Mark O'Brien

[eddie]

A line I wrote in 2011 regarding O'Brien….

 

"Mark O’Brien produced a remarkable piece of skill which had Old One-Eye drawing comparisons with the likes of Todd (Colin, not Andy, for goodness sake), Nish, Stimac and West. Under intense pressure he flicked the ball back over his own head, pirouetted around the attacker and waltzed away with the ball – as audacious as it was brilliant."

[Gary Teale]

Not good enough currently, no better than the other young centre halfs we have had of late Nyatanga, Addison, Mills etc.

[Ambitious]

A line I wrote in 2011 regarding O'Brien….

 

"Mark O’Brien produced a remarkable piece of skill which had Old One-Eye drawing comparisons with the likes of Todd (Colin, not Andy, for goodness sake), Nish, Stimac and West. Under intense pressure he flicked the ball back over his own head, pirouetted around the attacker and waltzed away with the ball – as audacious as it was brilliant."

 

I remember that, funnily enough (the turn, not your line  )

 

It was absolutely first-class and all I could think was 'I bet Nige won't be happy about that' 

[eddie]

I remember that, funnily enough (the turn, not your line  )

 

It was absolutely first-class and all I could think was 'I bet Nige won't be happy about that' 

 

It was a report where I introduced the concept of Chaos Theory and Heisenburg's Uncertainty Principle to Derby's play, and I reflected somewhat upon Savies's injury-proneness. 

 

Another snippet….

 

"A brief word on chaos is warranted at this stage. The ‘Butterfly Effect’ was a term coined by American mathematician and meteorologist Edward Lorenz to describe how a small cause in one place can have a massive effect in another. It is designed to explain the chaotic nature of weather – equally it can apply to football in general and Derby County in particular.

 

"Let me explain further. Imagine a butterfly was to flap its wings somewhere in a dark, unimaginably distant and foreign wilderness – say Nottingham. The movement of the molecules of air caused by the movement of said butterfly’s wings could conceivably cause a slight increase or decrease in pressure which could have a cumulative effect as the compressions and rarefactions make their way along Brian Clough Way in the general direction of Derby.

 

"Now consider this - a Championship game is in progress at Pride Park. 100% Derby are playing winless Burnley. Derby’s leading goal scorer is enjoying his longest run in the side ever – four and a half games without any bizarrely typical Steve Davies injury of any kind whatsoever - no fracturing his sock, no terrifying nostril-hair related fall or even an impact injury caused by stubbing his toe on a misplaced Sunday lunchtime Brussels sprout.

 

"Half-time arrives, and a totally unscathed Steve Davies walks off the pitch headed for the dressing-room and a nice cup of tea.

 

"He stops to sign a young fan’s autograph book. A sudden breeze momentarily whistles, carrying with it the sound of a butterfly laughing in a Nottingham accent. A page starts to turn in the wind – Davies catches it with his finger. The resultant paper-cut is so severe that the gaping tear in his skin travels all the way from finger to hand and all the way up his arm. In agony he clutches the flaps of flesh together to prevent his entire skeleton falling out.

 

"Davies, naturally, drops the pen. Equally naturally (for Steve Davies), it impales itself nib-deep in his thigh. He falls to the ground – he is, above all, a footballer – and rolls over not once, not twice but three times. The referee, predictably, books the autograph-hunter. Davies eventually finishes pinned to Steve Bloomer’s bust and Nigel Clough has no choice but to bring on Lee Croft as a second-half substitute. Jamie Ward also makes way for Theo Robinson."

[Ewetube]

It was a report where I introduced the concept of Chaos Theory and Heisenburg's Uncertainty Principle to Derby's play, and I reflected somewhat upon Savies's injury-proneness. 

 

Another snippet….

 

"A brief word on chaos is warranted at this stage. The ‘Butterfly Effect’ was a term coined by American mathematician and meteorologist Edward Lorenz to describe how a small cause in one place can have a massive effect in another. It is designed to explain the chaotic nature of weather – equally it can apply to football in general and Derby County in particular.

 

"Let me explain further. Imagine a butterfly was to flap its wings somewhere in a dark, unimaginably distant and foreign wilderness – say Nottingham. The movement of the molecules of air caused by the movement of said butterfly’s wings could conceivably cause a slight increase or decrease in pressure which could have a cumulative effect as the compressions and rarefactions make their way along Brian Clough Way in the general direction of Derby.

 

"Now consider this - a Championship game is in progress at Pride Park. 100% Derby are playing winless Burnley. Derby’s leading goal scorer is enjoying his longest run in the side ever – four and a half games without any bizarrely typical Steve Davies injury of any kind whatsoever - no fracturing his sock, no terrifying nostril-hair related fall or even an impact injury caused by stubbing his toe on a misplaced Sunday lunchtime Brussels sprout.

 

"Half-time arrives, and a totally unscathed Steve Davies walks off the pitch headed for the dressing-room and a nice cup of tea.

 

"He stops to sign a young fan’s autograph book. A sudden breeze momentarily whistles, carrying with it the sound of a butterfly laughing in a Nottingham accent. A page starts to turn in the wind – Davies catches it with his finger. The resultant paper-cut is so severe that the gaping tear in his skin travels all the way from finger to hand and all the way up his arm. In agony he clutches the flaps of flesh together to prevent his entire skeleton falling out.

 

"Davies, naturally, drops the pen. Equally naturally (for Steve Davies), it impales itself nib-deep in his thigh. He falls to the ground – he is, above all, a footballer – and rolls over not once, not twice but three times. The referee, predictably, books the autograph-hunter. Davies eventually finishes pinned to Steve Bloomer’s bust and Nigel Clough has no choice but to bring on Lee Croft as a second-half substitute. Jamie Ward also makes way for Theo Robinson."

 

A pint of what he's had please landlord!

[eddie]

A pint of what he's had please landlord!

 

You can't buy genius by the pint. It's not badly-spelled Guinness.

[skippy1996]

I think loaning out Marko is a good idea he can still improve imo

[Gypsy Ram]

I remember that, funnily enough (the turn, not your line  )

 

It was absolutely first-class and all I could think was 'I bet Nige won't be happy about that' 

Nige was furious with him when he did it.

[RamNut]

Keep him.

No need to go out on loan.

[Carl Sagan]

Always thought he was excellent, but the problem of course has been his injuries. Has he fully recovered? If so, he could be better than what we have. But he needs to prove himself without breaking down again. We don't want him to do that at a rival. Unless he'sunfathomably good in pre-season, I suggest loaning him to a League 1 club on a 3 month basis. That said, we don't want him mouthing off to a journo that he isn't wanted at Derby and, having recovered from doing his cruciate, he isn't prepared to come back and sit on the bench. Especially if we extend his contract before he leaves, even if it's under duress...

[Albert]

Always thought he was excellent, but the problem of course has been his injuries. Has he fully recovered? If so, he could be better than what we have. But he needs to prove himself without breaking down again. We don't want him to do that at a rival. Unless he'sunfathomably good in pre-season, I suggest loaning him to a League 1 club on a 3 month basis. That said, we don't want him mouthing off to a journo that he isn't wanted at Derby and, having recovered from doing his cruciate, he isn't prepared to come back and sit on the bench. Especially if we extend his contract before he leaves, even if it's under duress...

To be fair, he's 21. If he does well on loan, comes back and isn't a chance of the first team, and the club he was at comes in with a decent off for him, we probably should let him leave. At such a crucial stage in his development if he has the chance of going somewhere and being first choice in a role he enjoys, if we can recoup some money, I don't see why we should keep him just to stick on the bench.

[Cisse]

I'd like to see him go loan on a team where he would get a big role. Like Port Vale.

[Day]

Port Vale?...wouldn't even wish that move on Sammon,

[Lord_Ram]

Port Vale?...wouldn't even wish that move on Sammon,

 

Me neither, poor port vale

[skippy1996]

Me neither, poor port vale

lool wouldn't even want Sammon at Long Eaton United lol

[Leicester Ram]

A line I wrote in 2011 regarding O'Brien….

 

"Mark O’Brien produced a remarkable piece of skill which had Old One-Eye drawing comparisons with the likes of Todd (Colin, not Andy, for goodness sake), Nish, Stimac and West. Under intense pressure he flicked the ball back over his own head, pirouetted around the attacker and waltzed away with the ball – as audacious as it was brilliant."

 

Against Burnley wasn't it, I remember how hilarious it was seeing not just the strikers face but OB's clear sense of relief that it came off 

[sage]

this signing will be like an albatross around our necks

[Rev]

this signing will be like an albatross around our necks

Next thread down, shurely?

[Daaave]

 

this signing will be like an albatross around our necks

 

 

O'Behave

[abertawe_ram]

Would be good if we could get him on loan to a club who get the ball down and play a decent passing game, get him used to playing out from the back as I thought that was one of his biggest weaknesses before (that classic piece of skill Eddie so skilfully described above being the exception)