I just saw an post on Facebook that Mackie is coming back...is this nonsense? Has anyone else heard anything? I would love him back to set the standard of what the work rate needs to be throughout the team.
Just people talking, Reading haven't been able to agree a fee with Forrest who are happy for him to go wherever, got people asking if we should go in for him. Good work rate and plays with his heart on his sleeve but don't think he is what we need!!
If Austin goes then we'll only have Grego-Cox as a striker so someone of Mackie's commitment would be welcome in my opinion. A decent footballer too though I suspect many will question that despite him usually playing out of position for us (despite a good strike rate in our promotion season).
He'd certainly help get the crowd onside. Run of the mill Championship player but would improve the squad. Would love him back.
Loved Mackie when he was here (although not the best technically) but thought we had moved on? Its almost like saying get Holloway back as manager.
No thanks. Good character, but ordinary player. The signings to date have been the right type - young with something to prove.
In fact he's just the sort of 'in between' player some would say we need having signed three from League 1
I believe so although I've only ever seen him play on the left for Cardiff and right for Ipswich (admittedly not paying huge attention).
Watching the ball regularly bounce into touch off various parts of his body week in week out, and the moaning about his wage compared to others during the Hughes era. He tries hard (so did SWP) and sometimes it comes off (unlike SWP) but I cannot see any benefit in bringing him back.
Did he moan about his wage? When inferior players who put in 1% of the effort were on treble what he was I'd have been pretty miffed in his position too. The benefit in bringing him back is that he's an experienced Championship player who puts 100% in and is better than what we currently have up front or wide right assuming Austin and Phillips go. He's popular with fans too which always helps.
Liked Mackie when he was with us in Championship winning year, but don't think it'd be a wise move to bring him back if we're looking for young hungry talent with something to prove
We have different opinions. Telling your plumber or painter or whoever it was that you want £30k a week like the others is different to taking it up with the management. I also remember his complete lack of acknowledgement to travelling Rs fans on that horrible trip to Forest (a team he could barely get into) on Boxing Day 2014.
I don't think you or I would have done any different in his position. So he didn't clap the fans after one away game. He ran his bollocks off for the team often when supposed star names would not. You could argue he's not good enough. Personally I'd disagree looking at the squad we have. You can't argue against his character IMO.
I think he was better at waving his arms up and down to get support from the crowd than he was at anything else. He had a good scoring run before Christmas when we came up under Colin, and was memorable for me for his goals home to Liverpool and at City, but more usually after that one autumn he'd disappear out of games like too many, apart from that he could wave them arms. He could contribute as a squad player but he is not the way forward back to the PL for me either really.
Would have him back in a heart beat. Was constantly stuck out of position on the wing (much like Vargas last season) but unlike our Chilean friend just got his head down and got on with it. Can't believe anyone would question Mackie's character, ridiculous.
I too don't see the point of bringing him back however, you are way off the mark if you thought he was useless and to compare him with SWP is laughable. You no doubt missed his goal against Liverpool that night and the passion he played with and showed whilst wearing the real hoops. Or maybe you are just a bit pissed off today in general?
