injured players clear out

[CarlingBlade]

Higdon, B.Davies, J.Wallace, Scougall, Kennedy & Mceverly are all unable to complete either a full.90 mins or have been in and out of the team through injury and have no doubt cost us. Let's say each of them are on £2k a week, I'd prefer us to get rid and puck up a consistent centre back and central.midfielder who are both 6'4 and dirty buggers.

Just saying, is it time to call it a day with some of our so called fringe players?

 

[ListerBlade]

I'd say Higdon, Wallace and McEverly but not the other 3 you mention. Not by a long way.

 

[borbokis]

Scougall has had one bad injury, not sure he has a history of being injury prone. As much as I hate to agree with you on this one as I really like him but we can't rely on Kennedy, he's always going to be back up at best which is a real shame, I'd love for him to be our first choice centre back but he physically won't ever be able to do that

 

[CarlingBlade]

Scougall has had one bad injury, not sure he has a history of being injury prone. As much as I hate to agree with you on this one as I really like him but we can't rely on Kennedy, he's always going to be back up at best which is a real shame, I'd love for him to be our first choice centre back but he physically won't ever be able to do that

Kennedy has been a hot topic of conversation between my group at the match, with his injury problems he's never going to be more than back up, he's probably the best centre back at the club but is in and out due to a knee injury which nearly finished his career.

I suppose our desperate lack of centre halves has highlighted this issue recently but can we afford to carry passengers?

 

[DI36O]

McEveley hasnt missed that many games, there's only a few who have been more regularly in the team than him. In general I agree with you though, we have too many injuries in this squad. I've more of a soft spot for Scougall but I'm concerned about the number if diminutive midfielders we have and note that Holt is now getting in the scoresheet much more than he used to.

Kennedy I would be prepared to accomodate as a third or fourth CB while realising he can't play too regularly. He's certainly good enough when he can play and I doubt his wages are that high. Wallace we've seen so little of it's very worrying and unless the medical staff know better I wouldn't protest at seeing him and the other two leave. Then get rid of Collins and Butler if we are not using them and get the reliable players you suggest.

 

[UpTheClough]

I'm yet to see anything from Kennedy that would suggest he is the best centre half at the club. In my opinion its Basham by a mile. Where Kennedy is concerned if you cannot play more than once every ten days without getting injured especially at his age then we should be getting rid. Maybe things would be different had Clough bought another centre half allowing kennedy to fully recover before being thrown in to the side? Instead he wasted money on Brayford when we already had freeman flynn alcock (all more than good enough at this level) and we now have this in out nonsense every week meaning we leak goals as the back four changes every game.

 

[Keef Chedwyn]

McEveley hasnt missed that many games, there's only a few who have been more regularly in the team than him. In general I agree with you though, we have too many injuries in this squad. I've more of a soft spot for Scougall but I'm concerned about the number if diminutive midfielders we have and note that Holt is now getting in the scoresheet much more than he used to.

Kennedy I would be prepared to accomodate as a third or fourth CB while realising he can't play too regularly. He's certainly good enough when he can play and I doubt his wages are that high. Wallace we've seen so little of it's very worrying and unless the medical staff know better I wouldn't protest at seeing him and the other two leave. Then get rid of Collins and Butler if we are not using them and get the reliable players you suggest.

We got rid of Butler in January.

I think it's time to say goodbye to Kennedy at the end of the season, we've crossed our fingers for him too many times. Good lad but he's a crock.

 

[BushBlade]

Not sure how we're going to get rid of them assuming they have contracts. Kennedy must only be on about £1k per week. I'm pretty sure in the grand scheme of things we can give him a little longer, if there's a possibility of him getting over his injury in the long term. But I do agree that if he's never going to be able to play regularly, he's not going to sustain a career in the game, unfortunately.

 

[DI36O]

We got rid of Butler in January.

Wow i actually missed that. I was abroad at the time. I suppose I never looked because I didn't expect him back.

 

[SandyMcBlade]

I 'm expecting a big clear out anyway at the end of the season.........

 

[YES Blade]

Not sure how we're going to get rid of them assuming they have contracts. Kennedy must only be on about £1k per week. I'm pretty sure in the grand scheme of things we can give him a little longer, if there's a possibility of him getting over his injury in the long term. But I do agree that if he's never going to be able to play regularly, he's not going to sustain a career in the game, unfortunately.

He might be able to have a Ledley King type career, but think Kennedy's injury problems started at a younger age so will probably have to retire a bit younger than King.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

We got rid of Butler in January.

I think it's time to say goodbye to Kennedy at the end of the season, we've crossed our fingers for him too many times. Good lad but he's a crock.

I hope we time manage Kennedy and his career and help , and stand by him. He is a good honest pro and gives everything when he puts the shirt on. Loyalty works both ways . The lad has had a tremendous amount of pressure and expectations on his shoulders this season , and perhaps played , when he shouldn't have , due to our shortfall at CB.

UTB

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Kennedy has serious cartilage issues, as in, has barely any left in one knee, I believe.

I think he'll retire within 12 months which is a shame.

Wasn't Armstrong in the same boat?

 

[Silent Blade]

Kennedy has serious cartilage issues, as in, has barely any left in one knee, I believe.

I think he'll retire within 12 months which is a shame.

Wasn't Armstrong in the same boat?

Armstrong made a decision on whether to receive a large sum from insurance or carry on playing. He chose to carry on playing

 

[BushBlade]

He might be able to have a Ledley King type career, but think Kennedy's injury problems started at a younger age so will probably have to retire a bit younger than King.

Ledley King was an established to class centre half before his injury problems though. He had sufficient experience and quality not to need to train. Like McGrath. Poor Terry can't even establish himself as a first team regular in a L1 side, due to his injury. He's never going to command a decent wage unless he can get fit. He'll play for peanuts for small clubs and then retire at 30 with nothing behind him and no other skills with which to make a living for the next 35 years.

If he isn't going to recover he'd be better thinking about playing part time non league and getting a job where he can learn a skill. Or think about going into coaching if he's got the right type of personality.

It's such a shame, he's easily good enough for this level and would have had a decent career.

 

[botoble]

There is surely an argument to say Clough doesn't think anyone except possibly Brayford can play 90minutes week in week out. I have never known us have so many niggling injuries and unfit players! If they are not fit they are too young or not ready mentally.
I find at times Clough is almost making up little problems to justify not settling with a team. The back end of the season has been shocking and I think you could almost put it down to the squad not been settled. You surely want a back 4 made up of players that unless suspension gets in the way can play every game of the season, possibly a captain figure a Chris Morgan or a Jags then a couple of versatile defenders that can play full back or centre-half.

We have had so many combos, below are just snippets I imagine there are more, how do we expect to build a team that doesn't leek goals at important moments bodging together the starting point of a football team with midfielders playing at the back as centre halves or at full back whilst we have players that claim that these roles are their starting position but get kept in the background or sold off. Butler Collins Alcock Would be useful instead we have Basham Flynn and Ben Davies, or Full backs playing in the centre like Brayford and Mceveley.

Start of August: B.Davies McGahey Alcock Harris
End of August: B Davies Collins McGahey Mceveley
October: Alcock Basham McCarthy Harris
December: Flynn McEveley Basham Harris
January: Brayford Kennedy Basham Freeman
March: Harris Brayford Basham Freeman

The attacking side of things is the same, I reckon if we would have started with McNulty and Higdon all season both would be fitter than they currently are and both would have got us enough goals to be higher up the league. replace Higdon with Davies or O Grady when you can get him then fairenough, but messing around week in week out with your front 2 never works! it would be a waste of time if we had signed that Doyle from Chesterfield as he wouldnt be getting a start every game so any goal scoring momentum would be lost.

Murphys had a class season because him and Harris are the 2 players that seem to start as often as a team player should, they have built up a partnership and they work well together. I believe the same should have been done with JCR and Alcock or Flynn and Alcock and when we signed Brayford put him in take Alcock out and hope they build up a good working relationship, instead we rotate with M.Done Flynn Davies JCR Reed all season and at right back we have had Freeman, B Davies, Flynn, Brayford and Alcock

THE TINKER MAN NEEDS TO BE TOLD NOT SACKED BUT JUST REMINDED HIS PISSING AROUND HAS FAILED US THIS SEASON

 

[raul]

Armstrong made a decision on whether to receive a large sum from insurance or carry on playing. He chose to carry on playing

It was a chance meeting with a number of Blades one evening in a Gateshead pub that persuaded him to carry on.

 

[BushBlade]

There is surely an argument to say Clough doesn't think anyone except possibly Brayford can play 90minutes week in week out. I have never known us have so many niggling injuries and unfit players! If they are not fit they are too young or not ready mentally.
I find at times Clough is almost making up little problems to justify not settling with a team. The back end of the season has been shocking and I think you could almost put it down to the squad not been settled. You surely want a back 4 made up of players that unless suspension gets in the way can play every game of the season, possibly a captain figure a Chris Morgan or a Jags then a couple of versatile defenders that can play full back or centre-half.

We have had so many combos, below are just snippets I imagine there are more, how do we expect to build a team that doesn't leek goals at important moments bodging together the starting point of a football team with midfielders playing at the back as centre halves or at full back whilst we have players that claim that these roles are their starting position but get kept in the background or sold off. Butler Collins Alcock Would be useful instead we have Basham Flynn and Ben Davies, or Full backs playing in the centre like Brayford and Mceveley.

Start of August: B.Davies McGahey Alcock Harris
End of August: B Davies Collins McGahey Mceveley
October: Alcock Basham McCarthy Harris
December: Flynn McEveley Basham Harris
January: Brayford Kennedy Basham Freeman
March: Harris Brayford Basham Freeman

The attacking side of things is the same, I reckon if we would have started with McNulty and Higdon all season both would be fitter than they currently are and both would have got us enough goals to be higher up the league. replace Higdon with Davies or O Grady when you can get him then fairenough, but messing around week in week out with your front 2 never works! it would be a waste of time if we had signed that Doyle from Chesterfield as he wouldnt be getting a start every game so any goal scoring momentum would be lost.

Murphys had a class season because him and Harris are the 2 players that seem to start as often as a team player should, they have built up a partnership and they work well together. I believe the same should have been done with JCR and Alcock or Flynn and Alcock and when we signed Brayford put him in take Alcock out and hope they build up a good working relationship, instead we rotate with M.Done Flynn Davies JCR Reed all season and at right back we have had Freeman, B Davies, Flynn, Brayford and Alcock

THE TINKER MAN NEEDS TO BE TOLD NOT SACKED BUT JUST REMINDED HIS PISSING AROUND HAS FAILED US THIS SEASON

Is it entirely down to Clough or should our medical team take some responsibility? Just thinking of recent events at Bayern and the misdiagnosis of Henderson's injury (not sure if we're still using the same people).

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Ledley King was an established to class centre half before his injury problems though. He had sufficient experience and quality not to need to train. Like McGrath. Poor Terry can't even establish himself as a first team regular in a L1 side, due to his injury. He's never going to command a decent wage unless he can get fit. He'll play for peanuts for small clubs and then retire at 30 with nothing behind him and no other skills with which to make a living for the next 35 years.

If he isn't going to recover he'd be better thinking about playing part time non league and getting a job where he can learn a skill. Or think about going into coaching if he's got the right type of personality.

It's such a shame, he's easily good enough for this level and would have had a decent career.

No doubt he may well have to take some professional medical advice . I have no idea how serious his problem is , but truth be known , if it is continually bad , never mind playing non league , he has got to think about his health and well being , long after his playing career is over , and not finish up a cripple.

UTB

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Higdon, B.Davies, J.Wallace, Scougall, Kennedy & Mceverly are all unable to complete either a full.90 mins or have been in and out of the team through injury and have no doubt cost us. Let's say each of them are on £2k a week, I'd prefer us to get rid and puck up a consistent centre back and central.midfielder who are both 6'4 and dirty buggers.

Just saying, is it time to call it a day with some of our so called fringe players?

You say "get rid", presumably you believe there are buyers for these players, or are we just taking the £600K hit for each year left on their contracts (using your figures)?
I'd say given Wallace in particular has been in rehab for most of the season he's defiantly worth keeping.

If he is still unfit next season he's pretty much got to retire and we can claim it back on the insurance or he plays and we have a very good player on our hands.

 

[botoble]

Is it entirely down to Clough or should our medical team take some responsibility? Just thinking of recent events at Bayern and the misdiagnosis of Henderson's injury (not sure if we're still using the same people).

We never used to have such problems...I'm not 100% but I'm pretty sure we didn't overhaul the medical staff when Clough came in. If we did and got in Cloughs medical staff its Cloughs fault and if we didn't then maybe other managers knew that settling a team and playing a couple of players with niggles reported to them from sick bay was better than changing the squad every week.

The more you play I would have thought the tougher you get, put a player with no confidence on the pitch after dropping him for 2 games for a player that doesnt even play in your position and hes going to back out of 50/50s and mis time things which will result in injury!

 

[BushBlade]

We never used to have such problems...I'm not 100% but I'm pretty sure we didn't overhaul the medical staff when Clough came in. If we did and got in Cloughs medical staff its Cloughs fault and if we didn't then maybe other managers knew that settling a team and playing a couple of players with niggles reported to them from sick bay was better than changing the squad every week.

The more you play I would have thought the tougher you get, put a player with no confidence on the pitch after dropping him for 2 games for a player that doesnt even play in your position and hes going to back out of 50/50s and mis time things which will result in injury!

Wasn't great in Blackwell's second season or our relegation season. Not bad in Wilson's first. Second I can't really remember as we seemed to chop and change a bit.
It's certainly one of the things I'd be reviewing if I was running the club.

Impact injuries are relatively unavoidable but a lot of sports scientists reckon you can really reduce the likelihood of soft tissue injuries with the correct training, warm ups, warm downs etc. No expert myself.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Wasn't great in Blackwell's second season or our relegation season. Not bad in Wilson's first. Second I can't really remember as we seemed to chop and change a bit.
It's certainly one of the things I'd be reviewing if I was running the club.

Impact injuries are relatively unavoidable but a lot of sports scientists reckon you can really reduce the likelihood of soft tissue injuries with the correct training, warm ups, warm downs etc. No expert myself.

One of the biggest factors for injuries is the footwear players use . The boots these days are lightweight ,like carpet slippers and provide no protection at all . With this i suppose its a level playing field , as all players wear them , as a bit of a fashion item sometimes.

I thought we had a sports science bloke on the books , who organised different training regimes for players depending on injuries and performances . If we have it does need vast improvement along with the scouting system. Surely we don't still train like out of the 70/ 80s.

Football although a simple game has changed even since Warnock and Wilson were in charge . You never know , we might go down the in vogue route of a football director to help Clough . Whether or not he would agree to this , is another matter , but if we don't get promotion , it may help him to keep his job.

We are very professional in some aspects , but appear to be very amateurish in others.

UTB

 

[botoble]

I just hope we see a Clough cup success masterclass in the play offs, a Charlton at home performance in the 1st leg against Swindon a Villa away like performance away in the 2nd leg and a 1st half against hull performance against MK dons at Wembley and I think we'll be celebrating all the way up the M1!

As much as keeping our players from injury against chesterfield and leyton orient is importnat.... we need to get a point 1st and also our problem with our team IMO is that it is not really gelling at the end of the season when other teams are a the finished product.... I would advise using the 2 games to work out what his best starting 11 is!!