Northampton Town manager Chris Wilder believes former Bristol Rovers man John-Joe O'Toole "has not got his season going" and could go out on loan. The Irishman, who joined the Cobblers on a three year deal from relegated Rovers in the summer, has not scored in 17 league appearances for the League Two side. The 26-year-old midfielder top scored for The Pirates last season with 15 goals in 46 games. Wilder told BBC Radio Northampton: "I don't think he's produced anywhere near what we expect him to do." "A loan might be an option if someone comes in and guarantees games away." "We can't use our first team for him to get fit in." "I've been honest with him - he's not got himself up to speed and he's not got his season going." "He should be doing a lot more when he plays." "Whether we've not got him at a place where, physically, he can do that - we need to look at ourselves (as staff) on that." "But I think I see what the supporters have seen. He's not done enough." "To play the way we expect him to play, he has to get about the park better." "We've clipped DVDs of him last year to this year and we feel he's off the pace." "At the moment, we don't think he's a standout player for us." "When you sign players, you expect to them to be big players - Marc Richards, Zander Diamond, Ryan Cresswell - and they have been. "John-Joe is in that bracket and we have to find a solution. Just doing OK isn't good enough for us and not, most importantly, for him." "We need to work him a little bit harder. He'll play on Tuesday (against Leyton Orient in the Football League Trophy)." "He's got to do better on the training ground, and if he doesn't, he doesn't play. If he does, we've got a player on our hands." "If we can get him up to speed, he'll be the player everyone expected in the summer and who scored 15 goals last year from midfield." "We've played him in positions we feel suit him but he has to play for 90 minutes." Did anyone else chuckle (like me) reading that??? .
Hmmm so perhaps Rovers environment was good for him after all. Perhaps we should offer to take him for no fee and we will get him fit and in return he bangs them in for us and they get him back fit but min 3 month loan.
Always gave the impression of being very overated- promised lots but actually didnt deliver anything special unless the mood suited him. Think we are well rid, particularly as I suspect his services did not come cheap. Apart from that,he showed no great loyalty to Rovers, and I cant say I'm surprised at hearing Northamptons concerns.
He worked himself into the ground when he arrived at the club. For ten games or so he was excellent. Then his contribution seemed to dry up a bit and he seemed less and less of a team player. You would think a player like him would be a captain. Seems to have been highly overrated...
What's so frustrating about O'Toole is that he clearly has it in him to be a decent player, but he's just bone idle and is not a team player. That's pretty inexcusable for someone who is pretty well paid doing the job most men would give their right arms to do! Just glad we're not paying his wages anymore. He's a player who banged in 15 goals from midfield in a poor team - yet he was STILL strongly disliked! Surely that should have said something to Chris Wilder before he signed him?
He turned out for Southend on Saturday... against Northampton. Seems The Cobblers were so desperate to move him on that they were happy to waive the usual clause that says they can't play against their old club...
He very rarely played 90 minutes for us. When we needed a big performance from him to try and keep us in league 2 his performances were very poor. I can only assume that their scouting was of the same standard
Big time Charlie attitude, a shirker not a worker. Glad he decided his future laid away from the Mem. Ha Fekin ha !
The update with him, as you know he was loaned to Southend but after 3 games (only actually involved in 2 of them), Northampton have now recalled him for the xmas period as a lot of games in quick time http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30598419 In these 2 games for Southend.... he played 89 mins in his 1st which was against his parent club. His 2nd and last game for Southend was against Wycombe & at half time he was subbed off becuase he was having a stinker & was also booked. The 3rd game he was on the bench and was unused, maybe due to his performance vs Wycombe!!! His season stats so far... Played 20 for Northampton before his loan away. Scored none. Played 2 for Southend on loan. Scored none. Played 2 for Northampton on his return from loan. Scored none. He has had just 1 assist to his name in the league. He has had 5 yellows and has committed the 2nd most amount of fouls for Northampton. We are well rid. I am actually more gutted that we didnt sign his team mate - D'Ath who we have on trial in pre season.
