Potential Scottish Signings

[Asanovic]

We won 2 out of the last 13 and 1 out of the last 6. Why have you total confidence in a managment team that has yet to get us a top half finish for 2 and a half seasons. While you may think they may get it right total confidence is surely a but strong. They have made some good signings but some bad, our style of play if you can call it that and tactics need a lot to be desired

Why should we have finished in the top half? Did we have a squad that suggested we were capable of doing so? I certainly don't. I think we had a squad that was hacked away at, and we had to rely on endless emergency loan signings without ever really replacing the players we sold until the end of the season. Tactically some mistakes were made, but I'd be interested to know a manager that doesn't make tactical errors, especially with several loanees that have been thrown together to avoid relegation. This is old ground, read previous 'Clough Out' threads if you want to pick this argument up again.

It's all about opinions, and I think the future is bright with players like Brayford, Bailey, Cwyka and Fielding. The management team have obviously got an eye for young potential so if I hear we're in the market for anyone of that sort of age, I'm pretty happy they know what they're doing.

[Gary Teale]

Why should we have finished in the top half? Did we have a squad that suggested we were capable of doing so? I certainly don't. I think we had a squad that was hacked away at, and we had to rely on endless emergency loan signings without ever really replacing the players we sold until the end of the season. Tactically some mistakes were made, but I'd be interested to know a manager that doesn't make tactical errors, especially with several loanees that have been thrown together to avoid relegation. This is old ground, read previous 'Clough Out' threads if you want to pick this argument up again.

It's all about opinions, and I think the future is bright with players like Brayford, Bailey, Cwyka and Fielding. The management team have obviously got an eye for young potential so if I hear we're in the market for anyone of that sort of age, I'm pretty happy they know what they're doing.

That is where Clough and Glick said we should have been finishing. I totally agree the squad wasnt good enough for that, but whos squad is it, its not like we havent signed anyone for 2 and half years.

[RotherhamRam]

That is where Clough and Glick said we should have been finishing. I totally agree the squad wasnt good enough for that, but whos squad is it, its not like we havent signed anyone for 2 and half years.

Its a squad that is built on no money hence the reason why funds and squad rebuilding with a mix of proven players is the plan this summer. The board have always stated before they invested they would get the club on a sound running level. As a fan I hated that stance as this left Clough looking like a tit when all he had to work with was a transfer fund liken to when he was at Burton in the Championship. The difference in this transfer window to ones before is the one liner constantly thrown out if we can find a barker type player the funds will be there but it never was. This summer they are not spouting this line they are saying they are going to buy players. Yes this is a squad that clough built, but the nurmerous threads prior to this where players who have left over the 2 yrs Clough has been here the only two players that we would have liked to see stop was Hulse and Commons, they knew the money was not here to buy better players at the time and instead of toughing it out until the end of season decided to move. Now in respect of Commons fine fair enough 27yrs old has now won a cup winners medal although the competition is not the same he will be happy as he is now a medium fish in a small pond. Hulse is 31 or 32 saw a chance of getting big contract before he retires won't now get a game at QPR and will be back of to the championship, be funny if he came back as the striker we are after but will not be on same money as before. This squad if the board back up what they say will be the start of a proper squad under Clough. If we look at the signings that were his first choice signings and not stocking fillers the players we are either vary happy with or they are ok but def not dross. Fielding, Brayford, Barker, Roberts, Bailey, Ward and Cywka the core of a very good squad with the experience this yr. Then Hendricks, Obrian and Ball have developed in the youth setup and are showing promise. This again is proof that Clough is building and as pointed out this was a five yr plan when he came, people were asking about the youth we are now starting to see three yuoung players coming, we also have an England U17 player coming through and I think Severin goal keeper has also broke into youth international level. Further to this Addison before his injury under Clough also broke into U21 English squad. That makes I believe 6 players 7 if you count Aitken who played first team against Norwich all of which started out with the club. So when you are questioning what Clough has been doing which was the underlying tone of the message it is worth taking a big step backwards look at the context of everything and what he has had to work with and what is developing. I know it is not as quick as some would like including myself at times however if this club is financially self sufficent with the ability of developing home grown players this will mean that more money will be available to actually look at bringing more experience expensive players and develop further. Cloughs plan is slowly taking form.

[RAMSvsThe World]

Two or three scotish players wont hurt

[InDefenceofLostCauses]

Why do Championship clubs always look to Scotland?

First take 3 examples: Stephen Dobbie, Robert Snodgrass, Graeme Dorrans. All 3 were signed from the Scottish First Division. Other players have come from that level as well with varying degrees of success (e.g. Jason Scotland, Kevin McDonald, Wes Hoolahan). The first 3 spent time in more than one of the lower leagues in Scotland, then went down south for pennies and have been a huge success at their clubs.

There are loads of good Championship players that came from the SPL, Ross McCormack, Chris Burke, Kevin McNaughton, Noel Hunt and so on. Cheap players tht do well at that level. And there are also plenty of SPL players that are doing well in the Premier League.

Alan Hutton, Craig Gordon, Danny Wilson, James McCarthy, James McCarthur, Steven Fletcher, Barry Ferguson, Charlie Adam, James McFadden, Christophe Berra. All players that would walk into the Derby team.

Adam is the strangest one of all, as he was awful when he played in the SPL. Just about everyone assumed he'd bomb at Blackpool and disappear out of sight. There are risks with bringing players with Scotland, because some do fail, and it's often hard to predict who will do well and who won't.

I'm not sure about Maguire or Bryson. Macguire is talented but very raw. Bryson has worked his way up from the bottom to establish himself in the SPL. Both are risks, but worse players from Scotland have been successful in the Championship.

[Anag Ram]

Its a squad that is built on no money hence the reason why funds and squad rebuilding with a mix of proven players is the plan this summer. The board have always stated before they invested they would get the club on a sound running level. As a fan I hated that stance as this left Clough looking like a tit when all he had to work with was a transfer fund liken to when he was at Burton in the Championship. The difference in this transfer window to ones before is the one liner constantly thrown out if we can find a barker type player the funds will be there but it never was. This summer they are not spouting this line they are saying they are going to buy players. Yes this is a squad that clough built, but the nurmerous threads prior to this where players who have left over the 2 yrs Clough has been here the only two players that we would have liked to see stop was Hulse and Commons, they knew the money was not here to buy better players at the time and instead of toughing it out until the end of season decided to move. Now in respect of Commons fine fair enough 27yrs old has now won a cup winners medal although the competition is not the same he will be happy as he is now a medium fish in a small pond. Hulse is 31 or 32 saw a chance of getting big contract before he retires won't now get a game at QPR and will be back of to the championship, be funny if he came back as the striker we are after but will not be on same money as before. This squad if the board back up what they say will be the start of a proper squad under Clough. If we look at the signings that were his first choice signings and not stocking fillers the players we are either vary happy with or they are ok but def not dross. Fielding, Brayford, Barker, Roberts, Bailey, Ward and Cywka the core of a very good squad with the experience this yr. Then Hendricks, Obrian and Ball have developed in the youth setup and are showing promise. This again is proof that Clough is building and as pointed out this was a five yr plan when he came, people were asking about the youth we are now starting to see three yuoung players coming, we also have an England U17 player coming through and I think Severin goal keeper has also broke into youth international level. Further to this Addison before his injury under Clough also broke into U21 English squad. That makes I believe 6 players 7 if you count Aitken who played first team against Norwich all of which started out with the club. So when you are questioning what Clough has been doing which was the underlying tone of the message it is worth taking a big step backwards look at the context of everything and what he has had to work with and what is developing. I know it is not as quick as some would like including myself at times however if this club is financially self sufficent with the ability of developing home grown players this will mean that more money will be available to actually look at bringing more experience expensive players and develop further. Cloughs plan is slowly taking form.

I would agree. Whilst last season was pretty soul-destroying at times, we fared best when we had players behind the front line who put pressure on opposition defences and who could play good football around the edge of the box to create opportunities. We cannot afford the 20-goal striker, and I can therefore see the sense of players like Maguire and possibly Waghorn who could work with Cywka and Ward to create chances at home, and more importantly, on the break when away.

I am more interested in what Nigel does with the defence. Last season we lacked a leader and organiser, and whilst individual defenders did an ok job, we always looked shaky. Average defenders can make a good defence if organised. Let's hope Shackell (if he comes) and perhaps two others, can make us as difficult to penetrate as a clam on a first date.

[JohnClement]

I have no problem with signing Scottish players. Whether a player is any good depends on the assessment ability of the Manager and scouts. What worries me is that there seems to be very little extrapolation. Just because a player is good at a certain level, does not guarantee that he is going to be good at a higher level. Most of the players Niigel Clough has signed have failed to step up.