I realise that Mackie's departure has been covered quite comprehensively on here recently. Especially after Rollers brilliant ' The Right Sort' thread. But if you're like me and enjoy reading anything Ranger's related, then you'll enjoy Clive's efforts. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Does Mackie sale tally with QPR’s ‘right sort’ rhetoric? Mon 29th Jul 2013 23:15 by Clive Whittingham As Jamie Mackie heads to Championship rivals Nottingham Forest, LFW wonders how the keenness to sell the former Plymouth man can possibly sit alongside QPR’s stated aim of bringing “the right sort” to the club. The abiding memory of Jamie Mackie’s time at QPR is clear. He’s wearing the superb red and white halved away kit of the 2011/12 season and he’s playing wide on the right for a QPR team facing up to the prospect of 30 minutes of vitally important football with only ten men. Rangers are in a tight spot: it’s the final game of the season and having not won an away game all calendar year they’re faced with the prospect of beating the billion pound Manchester City team on their own patch, denying them the league title in the process, or relying on Bolton not beating a poor Stoke side with nothing to play for. If it goes wrong, Rangers are relegated. City are known for bottling such occasions and have allowed their visitors to equalise through Djibril Cisse immediately after half time thanks to a mistake by defender Joleon Lescott. But QPR are equally prone to acts of self-immolation and having done all the hard work – silencing the crowd, levelling the game, demoralising the Bolton players down at Stoke – they have done their absolute damndest to turn the situation back against them by having a man sent off. Joey Barton’s behaviour that day, given the circumstances of the game, should not be allowed to dull in the memory lest we ever invite him to let us all down so badly again. With Barton splashing around in the early bath water it looks like a case of hanging on as best as Rangers can for the remaining time – kill the game, take the point, hope it’s enough. But there’s a twist to come in the script. Armand Traore accelerates away down the left wing and, ....................................... Read the rest here ....... http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/fb_news.php?storyid=32332
Can't fault a word of that. Let's just say the last couple of weeks have left me a bit disillusioned.
This was the best part for me: "Some like to take the easy route and be quite sniffy about Jamie Mackie. Football supporters respond well to work rate and effort but when it starts to appear as though thatâs all a player has to offer the armchair experts start to crawl out from their basement computer rooms and talk about things they have little comprehension of but have read about in books and old copies of FourFourTwo â technique, passing percentage, end product, assists, ratios, statistics. The idea that Mackie is literally a footballing dog, capable of nothing more than running around a lot, has grown and gained support. Heâs not Premier League quality, his touch is lacking, his end product is poor, only in England would a player like this make it at the top level and so it goes on. In true QPR style we apparently need somebody else, somebody new, somebody different, another new signing - more blood. When he does score itâs written off as a dog having its day â âeven Devon White scored every now and againâ the Monday morning quarterbacks quaff â and when he doesnât score itâs added to this prosecution file that heâs not actually any good at all. Quite prolific this little dog though isnât he? And not many consolation strikes in 4-1 defeats on his slate either. Few players at QPR in recent times have had such a knack of scoring such important goals quite as often as Jamie Mackie. Heâs done it too often for it to be coincidence or fluke â heâs actually not a bad player at all." Could he be more spot on?
Superb article, and further underlines what a TERRIBLE piece of transfer business it was for us. Players like that dont come along very often. As the article says, it makes a mockery of the clubs constant PR this summer about getting the hard workers in. Mackie was underestimated by many.
"Twice at the end of 2011/12, after the Liverpool goal, teams chasing the Champions League places – Arsenal and Spurs – came to Loftus Road and had to substitute international left backs who had been unable to cope with Jamie Mackie. Benoit Assou-Ekoto was one of those unable to deal with Mackie’s direct style, and Harry Redknapp was the manager who substituted him. Short memory clearly." Remember that Liverpool night Nines? Oh what a night that was, will stay with me forever
The article is based on Clive's feelings, which is matched by quiet a few. But are people that in love with Mackie? Or is it the ethos he has of never stop running? Because a one legged midget can have that ethos and never stop running, kiss the badge and all that, doesn't mean they're good at football. Yes I understand the sentiment, but the fact remains he isn't good enough for the premiership, but we're in the Championship now I hear you all cry, but then we're in the same position when we get promoted, he's not good enough. If we keep him and then dump him when we're promoted, is that fair to him, what loyalty does that show? The fact is Mackie wanted to leave, if any other player asked for a transfer everyone would say let them go, so why do people feel aggrieved about Mackie? Why blame the board? Plus, we just don't know what is going on so how can any of us possibly comment? I heard several times last season, after articles talking of discontent that Mackie was the one doing the talking and moaning, he may have been justified in what he said, but to speak out shows a disloyalty to the club, maybe this is why we allowed him to leave? Who knows. I just think too many base their judgements on Mackie based on an idea, rather than the player and his abilities. Isn't it time to stop slagging off the board, players and anyone who will listen and start preparing to get behind the team for a change, otherwise things could all go wrong again, and in a hurry.
Great article as ever from Clive. We are a fickle bunch - we really do struggle to grasp the kind of player we need at LR. Mackie was exactly the type of player that we have been screaming out for over the last two seasons, someone who puts in the effort although may not be the most naturally talented player but enthusiasm and pride can outdo the opposition. For those doubters about Mackie's effort vs ability compare Mackie with any of the following and you will realise what an important role he could have played in the Championship and again in the Premiership (assuming we do bounce straight back up): SWP - no effort and no real skill Park - some effort, occasional moments of skill Granero - no effort, great potential Bothroyd - effort when it suited him but no skill Zamora - no effort, limited ability as lone striker Cisse - no effort, big potential .................................................... I don't believe Mackie was in it for the money and players like Mackie, Hill, Faurlin should be the foundation for a successful QPR side not the greedy so and so's who are here for a fast buck. I wish Mackie a great future at Forest and hope that he continues to torment defences for a few more years.
Thank you Lone, great post. I am not a fan of Whittingham, not because of the length of his articles or the fact that his style does not sit well with me, but mainly as he has the habit of belittling the views of other R's supporters in a rather patronising way. Of course he is entirely entitled to his views and to express them however he wants, but your counter argument is much more balanced and eloquent than mine would have been. Cheers.
So it is a fact is it? I would say the stats back up the opposite. Think he is a very composed finisher, and the amount of interceptions and never giving the defence a moments peace is a crucial attribute for any team. A one legged midget wouldn't have been able to do that. This part I agree wholeheartedly with, well said that. No one outside the club really know the reason behind the sale, it's all speculation. But I don't blame the owners or Harry for this lets just get that straight.
There are some players that are not the most gifted technically but are great leaders, motivators, good team players or simply have energy that can lift a team and one or more of these attributes can be worth its weight in gold. I believe that Mackie did possess the later two in bundles and there are two examples from two seasons ago that can illustrate this. The obvious one was the goal against Liverpool that effectively gave everybody connected with QPR the belief that we could survive in the Premiership but my personal favourite Mackie moment was when he came on as sub against Blackburn away. We were awful that day and 3-0 was looking likely to be on the end of a 6 or 7 goal thrashing, however on came Jamie with about 30 minutes left, scored 2 narrowly missed his hat-trick and in the last half hour of that game there looked like only one winner alas we went on the lose 3-2 but the inspiration and energy that flowed through Mackie lifted the other 10 players, manager and supporters to a different level. I also believe this second half performance was the moment our season changed which started the ball rolling. And that's what I mean by being worth his weight in gold!
Today's gold price per kilo is £27,578.96. Not sure what his weight is, but a rough estimate of 90 kilos would mean that he is worth £2,482,074.68, so Forest got a real bargain.
When given a proper run in the side I think he has shown he is a Prem player. To be constantly dropped behind SWP, Park and Hoilett was disgraceful. He'd have been a better bet at right-back than Bosingwa and far better up top than a half-fit Zamora too.
Greatest game I've ever been too. Even tho I smashed my shin on the seat in front of me when celebrating Mackies goal. Mental.
