Mostyn6 Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 You say Danny Murphy. He got released by a side who finished below us and was hated by the fans. Eustace was loved by the fans, club captain, has been there and done that in this division and was offered a new deal by a side who finished above us.. pretty sure that Watford always finish below us (when Eustace can even get a game!) Blackburn fans hating something? Shock horror! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mostyn6 Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 If anyone was thinking Eustace wouldn't be a worthy addition then knowing Motsyn is against it should definitely change your mind! If Clough has ever said "get behind the ball and hoif it into corners" then it would only be because we lacked an experienced calm head in the middle to hold the ball for a while. Your ability vs experience argument obviously ignores all the shades of grey inbetween. As if players can be judged solely on these two binary factors.Would you rather have a 30yr old player who had won multiple trophies at the highest level, or an unproven 16 yr old with marginally better natural ability? We aren't talking about either though are we. We are talking a 'has-been' that never actually was that good in his prime! Pretty sure Eustace was here a few years ago when we did the same thing, and Savage was here too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asanovic Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 May seem harsh, but it's my honest feeling. I think he would end the statement about improvement. He was ineffective as a Clough player, so will be again. NINE games is enough to judge someone, we have players who played less and are judged harshly, such as Doyle, Tyson, Maguire etc going back as far as Blatsis (who makes many people's Worst XI!. The statement of intent sent out when signing someone exciting and upcoming like Russell, would be 'negated' in my opinion by filling the squad with another 'has-been/never-gonna-be'. Eustace is just a nothing player. Fair dos, he's made a good career for himself, but he's never achieved much. When talking about experience, we need someone who has experienced success, not just experienced football. I'd rather pay the extra and bring Danny Murphy in. I'd rather pay the extra and get Steve Gerrard. Where does it end? Murphy will be way, way out of our price range I imagine. Pie in the sky. For what it’s worth I don’t judge Doyle, Tyson or Maguire. They’ve all got something to offer, just might not have worked out at Derby. The number of games he played is, to an extent, irrelevant. It’s the circumstance he walked in to. If he’d had a full pre-season, started the first 9 games and was terrible I’d understand, but loanees generally work out badly. As I said, wouldn’t see him as a starter but as back up your response seems a little dramatic, especially when considering the alternative – Bailey, a League One player. Each to their own, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Teale Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 I'm wouldn't be upset as I still think you need different options throughout the squad. Bryson, Hendrick or Hughes could get injured, or lose form and away from home especially we need to keep the ball better when under pressure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mostyn6 Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 I suggest Oakley would not be anywhere near fit now. Eustace would add some experience m8 you never win anything with kids alone Alan Hansen In all seriousness as Cloughie says let's have a look at him. What's to lose Yes, it was said almost tongue-in-cheek, but my point is that he is experienced and at the end of a career. I'd suggest that Eustace is somewhere similar. We don't need washed up players like Eustace. We had it with Lee Hendrie, Russell Anderson, Robbie Savage, Laurent Robert, Paul Dickov, Shefki Kuqi and perhaps a few more I cannot recall right now, and each and every one of those were of significantly higher pedigree than Eustace is. Even if you go back to the likes of Warren Barton, Rob Lee, Paul Thirlwell, Ian Taylor and co, apart from Taylor (who had a decent goal return), none of them did much more than drain a wage whilst holding a shirt cos no other option was available. There are plenty of experienced professional midfielders available of similar or better ability who are aged 25-30 that would be a better investment. What's the point of having ANOTHER short-term signing. All that means is come the end of the contract, we find ourselves in need of another replacement! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VulcanRam Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 Gerrimin. Our midfield is still fairly lightweight and is susceptible to exhaustion (Hendrick and Hughes are good examples). Wouldn't expect he'll start much, which having read the DT article is a bit strange as he turned a player/coach contract at Watford as he wants to play games. He'd add some much needed testicles to our midfield, especially away from home. Could have done with him steadying the game away at Sheff Weds when they made it 2-1. Would be good to bring on either once Hughes has done some damage and we have a lead to protect, or when Bryson is knackered. If his wages are fairly low, I can't see a downside. Exactly what I was going to say. So many times last season, away from home especially, we were, to mix my metaphores, like headless chickens caught in the headlights. We lacked a bit of steel and someone with the experience to organise, help slow things down and see out games. I would have preferred him a couple of years ago but used in the right way, he brings something to the squad we do not currently have and he could prove a very useful signing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VulcanRam Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 Yes, it was said almost tongue-in-cheek, but my point is that he is experienced and at the end of a career. I'd suggest that Eustace is somewhere similar. We don't need washed up players like Eustace. We had it with Lee Hendrie, Russell Anderson, Robbie Savage, Laurent Robert, Paul Dickov, Shefki Kuqi and perhaps a few more I cannot recall right now, and each and every one of those were of significantly higher pedigree than Eustace is. Even if you go back to the likes of Warren Barton, Rob Lee, Paul Thirlwell, Ian Taylor and co, apart from Taylor (who had a decent goal return), none of them did much more than drain a wage whilst holding a shirt cos no other option was available. There are plenty of experienced professional midfielders available of similar or better ability who are aged 25-30 that would be a better investment. What's the point of having ANOTHER short-term signing. All that means is come the end of the contract, we find ourselves in need of another replacement! Kuqi and Savage, like it or not, significantly improved our team at the time. Dickov was only here for a few weeks but did well enough. Anderson was a decent centre half but injured permanently. Hendrie was ****. Robert was just a joke signing made in sheer panic. There may be "plenty" of experienced players out there, but are they for sale and do they fit our budget? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rynny Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 If we sign him I will judge him on what does for us this season not what he has done in previous seasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Teale Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 We can all name experienced players that haven't worked as im sure we can name ones that did. Clough has always really liked eustace and I can see him signing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mostyn6 Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 Kuqi and Savage, like it or not, significantly improved our team at the time. Dickov was only here for a few weeks but did well enough. Anderson was a decent centre half but injured permanently. Hendrie was ****. Robert was just a joke signing made in sheer panic. There may be "plenty" of experienced players out there, but are they for sale and do they fit our budget? really? I don't know a single person that wouldn't have rather kept Oakley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May Contain Nuts Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 There is an official site article on this, which says a little more: http://www.dcfc.co.uk/news/article/eustace-training-with-derby-889453.aspx Eustace Training With Derby PUBLISHED 07:58 2nd July 2013 by DCFC Media Out-of-contract midfielder joins in pre-season training with the Rams. Free agent John Eustace is training with Derby County. Derby boss Nigel Clough is a long-time admirer of the veteran central midfielder, who is out of contract after leaving fellow Championship side Watford this summer. The 33-year-old is a player who has been on Clough’s radar for some time after enjoying a loan spell at Pride Park during the final months of the 2008-09 season. He made nine appearances in total and scored once, ironically against his parent club Watford at Vicarage Road on the final day of the season. Eustace teamed up with the Rams last week for the start of pre-season training ahead of the 2013-14 season at Moor Farm Training Ground and is due to remain with Derby for the next few weeks. Clough explained: “John is training with us and he’s going to spend a couple of weeks at Moor Farm. “We’ll see what that brings and we could possibly do something with him. “He can play as a holding midfielder or even at centre-half, which would be ideal in terms of what we’re looking for because there aren’t too many of his type around. “We’ll sit down and have a chat with John either later this week or early next week and get his views on how he sees things developing. “John is someone we’ve liked for quite a while and he’s got a lot of experience to offer, so we’re interested in seeing if we can explore things a bit further. “He’s a good character, which we know from his loan spell with us a few years ago, and he’s already familiar with the set-up. “We don’t have too many experienced players in the squad, there’s only Lee Grant and Ben Davies who are in their 30s, but there’s always room for two or three to look after the young lads.” Eustace has made 381 professional career appearances for seven different clubs, after starting his career at Coventry City in 1996. He has also enjoyed spells at Dundee United, Middlesbrough, Stoke City, Watford and Derby. The highlighted bit might worry some people, if it meant we didn't pursue any other new defensive targets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich3478 Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 Being positive away from home and trying to win games for ninety minutes would help massively. Seemed to set up for 0-0 last year, then concede an tactics were shot. We'd then have loads of the ball without achieving anything as the opposition let us. This was us controlling the game apparently, eustace would be a nothing signing for me. The easiest way to close out a game is to score a goal. I missed three or four away games last season, tactics and mindset let us down far more than personnel in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BondJovi Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 The highlighted bit might worry some people, if it meant we didn't pursue any other new defensive targets. Clough certainly seems to stick to his targets when it comes to players. Never have rated Eustace mainly because all I hear in my head is Graham Richards calling him useless. Would he come here as a back up player? I think Clough rates him very highly and it wouldn't surprise me if he was a starter if he signed. The comment about him also playing centre half does worry me. We do not need any more of plugging gaps, square pegs, round holes. It is cutting corners again. Not a signing to get excited about, not one to make me lose all hope, just the sort of thing I thought we had moved on from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inter politics Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 Watford fans are very complimentary of him and if he can stay fit, I don't see much wrong with this. Not sure he has played centre half before?! Perhaps Watford fans can enlighten us on that one. Richard Dunne would of been great but I don't see how we could compete with the wage he'd want plus if I was a promoted team, he would be an ideal signing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VulcanRam Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 really? I don't know a single person that wouldn't have rather kept Oakley. You can't make that comparison. Oakley was sold by Davies. Savage was bought by Jewell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mostyn6 Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 You can't make that comparison. Oakley was sold by Davies. Savage was bought by Jewell. really? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VulcanRam Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 really? apologies, you're right. For some reason I have always had it in my head that Davies didn't leave til Jan, don't know why, just something that's been in there and won't shift! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mostyn6 Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 apologies, you're right. For some reason I have always had it in my head that Davies didn't leave til Jan, don't know why, just something that's been in there and won't shift! dont worry I do it all the time with players who were here on loan under Burley and under Brown! I remember it vividly cos I thought it stunk as a plan by Jewell. I know first hand that Oakley was shocked by his treatment by Jewell and he felt that he was a scapegoat and lingering connection to Davies that Jewell wanted rid of. I liked Oakley. I liked his conduct, his attitude, his temperament and I'd love for an equivalent to be here now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oomarkwright Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 looks quite fit in that picture! taller than i thought too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 looks quite fit in that picture! taller than i thought too. He's 6 foot tall - but seeing as he used to play for Stoke, that goes without saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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