Quote Originally Posted by the_anticlough View Post
Hardly anyone's looking good when it's 8pts out of 36, 5 consecutive home defeats, and a freefall down the table.

I think we have to distinguish between someone who has actually achieved something for this club and someone who hasn't at all (apart from negative records).

Cameron has given 3 years solid service.
Played what....around 110 games?
Captained the club to promotion
Lifted the promotion trophy at Wembley
Provided the cross that lead to our late equaliser in the final
Made NL team of the season last year
Has been a solid pro for us really over all that period

Many players have been asked to step up to a higher level. Do we think that's easy? Do we think they don't want to step up? Be better and advance their careers? Do we think they aren't trying? Do they deserve our vitriol and contempt for trying? Or achieving what they have already?

He's one member of a large squad that it's trying to step up and in doing so move the club forward. There's only one word for most of the hate on these threads S-C-A-P-E-G-O-A-T
I'm certainly not seeking to scapegoat Kyle Cameron and yes, you have to acknowledge his role in last season's success, which was considerable, particularly in terms of his ability on the ball.

The question is, as you point out, can he step up to the standard required in League To where his ability (or lack of ability) as a defender is coming under greater examination compared with the relatively 'flat track' of the National League.

Cameron has been found wanting on numerous occasions this season, and what worries me is that I'm not seeing much learning or improvement. Yesterday's first goal was a classic example.

If Kyle has anywhere near enough defensive and positional awareness then he must have known that as McAleny bore down on goal he needed to stop him, and the bottom line is that he is primarily there to be a defender. What was needed was a challenge that made absolutely sure that ball and man did not get past, even if it meant a foul, which at worst would probably earn a yellow card because the other centre-halves were in reasonable proximity. Instead Cameron made the laziest, most half-hearted, pathetic attempt to win the ball you could ever imagine, and McAleny duly scored.

If you're aspiring to be a Football League (Two) centre-half and you think THAT challenge was a sufficient effort to stop the opponent, then there's no two ways about it, you're on your way back to the National League either with the club you're at, or because you've had to find another club.

I was watching the game live but I gather Mark Stallard on the radio couldn't believe what he saw and remarked upon it. Kyle Cameron said a couple of weeks ago that he and the players were "giving 100%". Well skipper, all credit for your achievements last season, but if that's genuinely 100% of what you've got as a defender, then you're not good enough to do that job in League Two. That's not scapegoating, it's just telling a truth that needs to be understood, not least by him if he's ever going to improve.