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A bit of perspective required.

Mostyn6

By Mostyn6
in Derby County Forum

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Mostyn6

Mostyn6

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I logged on to t'interwebs last evening to a multitude of comments on Facebook, Twitter and the forums I post on, ALL in my opinion, over-reacting to the potential departure of John Brayford.

 

Whilst it's never ideal to lose your most competent players, we need to be realistic here.

 

I think it's a decent piece of business.

 

I can obviously only voice my own opinion, and people will either agree or not.

 

John Brayford was a whole-hearted and consistent player for Derby County, his attitude, workrate, temperament and motivation can never be bought into question. His ability is up there with the better right-backs at this level too, in my opinion.

 

But the reality is, he isn't that much better than ALL right-backs at this level. The difference between the best and worst right-back at this level, and maybe the league below, is actually nominal! This was highlighted by the ease with which Brayford adapted to Championship level football.

 

Where we previously suffered when Brayford was out injured was the link up play with Paul Coutts, going forward, but that is actually distorting judgement on Brayford. He is being judged on one thing, when his impact should be measured in another.

 

We have plenty of attack-minded players at the club, and they should be allowed to express their games naturally, but in terms of the position Brayford occupied, this player should be a defender. His role should be defending first and foremost. His influence should be measured in clean sheets and tackles made. If, and it's a big if, he possesses a secondary ability to create a goal here and there, or his distribution is brilliant, or he is a set-piece wizard, or he can take 100yd throw-ins, it's a bonus. As long as he can do the basic, but vital defensive jobs well, the player will do.

 

IN another thread, poster Ambitious makes a few good points. If you was a fan of a Premier League club, and even a top end Championship club, and your manager went and spent £2m on Brayford, you wouldn't be jumping through hoops with excitement. Let's face it, most football fans would not have high opinion of Brayford. We say Brayford is "the best right back in the championship", but is he? really? As much as I like Brayford, I thought someone less dynamic, Marc Edworthy, was one of the best right-backs we've had at this level. Because, as I mention above, he was a defender.

 

I'd be far more concerned if Hendrick was sold, as we haven't seen the best of him, but we saw the best of Brayford, I doubt very much he would've got any better than what he is now. He's replaceable.

 

As someone considered 'negative' by many on here, I can honestly say that I'm not concerned about Brayford being sold. He's of that level of ability that's much of a muchness in my opinion, and I genuinely believe that you could replace him with someone slightly worse in terms of ability, but not affect the standard of the team.

 

I think the real issue for fans who are worried by this move is the fact that we haven't strengthened our defence as a department/unit in spite of the obvious frailties at central defence level, with both Keogh and Buxton being quite dodgy.

 

We will get through the departure of Brayford seamlessly... trust me.

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Alph

Alph

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I agree mostyn.

Gutted he's gone but not quite suicidal.

Think back to Connolly and Hunt and he's bloody Cafu!

We've just lost a big attacking threat and the clubs best/2nd best defender. Now we need to spend that money wisely.

Then is the time to judge. Like last year the sale of Shackell left us with Buxton, OB and..... well it was probably a bigger loss than Brayford because at least Freeman looks fairly solid. Without Shackell and Barker we looked poor. Keogh (who I don't think has quite played as well for us as Shackell) has come in and eased some worries but more importantly he enabled us to strengthen the midfield.

It's an approach I don't think anyone enjoys.

Sell our best - replace with the next best thing - use additional funds elsewhere.

Nigel said himself when we sold Shackell that we have a replacement who's 'very nearly' as good. He's wasn't wrong. Keogh is better on the ball!

So lets see how the money is spent. If we bring in a RB that is 'very nearly' as good as Brayford and the rest of the cash buys us a nice solid CB or a right sided midfielder with as much attacking skill as Bray then John Brayford will be forgotten.

This realistic approach is a far cry from the ***** Glick said though. You can't keep young players when they begin to grow past the ability of the club. You have to grow with them. Which means they all need to develop at the same rate (luckily Hughes and Hendrick seem to be within each other.

The only realist approach is surely to sell them as they develop and try to build a core team that can get promoted.

Glick made out we'd have a group of upcoming young players to get us promoted and stay there. Nigel in fairness was always realistic. He got on my nerves Glick.

"When the FFP kicks in...."

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Gaspode

Gaspode

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if we'd signed a full back of Brayford's quality for £2M on a 12-month deal, people would have said we were mad - sell a player that's expressed a desire to move on for £2M or keep an unhappy player for 12 months and let him leave for nothing? - no brainer decision.....

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nfb

nfb

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I agree about perspective, and I read here about people saying we are going up automatically, or top 6 etc, we have signed 3 players over and above the side which finished last season, do those three make us that bearing in mind what others are doing or the 3 relegated sides from the prem ?

With the departure of Brayford are we so confident ?

As I said in another thread, its all about whether we add young quality to carry on doing the job of developing a more than decent side capable of 'growing' into a prem side with a few add ons....

So  will be interesting to see what the management does now, and will give us a glimpse of the future......

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