James Wallace

[JohnDenver]

played today - perhaps he is now fit?

As Blades fans, irrespective of past issues with fitness, we should all hope he can stay fit.

As with Mcnuts, new season, new manager - lets see how it goes.

UTB

Nothing wrong with hope. But if we plan for him to be anything other than a bit-parter then we're quite bonkers.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

If we a paying em , why not play em. Nowt to lose and everything to gain for all parties .

UTB

Indeed - I understand, although don't agree with a lot of the comments about Wallace, he should be given a chance in the new regime. Players like Wallace and Mcnuts could be the very difference between playoff position and top two.

UTB

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Nothing wrong with hope. But if we plan for him to be anything other than a bit-parter then we're quite bonkers.

Why? IF fit, and I appreciate if is the operative word, he is the best central midfield player in the squad.

The chances of him staying fit on past evidence is remote, but that doesn't alter the fact that he could make the difference.

It's up to the new management to manage his problems - time will tell with Wallace.

UTB

 

[Blade58]

Evidence suggests he's made of glass. Start relying on him to play 40+ games next season and I fear it will all end in tears

I wish him well tho and if only we had a crystal ball

 

[Harry's Game]

Evidence suggests he's made of glass. Start relying on him to play 4 + games next season and I fear it will all end in tears

Fixed that for you.

 

[Blade58]

lol HG

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Evidence suggests he's made of glass. Start relying on him to play 40+ games next season and I fear it will all end in tears

I wish him well tho and if only we had a crystal ball

Don't think either Wallace or McNulty are pencilled in to play 40 plus games . However in a 46 game season plus cup matches , certain first choice players will either get injured , suspended or have a dip in form.

If both players apply themselves in the correct manner ( bearing in mind they are contracted and we a paying the buggers ) , they hopefully will play there part in a successful season.

Wilder and Knill will have the measure of both by now , and will manage them in or out of the club.



UTB.

 

[1973Blade]

Such a pity about the injuries, a fit Wallace would be a great player in League One.

 

[Harry's Game]

Such a pity about the injuries, a fit Wallace would be a great player in League One.

Without the injuries he would probably be playing Championship football and not here.

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

Give the lad a chance, new season and all that.

 

[Slim Man]

We need to give Wendy a call, if they could sort Hutchinson out (who actually came out of retirement!) surely we can finally sort Wallace out.

 

[blade67]

Without the injuries he would probably be playing Championship football and not here.

Without the injuries in Clough's 2nd season, he might be playing in the Championship with us. Wallace in CM at Swindon with Basham at CB instead of Alcock, we might have only let 4 in.

As someone else stated, if we plan to need him we're mad. If he performs and stays fit it's just a bonus.

 

[Darthblade]

Indeed - I understand, although don't agree with a lot of the comments about Wallace, he should be given a chance in the new regime. Players like Wallace and Mcnuts could be the very difference between playoff position and top two.

UTB

I like your enthusiasm, but with the current squad we're still well below the standard for top two imho.

We are 4 /5 players short in key positions like GK, CH, CM, CF and winger.

UTB & FTP

 

[Barney]

I like your enthusiasm, but with the current squad we're still well below the standard for top two imho.

We are 4 /5 players short in key positions like GK, CH, CM, CF and winger.

UTB & FTP

Wilder has said he's still after 3 or 4 more so that's good news. Personally I think one of those needs to be another central midfielder to go alongside Fleck. Needs to be someone tall with a lot of physical presence to make up for Fleck's weakness in that area, but we also need goals coming from central midfield too as we have for a long time. If we can get someone that ticks both those boxes, at a good age I'd be chuffed. Then a wide man, 2 if Che's going, CB and a big physical option partnering Sharp.

 

[Revolution]

Agree, Larky - he may well be on a low basic but made up with appearance money, which some of us may even think is sensible, so clearly can't be considered!

He isn't. His basic salary is massive in league one terms.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Give the lad a chance, new season and all that.

Wilder put him on the transfer list, and for good reason. The best we can hope is that he manages to show a relatively injury-free pre-season to tempt another club to take a gamble and sign him.

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

Wilder put him on the transfer list, and for good reason. The best we can hope is that he manages to show a relatively injury-free pre-season to tempt another club to take a gamble and sign him.

If he's fit he'll be good enough for us

 

[LoughboroBlade]

If he's fit he'll be good enough for us

Sorry, but I don't think he's ever going to be fit enough for us – people said exactly the same last summer about how he should be given a chance, and he subsequently showed he couldn't be relied on.

We are going to be running a leaner squad this season. As such we need to be able to have reassurance that when called upon those players aren't going to break down physically. Kennedy wasn't one of those, that's why Wilder didn't save him in spite of us having zero centre-backs. Wallace isn't one either, which is why he's been listed. On his day, he's shown he has talent. Sadly his day isn't generally Saturday.

 

[BushBlade]

Sorry, but I don't think he's ever going to be fit enough for us – people said exactly the same last summer about how he should be given a chance, and he subsequently showed he couldn't be relied on.

We are going to be running a leaner squad this season. As such we need to be able to have reassurance that when called upon those players aren't going to break down physically. Kennedy wasn't one of those, that's why Wilder didn't save him in spite of us having zero centre-backs. Wallace isn't one either, which is why he's been listed. On his day, he's shown he has talent. Sadly his day isn't generally Saturday.

Just play him Tuesdays then.
I think, like you, if we get any games out of him it's a bonus, we can't rely on him at this point in time.
My thinking at the moment is that we'll have Fleck as the main midfielder on that side, with Reed as cover but with Wallace above him if fit. On the other side, we'll bring in competition for Basham, someone who could potentially keep him out of the side, with Whiteman as the understudy. That should be sufficient in CM to see us through to the JTW where we can review if necessary (for example if Wallace is injured again and Reed or Whiteman isn't up to it).

 

[Blade58]

Give the lad a chance, new season and all that.

Your view is probably the right view to take LRB. However, it's a view that's been shared by many every time he's made his comeback from injury and guess what keeps happening?

Somewhere along the way tough decisions have to be made and Wilder doesn't or won't shirk those decisions

It may well be that he decides to give JW the benefit of the doubt as he will be aware of the facts and reasons for JW's problems, so on that basis, I go along with whatever informed decision CW makes, rightly or wrongly

 

[sitwell]

He has a fitness record similar to Jack Wilshere ,he was risked at the Euros and no way will Arsenal sell him. Injuries happen in football and sometimes players recover ,surely he is worth playing at least until his contract runs out and the re-evaluate after a season.

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

Your view is probably the right view to take LRB. However, it's a view that's been shared by many every time he's made his comeback from injury and guess what keeps happening?

Somewhere along the way tough decisions have to be made and Wilder doesn't or won't shirk those decisions

It may well be that he decides to give JW the benefit of the doubt as he will be aware of the facts and reasons for JW's problems, so on that basis, I go along with whatever informed decision CW makes, rightly or wrongly

I honestly don't see it as a choice B, he's either injured or if he's fit good enough to play.

I can't see anyone buying him on his wages and what's the point in loaning him out?

 

[Fulwood Blade]

I like your enthusiasm, but with the current squad we're still well below the standard for top two imho.

We are 4 /5 players short in key positions like GK, CH, CM, CF and winger.

UTB & FTP

I think CW's infectious enthusiasm for honesty and reality is rubbing off on a load - including me.

I have very rarely worn a shirt to games - but always had a scarf. I have got on the CW bandwagon and decided to wear a shirt to games this season

As for players - I suggest you have a listen to the Alan Knill interview from "Sheffield Live" with Alan Biggs - the management team still know they want a few more players - perhaps not as many as you suggest but certainly more bodies.

Let's be honest - it cannot be any worse than Adkins regime, although I fail to accept it was all bad with Clough. Wilders interview after the Steels game was quite enlightening - again, go and listen - he fully intends to up the tempo of players and games as we go on.

Think a few opposition teams are going to get run to bits this season.

UTB

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I can't see anyone buying him on his wages and what's the point in loaning him out?

If we loaned him out for a season it might free up more wages to give to someone that might actually be able to contribute a lot more.

I doubt anyone will take him (though Walsall took Cuvelier, so who knows), and it is likely he will remain with us for his final year. If he makes more than 10 appearances for us I'll be amazed.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

He has a fitness record similar to Jack Wilshere ,he was risked at the Euros and no way will Arsenal sell him. Injuries happen in football and sometimes players recover ,surely he is worth playing at least until his contract runs out and the re-evaluate after a season.

If we are paying him , play him . It all depends on what happens behind closed doors and the feeling Wilder / Knill get from the fella. Nobody is going to buy him because he is too much of a risk .

The fella has to sort his head and fitness out . Could be a impact player , but preseason will make or break some players . No time for prisoners or to be carried . Whatever Wilder does with any of them is good enough for me.

UTB

 

[alcoblade]

He has a fitness record similar to Jack Wilshere ,he was risked at the Euros and no way will Arsenal sell him. Injuries happen in football and sometimes players recover ,surely he is worth playing at least until his contract runs out and the re-evaluate after a season.

What if he's earning £500,000 a season?

UTB

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I'm a bit astounded by the suggestions on here that he should seriously be playing a significant role this season. It's as though the last two years have been forgotten in a heartbeat. We criticise people running the club for failing to learn from their mistakes and for repeating them, yet here we have a bunch of suggestions to give the perennially-unfit Wallace another chance. If he hadn't have had another year, which many including myself were horrified to learn had been included in the awful deal Clough did for him, he wouldn't have been on the released list.

I'm happy to leave final judgment on what becomes of him to Wilder, but ultimately the last manager tried to get rid of him due to his unreliability, and one of the first things Wilder did was to put him, Coutts and the Kierons on the list. I'd much rather we gave game time this season to players we want to build the next few years around. That isn't Wallace. I know it, Wilder knows it, and deep down everyone knows it too.

 

[sitwell]

What if he's earning £500,000 a season?

UTB

No one else will take him , so no choice.
Not at you Alco but
Injuries happen cant believe the hate people have for him. Dane Whitehouse got injured do you hate him ? Do you think he deliberately doesn't play the game he loves ,and earns his living from to get injured on purpose ? Really don't understand some peoples brains work sometimes. Good luck to him I hope he is our star player this season , he has every attribute to do it. God help Billy Sharp if he twangs his hamstring against Grimsby.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I hope he is our star player this season , he has every attribute to do it

To be our star player this season, I'm guessing they would have to be involved in two-thirds of our games. He is missing a fairly crucial attribute to do it.

I have no ill will towards Wallace, and I hope he has a successful career. It's not his fault he's had a series of injuries, or that his body is holding his talent back. But we absolutely cannot continue to pin hopes of getting out of this division on players that aren't up to the challenge – be that in Wallace's case through no lack of will on his account. Any challenge for promotion is going to be long, and going to be tough. We need confident and reliable players on the pitch – not players that are battling with their own body even to get on it.

I really wanted Kennedy to succeed, as I thought when fit he was our best central defender. It wasn't to be. He was rightly moved on. I had hoped Cuvelier would prove of use when eventually fit. It wasn't to be, and he was rightly moved on too. We can keep hoping, against all the repeated evidence, that these players will suddenly become the players we want them to be. It is very unlikely to happen I'm afraid.

 

[Blade56]

Didn't Adkins say that most of the problems with Wallace were "all in his head"? or words to that effect?

Yeh, and that coming from a bloke using a flock of feckin geese to get into players heads.

Putting on the transfer list could be genius. It could give him the kick up the arse to get out there and prove summert