Okay, so considering he now has a 4 game ban and will be missing for 1 further game (against his parent club Preston whom he is not allowed to play against), that leaves only 2 games this season for him to make an appearance in, before heading back to Preston. He has one further year on his contract at Preston assuming they don't decide to tear it up. He has made 8 appearances (+3 sub appearances), scoring 3 goals, earning 3 yellow cards and 2 red cards. So what are your opinions on his showings so far? Would you want to see him on the bench/play in the remaining 2 games? And of course, would it be worth offering him a contract at the end of the season?
he's 31. and he's not what we need. we have players like him in the middle already who can already not hold it, not pass it around and not keep possession. i think centre midfield is the area we need most improvement next year as half way through this season we've gone back to lumping it upfront
I'd say he's an ideal player for a team who want to get out of this league, but don't quite have the money to piss the league. There's no doubting he has a fair bit of quality, he's strong in the challenge, good in the air and has an eye for goal, but I'd say that considering his age, it wouldn't be worthwhile. He's the 3rd or 4th best CM in the team IMO (after Stephens, Hollands and possible Hughes) and thus we'd be better off bringing in a younger replacement in the summer, considering that those players yet to reach their peak (Stephens and Hollands) are first team regulars and probably good enough for The Championship (once we get sorted tactically).
I said no contract. He's done ok when he's played, but I'd like to think we will be attracting a higher calibre of players next season. His red card at 'udders has no bearing on this decision as I would have said no before. Thanks for the effort, but his level is League One.
If we'd have signed him full time in Jan I wouldn't have been too worried I like him and he would make a good back-up and he has been (I think) very unlucky with both sendings off I don't know our wage limits for next year but I think there will be better places to spend it...
Agnostic about him. No better than Hughesy. Discipline is suspect. We need better options in the Championship. No contract.
I like that type of player and I think he is better than Hughes, Pritchard and Stephens, though without the scope for improvement which the latter two have. But the combination of his age (he ain't going to get any better than he now is) and his temperament means I have somewhat reluctantly voted "no". With the new regulations there will be droves of good players and bright youngsters on the market this summer as clubs trim their budgets. We can do better.
Those 2 red cards could cost us, and generally I'd rather give Hughes another shot, as we played our best football under him. Also think Pritch and Stephens will develop further, so Russell unnecessary. If it wasn't that we have to play Preston and he'd probably score against us, I'd say send him back now.
I think better bets for Centre midfield next season are Gleeson of MK Dons,Coutts of Preston,McDonald from Sheff U-if they don't go up.Would also like to see us go for Wordsworth -left sided midfielder from Colchester.I don't dislike Russel,but would like to see the above before him.
