Unless he is being signed to hold the ball up perhaps to show Taylor how to do it so that we can bring the midfield players into the attack I can not see any benefit for City unless this is a stopgap measure because the club is expecting to lose Davies and Baldock probably just before the transfer window shuts, so offering him a contract til Jan with the chance of extending it if he works out might be the plan. In which case it looks like the formation we will be playing will be 4-4-1-1 or 4-3-1-2 depending on who is available, Assuming we have not got other people being looked at just in case we suddenly get offers we don't want to ignore. I have said this before but I'll say it again if Harewood is the answer then it was a bloody stupid question. Mind you we could change the name to Fontaine or Kilkenny and get the same answer.
I appreciate he is getting on,but look what jason roberts did for Reading. He is a good pro with plenty of experiance,if he is reasonable i think he could do a job for us. Personally thought he looked a handfull when playing against us last season. Taylor was absolute rubbish against Rangers.Harwood is a much better player even at 33 years old.
SO'D: "I know people fear Marlon could be another journeyman signing but I know all about him from my time at Forest..." SO'D: "He's been there, seen it and done it - his experience could be important. He needs a club; we'll sit down and see what we can do."
Is this another case of ' jobs for the boys ' Nottingham Forest and all that , we've been here before with the Scots...
Just read the Sean O'Driscoll interview on the OS and the last few lines regarding Marlon Harewood are very revealing. Head coach on quick turnaround following Spanish trip. Sean O’Driscoll insisted a competitive examination in Nailsworth was exactly what the doctor ordered after his players were put through their paces in the Spanish sun. The City head coach took his players on a rigorous four-day training camp in the Mediterranean, and a delayed return flight meant they did not land in Bristol until the early hours of Friday morning. But a fine early goal from Liam Kelly was enough to earn the Robins a 1-0 victory over Conference hosts Forest Green Rovers at the New Lawn, much to O’Driscoll’s satisfaction. “It was a good workout for us,” he told Bristol City Player. “The players have spent four days away and worked hard so this was a good game for that – there’s a few tired legs but they showed a good attitude and everyone in the squad got 45 minutes.” The boss also handed a debut to trialist striker Marlon Harewood, a free agent and well-travelled campaigner at 33 years of age with previous clubs including West Ham and Aston Villa in the Premier League. And O’Driscoll, who has worked with the front man before, believes Harewood’s experience and professionalism could be a positive influence on his developing squad. He said: “I know people’s fears that he’s ‘another journeyman player’ but I’ve worked with Marlon at Nottingham Forest (a four-month contract in 2011/12). “When you look at players, first and foremost you look at people’s characters, and he had a difficult time at Forest but his character was first-class, and sometimes you look at our team and we lack one or two of those type of players. “We’ve got people we can develop who are still young, but his experience is vital and his manner within the group is excellent. “It’s not just another forward – I’m looking at the bigger picture and what he can bring to the group whether he plays or not.” Much the same reasoning for giving Carey an extended contract it looks more and more that it was attitude that took us down and he is looking for people who will provide a more positive attitude for the younger players to stop the rot that was in the club from spreading through the younger players. Stead always seemed to be a positive influence in the side and so did Skuse of the players that have left I wonder who S O'D thinks is/was the source of the problem?
Sounds to me he's trying to justify the signing with his raising the troops attitude, maybe SoD has seen something we don't know. But to me unless he's on low wages I feel we could be restricting ourselves with Harewood and Carey here just in case they are needed. I hope that I'm eating my words with Harewood but watched him in loads of space a few times when we lost at Barnsley only for him to miss chance after chance. And have not been impressed with him on the other times I've seen him play.
For Sean to come out with the comment he did, which is unusual as he normally tries to big up his players to give them confidence means to me that he is still seeing the same defeatest attitude or at least a 'so who cares attitude' within the squad whoever those players are we need to get shot of as soon as we can no matter who they are.
