with a footballer very soon.?"

Who knows, Wallace could soon be fit?"

Come on mate, don't be fucking stupid

 

[Houston_Blade]

I know what you mean but that's not the context I used the term, more whole hearted 100% trier, always up for the battle, never lets down his team-mates, a man to have on your side.

However the sly stuff, the deliberate provocation and the deliberate wind-ups are precisely the "quality"/ attribute which we are missing now he has gone - we haven't enough nastiness and manipulating situations and referees is part of item 2 in the OP.

100% agreed on this. I've always said that we've needed a "horrible person" in midfield to follow the referee around and talk him through the game.

You read a lot of the "view from"
posts and you'd think we had a team full but we've been bullied by the likes of Alan Smith, Bostwick, Hessenthaler over the years and always been too naive to do the same back.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Spoke to a Chesterfield fan at work. Morsy isnt playing well at the mo. He thinks he has lost confidence due to the team having a poor run. He thinks Chesterfield will accept an offer for him rather than let him go at the end of his contract in the summer

A no brainer - let's get him!

(He'll not have any problem with bad runs & losing confidence here... )