Ravel Morrison - signed 1 year deal

[Ambitious]

1 hour ago, Coconut said:

That Will Hughes bloke is somewhat neat and tidy but produces very little in terms of goals and assists.

Bet you'd take him on a free though? I'd reckon you'd probably be happy paying £2m-£3m if not more for him if we had the cash?

Morrison's ability/ceiling is probably still higher than Will's.. and that's not knocking Will in any way, shape or form.

The reason he’s free is because he can’t stick at a club. He’s got a good level of technical ability but for the past 12 years of his life that’s amounted to very little. I find it unlikely we are going to be any different. If given a choice I would veto all the trialist, because they aren’t good enough. I understand that beggars can’t be choosers, but ultimately all of these players wouldn’t be here if they had other championship clubs waiting in the wings for them. For very good reasons, they haven’t and hence will sit and wait for something that may never come. 

[May Contain Nuts]

15 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

The reason he’s free is because he can’t stick at a club. He’s got a good level of technical ability but for the past 12 years of his life that’s amounted to very little. I find it unlikely we are going to be any different. If given a choice I would veto all the trialist, because they aren’t good enough. I understand that beggars can’t be choosers, but ultimately all of these players wouldn’t be here if they had other championship clubs waiting in the wings for them. For very good reasons, they haven’t and hence will sit and wait for something that may never come. 

Which is fair, but you didn't seem to be  commenting on his ability to play a full season, more his goal impact when he did play.

It's one of the biggest ifs football (apparently), but get Morrison settled and he's the best player in the league, goals and assists or not.

Edited July 26, 2021 by Coconut

[Ramslad1992]

13 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

The reason he’s free is because he can’t stick at a club. He’s got a good level of technical ability but for the past 12 years of his life that’s amounted to very little. I find it unlikely we are going to be any different. If given a choice I would veto all the trialist, because they aren’t good enough. I understand that beggars can’t be choosers, but ultimately all of these players wouldn’t be here if they had other championship clubs waiting in the wings for them. For very good reasons, they haven’t and hence will sit and wait for something that may never come. 

Rooney says they have. I can’t think of any reason to think Rooney is lying about that, he seems like a decent guy who wouldn’t lie about anything.

[Derbados]

2 minutes ago, Ramslad1992 said:

Rooney says they have. I can’t think of any reason to think Rooney is lying about that, he seems like a decent guy who wouldn’t lie about anything.

[Ramslad1992]

1 minute ago, Derbados said:

[Anon]

2 hours ago, Coconut said:

Morrison's ability/ceiling is probably still higher than Will's.. and that's not knocking Will in any way, shape or form.

How can people still be making this argument? 28 years old and still living off being good in Man United's academy. Last seen failing to earn a contract at Den Haag. Yeah, the sky's the limit for this guy. He's had more youtube compilations made about him than he's played actual games of football.

[RoyMac5]

47 minutes ago, Ramslad1992 said:

Rooney says they have. I can’t think of any reason to think Rooney is lying about that, he seems like a decent guy who wouldn’t lie about anything.

Except QPR back up that with the offer of a contract to Carroll.

[DarkFruitsRam7]

49 minutes ago, Coconut said:

Which is fair, but you didn't seem to be  commenting on his ability to play a full season, more his goal impact when he did play.

It's one of the biggest ifs football (apparently), but get Morrison settled and he's the best player in the league, goals and assists or not.

I'm hopeful for him, but that's a load of baalocks.

You can't essentially skip 7 years of development and get back to where you were.

Edited July 26, 2021 by DarkFruitsRam7

[Ramslad1992]

22 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

Except QPR back up that with the offer of a contract to Carroll.

Ok 1 of them… which is there any proof else where? I honestly haven’t looked.

even a broken clock is correct twice a day. 

[May Contain Nuts]

24 minutes ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

I'm hopeful for him, but that's a load of baalocks.

You can't essentially skip 7 years of development and get back to where you were.

I'd agree if he'd suffered a load of injuries along the way but his lack of game time, natural physical traits and keeping himself fit (compare him to Ibe) means he can pick it back up at least somewhere near.

Nothing about his appearances for us so far or those for Sheff Utd/Boro suggest a player who's physically behind anyone else at this level.

You're also implying that "where you were" was our level, but listening to people talk about his potential he would never have had to be a Championship player, he'd have been a top three/top six PL player, so even not reaching his full potential he can still be better than anyone else in our squad.  The lack of wear and tear works in his favour.

Edited July 26, 2021 by Coconut

[May Contain Nuts]

56 minutes ago, Anon said:

How can people still be making this argument? 28 years old and still living off being good in Man United's academy. Last seen failing to earn a contract at Den Haag. Yeah, the sky's the limit for this guy. He's had more youtube compilations made about him than he's played actual games of football.

 

People can make the argument if they haven't closed their mind, which you clearly have.

I'm basing it off on what I've seenand without any preconceptions, which technically and physically albeit in a small number of minutes has given me no cause for concern that he still has the ability and isn't lagging behind any of our players physically either.

Age means duck all for some players, for others it means everything, it isn't an arbitrary measure.

Edited July 26, 2021 by Coconut

[RoyMac5]

11 minutes ago, Ramslad1992 said:

Ok 1 of them… which is there any proof else where? I honestly haven’t looked.

even a broken clock is correct twice a day. 

Believe what you want about the club if it makes you feel good, can't say I'm that bothered about what you believe.

Edited July 26, 2021 by RoyMac5

[Leeds Ram]

7 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

I don't know, but I read the stuff with interviews with his last two managers (inc Wilder) and they were very positive. He's undoubtedly a talent, the preseason has already shown that. We'll need as much creativity as we can get our hands on, and when that has to be free or loan then that limits it. He might no play well but it does sound like personally he's managing to sort himself out.

Pretty sure his last club was Ado Den Haag and that didn't sound remotely positive from what I've heard with rumours of his arrogance in the dressing room being a big issue. He's looked alright in 1 1/2 games against a man utd youth team and a league 2 team, nothing blockbuster or undeniably fantastic but he's looked alright amongst a poor group of players. People claiming he'll be the best player in the league are living in cloud cuckoo land as far as I'm concerned. 

If we're restricted to a few transfers why waste a spot on someone who's never played consistently at a club? It just doesn't really make sense especially when we're so short in other positions. It feels like we're still attracted to players who have a 'star' quality about them rather than thinking logically or sensibly. The guy's a serial failure in his chosen profession and has failed to make any impact at 13 clubs. I don't see any reason why it would be any different here. 

Edited July 26, 2021 by Leeds Ram

[RoyMac5]

6 hours ago, Leeds Ram said:

Pretty sure his last club was Ado Den Haag and that didn't sound remotely positive from what I've heard with rumours of his arrogance in the dressing room being a big issue.

He's looked alright in 1 1/2 games against a man utd youth team and a league 2 team, nothing blockbuster or undeniably fantastic but he's looked alright amongst a poor group of players. People claiming he'll be the best player in the league are living in cloud cuckoo land as far as I'm concerned. 

If we're restricted to a few transfers why waste a spot on someone who's never played consistently at a club? It just doesn't really make sense especially when we're so short in other positions. It feels like we're still attracted to players who have a 'star' quality about them rather than thinking logically or sensibly. The guy's a serial failure in his chosen profession and has failed to make any impact at 13 clubs. I don't see any reason why it would be any different here. 

From the Athletic Article:

"When speaking with The Athletic in September 2020, Ian Burchnall, former manager of Swedish side Ostersunds, where Morrison had moved following an unhappy spell at Lazio, said he had no problems with the attacking midfielder when he worked with him in 2019.

“I had a good experience with him — I liked him,” Burchnall said. “He never missed a training session, never arrived late, never went AWOL. He was polite, he was grateful for everything, he was gracious. There was humbleness.

“I talked a lot to Ravel individually. We’d talk about life, his background, his brothers, his nan. He’s unbelievably misunderstood. It’s so flippant and easy to say he has thrown his talent away and wasted everything when, I tell you what, he hasn’t had it easy throughout his life.”

The same could be said for Morrison’s time at Sheffield United during the 2019-20 season. Though not a terrific timekeeper at first, manager Chris Wilder paired him with more established members of the team to ensure he got to training and meetings on time. Morrison would even stay over in the club hotel to ensure he did not have to make the drive from Manchester and risk lateness.

That he did not feature much at all was less to do with application and attitude and more a tactical decision. With Wilder opting to play a flat 3-5-2, Morrison looked like a square peg in a round hole as it was determined his best position was as a No 10 rather than being deployed deeper in midfield.

That assessment of his character has followed him to Derby where, even though he has only been with the group a short while, people have described him as a “lovely lad” and “a breath of fresh air”.

It's not like we can offer him a long contract anyway. So if it's not worked then in January we can replace him, but if it has worked then we'll both have benefitted.

[Igor Igor Whats the Score?]

99% of our forum experts had written off CKR before he kicked a ball ?

[RoyMac5]

7 minutes ago, Igor Igor Whats the Score? said:

99% of our forum experts had written off CKR before he kicked a ball ?

Yep, myself included. So I'm trying to be more positive about the potential. #COYR

[Jimbo Ram]

3 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

Yep, myself included. So I'm trying to be more positive about the potential. #COYR

Potential ? Is he 18 or 28 Macca ?

[matty1986]

4 minutes ago, Jimbo Ram said:

Potential ? Is he 18 or 28 Macca ?

A player can still have the 'potential' to be a success here regardless of how young or old 

[rammieib]

13 hours ago, Ramslad1992 said:

Ok 1 of them… which is there any proof else where? I honestly haven’t looked.

even a broken clock is correct twice a day. 

You do know most clubs and players don't operate in Public?

[Leeds Ram]

3 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

From the Athletic Article:

"When speaking with The Athletic in September 2020, Ian Burchnall, former manager of Swedish side Ostersunds, where Morrison had moved following an unhappy spell at Lazio, said he had no problems with the attacking midfielder when he worked with him in 2019.

“I had a good experience with him — I liked him,” Burchnall said. “He never missed a training session, never arrived late, never went AWOL. He was polite, he was grateful for everything, he was gracious. There was humbleness.

“I talked a lot to Ravel individually. We’d talk about life, his background, his brothers, his nan. He’s unbelievably misunderstood. It’s so flippant and easy to say he has thrown his talent away and wasted everything when, I tell you what, he hasn’t had it easy throughout his life.”

The same could be said for Morrison’s time at Sheffield United during the 2019-20 season. Though not a terrific timekeeper at first, manager Chris Wilder paired him with more established members of the team to ensure he got to training and meetings on time. Morrison would even stay over in the club hotel to ensure he did not have to make the drive from Manchester and risk lateness.

That he did not feature much at all was less to do with application and attitude and more a tactical decision. With Wilder opting to play a flat 3-5-2, Morrison looked like a square peg in a round hole as it was determined his best position was as a No 10 rather than being deployed deeper in midfield.

That assessment of his character has followed him to Derby where, even though he has only been with the group a short while, people have described him as a “lovely lad” and “a breath of fresh air”.

It's not like we can offer him a long contract anyway. So if it's not worked then in January we can replace him, but if it has worked then we'll both have benefitted.

That's not quite the same story I heard about his time at Ado Den Haag (his last club). A nice lad but came across as arrogant and thought he was better than he was apparently. Now whether that's true or not I don't know. I don't know why even if he did well but didn't fit the system at Sheffield united then at Middlesbrough he again barely played and they aren't looking at him. 

He's burned his way through clubs faster than a chain smoker gets through a packet of fags tbh. This is his last chance saloon at this level of football. Maybe that will turn his head and cold hard reality will come calling at 28. But, tbh given how short we are on options and how important it is to fill those gaps at the back and going forward I'd let him take his chances somewhere else.