Experience needed?

[turbobob]

Maybe it's just me. But I think we are crying out for some experienced players. At least one if not two. We have brought some young players in on loan and we already had a relatively young squad. Yes we have eustace but he's nearing a ban and he can't play every game.

I've said it many times, but I think we need an experienced centre half and an experienced midfield general. Of course they cost money. But I'd like to think that mclaren wouldnt have come without some sort of budget. And we haven't seen all the money for brayford, the advertising boards and the sponsorship. Yes we've spent A?500k on Dawkins but there is over A?2m left.

Yet we are being linked with more youngsters. I hate to question the decisions of the management team but it strikes me as a bit odd we arent looking to add experience.

[Ram79]

Do you not consider Keogh , Bryson , Buxton , Grant to a few experienced because I would. I understand what your saying is to have a few older heads about isn't a bad thing but we seem to doing ok without them.

[turbobob]

Buxton no not really. He's spent most of his time in lower league.
Keogh. Has some experience. But I think we need someone with more knowledge / experience. A stomach. A mcgrath. A Colin Hendry (I know he didn't play for us but we were linked with him) a Craig short. A dominant experienced leader. I think Keogh and Buxton would thrive playing alongside a player like that. And that would spread to the full backs. They are young.

[Rapid]

we need to define experience. it sounds like you're talking experience to do with a higher level of football. jake's got loads of games under his belt at this level so he can't be considered inexperienced. Keogh the same.

I take your point but don't know how we can drop bucko or Keogh at the moment. they're a good pair together.

as for the brayford money - that will have easily been swallowed up by wages. dawkins, keane, wisdom, forsyth, adam 'kin smith! martin and the money we're already losing.

[Ram79]

An experienced left back could be good any out there?

[swaledale]

I'd say on the evdience so far, we are hardly crying out for experienced players.

Its ironic and I guess reflects fans different views, but there was a post a while back by Ronnieronaldo or whatever he is called, which was criticising McClaren for bringing in so called "journeymen" players and supposedly denying our younger squad members a chance to play, now we have the excat opposite.


In reality if one looks at our squad, it isn't composed mainly of young players and there is a fair bit of experience in there.


We now have adequate cover at CB, Whitbread is certainly experienced though some cast doubt on his quality, however what justification is there for breaking up the Buxton/keogh partnership? Its probably no coincidence that our bad spell occurred in Koegh's absence.


eustace is of an age where he cannot be expected to play every game and we dont really have cover there and Forsyth has his off days and again we alck cover, but can we get a player of the right quality in ja

[Beardyram]

It depends what you class as expereince. As has been stated on previous posts Keogh, Grant and Buxton have played a lot of games at this level, Grant even had a season in the Premiership. Keogh has captained teams in the lower leagues and Bryson has been captain at Kilmarnock.

An experienced player would need to be better than what we have got at the moment, could we find someone better than Bryson/Hughes/Hendrick who a) has the experience and b) we can afford.

Its no good bringing in an expereinced player just for the sake of it. Not forgetting McLaren has a wealth of experience to pass on, which as a manager Clough didn't have.

[turbobob]

Well these players make be experienced, but is it the right experience?

I've said from pre season I didn't think we'd have problems scoring but I was concerned about the defence. And so far I believe I'm right. Look how many goals we have conceded. We are the leading scorers but our defensive record isn't great. I maintain we need the right sort of leadership and experience at the heart of defence to help us push on.

[swaledale]

Well Bolton apparently paid silly money for Baptiste a very experienced defender at this level and it hasn't done them much good!

As for a leader, I think Keogh showed leadership qualities against Brighton. And again I make the point that until his injury we werent conceding lots of goals, it ws unfortunate maybe that Whitbread wasnt fit to fill in.

I'm sure a top notch left abck or ventre back would indeed improve the team, trouble is IF you could find one available the transfer fee and wages would be huge.

One only has to look at whats hapenign with Hobbs at the reddogs to realise that a good defender at this level is higly sought after.

[turbobob]

Personally I'm glad we swerved baptiste. I think I said at the time I didn't rate him.

I've also said how much I like Keogh as a player. He's a key player for us. Bucko much as I like him isn't the partner for keogh. I think Keogh as first choice and bucko as second choice would both benefit from the right leadership and experience of the right centre half. Whitbread is ok as a squad player. Not first or second choice for me.