Giles Barnes

[eustonstation]

​Again though, saying 6 years was a bit of a dishonest way of expressing it. Saying "when he last played in England over 3 years ago he had a rough time of it" would have been a better way of expressing it than "he hasn't played well in England in 6 years". Ronaldo hasn't performed well in England in 6 years, Messi hasn't ever performed well in England, Diego Forlan didn't perform well in England, while Pogba and Pique haven't either arguably. It's just a poor way of expressing "I thought he looked poor at Doncaster 4 years ago". 

He actually got good minutes for Doncaster while he was there, and in America has actually done really well. 28 goals and 10 assists in 101 appearances doesn't sound too shabby at all to be honest, and the quality of the MLS is higher than a lot give it credit for. 

​My statement, re-stated: the last time he performed well or scored significantly in England was back in 2009. Since then, he had 23 games at West Brom and 33 at Doncaster and scored once. 

Same conclusion, just semantically different. 

Based on that, I don't think he's a very viable option for a team looking to move up. 

However, if he were available for free (which I don't think he would be), on cheap wages (which he might be -- he only makes about 3,000 pounds a week now), and his attitude has improved (which I doubt, since he's now a 'big fish', albeit in a small pond), I'd be willing to give him a second chance. 

From his perspective, though, it would be a smart move. 

[eustonstation]

How is it arrogance and what has our national sides performances in tournaments got anything to do with this?

The MLS is a poor league that will never attract any top players in their prime. It's full of washed up players that have failed elsewhere and a scattering top players looking for that final golden pay cheque.

It will never be a top league either because top players in their prime want to play in the Champions League, arrogant? No, it's the truth. 

Saying that there are other quality leagues around the world, just not the MLS or your beloved A League

​I've been to a handful of MLS games over the last 2-3 years and was at MLS pre-season in Tucson a few months ago so I saw it right up close -- I could have tripped up Tyrone Mears if I didn't think it would have been a waste of a 90 minute drive!

It's definitely not Championship level. The players have individual skill but you put them together, under match pressure, and it's a hot mess. 

No doubt, there are a few who could be effective in England, and Giles Barnes may still have what it takes to be one of them. But I'd rather we expend our transfer energy on other targets. 

[Statham512]

​Or, the MLS could be around his level, League 1...

My thoughts exactly ? amen brother 

[Day]

 

The arrogance is that England's expectations are drastically out of whack, because they seem to believe that their quality at Premiership level must mean that they are that much better than the rest of the world. However, when they actually face the rest of the world it becomes much more apparent that the gulf is an order of magnitude smaller than most expect. Overexpectation and overconfidence make bad bedfollows, but it's pretty much the staple of the English sporting experience. You could sum up McClaren's time as England manager that way, you could sum up the current experience that way. How many people on here still sit back and think "we were so awful that Costa Rica made it through ahead of us", rather than realising that the problem was always that you writing off the rest of the world is only going to lead to the same? 

The world of football changes over time, and you never know what might happen, but I do agree with you that I doubt that the best of the best will ever play there. However, are we the best of the best? Are we even close to the best of the best? You're talking Champions League quality players when we're struggling to even keep ourselves in the top 6 in the Championship? Then you go right ahead and knock the MLS in the same breath? No, it's not the Champions League, but neither is the Championship, neither is the midtable in the Premiership. There are better players in the MLS than we could get at this time, yet you write off Giles while he's a standout? 

I'd also suggest you note that there are actually another group of players in the MLS you've actually ignored. The Americans themselves. There are occasionally very good players from America who either stay at home, or prefer home over midtable mediocrity even at Premier League (and other European league) level. 

Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A are much better than the rest of the world, that's not arrogance, it's an opinion that you will find will be shared by many.

Even Klinsmann wants his players to move to Europe for more competitive football and was pissed when Bradley and Dempsey moved back to the MLS.

Read this: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/usa/11447193/Major-League-Soccer-2015-Jurgen-Klinsmann-playing-a-dangerous-game-with-his-disdain-for-MLS.html

I'm not looking for Derby to make Champions League quality signings, that isn't the reason I wouldn't be happy with Barnes coming back. We are should be looking for players to take us into the Premier League which Barnes in my opinion wouldn't. 

You've also posted about players that just click and fit into Leagues, you're right they do and Bradley Wright Phillips has, the reason for that and his ability to score goals in League 1 says it all.

 

 

[TheDeadlySaul]

Summary of Giles Barnes by a Dynamo fan. 

He relies heavily on being the fastest player on the pitch (especially with the ball) to blow past defenders and to run at them. Just a couple of weeks ago he absolutely torched Michael Bradley in a race down the sideline before threading it through to the oncoming striker for a beautiful assist.

But that asset is exactly his greatest weakness because of what feels to me like arrogance dripping off him. When the game doesn't go his way, he disappears (watch Friday's game). When he is at full gallop, he is virtually always shooting the ball. Everyone's favorite game from him was a double against Kansas City. I was furious. He should have had zero goals and four playground-easy assists. But he wouldn't pass.

He is our most technically proficient player. He is the player most likely to win a game for us. He is almost certainly too good to be playing for us and it's sort of surprising that nobody has come knocking sooner. Having said all that, I don't know how he does when it doesn't all revolve around him, which it won't in the Championship. Talent is there. Guy can play.

If I were running your club and was able to get Barnes for cheap, it'd be a no brainer. Easy pickup.

 

[eddie]

Summary of Giles Barnes by a Dynamo fan. 

He relies heavily on being the fastest player on the pitch (especially with the ball) to blow past defenders and to run at them. Just a couple of weeks ago he absolutely torched Michael Bradley in a race down the sideline before threading it through to the oncoming striker for a beautiful assist.

But that asset is exactly his greatest weakness because of what feels to me like arrogance dripping off him. When the game doesn't go his way, he disappears (watch Friday's game). When he is at full gallop, he is virtually always shooting the ball. Everyone's favorite game from him was a double against Kansas City. I was furious. He should have had zero goals and four playground-easy assists. But he wouldn't pass.

He is our most technically proficient player. He is the player most likely to win a game for us. He is almost certainly too good to be playing for us and it's sort of surprising that nobody has come knocking sooner. Having said all that, I don't know how he does when it doesn't all revolve around him, which it won't in the Championship. Talent is there. Guy can play.

If I were running your club and was able to get Barnes for cheap, it'd be a no brainer. Easy pickup.

 

​Reading that, it seems that the old Barnes magic is still there. There's little doubt that when he first burst onto the scene, he was the most phenomenal naturally-gifted player that we had produced at Derby since god knows when. There's also little doubt that between his ears, he was his own worst enemy.

Can he ever be a 'team' player, and not a 'team Barnes' player? Who knows?

[robglosta]

I am struggling to assess this move, I have no idea whether it'd work. 

[TroyDyer]

I remember certain folks on this forum saying that Martin was no better than Sammon, and that we should be playing our own players rather than a overweight journeyman loanee. 

Just saying. Maybe give the management team some credit, and that if they are indeed after Barnes, there is a good reason why. 

[Statham512]

I remember certain folks on this forum saying that Martin was no better than Sammon, and that we should be playing our own players rather than a overweight journeyman loanee. 

Just saying. Maybe give the management team some credit, and that if they are indeed after Barnes, there is a good reason why. 

Hopefully he's matured a bit and not as full of his own importance as last time he was on our books

[needles]

I've slept on it, and looked at his goal against Sunderland on YouTube again. Do you lot remember when he broke through? Next Derby player to play for England I thought at the time. Gerrim in, the lads got quality and if his knee is robust we'd be getting a touch of class cheapish.

[eddie]

I am struggling to assess this move, I have no idea whether it'd work. 

​Me neither - but I am prepared to keep an open mind.

[Gritty]

Weimann's a PL quality striker, every one of my Leicester mates I've talked to have said they'd love him at their place and are extremely jealous we're so well linked with him. So a team above us in financial clout and the transfer food chain would like him, can't see how that's not an ambitious signing.

Pearce has played in the PL and in a promoted side, he's the calibre of player we should be looking at.

I can't make an argument for Barnes.

There's also the obvious point that some great signings don't always look good on paper, that sometimes you have to trust what a scout sees in a player. Chris Martin wasn't a particularly inspiring signing. Risks on players can pay off, and the in the case of someone like Pearce, he's clearly shown he's a capable CB, that doesn't just go away overnight, but at a club on the decline like Reading it can affect a player's performance.

I'm not really sure if you're wumming or have ridiculous expectations since you jumped on board once we got good again?

Errrrr  I've been supporting Derby for 30 years so no, not jumped on board (I even joined this site 5 years ago when det site closed and things weren't rosy then). And just because I disagree with you and you're irritated doesn't mean I'm winding you up. I respect your opinion. Please do likewise.

My point is that my expectations are to spend the money wisely and target the players we have been in last 2 years not those of 4 years prior to that.

no villa fan thinks weimann good enough for PL from their forum and certainly not if played wide. As for scouts seeing things we don't,  that is good point. Only problem would be if Nixon right and Morris suggesting players. If Evans has scouted him independently then some comfort taken.

I don't know your Leicester mates. Mine aren't in the slightest bothered re weimann . They would like bent and ince though.

[davenportram]

I dont want a player who, after injury, was gesturing to agents to call hime after scoring them goals at Old Trafford. No commitment to a club that looked after him and got him back to apoint where he could play again.

 

I dont believe the rumours about him leaving because of the injury and Derby wanting the insurance, I think it was more like Clough didnt want his attitude in the changing room.

[RadioactiveWaste]

I'm not fussed on this one.

He was basically Dawkins with a bit more end product.

[i-Ram]

basically Dawkins with a bit more end product.

Decent player then. If you are right we should snap him up.

[eddie]

I dont want a player who, after injury, was gesturing to agents to call hime after scoring them goals at Old Trafford. No commitment to a club that looked after him and got him back to apoint where he could play again.

 

I dont believe the rumours about him leaving because of the injury and Derby wanting the insurance, I think it was more like Clough didnt want his attitude in the changing room.

​Maybe he can change….

 

[harryram]

Just seen some of his celebrations for Houston and they are identical to the one against united

[Carl Sagan]

Suspect there's very little in this story. I believe it came from Nixon who is also mates with Houston Coach Owen Coyle, and says Coyle says there's been no contact between the clubs.

[Ashz09]

Wouldn't mind if we got him cheap anything above a million then no thanks. Bring him in? Great. Doesn't join? oh well kinda signings.

[eddie]

Just seen some of his celebrations for Houston and they are identical to the one against united

​It's a sign - a sign, I tell you...