McGrath

[normal rules]

Welcome Jay. Good luck lad.

[GazLaz]

6’odd, left footed centre half. Had a season in one of the most scouted and watched leagues by EFL clubs. If he’s remotely half decent he would have had plenty of offers.

[dickos1]

6’odd, left footed centre half. Had a season in one of the most scouted and watched leagues by EFL clubs. If he’s remotely half decent he would have had plenty of offers.

He may have done

[Pancho Regan]

6’odd, left footed centre half. Had a season in one of the most scouted and watched leagues by EFL clubs. If he’s remotely half decent he would have had plenty of offers.

Just to help me understand, do you mean Rovers must have done exceptionally well in beating off lots of other clubs to sign this lad, or do you mean he probably isn’t even remotely half decent?

Genuine question.

[Avsuptem]

6.3 brick shithouse young but mature left footer, likened to a Kieron Sadlier quality of signing who loves to get stuck in and is, according to our GMC,  good enough to slot straight into the team sounds like a fantastic signing to me. Just what we need.

[Donny Dub]

Yes,  St Patrick’s supporters tell me that both of these young players we have signed give 100% every time they play.   They’re both great competitors (their fans said ‘fighters’

[wilts rover]

6’odd, left footed centre half. Had a season in one of the most scouted and watched leagues by EFL clubs. If he’s remotely half decent he would have had plenty of offers.

Rovers shouldn't sign any players who want to play for Rovers.

[Plumbster]

Must admit Gaz’s logic is compelling on this so slightly worried but we have to trust  GM if he thinks there is scope for improvement

[Bentley Bullet]

6’odd, left footed centre half. Had a season in one of the most scouted and watched leagues by EFL clubs. If he’s remotely half decent he would have had plenty of offers.

Rovers shouldn't sign any players who want to play for Rovers.

"I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member."

Groucho Marx

[Colin C No.3]

Must admit Gaz’s logic is compelling on this so slightly worried but we have to trust  GM if he thinks there is scope for improvement

What bl**dy logic!

The manager has given him a two & a half year contract & has stated that he believes McGrath is ready for first team football NOW.

But hey, the oracle has stuck his negative boot in YET AGAIN on a player HE’S never seen kick a ball so clearly GM has wasted the boards money hasn’t he.

Jeez.

[pib]

Maybe we (as fans) could do this the old-fashioned way and just wait to see whether he's any good or not?

[Bollinger]

Must admit Gaz’s logic is compelling on this so slightly worried but we have to trust  GM if he thinks there is scope for improvement

What? Really?

Last time I looked, Grant McC had played over 500 games as a professional footballer, had over 30 international caps, has had eight years as a manager and all the requisite coaching qualifications.

I’d trust his judgement 100% over and above some self-appointed bar room bigmouth who happens to watch a lot of football on TV.

[ncRover]

6’odd, left footed centre half. Had a season in one of the most scouted and watched leagues by EFL clubs. If he’s remotely half decent he would have had plenty of offers.

I don’t understand this comment.

Are you expecting us to fight off top 10 League One clubs to get the most desirable players?

Besides, if you watch McCann’s interview he said he did have other offers.

[RoversInSpain]

So…. Big question…does Jay start v Harrogate?, if so what’s the formation around him?

[GazLaz]

Does he se McGrath and Bailey as the first choice pair then? That means Bobby is well down the pecking order. Do we need 6 centre halves!?

[Colin C No.3]

Does he se McGrath and Bailey as the first choice pair then? That means Bobby is well down the pecking order. Do we need 6 centre halves!?

If you’re including Long & Anderson in those 6 centre halves you’re deluded. I very much doubt either will wear a Rovers shirt again.

Plus, Owen Bailey is not ‘a natural’ centre half just a bl**dy good footballer who can adapt his game. If he’s in your 6 then it suddenly becomes 3.

[Jonathan]

Does he se McGrath and Bailey as the first choice pair then? That means Bobby is well down the pecking order. Do we need 6 centre halves!?

I don’t think we do need that many. Certainly seems McGrath has come in to compete for a starting place, though I don’t see him starting immediately. Of the rest:

Bailey - Has to start and we as a team have been more effective when he plays at the back rather than in midfield. Form says he has to be counted as a centre half and our first choice at that, so to me that only leaves one other place up for grabs.

Olowu - Very inconsistent but plenty of potential. Rumoured to have attracted interest from Wigan but patchy form probably means this isn’t the optimum time to cash in. I’d rather he stayed to develop here, but would understand if we let him go.

Anderson - I don’t think he’s quite the write off that others do, but the days of him being an automatic pick are probably gone. If we decided to offload I’m not sure where to as he’s under a decent term contract, so does that mean he stays?

Senior - The arrival of McGrath surely makes him a left back now and only emergency cover at centre half.

Wood - I really wanted this to work but thus far it clearly hasn’t. At his best he’d be a great influence on our younger players, but we haven’t seen that. Out of contract at the end of the season and I’d envisage he stays until then. Probably on decent wages.

Faulkner - I want to see him in and around the team rather than shipped out on loan. Has to be one we keep rather than try to sell.

Long - The most likely to be made available for transfer, but given his very limited game time are there likely to be takers?

So as it stands we’re stuck (for want of a better word) with more centre halves than we require. I could understand if we tried to move one or more on, and of those we have the one I’d be most keen to keep is Faulkner due to his potential. Obviously that’s on the assumption that we wouldn’t even entertain selling Bailey who is the best player at the club. Elsewhere there has to be some room for experience in the squad so surely at least one of Anderson and Wood stays.

The rumour mill has us linked with another young left sided centre half on loan. I don’t think we need this at all. 

[DMnumber4]

Does he se McGrath and Bailey as the first choice pair then? That means Bobby is well down the pecking order. Do we need 6 centre halves!?

If you’re including Long & Anderson in those 6 centre halves you’re deluded. I very much doubt either will wear a Rovers shirt again.

Plus, Owen Bailey is not ‘a natural’ centre half just a bl**dy good footballer who can adapt his game. If he’s in your 6 then it suddenly becomes 3.

Think what Gaz meant is do we need to be paying wages to 6 centre halves?

Also, do you honestly believe that Tom Anderson will never play for the club again despite having 18 months left on his contract?

[pib]

Agree with all that Jonathan.

Stick with Bailey and Olowu for now as it seems to be working. Long and Wood will be off in the close season I'm sure.

The question marks are Anderson and Faulkner really - Anderson clearly isn't the player he was and can't be relied on to play every game, and would perhaps be let go in the summer if we hadn't extended his contract to 2025 last season.

Faulkner is now probably competing for the same position as McGrath, so not really sure where that leaves him. I don't think he's ready to be first name on the team sheet every game and made captain as some seem to think, but it seems he'll develop into a decent player if he plays enough games. Do we crowbar him in at someone else's expense? Or do we find him a loan? If it's the latter, it needs to be a good enough level to be worthwhile, but he needs to be playing every week as well. Not straight-forward I wouldn't have thought.

[Jonathan]

Agree with all that Jonathan.

Stick with Bailey and Olowu for now as it seems to be working. Long and Wood will be off in the close season I'm sure.

The question marks are Anderson and Faulkner really - Anderson clearly isn't the player he was and can't be relied on to play every game, and would perhaps be let go in the summer if we hadn't extended his contract to 2025 last season.

Faulkner is now probably competing for the same position as McGrath, so not really sure where that leaves him. I don't think he's ready to be first name on the team sheet every game and made captain as some seem to think, but it seems he'll develop into a decent player if he plays enough games. Do we crowbar him in at someone else's expense? Or do we find him a loan? If it's the latter, it needs to be a good enough level to be worthwhile, but he needs to be playing every week as well. Not straight-forward I wouldn't have thought.

Only thing I’d question is whether Faulkner is competing with McGrath. I’d have had Faulkner down as challenging for the right sided centre back spot. In any case my personal preference would be that he stays and competes in the first team squad now he’s fit. He’s one that we’ve brought the youth system with genuine potential, and it’s time we felt the benefit of that. He can be a very good player at this level I’m sure.

[Barmby Rover]

Maybe he and Faulkner are being planned to be the way forward for the future.

[DearneValleyRover]

I can see McGrath starting with Bailey

[Shawn_drfc]

With mcGrath coming in, will we revert to a 3 back?

Sure McCann said went to a 2 due to not having the bodies.

[DearneValleyRover]

I hope not with the players we have four at the back suits us better

[Silkscarf]

Now we’re playing 4 at the back we need 2 in the team and 2 back ups that are specialist centre backs and just as good. At the moment it’s Bailey and Olowu plus 2 others depending on who is available. We’ll review this in summer I guess depending on who stays.

For me Bailey is an excellent centre back. That’s his position and hopefully he’ll captain the club for a few years as we climb the leagues. He’s a backup midfielder, though I wouldn’t be surprised if he eventually turned out to be great there too. So far he’s been exactly what we needed in central defence so there he stays.

Olowu seemed good to begin with but has had some extremely poor games making horrendous howlers. But he now seems good again.

That leaves 2 spaces. Faulkner stays here and gets games. Plus one other. Presumably that’s McGrath.

Anderson could be paid off, that’s an option depending on cost. Even if he’s fit we can’t rely on him any more. I’m not sure he’s ever properly fit and that’s the main reason his form nosedives and it makes the rest of the defence nervous.

Wood is not the answer next season, injuries will always be a problem now. Better getting a younger CB. We’ve now got one.

Long I feel a bit sorry for as I’ve barely seen him play.

The full backs can fill in when needed. Spend all other funds elsewhere.

[acacia94]

John McGrath and a young Jay lived for a bit just behind my elderly Auntie Rona in Warmsworth. They were very nice and helped out my auntie quite a bit so hoping Jay has developed a right nasty streak in his youth and gives us some mettle at the back.

[turnbull for england]

John McGrath and a young Jay lived for a bit just behind my elderly Auntie Rona in Warmsworth. They were very nice and helped out my auntie quite a bit so hoping Jay has developed a right nasty streak in his youth and gives us some mettle at the back.

Would you have preferred him to push your Auntie over at corners?

[acacia94]

Ha! No think he carried her shopping in quite a few times as did John. Very nice people.
Think John played for Daggers in the Conf final against us but as already posted very unlucky we then bought a dazzling left footed Scot.
Good luck Jay and hope he can bring something great for us at the back.

[Sprotyrover]

I hope he gets more of a chance here than his Dad did! Mcgrath Senior was signed shortly before Michael McIndoe arrived, scuppering his chances as first-choice left-winger.

I recall that Dad was totally left footed, he would not even touch the Ball with his right foot, quickly got found out!

Mcindoe was about as one-footed as Heather Mills so I doubt they had anything against mono-footed players per se.

If my mate coached him at Sprotyrover Crusaders he would have consistently made him play out on his weak side to make him use both his feet!

[Bailey Vickerage]

Think it’s likely that he will come in and probs play along side Olowu and have Bailey just infront as the number 6.

Faulkner as the backup option atm.