How people can call N Pearson's team selection given the quality he's brought in and position he's got us to is lost on me, and seemingly wasted on him. http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/sport/HULL-CITY-Harper-valued-players-says-Pearson/article-3351846-detail/article.html Harper is valued by me and the players, says Pearson NIGEL Pearson has given his full backing to James Harper by insisting the under-fire midfielder will continue to play a key role in Hull City's promotion push. Harper was singled out for criticism by an unforgiving KC Stadium crowd after enduring a difficult afternoon in the Tigers' 1-1 draw with Norwich on Saturday. A glaring first-half miss was the low point for the 30-year-old before his eventual substitution on the hour mark was greeted by ironic cheers from a section of City fans. It was tough on a player whose 21 league starts for the club have brought just four defeats but Pearson has vowed to keep faith in Harper and not bow to crowd pressure. Stay one step ahead of the weather "I know there's a debate but whatever people think of him, he's valued by me as the manager and the players," said Pearson. "The only way to get around it is to win people back. "The reaction from the fans will not stop me from picking him if I think he's right for the team. "Unfortunately for him, he's missed a good chance. Does that have an effect on things? I don't know. My job is to pick the side that's best to win a game. "James Harper has been a massive part for us to get back into a competitive place in the league so regardless of whatever other people think, that's my opinion." Eight games remain for Pearson to mastermind a late rally after a 14th draw of the season left the Tigers four points adrift of the Championship play-offs. The deficit has never been smaller in 2011 but having seen play-off rivals Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Burnley, Watford and Leicester all lose on Saturday, the City boss admitted a draw with Norwich was frustrating. "It's very tight," said Pearson as just three points split seven teams in behind the play-off places. "The disappointment of not winning the game is slightly tempered by getting closer. "It's the pressure time of the season and there's going to be a few twists and turns. "On this occasion results have gone for us, on other weeks they won't. "But regardless of what the perception is outside of the four walls that we work in, we have to keep our focus on what we do." City were grateful to substitute Nick Barmby as they cancelled out a deficit for just the fifth time this season to deny Norwich all three points. Pearson, who once had Barmby as a team-mate at Middlesbrough in the mid-nineties, again paid tribute to the playmaker's longevity. "He has an impact and whenever players are able to do that, age doesn't really matter," he added. "He's a fit lad physically and mentally he's as hungry as anybody. That speaks volumes for him." City enjoy a two-week break before they host Millwall on April 2 and they will hope to see Liam Rosenior back to full fitness. The in-form right-back was forced off with a damaged right shoulder late in Saturday's game and Pearson hopes it will not be a serious concern. "It looks as though it could be a bit of a shoulder problem," he added. "I don't know if it's concerns about a break or a dislocation. We'll have a look at that but hopefully it won't be too bad."
Good player clearly respected by management and team mates. It's a good job some of our intellectually challenged fans don't pick the side. Although how most of them interpret the game, you'd wonder why Abramovich hadn't knocked down the door to replace Ancellotti with them, although perhaps they're all waiting for the call from the FA to replace Fabio.....Mike Bassett style......
The fact that most people don't rate Harper hardly makes them 'intellectually challenged', it's just an opinion based on his performances. The fact that the manager has to come out with statements like this speaks volumes, Brownie used to issue similar statements about Kilbane.
Apart from the miss which on a terrible pitch makes it a bit easier to accept I thought he had a half decent game. I could pick out a couple of others who were worse...Dawson was useless going forward, Guzan made his usual 1 blunder a game which allowed them to score and Chester I think it was who kept passing the ball to the opposition so to pick out harper was a litle unfair....I recall many doing a similar thing to Garcia even when he was playing well...some fans are fickle and pathetic and to get on the back of one player seems to be the 'in thing' of which I think you are all sad and in my opinion not providing your full support to the team who are actually doing better than anyone could have expected. We all have opinions and I respect that but this is mine about you lot (you know who I am talking about) Anyway, getting back to a more positive note...8 games to play and if results work for us on the 2nd of April then we could be 7th with 1 point adrift of 6th putting huge pressure on the teams above us which usually makes for a few bad results for them (look at ours in our promotion run with 3 to go) Anyway, get behning our team (harper and all), they need us now to support and encourage them on the last leg for a play off place. UTT
Slagging off Chester, really? He reads the game better than any other player we have in the team, he spots when opposition players make runs and sat infront of the back four he did his job perfectly, as they only scored from a daft free kick. Maybe it is a bit defensive with him there, but he certainly did a job. Back to Harper he is underrated by City fans as all City fans need a scapegoat, always have done and always will do. However he is a bottom half average Championship player, he is an ok player nothing more. He does make some good runs but for someone who runs about a lot doesn't really do much with them.
This is a situation where Hull City fans behave in exactly the same way they have with MANY players in the past. There is always a BOOO-Boy whether his name be Delaney, Sunley, Whitehurst (when he first started), Deacey etc etc etc etc. Personally, I know Harper is not good enough to be a part of what we want the team to be (and I suspect privately, so does Nigel Pearson). But for Nige to bow to the mob would set a bad precedent and therefore he is highly likely to continue his "failth" with a player in order to make a point. Consequently BOOOING is completely counter productive. I also don't think it's very intelligent right now as there is nobody else to take his place in the role he is being asked to play. Cairney comes the closest but he is a pale shadow of what he appeared to be alongside Boateng in the Premiership. It won't change, tho. Once the City "Faithful" identify their victim he will be hounded until they get what they want, such is the mindless "HULL" stubbornness. Such is the way now, such is the way it has always been.
Cannot speak highly enough about Chester. Barmby aside, he is the most intelligent player I have seen wear the Amber and Black for many years. He is human and makes mistakes but he is a superb player who knows when to challenge and when not to rush in. I hope he will form the backbone of our defence for many, many years to come. Class is permanent.
There was a bloke behind me on Saturday, who shouted '(insert name)have you got a brain' at every single one of our players in turn. At least he didn't single out Harper.
Reading into the harper situation it appears that NP rates him to do a job when we are level or winning but understands that he needs to come off when we are losing. Could be one of the reasons we do not score many.
Who mentioned that Chester passed to the opposition on Saturday, how dare he do that, it is Gerrards job to give the ball away with poorly placed passes. A great defender he definately is but a passer of the ball he isn't. Just watch him.
On another note, how ****e are our set pieces? Koren should be the most gifted player we have but when he insists on taking free kicks on good positions (every time we get one) he just hopes the wall will jump over his low shot and look silly, but they never do and he's the one looking sill and we all do a massive collective groan. Dawson religiously aims for the first defender with every indirect free kick and half of his corners get the same fate, while the rest go into the stand on the far side. Every throw-in we take we throw it someone at the most awkward height possible. They spend about 45 minutes trying to control it and then give an equally awkward ball back to the thrower. Our goal kicks go straight off the pitch whoever is taking them. We'd be better off just keeping the ball in play for 90 minutes. Harper can't be as bad as he appears to us, but he does make it hard for himself by missing ridiculous chances and launching Marney-style long balls into the stands.
To be fair i did have a rant about Harper after the game on Saturday. Norwich where there for the taking & in the first 20 minutes we should have probably scored 2 goals. Harpers miss albeit on a bad pitch was atrocious. Thats why he gets so much stick, along with other aspects of his game of course. You would never expect NP to say anything else either, a man of integrity who protects all his players from every outside influence possible and should be commended for it. UTT C.T.I.D
OLM, Kilbane is well past his best and anybody could see he wasn't doing what he was supposed to be doing. Harper is doing his job and is being unfairly singled out. I think we could have this argument forever though, I just think we don't have anybody else to organise the team, Dawson can't do it, and Gerrard can barely speak English and isn't the brightest spark (still our best player this year though). If Harper loses his confidence to direct the team then I put the blame squarely on a lot of short-sighted moaning City fans.
Agreed. Harper is ****e, but it's not good to see the crowd single out a player. He's only human after all. Though I disagree with comments saying we can't disagree with the managements team selection, that's what this board is for is it not?
obviously its only nigels opinion which counts at the end of the day..but these boards are for fans to discuss there opinions..and are allowed to say if they dont rate somebody, people who keep whinging about others opinions, are almost as annoying as harpers 2 yard conversion...
I agree with you DJ ... just annoyed me the fans reaction, i agree he has been poor but it wasnt right
And now we have people moaning about people moaning about people moaning. I might as well add the fourth tier onto this one then: It annoys me when people come on here and slate those who are trying to be positive just because they're not one of them regarding this particular discussion. I'm a realist and try to be as often as possible. 8 months ago we'd have given our limbs to be where we are now. We have a really good side that's formed out of nowhere, new owners and great form. We might just make the playoffs if we're lucky and keep our form tight. Obviously people are hoping for this but does anyone think we'll go up if we do make the playoffs? I only ask because the only reason I can see anybody having to moan about Hull City at the moment is because they think we'll blow our chance for the playoffs... hence promotion. It's a pipe-dream at the moment but surely every one of us should be ecstatic with where we are now? Most of us would have been over the moon with mid table and anything remotely resembling financial security earlier this season. I think we should realistically look to next season for a promotion push before jumping on our own players backs about performances. The goals will come too, even at this point most of our team have only played a handfull of games together. On the way down from the prem, the positive people annoyed me then because we were awful... We're playing well now though and have a real shot at stabilising ourselves as a good, strong team with the quality youngsters we've brought in. I don't disagree with booing as a last resort if you're getting thumped every week and only the manager can't see what 25,000 of us can see but to single one player out who's been a part of our turnaround almost literally from bottom of the table to the top is mad in my view. Hopefully the approaching nice weather might make some of us more positive come game time.
Reminds me very much of how things were with Junior Lewis. Unfashionable midfielder who doesn't appear to do a lot and a Manager's favourite. Missing the sitter was bad but i did feel for him when he was jeered coming off, he's only human and is a city player at the end of the day.
