BY ADAM GRANOFSKY NEIL PREVIEWS SEASON https://www.a-love-supreme.com/single-post/neil-previews-season please log in to view this image Dan Neil is desperate to get back into Championship action and build on last season's success. He's also spoken positively about the club's summer business... PHYSICALITY "I think you can see it was something that the club saw we needed to improve on. You've got Nectar, Jobe, Hemir, Jenson... they're all well above 6ft. Hopefully I won't be marking any strikers this season." ATTACKING FREEDOM/ DEFENSIVE RESPONSIBILITY "I think there'll definitely be more of that this year. When we lost Corry I definitely became that kind of senior midfielder and I kind of had to change my role a little bit. It was Pierre and Edu's first season in senior football really and I definitely felt I had to kind of take on that Corry role. It is a massive role and to be honest, I didn't realise how important it was until I played it. I probably took Corry for granted, just bombing forward in front of him." EKWAH "Corry has been brilliant. even while he had his injury. I always speak to him after games, he is always giving me little pointers because obviously I was playing in his role last year. I think stepping in definitely has added another string to my bow, but we've definitely worked on that partnership. I've played a lot of games with Pierre now so I trust that if I break forward, he's going to sit and vice versa. I think we've built a good partnership on and off the pitch. Pierre is really exciting, he's got a wand of a left foot and he can bring that big physical presence, as well. He can run and it’s going to be a big year for him. He finished really well last season and it's time now for him to step up really and become a leader in the team as well." ONE OF THE EXPERIENCED LADS "Hopefully we can put it all into practice, starting Sunday. There are a few lads older than me but I have been at the club for a very, very, long time. I think this is my third or fourth year of first-team football here. I had a chat with Mike Dodds about this the other day and he said I've played over 100 games now, I'm not a young boy, I've played a lot more games than some 25-year-olds." LEADERSHIP "He has had that conversation with me about taking on a more leadership role within the squad on and off the pitch. I get on with all the squad and I think that part of my game is speaking on the pitch, so it's definitely something I'm going to try and bring into my game more this year." TOUGH CHAMPIONSHIP "It won't be easy but every Championship season is tough. Last year we probably dropped points against teams you wouldn't have expected us to, but we probably picked up points against teams you wouldn't have expected us to as well. That's the Championship in a nutshell; anyone can beat anyone on the day." PROMOTED AND RELEGATED SIDES "It is going to be tougher because three top class teams have come down and three really good teams have come up, but you'd probably go back to the start of last season when we had just come up from League One and no-one knew how we would do." MOTIVATED "We just have to take it in our stride, as we did last year. We have to use the fact that we finished sixth as a motivational tool and not just rest on our laurels because we had a good year. We have to use that, and the hurt from losing in the play-off semi-final, and work every day to better that because that is what the people of this club demand."
I met Neil on Tues night and took a few pics of him with my nephew. He came across as a lovely lad and he made alot of time to have photos taken and speak with fans.
They all did to be fair mate, my nephew was starstruck but as a 45 year old man i had to play it cool because im old enough to be some of their dads . My nephew was straight over shaking their hands and every single one of them were very welcoming especially Dack, Ballard, Neil and Cirkin. Our new striker, Hemir is even bigger in person than he looks on tv. Hes like a tank.
Everyone knows my thoughts on Neil. He is absolutely top class. He plays the most difficult position in the side in my opinion and the way he improved last year was brilliant. We have better players, but none more important in my opinion. Nobody can play off the back foot and front foot as well, although I have a feeling Dack may be next level on that score. He definitely was playing a leadership role in the last 15 or so games last year. His vocals were more, in the refs ear, building up other lads and bollicking them when needed. Took yellows when needed and put massive physical challenges on lads. One in the semi against the Luton forward was brutal. Would be a worthy captain in my opinion. I was talking to a coach from Man City EDS over the summer. He was the one player he wanted to talk about. (Not because city want him, just a coach he was impressed). His reputation is solid amongst premier league clubs. At a guess, and if his trajectory continues, we might struggle to hold on to him next summer. Lets enjoy the lad while we have him, he is living all of our dreams I suspect.
I'm looking forward to seeing Neil this season, I felt he improved a lot last season (and he wasn't bad to begin with) but there's always room for improvement and he's saying the right things about that. I'll be surprised if he isn't a top end championship level midfielder putting in consistently great performances. He can and will progress from there of course.
well... i really wanted him to be left out for some games but that was me thinking he had not had a break and could use the time for a 'reset', but he came out for the next game and played his best of the season and started looking like a more mature player. the lad seemed to suddenly 'grow', as fell said he got more vocal, more involved, used his body and his brain to better effect...defensive midfielder has to be one hell of a job, basically taking in the full pitch while looking for runs/passes, getting that 90+ minutes of concentration is very hard but he certainly grew into it.
Opinions will always differ on players mate. I think when they are home grown even more so. What I dont get though is when people jump on his first mistake in a game. I sat near to someone last year who jumped uo shouting at the first opportunity, he seemed desperate to do it. It was odd. Every other member of the team made mistakes, no similar reaction at all. My younger brother doesnt see what I see in him. He thinks he takes the easy route and wont be a risk taker. I dont mind that as an opinion, it is what he sees. He is a glass half empty lad though, and I am a half full guy. Just pleased I get to watch him play to be honest, wouldnt swap him for anybody else in the league personally.
This is where a singing like Dack could be absolutely key, the kid seems eager to learn and I’m sure Dan Neil’s development was one of the main reasons we flexed our model with the Dack signing.
I totally agree. He gets ignored a bit and taken for granted. Every mistake he makes seems to get latched upon but I think he's one of our best most important player. The way he receives the ball on half turn and glides past players is outstanding
