Transfer watch....

That's kinda what i meant SD - Mick has to be one of the worst "footballing" coaches to grace our game.
It's no co-incidence when you look at the teams he's managed (Ireland and Millwall were similar to us, and Wolves weren't much better, although he did use wingers in those days)
 
San Diego said:
Could say that about many players we've had <ok>
A case of the wrong manager maybe?
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Agree think we do have quite a few players now who technically are half decent particularly some of our youngsters. The thing I've noticed about these types of players when they first come into the team they are very good but then after a while they seem to have it coached out of them bar the type of players who are good at taking people on because they get a lot of practice in our team taking players on by themselves i.e. Laurence, Celina, McGoldrick etc the type of players who like to hog the ball. Players with good positional awareness and an eye for a pass struggle to develop.

As for Bru, I think if all our midfielders were fit he'd be nowhere near the first team. Good technical ability but positional sense isn't great and doesn't impose himself on the game enough. Think we should keep him until the summer given our injury crisis but not bothered beyond that. But who knows if we had a good 'footballing coach he may have developed into a good player for us.
 
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Given we already have 3 loan players within the first team (Celina, Connolly and Iorfa) we are pretty limited to what we can do this window, particularly with Mick stating that anyone coming in will definitely be a loan player. By my quick maffs we can only bring in 2 more players on loan.

One to replace Smith (Probably Goldson)
and One to replace one of Bru, McG or Bart (Depending on who, or how many of these leave)
 
Send Iorfa back and recall our own RB would be a start.

Am I the only one who would be disappointed to see Smith leave? He's a solid CB in this division and came through our academy, it's not like he hasn't proven he can play at this level. Yes he's not the most talented but I think there's a lot of value in having players come through the academy into the first team like he has.
 
itfcptc said:
Am I the only one who would be disappointed to see Smith leave?
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I'm gutted, always liked the guy. Seemed a proper old school 'stick his head through a brick wall' type of defender and realistically is probably as good as we are in terms of championship quality. He has his faults, but even in his early days was a better option than the mercenaries we were bringing in.

I imagine he has expressed a desire to leave and credit to Mick in that he never seems to hold anyway back. If the speculation is correct and Mick is leaving in the summer then it's no surprise that the 'established players' are looking at their options. End of an era and all that and hopefully our next manager is able to develop more confidence on the ball from the whole squad (including the back 4) and Smith would perhaps struggle in that situation
 
itfcptc said:
Send Iorfa back and recall our own RB would be a start.

Am I the only one who would be disappointed to see Smith leave? He's a solid CB in this division and came through our academy, it's not like he hasn't proven he can play at this level. Yes he's not the most talented but I think there's a lot of value in having players come through the academy into the first team like he has.
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I have to say I'm not too sorry to see Smith go.

I thought when he first came onto the scene - Peterborough away 7-1 loss summed it up for me at that point - on for a minute and a red he was absolutely appalling. Systematic of the Jewell kind of player - I really couldn't see for the life in me he was up to it at this level.

However, he formed a good partnership combo with Chambers / Berra / Mings or Cresswell and was decent until 14/15 for me. He improved no ends - type of player I feel who needs a strong leader around him. A little like Bramble in that sense.

Main issue I had with Tommy - and two examples of this is his allowance to let the ball bounce. You cannot do that at any level - criminal. Cardiff away loss this season with Mick's ridiculous side - yes his first game back but there was one instance second half where he did that - then blamed Chambers and Cardiff SHOULD have netted.

Zero pace either - However, a very good threat at set pieces for us and has scored several good headed goals over the years.

My other real ANNOYANCE with Tommy was this game -

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forward to 2.53....

Positioning absolutely awful. We're 2-0 up, stoppage time and this was the first goal in the 2-2 draw. For goodness sake man, if you HAVE to wipe him out a lot higher up the pitch - yes you run the risk of red but others back - may have been yellow and we'd have won the game!

Probably on a good wage though - people on TWTD seem to think will be for a free which seems a shame....

Good luck in the future though Tommy Smith - good servant to us.

As for Iorfa................ crumbs. I'd send him back tomorrow if I could.

Onto Emmanuel - from what I've heard he hasn't exactly pulled up trees when he's played for Rotherham.
 
Apparently some loans may be close - as Scowey says we currently have 3 so we can have 2 more. We don't want a Jewell 6 with poor Luango ( anyone else think he looked very good for us? ) missing out.

All up for the loan market being used IF IF IF the loan player improves us.
 
itfcptc said:
Send Iorfa back and recall our own RB would be a start.

Am I the only one who would be disappointed to see Smith leave?
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I don't rate Tommy Smith highly. I think he is an average, at best solid, squad player and if we're ranking centre-backs, I would put Webster, Chambers, and even Berra, when he was here, ahead of Smith. I think we can bring in a better standard of defender and, if we want to play a more attractive, attacking style of football, then I would hope we'd bring in a couple of centre backs and offload him. He has been a loyal servant to the club, and a rare academy graduate who is still with us a decade and so on, but I cannot recall any transfer speculation linking him away from the club to a Premier League or Championship side since he has been with us, certainly not in the past few years. And I think that's telling. He is not a technically competent defender and doesn't redeem his lack of footballing qualities with the physical presence of Berra or the enthusiasm and anticipation of Chambers. Not to mention his lack of pace.

Apparently Goldson from Brighton is being linked, and could feasibly lead to a permanent transfer if Brighton retain their position in the Premier League next season. I'll be pleased to swap the two for the remainder of the season. I agree Iorfa should be send back, Spence easily first choice and may as well give Emmanuel opportunities for the rest of the season, even if he has failed to break into Rotherham's starting eleven.
 
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Apparently a Mr Gleeson + unnamed CB will be joining our ' revolution ' tomorrow - so appears we're at least going to try SOMETHING.........

On the surface, Gleeson appears a W T F transfer. Unwanted by Birmingham..... why will he make any impact at us is a fair question.

However, as I'm sure we all know, footy doesn't work like that. One teams joy is anothers pain, and vice versa. I wish you look Mr Gleeson - from memory never seen you play and confess to knowing little about you. From what I've read, you're an energetic CM who runs around a lot and tries to add bite. Jay Tabb anyone?

With our CM issues.. may be a better signing than first glance. Dozza/ Huws/ Bish we all know are done for the season. May allow Mr Bru to move on ( probably would save wages ) Hyam, while back you feel could break down at any moment. Nydam is close to being back but first season, Downes potentially the same and god knows what is up with Adeyemi. May allow McDonnell to return to Ipswich reserves ( Aldershot ) on loan so may be a good signing.

I could for instance see Skuse/ Gleeson + Connolly perhaps being our CM 3 - bit of a pain to play against with Celina / Garner / Waghorn being the 6 moving forwards with perhaps McGoldrick coming in ( funny feeling he'll be sold before the transfer window is up yet )

Of course he could be bloody awful but good luck at least.

As for this CB - have a feeling it WON'T be the Brighton lad - just a hunch. However, we'll know tomorrow.

Lets just hope we get you both signed on to play at Bolton then see where the hell we're at. Assuming the CB will be ANOTHER loan so that would push us to 5 loans.......... Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.
 
I think Stephen Gleeson is a sign we just need bodies in the midfield, due to the injuries. I'm not overwhelmed by the signing and would prefer the lad from Nottingham Forest, but I guess we have to work with a limited recruitment pool. My main concern with the Gleeson move is that it could easily lead to being another 'wasted loan', similar to how Iorfa has panned out, most notably because Gleeson has struggled to break into the first team picture at Birmingham, a club who are rooted in the relegation zone and have been for the majority of this season.

I recall Gleeson was a particularly impressive and consistent player at MK Dons, and scored a few corkers, but this was down in League One and Gleeson suffered from regular injury concerns. My impression is that his natural playing level is down at League One, but I'll reserve judgement until we've seen him play a few games. Having said that, a midfield trio of Skuse, Connelly, and Gleeson, as Westy points out above, fills me with dread. It has echoes of the Skuse / Hyam / Douglas midfield we put out a couple of times over the years and resulted in a very static and poor central midfield presence.

He is also out of contract in the summer, so if he does impress, he could be brought in on a free in the summer (although we are well stocked in the midfield as it is).
 
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I thought we were interested in David Cotterell (spelling) ex Birmingham player who wouldn't be a bad signing as a free agent. Great dead ball taker and would give us options. I suppose the Pint of Lager and 2 packets of crisps that we would be offering him doesn't really appeal!!
 
Gleeson is pretty much a poor mans Leadbitter and likely to have been brought in primarily to cover for Skuse and Connelly if/when they are injured as well as to just be another (experienced) body in the squad.

The signing of Carter-Vickers however seems a lot more of a positive one. He is still highly thought of at Spuds so seemingly has a bright future, hopefully he can add something to the squad whilst he's here. Though does seem odd that he's recalled from Sheff Utd, then shipped out to us. Can only assume we've guaranteed more game time etc.

https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/33013/town-sign-tottenham-defender-on-loan
 
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So it turns out Gleeson has been released from Birmingham and we have signed him on a free transfer. He's on a six month contract and could be signed permanently if he impresses. I much prefer this type of deal as opposed to another loan, particularly as it looks like it was a move to bolster the squad rather than the first team.

Overall, a good day of business I think.
 
johnnywarksmoustache said:
I thought we were interested in David Cotterell (spelling) ex Birmingham player who wouldn't be a bad signing as a free agent. Great dead ball taker and would give us options. I suppose the Pint of Lager and 2 packets of crisps that we would be offering him doesn't really appeal!!
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I actually know Mr Cotterell quite well as knew him before he came onto the scene at Bristol City. When he first burst on and was free of injuries, superb talent. Seriously capable - very nice lad to boot and would fit in well.

Unfortunately he's had so many damn injuries over the years..... we'll never know what he was capable of.

I tell you someone I really WISH we'd signed - and was quite annoyed we didn't get at the time. Lloyd Dyer - despite age I've always been a big fan of. The fact he signed for Burton over us just sums up where we are. To the people who know little about footy - if we'd signed him would have been the usual crap - 33 or whatever at the time unwanted cast off - the lads fantastic at this level! Seems like a waste.

I digress - anyway, do we think perhaps we'll get ONE final loanee in seeing as Gleeson ended up signing a short-term deal, not a loan?
 
Spoke to my younger brother today and he saw Tommy Smith last night in Revs. Tommy confirmed he's off and that he wants more playing time. My drunken brother then goes and thanks him for being a loyal servant to the club and says that he's always rated him (which I know is a lie). My brother's mate then asks Tommy what his proudest moment was and he says "scoring at Carrow Road in the plays offs". The drunken idiots didn't ask him what he thought of Mick though!

Not the most surprising news, but some insider gossip.
 
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Nuggets said:
Spoke to my younger brother today and he saw Tommy Smith last night in Revs. Tommy confirmed he's off and that he wants more playing time. My drunken brother then goes and thanks him for being a loyal servant to the club and says that he's always rated him (which I know is a lie). My brother's mate then asks Tommy what his proudest moment was and he says "scoring at Carrow Road in the plays offs". The drunken idiots didn't ask him what he thought of Mick though!

Not the most surprising news, but some insider gossip.
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Fair play Tommy and good luck in the future to you.
 
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