Crawford

[selby]

   Only if we ask for one RJ, but at least we would have the option, and lesser players have gone for decent money, well decent to us.

[RedJ]

   Only if we ask for one RJ, but at least we would have the option, and lesser players have gone for decent money, well decent to us.

We will get a fee decided by tribunal.

[selby]

  Therefore the sensible thing to do is offer a contract RedJ, and thanks for the information which I didn't know.

[RedJ]

Aye, if he's under 24, and you offer him the same or better terms and he turns it down, you'll get a fee for what a tribunal decides you 'deserve' for his development, if the two clubs don't agree on a fee of course. I think that's why Forrester and I think Bennett's transfers were held up, waiting on the clubs to agree something. Think Forrester did go to tribunal in the end.

[Chris Black come back]

Although you run risk of offering a good contract to someone that you do not want, only as a means to secure a transfer fee. If he does not then leave, you are tied to a massive white elephant (which arguably would move faster than the actual player). Risky!

[selby]

  Not as many elephants have run past the player you are talking about in the last month as the Cheetahs you no doubt are thinking about Chris.

[DonnyOsmond]

I have got to back up Selby ( Brian ) on what he has said.
Yes i think Blair has had some good games this season, no doubt about it.
The problem is and the point being made is all our midfielders are attacking offensive players better with the ball going forward than they are without the ball defending. Blair is the stand out player in that summery. He gives the ball away in defensive areas far too much as do some of the others also. I am not picking on him but without doubt he would be better in a 4 in midfield out wide than in a 3 playing narrower.
I know some of you are going to disagree but we are crying out for a Luke McCullough type player at the moment.
Not saying he should start every game, far from it but he would be such an asset for us in our squad.
Unless we tighten up in midfield we are in trouble.
This has been proved because it is impossible to score 2/3 goals every match. Nobody does do they?
Promotion teams keep clean sheets. Fact not fiction.

Forget about McCullough, he's at Tranmere for the whole season. In January, we need recruitment, and in more than one area.

Till Jan 2nd for McCullough.

[scawsby steve]

I have got to back up Selby ( Brian ) on what he has said.
Yes i think Blair has had some good games this season, no doubt about it.
The problem is and the point being made is all our midfielders are attacking offensive players better with the ball going forward than they are without the ball defending. Blair is the stand out player in that summery. He gives the ball away in defensive areas far too much as do some of the others also. I am not picking on him but without doubt he would be better in a 4 in midfield out wide than in a 3 playing narrower.
I know some of you are going to disagree but we are crying out for a Luke McCullough type player at the moment.
Not saying he should start every game, far from it but he would be such an asset for us in our squad.
Unless we tighten up in midfield we are in trouble.
This has been proved because it is impossible to score 2/3 goals every match. Nobody does do they?
Promotion teams keep clean sheets. Fact not fiction.

Forget about McCullough, he's at Tranmere for the whole season. In January, we need recruitment, and in more than one area.

Till Jan 2nd for McCullough.

Thanks for that Donny; I didn't know that. If he's improved vastly since he last played for us, I'm all for giving him another chance.

In the end, it will be down to what GM thinks.

[selby]

  When it comes to McCullough, can I just say that he was a full Northern Ireland international player when very young, in his last 20 appearances for us as a defencive midfielder although over a long period because of injuries, if we check back he has been considered the MOM. in quite a few, the team played better with him in it,  and posters on here praised his  ability in a position they thought he was best suited to( something I myself agree with).
   Our last manager rated him very highly, but now suddenly he is playing very well on loan at another club, week in week out, seems to be over his injuries playing every week, and their fans on their forums are keen to sign him permanently, but posters on here have stated he is like an elephant and the turning circle of a ship.
  Meanwhile we have been quoted of being after a young centre half from Southern Ireland at for us considerable cost. Our stated policy of one in one out at the start of the season meant we are stuck with Taylor while losing McCullough ( which has been a roaring success) and as Alan Southstand and myself pointed out at the start of the season lacking back up in the case of injuries in central defensive positions, which has come to bite us, and could easily with injury and suspension get far worse before it gets better, and Tranmere carry on with their march up the table with McCullough literally at the centre of it, whether he can turn, get about the field, or has any positional sense,and gets above average marks every week in the FL Paper every week.

[drfchound]

As much as I like McCullough it shouldn’t be overlooked that he is playing in L2 and as such will find it easier to shine than he would in L1.

[selby]

  Hound, we currently have players here who are finding it hard to cope with the Sheffield United development side, Newcastle U21's, and a Mansfield team with eight first team players in, that only play in league 2 as you put it, put five past them, some even made the excuse it didn't matter because they fielded first team players ( although only from league 2), but turn it on it's head for Mandeville and McCullough.

[steve@dcfd]

  Hound, we currently have players here who are finding it hard to cope with the Sheffield United development side, Newcastle U21's, and a Mansfield team with eight first team players in, that only play in league 2 as you put it, put five past them, some even made the excuse it didn't matter because they fielded first team players ( although only from league 2), but turn it on it's head for Mandeville and McCullough.

Selby I agree with you about the level of our fringe players. But GM decided that Mandeville and McCullough could go on loan. He will be the one to decide what comes next.

But for me we want, need better players that are on the fringe and out on loan. Whether that will happen I don’t know,whether we can afford better players I don’t know. We’ll have to wait what the manager decides, we’ve all got different opinions but that doesn’t really matter, the decision is his to make.

[scawsby steve]

  Hound, we currently have players here who are finding it hard to cope with the Sheffield United development side, Newcastle U21's, and a Mansfield team with eight first team players in, that only play in league 2 as you put it, put five past them, some even made the excuse it didn't matter because they fielded first team players ( although only from league 2), but turn it on it's head for Mandeville and McCullough.

Brian, do you trust GM?; if so, just wait until January and see what happens. We all know we desperately need additions to the squad, and I'm sure it will happen one way or another.

[selby]

  Steve, yes I do, I have no issues with the manager, This season has been great mostly, and last weeks game at Charlton is the first time the league side has played poorly for me.
    Nothing that has happened or is happening is a shock to me, the players who are not hitting any heights are exactly the ones I do not think are good enough, but Grant must be given time to put his own stamp on it.
  Apart from Taylor, all the summer signings and loan players are better than what we had, and tactics employed by Grant makes for better football games to watch, but I will not change my mind that the two players out on loan would be better than some of the players on the fringes of the first team squad, and we are the poorer for it. My opinion only of course, others will disagree and have a right to do so. Kane has been worth the ticket price to watch alone., he can go right to the top. If I had a moan, it is with his ability, he should be showing more in the oppositions box.

[RoversAlias]

Do you think it is more worthwhile for Mandeville, and McCullough, to be playing regularly in the division below rather than sitting on our bench and playing the odd cameo? I'd say it's preferable to being in the shoes of, say, Beestin or Ben Khemis right now.

[Alan Southstand]

I think there is quite a large percentage of the 17 ooc players who probably are realising that their game is up and this may well be contributing to our loss of form.

[vaya]

I think there is quite a large percentage of the 17 ooc players who probably are realising that their game is up and this may well be contributing to our loss of form.

Although there's zero evidence for that.

[Alan Southstand]

And yet, Vaya, it doesn't stop me having an opinion. Shame you feel the need to constantly refer to 'evidence' (when none is required to voice an opinion) in what I can only imagine is a poor attempt at squashing anyone's opinion.

Try voicing an opinion of your own and then that may lead to a more enlightened discussion.

[selby]

  No RA, my loyalty is to Doncaster Rovers not individuel players, my  attitude is that players like you mentioned are the ones that should be out on loan. If anyone wanted them that is, Mandeville and McCullough if they were here would at least have the ability to push whoever were in their respective positions if they were here plying their trade, and not be quite the disappointment our fringe players have been this season if they came on in a game, apart from Anderson and Crawford hardly anybody has come off the bench this season and made a difference.
  At Morcambe and Tranmere  they are no use to us at all, a passing interest in how they are playing at another club that's all. but not available to us.

[vaya]

And yet, Vaya, it doesn't stop me having an opinion. Shame you feel the need to constantly refer to 'evidence' (when none is required to voice an opinion) in what I can only imagine is a poor attempt at squashing anyone's opinion.

Try voicing an opinion of your own and then that may lead to a more enlightened discussion.

I don't recall saying you couldn't have an opinion Alan, there's just nothing to say what you've expressed is actually the case, considering none of us has any insight into renewal discussions, when they started, who are currently involved, what stage things are at, what agreements may or may not have been reached, what each player's thoughts and reactions are to what may or may not be taking place and how this in turn relates to performances on the pitch.

Again, you're more than entitled to your opinion though.

[drfchound]

If Mandeville and McCullough are as great as some posters think they are then McCann must have other reasons for not having them in his plans.
None of us know what those reasons are.
I am guessing that McCann is a better judge than supporters are of which players he thinks are better for our team.

On the L2 thing.
Posters have said how well Mandeville did for us when he was in the team, it appears to have gone unmentioned that his best season for us was when we were in L2.
He is apparently doing ok in L2 this season.

[selby]

   Hound , in the last six games he played for us, admitted some in the cheka trade trophy he scored four goals, and when he had his last run out for us against Rochdale in the cup last season, he was our only threat as a substitute, and was brought down in the box going past three players, no penalty was given and the next week he was gone. That was in January, and we hardly scored a goal to the end of the season

[drfchound]

Come on mate, you and I know that the Checkatrade Cup isn’t a recognised first team fixture so that probably explains why his official stats for last season are 17 appearances and just the one goal.
I do admire your undying devotion to him though.

[RedJ]

   Hound , in the last six games he played for us, admitted some in the cheka trade trophy he scored four goals, and when he had his last run out for us against Rochdale in the cup last season, he was our only threat as a substitute, and was brought down in the box going past three players, no penalty was given and the next week he was gone. That was in January, and we hardly scored a goal to the end of the season

I don't think that was entirely down to his absence.

[selby]

I did have a smile when everyone were rejoicing the two goals by Alfie against Grimsby, yes I did join in, but I didn't count them.

[drfchound]

I did have a smile when everyone were rejoicing the two goals by Alfie against Grimsby, yes I did join in, but I didn't count them.

But you have counted Mandevilles’ Checkatrade goals.

His last goal for us by the way was on 3rd December.

[RedJ]

Dunno why he always has to bring up Alfie May whenever Mandeville comes up as if there's a zero sum game between them both.

Weird how he always seems to want May to do badly to prove some weird point.

[selby]

  I thought it was in the cup against Scunthorpe could be wrong. 

[RoversAlias]

  No RA, my loyalty is to Doncaster Rovers not individuel players, my  attitude is that players like you mentioned are the ones that should be out on loan. If anyone wanted them that is, Mandeville and McCullough if they were here would at least have the ability to push whoever were in their respective positions if they were here plying their trade, and not be quite the disappointment our fringe players have been this season if they came on in a game, apart from Anderson and Crawford hardly anybody has come off the bench this season and made a difference.
  At Morcambe and Tranmere  they are no use to us at all, a passing interest in how they are playing at another club that's all. but not available to us.

That's fair Selby, I was intrigued to see your stance on it. For me, I'm happy that the two LMs are thriving seemingly out on loan, it will benefit their careers. Honestly I think McCann is right that McCullough wouldn't do well in our new system, and Mandeville didn't really perform last season for us at this level unfortunately.

[selby]

  RedJ, so you can have a go at me, as it does not bother me one jot, and while you are having a go at me, you are leaving others alone who might be bothered.