He's been out for a year and he still has mates at the club (staff wise), I think we're doing him a favour.
Bit of a no brainer to have Tom training with us, it would give us a good option too. He can control a game better than pretty much anybody else at this level. He's deffo not a Slater replacement though as Regan is all about energy and tenacity. Tom won't have the legs but he's clearly got other qualities and he's a really good lad. Tom would absolutely piss L1 if he ever dropped down, they wouldn't get near him no matter how old he was.
No, no, no. Good lad and all that and experienced, but as a coach not a player. The way McCann sets his teams up doesn't cater for a slow defensive mid-fielder with the occasional killer pass and the risk of a pen when he gets turned.
I do agree with you but everyone whinges that McCann doesn't have a Plan B and the arrival of Hudd would give him options. I wouldn't expect him to be a regular starter but as a squad player, he offers something different. We have a midfield full of energy right now so having somebody who's a little different isn't the worst idea in the world and on low wages too. It's also an extremely inexperienced & young squad. Championship experience doesn't really worry me but football experience does.
We've got Smallwood who seems to be that different player but McCann never seemed to get the best out of him, or he never seemed to fit in McCann's plans.
Eh? He's club captain and if he's got 60 mins in his legs, he starts. Thats how McCann played him. That.... and get the ball back and play it simple.
What? Smallwood is full of energy and tenacity, he's just slow and pretty limited on the ball. He doesn't get enough praise but he was influential in changing the mentality from a losing to a winning one. His biggest issue last season was that Slater and Jones really improved throughout the season, and coupled with his bad injury, they both proved to be better options. But he fit Grant's system and ethos like a glove, I think we just went beyond him as a player. In hindsight, if we were able to get Regan back at the start of the window, I'm pretty sure we'd have let Smallwood move to Ipswich. The rumours from their end are pretty persistent and they're clearly after him. I'm a big Richie fan but I do think that before the end of August somebody will be brought in to be the starter in that defensive midfield role, and I don't consider Huddlestone in that either.
The big softie in me would like to see Thudd in a City shirt one more time. Mansfield/Scunny perhaps?
There's certainly a chance, depends on how long he's been training with us for. We're pretty light in there, assuming we play two different 11s, there's Honeyman, Doc, Richie, & Cannon for 6 spots (assuming Moncur plays on the left, although he'll probably have to play more centrally due to lack of options). Wouldn't surprise me at all to see a couple of trialists either
He's been offered the use of our facilities to being up his fitness/sharpness. For the youngsters in the squad it'll be great to have someone like him around the place to watch and learn from. It's a win win for Tom as he's saying no real offers come through so gives him a "no pressure" chance to get out on a training field and potentially impress grant etc and best and at worst it keeps him active. Would/could a low wage contact with bonuses linked to playing time for a season be a good thing all round?
I said a few weeks ago I thought he’d be a good signing, people say about his wages but for the last year he’s been unemployed. Realistically how much can he ask for ? On the right money he’d be good and would possibly give terry the option to come up with a plan b. I’m sure I’ve seen us advertising for coaches recently, Imagine been a youngster and Tom walking in to take your session
When Tom left didn’t Ehab say he really liked Tom? I hope there is a possibility of signing him. He’s got the experience we need for both on and off the pitch.
We should definitely get Glenn Hoddle down Yes his legs have gone but twice the ability of Tom Class is permanent
Curtis Davies at 35 was still doing it in the Championship, I can’t see why having him in the squad does us any harm, even if it’s in a player/coach role and he just makes sporadic appearances as a sub when the opposition is tired.
