Footballers

[sage]

I know that all those who earn a living from playing football are described as footballers, but I think there is another ethereal quality that suggests someone is a footballer beyond simply their occupation status. A player whose skill and touch transcends the hectic power and athleticism of the modern game.

We have been lucky in recent years to have a few of these special players at the club. It's a joy to watch Ince, Hughes, Martin and Dawkins play. Whilst strength, speed and stamina are needed in a team, I hope this window adds another footballer or two to our ranks.

 

[Alph]

I get more excited by a proper footballer than a lad that's a physical beast and you just set him loose on a ball. 

Not seen Newcastle in a while but under Pardew they had a period where they signed the most athletic players they could find. If he was a physical masterpiece then they'd sign him. It works to an extent. It's surprising how far you can get with pace, height and most basic footballing ability. 

Just don't enjoy it. 

Watching Iniesta and Co pass through the smallest spaces, watching Hazard keep the ball protected when a 6ft 5 defender is trying to tackle him, watching David Silva and all his strength of a 10yr old boy dance through blokes that just bench pressed the team bus... I love it. 

Just the skill with their feet and their balance. Does more for me than watching Theo Walcott kick the ball past someone and then race them.

Not saying it's the right way to play. I just like it more. Thankfully Derby are going through a stage where they want to go in that direction. 

[robglosta]

Totally agree, even if it doesn't lead directly to a dangerous attack; true footballing poise, balance and panache make the game so much more easy on the eye.  Bojan is back tonight for Stoke, who fits perfectly into this mould of 'footballer' with some exquisite touches. 

[ronnieronalde]

I know that all those who earn a living from playing football are described as footballers, but I think there is another ethereal quality that suggests someone is a footballer beyond simply their occupation status. A player whose skill and touch transcends the hectic power and athleticism of the modern game.

We have been lucky in recent years to have a few of these special players at the club. It's a joy to watch Ince, Hughes, Martin and Dawkins play. Whilst strength, speed and stamina are needed in a team, I hope this window adds another footballer or two to our ranks.

 

Sage, I love you and I think I tell you that fairly regularly. That's  a great post in general and I fully agree with you on what makes a footballer a joy to watch. David Silva for example. I'd pay good money just to see him lace his boots up.

But I'd say you've been done like a kipper to fall for whatever it is you've seen in Dawkins.

At first I just thought it was the HITC club and you were sticking up for your pals, it can't be a mere coincidence that you @Bris Vegas and @Ambitious ALL speak so highly of him, are you on commission if he get's a move? 

I can't see it pal, yes he's neat and tidy, decent on the ball and a brilliant passer over 5 yards but to lump him in with Martin and Hughes and Ince. Real match winners, players who can change a game in a flash.

Dawkins will play for a mid table championship side for the rest of his career and that's if he can nail down a spot. He comes across like a lovely lad and he's not a bad player by any means but...He's missing something, maybe it's even just a bit of desire.

 

[Ambitious]

Sage, I love you and I think I tell you that fairly regularly.

But I'd say you've been done like a kipper to fall for whatever it is you've seen in Dawkins.

At first I just thought it was the HITC club and you were sticking up for your pals, it can't be a mere coincidence that you @Bris Vegas and @Ambitious ALL speak so highly of him, are you on commission if he get's a move? 

I can't see it pal, yes he's neat and tidy, decent on the ball and a brilliant passer over 5 yards but to lump him in with Martin and Hughes and Ince. Real match winners, players who can change a game in a flash.

Dawkins will play for a mid table championship side for the rest of his career and that's if he can nail down a spot. He comes across like a lovely lad and he's not a bad player by any means but...He's missing something, maybe it's even just a bit of desire.

 

I watch a player, rather than the impact of a player. I'd love to get into scouting for that exact reason. 

Dawkins used correctly could be a very good asset, but I just don't think he will do at Derby. The Jamaica manager had him playing as a striker, whereas I see him more of a central midfielder that can knit the play together. 

He creates angles and drags players towards him, and you could argue in the past five games that's exactly what we have needed. We need someone smart enough to distrupt the opposition's organisation and the ability to make it count. 

Dawkins could dribble through a whole army fleet with his legs tied together in a 1m square amount of space. I like that.  

He's rarely going to pick out the top corner from 30 yards, or dazzle anyone with his skill. However, I believe he's smart enough to ensure that we're still in an attacking position before and after he picks the ball up. 

[sage]

Sage, I love you and I think I tell you that fairly regularly.

But I'd say you've been done like a kipper to fall for whatever it is you've seen in Dawkins.

At first I just thought it was the HITC club and you were sticking up for your pals, it can't be a mere coincidence that you @Bris Vegas and @Ambitious ALL speak so highly of him, are you on commission if he get's a move? 

I can't see it pal, yes he's neat and tidy, decent on the ball and a brilliant passer over 5 yards but to lump him in with Martin and Hughes and Ince. Real match winners, players who can change a game in a flash.

Dawkins will play for a mid table championship side for the rest of his career and that's if he can nail down a spot. He comes across like a lovely lad and he's not a bad player by any means but...He's missing something, maybe it's even just a bit of desire.

 

This is because you support Notts Forest. A hoofball team.

Alternatively...

My post is about a type of player, not who is best.

Also...

You could ask Will Hughes who our most skilful player is...he said Dawkins

Not only but also...

Someone with a bigger ego than I may suggest that someone employed by a sports website may have a higher than average knowledge of football and a particular passion for it's purity. As both a modest fellow and a CRICKET journalist I would more likely suggest your theory is b0ll0cks

[ronnieronalde]

@TroyDyer (hi troy, it's a complment not a dig!) I'd assume is a very skillful footballer, he played beach football for England and you've got to be able to do keepy ups and volleys to do that. It doesn't mean you'd want him running your central attacking midfeild position, or that you'd give him a free role to occasionally create something but usually blaze over wildy after some lovely intricate build up play.

I don't doubt your higher knowledge, again I think I've told you privately and in public that you're someone I have huge respect for.

Now with that in mind, my modest side takes over ;-)

Dawkins may be skillful but

49 starts in ALL COMPETITIONS and 44 sub appearances for 4 clubs by the age of 27 suggests you should stick to cricket :-)

0 appearances in any competitive game for Spurs in 6 years at the club

2 league starts, 2 Johnstone Paint starts and 9 substitute appearances on loan at Leyton Orient from July to January (even allowing for close/pre season)

4 substitute appearances while on loan at Villa from January to May.

It's only Derby where he's had any ind of run and that's down to Steve paying a fee for him and having faith in him, but not enough faith to keep him in the side ahead of Russell or, Ward or even Lingaard and Ibe, two lads he loaned in cos Dawks couldn't quite get a grip on games enough.

Decent player, lovely lad, very solid back up, but not in the same bracket as Ince, martin and Hughes who've all proven over a number of games that they can have a real impact on a game. I watch Dawkins and I admire his tidiness, I even quite like his deceptive dribbling skills and the fact he can look after the ball, but Paul Coutts could do all of that and we deemed him not good enough.

[sage]

This is because you support Notts Forest. A hoofball team.

Alternatively...

My post is about a type of player, not who is best.

Also...

You could ask Will Hughes who our most skilful player is...he said Dawkins

Not only but also...

Someone with a bigger ego than I may suggest that someone employed by a sports website may have a higher than average knowledge of football and a particular passion for it's purity. As both a modest fellow and a CRICKET journalist I would more likely suggest your theory is b0ll0cks

Try again Ronnie. Your critique is a mediocre as your football team and as accurate as Connor Sammon's finishing. 

[ronnieronalde]

I watch a player, rather than the impact of a player. I'd love to get into scouting for that exact reason. 

Dawkins used correctly could be a very good asset, but I just don't think he will do at Derby. The Jamaica manager had him playing as a striker, whereas I see him more of a central midfielder that can knit the play together. 

He creates angles and drags players towards him, and you could argue in the past five games that's exactly what we have needed. We need someone smart enough to distrupt the opposition's organisation and the ability to make it count. 

Dawkins could dribble through a whole army fleet with his legs tied together in a 1m square amount of space. I like that.  

He's rarely going to pick out the top corner from 30 yards, or dazzle anyone with his skill. However, I believe he's smart enough to ensure that we're still in an attacking position before and after he picks the ball up. 

I'd probably have played him in a couple of those games. The fact he hasn't played would be a real concern if I were him, unless he's picked up a niggle at hte gold cup or PC thinks he's behind in his pre-season.

No reason not to have given him more game time, even as a sub.

[ronnieronalde]

Try again Ronnie. Your critique is a mediocre as your football team and as accurate as Connor Sammon's finishing. 

I don't have a football team at the moment Sage, remember?  ;-)

I'm waiting for a CEO or an owner with principles who doesn't say one thing then do another to hire my mate again :-)

Until then, I'm at least a half Ram, mediocre or not. A bit like Dawkins really.

[sage]

I don't have a football team at the moment Sage, remember?  ;-)

I'm waiting for a CEO or an owner with principles who doesn't say one thing then do another to hire my mate again :-)

Until then, I'm at least a half Ram, mediocre or not. A bit like Dawkins really.

Yawn

[ronnieronalde]

Yawn

Wow, I didn't think for one second you were being serious. 

I'll stop now. It seems I'm losing one or two friends around here again.

[RamNut]

You could ask Will Hughes who our most skilful player is...he said Dawkins

i think that was JR wasn't it?

 

[sage]

Wow, I didn't think for one second you were being serious. 

I'll stop now. It seems I'm losing one or two friends around here again.

It's a Yawn because you turned a thread about aesthetics into a) an argument b) he's rubbish and c) HITC.

Boring.   

[RamNut]

I forget who said it......was it Lawrie McMenemy?

something about the ideal team is 7 dancers (or was it violinists) and 4 bin men ( or was it bouncers)  

At Derby we've never had a lot of bin men 

colin todd rather than kenny burns, charlie george rather than lee chapman, etc but there is always room for bit of Frank Wignall 

[ronnieronalde]

It's a Yawn because you turned a thread about aesthetics into a) an argument b) he's rubbish and c) HITC.

Boring.   

I didn't turn it into an argument at all, how many smilies can I put in a post before you get the drift that I'm not after arguing about it, I really thought my response was as piss takey as it could get. Every single reply of mine after that had the same smilies, despite your posts getting a bit tense. I really thought you were joking.

Do you think during all of this time on the forum you haven't posted a couple of points that have maybe had me scratching my head, or thinking blimey, what's sage on about now?

Can you think of the last time I wrote Yawn to you?

There are one or two on here who in my mind are untouchable, I've grown so fond of them I WILL NOT have a dig no matter what they say, I'd prefer to ignore the point.

Still not to worry, maybe my skin is getting a bit thinner than it used to be.

 

[froggg]

Had a mate whatsapping me earlier crying, his team had made champions league proper, emotional stuff....... Footballers eh.

[RamNut]

 

Still not to worry, maybe my skin is getting a bit thinner than it used to be.

don't stress mate.

Its the problem with t'internet. People seem a bit more prone to argue.

back on topic.....you might be right that Dawks is missing a certain something.

Its been so long since we've seen him that i can hardly remember him but he used to drive me crackers when he played on the wing. That said, when we were on top v brum i think the introduction of dawkins instead of shotton might just have tipped the balance in our favour.

 

[Alph]

I forget who said it......was it Lawrie McMenemy?

something about the ideal team is 7 dancers (or was it violinists) and 4 bin men ( or was it bouncers)  

At Derby we've never had a lot of bin men 

colin todd rather than kenny burns, charlie george rather than lee chapman, etc but there is always room for bit of Frank Wignall 

I like that. Violinists and bouncers sounds better imo. 

Chelsea have 5 violinists, 5 bouncers and 1 ex con I think. Not that Diego Costa can't play the violin. He just prefers to headbutt, kick, strangle and stomp stuff. 

[Alph]

Oh, I'm gay for Dawkins but I don't write for HITC. Somebody hasn't heard of the #DMLB