SUMMER NEWS.

So not a striker then. Whitaker was never described as a striker here no matter how many he scored.

 

Morgan Whittaker seen on the Swansea website as a forward....has now come to the notice of Coventry.....Rangers interest in the meanwhile seems to have cooled....since the signing of Abdallah Sima on loan from Brighton.

 

While they were with us, both Azaz and Whittaker played as what are now called “Number 10’s” or what might once have been called “inside forwards”, usually in a 3:4:2:1 formation.

I wouldn’t have called them midfielders, attacking or otherwise: they tried to find that space between the opposition’s defence and midfield, receive the ball and then attack as a three with Ennis or Hardie.

That was why the Swansea manager didn’t really want Whittaker back I think. They didn’t play that way and he had more experienced attacking midfielders available perhaps for only one such role.

Neither is Whittaker a “winger” but he his a really good fit for Stephen Schumacher’s system.

 

When a caption for the team selection comes up for a match it is usually in formation. So if 3 5 2 for example that 3 defenders, 5 midfield and 2 up front. Morgan was always in the middle section not front 2 or 1 or even 3 whichever formation was the flavour of the day. Players in midfield are expected to support the front players but it doesn't make them a striker even if they score goals.

 

I see ex-Argyle youngster Lloyd Jones...whipped away by Liverpool has now left Cambridge and signed for Charlton....he is still only 27yrs old......he could maybe have done a job for Argyle......unless he was out of our price range.

 

SIX NEW APPRENTICES.

Dan Holman.....Keeper.
Jensen Ireland.....Defender.
Joel Sullivan.....Defender.
Cole Fisher.....Midfield.
Harry Shield.....Wing-Back.
Joe Hatch.....Forward.

All on 2yr Apprenticeships.

Will one day any of these be big players for Argyle.....unless a big club steals them away of course.

 

Leicester bring in two international England players for an estimated £18.5 million and still make a huge profit on the sale of Maddison......could someone please remind me the total value of PAFC.

 

Argyle have flown out to Spain......shame that the squad is 8/9 players short of a full squad....hopefully when they return there will be some new players to meet.

 

Michael Cooper appears in the “Marbella Day 1” photo gallery … with his gloves on. Positive sign!

 

He was supposed to be diving about at training last week.....but I think kicking with his recovering leg/knee at the moment is probably off limits

 

Argyle have bought the “Ice Rink Land” from James Brent.

For the time being, this will be used for a gym, parking of broadcast vehicles, match-day entertainment etc.

Ultimately, it will be used as part of a stadium development plan.

 

So has anyone asked James where the new Ice Rink is going to go? Hmmmm!

Apart from that it sounds a positive step for the club.

 

Very positive although no mention of car parking so half the park & ride doesn’t have to be coned off!

Ice rinks are too expensive in terms of energy and thanks to SWW, there’s no spare water to freeze anyway!

 

When the Ice Rink was SUPOSED to be completed there was no problem with fuel costs or water. That's just a more recent problem.

 

No but times have changed. Pretty much every project of this kind is financed by borrowing and borrowing requires a believable business case. You are not going to be able to stand a case up when rinks and swimming pools are in trouble everywhere.

 

So the saga of James Brent "providing" an ice rink takes another step towards oblivion.

Back in the early 1970's a group of us...used to take a group of teenagers over to Streatham Ice Rink....through Crystal Palace into Lambeth.....took about 45 minutes or so....we had two ageing mini buses.....the kids had a great time.

Streatham Ice Rink in those days was pretty basic and very well used...and it was showing its age.

You would hire a pair of old skates from them....and you could guarantee they didn't fit very well and you could also guarantee you would end up with chafed toes and blistered ankles...and it would take a few days to recover.....that was the 1970's.

2023...I looked up their website not knowing if it was still in existence.....you don't hear much about Ice Hockey these days.....and low and behold it's all been dragged into the 21st century.

Streatham Ice & Leisure Centre Lambeth...run by the Council....Ice Rink, Gym, Fitness Studio, Multi-use Sports Hall, Two swimming pools...one Olympic size and a smaller training one.....and of course a Coffee Shop.....and of course they still have a professional Ice Hockey team.

I doubt that modern skating boots try to destroy your feet like the 1970 old leather ones did and being a leisure centre far more facilities are available.

How do they financially sustain such a venture in this day and age I do not know....but they obviously do....of course they have a huge catchment area.....3 or 4 million probably within 10 miles or so might help.

 

Well the question is who owns it? If it’s the council, then it’s simple, you pay for it as a Council Tax payer. It’s not so simple in the private sector, where the answer is that it has to pay for itself.

 

Going back to previous discussions about how large the catchment area is for Argyle fans and the dangers of over-emphasis on the pure-blood Janner element, I see that as a child. new professional Zak Baker used to travel to watch Argyle from his family home in Redruth.

That’s 60 slow miles at 1.5 hours by road and no better on Cornwall’s railways, which have had virtually no investment since Brunel left town.

 

Investment....wash your mouth out notDistant......isn't saying Motorway or Airport in Plymouth seen as a swear word.

 

I see that John Berylson (70 yrs old) owner and Chairman of Millwall has died in a "tragic accident".....his ownership brought success and stability since taking over in 2006.