Two players

[ncRover]

Signing development players is all well and good but we already have a huge squad and need players to improve us here and now. 

Players at the age of 20 onwards for me need to be good enough to step into a League 2 first team and not look out of place. Obviously they are still learning on the job but, they need to be showing enough ability and physicality that the league demands. Having already played in mens football at 20 in my opinion would be good recruitment. Barely kicking a ball out on loan or looking the part for a few years in the youth team is not what we need.

The amount of 20 year olds that contribute above league average performances consistently in L2 (any division for that matter) is very very minimal. I did some research on it a couple of years ago (that I think I shared with the club!?).

This is the question which keeps coming back to me.
Why don’t the Club ever take your advice?!

I guess it will remain a mystery.

It’s football init. Everyone thinks THEY know best. Remember meeting, then speaking to Younger the recruitment man quote a lot. Some of the players I put up to him in that short period were quality. Not expensive players, low key, under valued lads that data models worth millions had thrown up. Didn’t want to listen really. Had an excuse not to go after any. Joe Sbarra on a free was one. Jake Young was one I passed on to Copps when he left FGR on a free. Best footballer I saw in L2 that season before FGR released him, don’t think our staff had even heard of him. Scored a million already this season. Honestly our recruitment is miles off it.

I tell you what will happen this January. We will sign a centre half on loan that’s not as good as Faulkner, limiting his development, when he should be getting plenty of minutes between now and May. He’s got the potential to be really good as we know. Probably end up on loan at Gainsborough when he should be playing league football.

I've heard a name that we are meant to be signing on loan and he is a young lad centre half, hopefully he is for cover and doesn't push Faulkner further back.

McGrath would be permanent if it’s him, or have you heard something else?

[drfcsteve]

With the size of our squad I hope we’re not signing anyone just for cover. If we’re adding more bodies they need to improve our first 11 I would have thought.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Given the chances of us making the playoffs are low Faulkner and a few others should be given the 2nd half of the season to play regularly. Then next summer we’ve ask few less players to sign if they prove themselves. And if not at least we know for sure.

[Rovers91]

Given the chances of us making the playoffs are low Faulkner and a few others should be given the 2nd half of the season to play regularly. Then next summer we’ve ask few less players to sign if they prove themselves. And if not at least we know for sure.

It's too early to be picking players just to see if they are ready for next season. We need to pick strongest team available, as much as its unlikely we make play offs we put 3 or 4 wins together on spin and then you are on doorstep of play offs with how tight the league is.

[ncRover]

Given the chances of us making the playoffs are low Faulkner and a few others should be given the 2nd half of the season to play regularly. Then next summer we’ve ask few less players to sign if they prove themselves. And if not at least we know for sure.

Sorry sedwards but this is the complete wrong attitude.

You should never pass up on positive momentum. 10 days ago we were worried about relegation, you never know what can happen. The defence against 2 strong attacking teams has been superb this last week.

The team needs to be as competitive as possible in every remaining game. That’s what we’ve got season tickets for. Then take the momentum in to next season.

Faulkner is ahead of Anderson so will get a chance naturally. Olowu normally picks up knocks.

[pib]

The other is the one who has been in the Rumours Mill for weeks but you probably need to subscribe to the Vikings Supporters Club as I have to get that level of access to information. It is another way to support the club and to recognize the value of this forum.

No you don’t it’s been all over X (Twitter) the past week

Not everybody wants to or needs to use Twitter.

I think the point was, you don't need to be a VSC member to know the identity of the player, or even access the rumour mill, rather than "everybody wants or needs to use Twitter".

[sedwardsdrfc]

Given the chances of us making the playoffs are low Faulkner and a few others should be given the 2nd half of the season to play regularly. Then next summer we’ve ask few less players to sign if they prove themselves. And if not at least we know for sure.

Sorry sedwards but this is the complete wrong attitude.

You should never pass up on positive momentum. 10 days ago we were worried about relegation, you never know what can happen. The defence against 2 strong attacking teams has been superb this last week.

The team needs to be as competitive as possible in every remaining game. That’s what we’ve got season tickets for. Then take the momentum in to next season.

Faulkner is ahead of Anderson so will get a chance naturally. Olowu normally picks up knocks.

Agree it shouldn’t be a free pass into the team for anyone. I’m just saying what’s the point in loaning some untried youngsters from bigger clubs or signing someone like Agard when we shouldn’t be in desperation mode like the last couple of seasons. If these players have earnt a professional contract they should be good enough to play. And if they won’t play this season they never will.

Get rid of the youth team if we’re scared of ever playing them.

[ncRover]

Given the chances of us making the playoffs are low Faulkner and a few others should be given the 2nd half of the season to play regularly. Then next summer we’ve ask few less players to sign if they prove themselves. And if not at least we know for sure.

Sorry sedwards but this is the complete wrong attitude.

You should never pass up on positive momentum. 10 days ago we were worried about relegation, you never know what can happen. The defence against 2 strong attacking teams has been superb this last week.

The team needs to be as competitive as possible in every remaining game. That’s what we’ve got season tickets for. Then take the momentum in to next season.

Faulkner is ahead of Anderson so will get a chance naturally. Olowu normally picks up knocks.

Agree it shouldn’t be a free pass into the team for anyone. I’m just saying what’s the point in loaning some untried youngsters from bigger clubs or signing someone like Agard when we shouldn’t be in desperation mode like the last couple of seasons. If these players have earnt a professional contract they should be good enough to play. And if they won’t play this season they never will.

Get rid of the youth team if we’re scared of ever playing them.

Goodman and Kuleya haven’t yet proven themselves on loan at a level even 2 below ours.

Those 2 along with Flint and Sam S-Brown (both look v promising) need good standard loans for the rest of the season.

[Mike_F]

The other is the one who has been in the Rumours Mill for weeks but you probably need to subscribe to the Vikings Supporters Club as I have to get that level of access to information. It is another way to support the club and to recognize the value of this forum.

No you don’t it’s been all over X (Twitter) the past week

Not everybody wants to or needs to use Twitter.

I think the point was, you don't need to be a VSC member to know the identity of the player, or even access the rumour mill, rather than "everybody wants or needs to use Twitter".

You're wasting your breath there. Wigley has form for being obstinate in refusing to look beyond the end of his nose. I gave up a couple of years ago when he said there was no basis to somethign so I posted a direct link to it and he said something along the lines of "I don't click links that other people post so your point is still irrelevant."

McGrath could be in his garden wearing a Rovers shirt and holding up a contract and he'd say "I don't open my curtains on Wednesdays so I choose not to believe your claim."

[Glyn_Wigley]

The other is the one who has been in the Rumours Mill for weeks but you probably need to subscribe to the Vikings Supporters Club as I have to get that level of access to information. It is another way to support the club and to recognize the value of this forum.

No you don’t it’s been all over X (Twitter) the past week

Not everybody wants to or needs to use Twitter.

I think the point was, you don't need to be a VSC member to know the identity of the player, or even access the rumour mill, rather than "everybody wants or needs to use Twitter".

You're wasting your breath there. Wigley has form for being obstinate in refusing to look beyond the end of his nose. I gave up a couple of years ago when he said there was no basis to somethign so I posted a direct link to it and he said something along the lines of "I don't click links that other people post so your point is still irrelevant."

McGrath could be in his garden wearing a Rovers shirt and holding up a contract and he'd say "I don't open my curtains on Wednesdays so I choose not to believe your claim."

You really ought to check your own posts before libelling someone. I have never said anything like that at all. In fact I even commented about looking at your link and not finding what you said that it said.

The only person I've seen on here who says they don't read other peoples' links is drfchound.

[drfchound]

The other is the one who has been in the Rumours Mill for weeks but you probably need to subscribe to the Vikings Supporters Club as I have to get that level of access to information. It is another way to support the club and to recognize the value of this forum.

No you don’t it’s been all over X (Twitter) the past week

Not everybody wants to or needs to use Twitter.

I think the point was, you don't need to be a VSC member to know the identity of the player, or even access the rumour mill, rather than "everybody wants or needs to use Twitter".

You're wasting your breath there. Wigley has form for being obstinate in refusing to look beyond the end of his nose. I gave up a couple of years ago when he said there was no basis to somethign so I posted a direct link to it and he said something along the lines of "I don't click links that other people post so your point is still irrelevant."

McGrath could be in his garden wearing a Rovers shirt and holding up a contract and he'd say "I don't open my curtains on Wednesdays so I choose not to believe your claim."

You really ought to check your own posts before libelling someone. I have never said anything like that at all. In fact I even commented about looking at your link and not finding what you said that it said.

The only person I've seen on here who says they don't read other peoples' links is drfchound.

And now you are telling porkies.
I have never said I don’t ever read other peoples links.
I have said that I sometimes don’t read other peoples links.
It depends on who has put the link on.

[Glyn_Wigley]

The other is the one who has been in the Rumours Mill for weeks but you probably need to subscribe to the Vikings Supporters Club as I have to get that level of access to information. It is another way to support the club and to recognize the value of this forum.

No you don’t it’s been all over X (Twitter) the past week

Not everybody wants to or needs to use Twitter.

I think the point was, you don't need to be a VSC member to know the identity of the player, or even access the rumour mill, rather than "everybody wants or needs to use Twitter".

You're wasting your breath there. Wigley has form for being obstinate in refusing to look beyond the end of his nose. I gave up a couple of years ago when he said there was no basis to somethign so I posted a direct link to it and he said something along the lines of "I don't click links that other people post so your point is still irrelevant."

McGrath could be in his garden wearing a Rovers shirt and holding up a contract and he'd say "I don't open my curtains on Wednesdays so I choose not to believe your claim."

You really ought to check your own posts before libelling someone. I have never said anything like that at all. In fact I even commented about looking at your link and not finding what you said that it said.

The only person I've seen on here who says they don't read other peoples' links is drfchound.

And now you are telling porkies.
I have never said I don’t ever read other peoples links.
I have said that I sometimes don’t read other peoples links.
It depends on who has put the link on.

Granted it's not everybody's links but it still boils down to not reading links.

[DearneValleyRover]

If you want to keep on arguing do it in private and leave the thread to the original topic please

[RoversInSpain]

Can’t beat a few handbags, playground stuff, though we’re used to it with Anderson and Olowu that’s schoolboy too.

…..by the way we’ve just signed someone.

[Alan Southstand]

Signed more than 1, if you see Dickos’s post on Rumours.

[Pancho Regan]

Signing development players is all well and good but we already have a huge squad and need players to improve us here and now. 

Players at the age of 20 onwards for me need to be good enough to step into a League 2 first team and not look out of place. Obviously they are still learning on the job but, they need to be showing enough ability and physicality that the league demands. Having already played in mens football at 20 in my opinion would be good recruitment. Barely kicking a ball out on loan or looking the part for a few years in the youth team is not what we need.

The amount of 20 year olds that contribute above league average performances consistently in L2 (any division for that matter) is very very minimal. I did some research on it a couple of years ago (that I think I shared with the club!?).

This is the question which keeps coming back to me.
Why don’t the Club ever take your advice?!

I guess it will remain a mystery.

It’s football init. Everyone thinks THEY know best. Remember meeting, then speaking to Younger the recruitment man quote a lot. Some of the players I put up to him in that short period were quality. Not expensive players, low key, under valued lads that data models worth millions had thrown up. Didn’t want to listen really. Had an excuse not to go after any. Joe Sbarra on a free was one. Jake Young was one I passed on to Copps when he left FGR on a free. Best footballer I saw in L2 that season before FGR released him, don’t think our staff had even heard of him. Scored a million already this season. Honestly our recruitment is miles off it.

I tell you what will happen this January. We will sign a centre half on loan that’s not as good as Faulkner, limiting his development, when he should be getting plenty of minutes between now and May. He’s got the potential to be really good as we know. Probably end up on loan at Gainsborough when he should be playing league football.

No, not EVERYBODY thinks they know best.

Just you.

I’m afraid I trust the recruitment team at the club more than I do you.
Sorry if that bursts your balloon, although I know it won’t put the slightest dent in your inflated ego.

[ncRover]

Gaz said at the start of last season we should have signed Carl Piergianni and Keillor-Dunn from releagated Oldham.

Keillor Dunn is one of the best players in the league now.

Piergianni went to Stevenage, was key in getting them promoted and now up to the league one play off positions.

I don’t think he’s right about everything and some things aren’t represented in data (such as Ironside’s nuisance factor) but those 2 Oldham boys and the Jake Young shout were very very good.

[GazLaz]

Signing development players is all well and good but we already have a huge squad and need players to improve us here and now. 

Players at the age of 20 onwards for me need to be good enough to step into a League 2 first team and not look out of place. Obviously they are still learning on the job but, they need to be showing enough ability and physicality that the league demands. Having already played in mens football at 20 in my opinion would be good recruitment. Barely kicking a ball out on loan or looking the part for a few years in the youth team is not what we need.

The amount of 20 year olds that contribute above league average performances consistently in L2 (any division for that matter) is very very minimal. I did some research on it a couple of years ago (that I think I shared with the club!?).

This is the question which keeps coming back to me.
Why don’t the Club ever take your advice?!

I guess it will remain a mystery.

It’s football init. Everyone thinks THEY know best. Remember meeting, then speaking to Younger the recruitment man quote a lot. Some of the players I put up to him in that short period were quality. Not expensive players, low key, under valued lads that data models worth millions had thrown up. Didn’t want to listen really. Had an excuse not to go after any. Joe Sbarra on a free was one. Jake Young was one I passed on to Copps when he left FGR on a free. Best footballer I saw in L2 that season before FGR released him, don’t think our staff had even heard of him. Scored a million already this season. Honestly our recruitment is miles off it.

I tell you what will happen this January. We will sign a centre half on loan that’s not as good as Faulkner, limiting his development, when he should be getting plenty of minutes between now and May. He’s got the potential to be really good as we know. Probably end up on loan at Gainsborough when he should be playing league football.

No, not EVERYBODY thinks they know best.

Just you.

I’m afraid I trust the recruitment team at the club more than I do you.
Sorry if that bursts your balloon, although I know it won’t put the slightest dent in your inflated ego.

Yep, the recruitment team at the club have been great in the last few years haven’t they.

[Draytonian III]

We might have been in for other players in the past, but we are supporters not officials of Doncaster Rovers so we’ll never officially know who has been approached and if they have turned us down. Remember football is a job for those lucky enough to have the ability to get paid for it, and like 98% of the population people will change jobs for more money.

[NickDRFC]

I don’t know why some people get so antsy about Gaz’s input. He clearly spends a lot of his time (job?) looking at data and models and has some interesting insights. I also don’t see what’s wrong with being confident in his convictions - if everyone sat on the fence all the time this would be a pretty boring place, plus it gives some people a chance to get excited and delight in the times when he is wrong.

[Colin C No.3]

I don’t know why some people get so antsy about Gaz’s input. He clearly spends a lot of his time (job?) looking at data and models and has some interesting insights. I also don’t see what’s wrong with being confident in his convictions - if everyone sat on the fence all the time this would be a pretty boring place, plus it gives some people a chance to get excited and delight in the times when he is wrong.

Tell me about his interesting insights.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Of course you don't see...

1. If we did actually consider them.
2. If they turned us down.
3. If they're affordable with the budget to us compared to others.

It's not really that simple is it?  There's lots of players we could suggest/recommend, it's not as simple as data says they're decent so we should go for them is it?

[steve@dcfd]

Totally agree with BFYP above. There will be players who we like we are interested in but their decision could be they go elsewhere. Both the players from Oldham went to clubs at that time who could and would have been paying more in wages.
But we can’t keep saying we are aiming to get out of this league yet sign players who are still developing because these are the players we can afford.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Signing development players is all well and good but we already have a huge squad and need players to improve us here and now. 

Players at the age of 20 onwards for me need to be good enough to step into a League 2 first team and not look out of place. Obviously they are still learning on the job but, they need to be showing enough ability and physicality that the league demands. Having already played in mens football at 20 in my opinion would be good recruitment. Barely kicking a ball out on loan or looking the part for a few years in the youth team is not what we need.

The amount of 20 year olds that contribute above league average performances consistently in L2 (any division for that matter) is very very minimal. I did some research on it a couple of years ago (that I think I shared with the club!?).

This is the question which keeps coming back to me.
Why don’t the Club ever take your advice?!

I guess it will remain a mystery.

It’s football init. Everyone thinks THEY know best. Remember meeting, then speaking to Younger the recruitment man quote a lot. Some of the players I put up to him in that short period were quality. Not expensive players, low key, under valued lads that data models worth millions had thrown up. Didn’t want to listen really. Had an excuse not to go after any. Joe Sbarra on a free was one. Jake Young was one I passed on to Copps when he left FGR on a free. Best footballer I saw in L2 that season before FGR released him, don’t think our staff had even heard of him. Scored a million already this season. Honestly our recruitment is miles off it.

I tell you what will happen this January. We will sign a centre half on loan that’s not as good as Faulkner, limiting his development, when he should be getting plenty of minutes between now and May. He’s got the potential to be really good as we know. Probably end up on loan at Gainsborough when he should be playing league football.

No, not EVERYBODY thinks they know best.

Just you.

I’m afraid I trust the recruitment team at the club more than I do you.
Sorry if that bursts your balloon, although I know it won’t put the slightest dent in your inflated ego.

Yep, the recruitment team at the club have been great in the last few years haven’t they.

Not worth it Gaz. There are folk who have an iron clad dislike of any opinions based on evidence rather than hope, faith and gut instinct.

Like NC says, your predictions are right (and sometimes VERY right) much more often than they are wrong. But you're always going to rub folk up the wrong way with them, and they will pile on when you inevitably get one wrong.

Not much point in engaging really.

[Alickismyhero]

Of course you don't see...

1. If we did actually consider them.
2. If they turned us down.
3. If they're affordable with the budget to us compared to others.

It's not really that simple is it?  There's lots of players we could suggest/recommend, it's not as simple as data says they're decent so we should go for them is it?

Perfectly right BFYP.

To quote an example:
I think it was Filo who said" We never looked at Vardy before his move from Halifax" At the time I had good contacts at the club and was able to find out that our manager and GK coach Butler had in fact been to watch Vardy at an evening game. The reason we never signed him was Halifax wanted £400K and we never had 400pence to spend.

[Filo]

Of course you don't see...

1. If we did actually consider them.
2. If they turned us down.
3. If they're affordable with the budget to us compared to others.

It's not really that simple is it?  There's lots of players we could suggest/recommend, it's not as simple as data says they're decent so we should go for them is it?

Perfectly right BFYP.

To quote an example:
I think it was Filo who said" We never looked at Vardy before his move from Halifax" At the time I had good contacts at the club and was able to find out that our manager and GK coach Butler had in fact been to watch Vardy at an evening game. The reason we never signed him was Halifax wanted £400K and we never had 400pence to spend.

Not me

[KingKendrick]

Can’t underestimate how important location is also for signing some players. Most players at this level will be on sub 100k a year with families and not want to upsticks to the other end of the country when they could earn a similar wage close by.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Of course you don't see...

1. If we did actually consider them.
2. If they turned us down.
3. If they're affordable with the budget to us compared to others.

It's not really that simple is it?  There's lots of players we could suggest/recommend, it's not as simple as data says they're decent so we should go for them is it?

Perfectly right BFYP.

To quote an example:
I think it was Filo who said" We never looked at Vardy before his move from Halifax" At the time I had good contacts at the club and was able to find out that our manager and GK coach Butler had in fact been to watch Vardy at an evening game. The reason we never signed him was Halifax wanted £400K and we never had 400pence to spend.

I would agree too. There are so many variables in what goes on behind closed doors and for any of us to assume X,Y or Z player hasn't been on our radar is unfair and to a degree irrelevant.

We can all voice our opinions about the merit of our recruitment policies over the years (and let's face it, there's been plenty of different personnel involved) but, as McCann will say, he takes overall responsibility for the recruiting and how he wishes to use the funds available to him)

It would be churlish to suggest our recruitment is poor, as we have seen some good players brought in, so they must be getting some things right sometimes. Yes, there maybe limiting factors, and some may not always be under the clubs control.

It's always good to hear assessments of players who maybe being linked to the club, as probs like the majority of fans, my knowledge of players out there is minimal. We just have to trust those employed by the club have more understanding and knowledge than we do.

There's no harm in asking questions about our current recruitment policy at the meet the owners if we feel strongly enough about it.

[MachoMadness]

I don't think it's about saying we'll get every single signing right, or landing every single target. The point is there are plenty of relatively low risk players out there who are available on our budget who fit the profile of what we need.

By all accounts this is how we operated when Adam Henshall was here. And look at the quality of our teams and the quality of players we brought in before and after he left.

It's a numbers game. If a player turns you down, which you can't always account for, there are alternatives who fit the same profile out there, we just consistently manage to avoid those players.

[normal rules]

I’d expected the second signing to have been announced by now