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“I was at a club where regardless whether you took your opportunity or not there was politics behind it that you weren’t in the team for that reason or this reason”
Maybe backs up the claim of players starting because of the price tag?
sunderland have been in the top flight 11 of the last 20 seasons, we've been in 1!
sunderland and leeds have had easy starts, lets see how things happen over the longer term, neither covering themselves in glory today!
Or 1 season in 9. Not sure the likes of Lee Cattermole, Titus Bramble and Jack Rodwell from their last stint in the Prem are the reason for their success so far as much as good recruitment over the summer
Or 1 season in 9. Not sure the likes of Lee Cattermole, Titus Bramble and Jack Rodwell from their last stint in the Prem are the reason for their success so far as much as good recruitment over the summer
1 in 9 is much better than 1 in 20; that extra money and infrastructure enabled them to spend more on wages and fees to attract better players to replace their versions of woolfenden
1 in 9 is much better than 1 in 20; that extra money and infrastructure enabled them to spend more on wages and fees to attract better players to replace their versions of woolfenden
Didnt they nearly go bust about 5 or 6 years ago and had Jack Rodwell on the best part of 100k a week
i think the squad was managed well last season, so did woolfy presumably, hence the contract extension
i think the squad is being well managed now that they are pulling in one direction, and the upturn in results and performances seems to support that
I think it was mismanaged but it was a difficult position for everyone to find themselves in, and subsequently trying to get it to work. Obviously a case of outside looking in, but losing Tuanzebe, Woolfenden, Burgess, Broadhead and Chaplin despite seemingly wanting to keep all of them, not to mention the Morsy situation, doesn't suggest sunshine and happiness across the camp. As an aside, Woolfenden signing that contract baffled me then and still baffles me now.
It's my belief if they could go back and do things differently they would, and hopefully they'll pick up and learn for next season should we achieve promotion once again.
I think it was mismanaged but it was a difficult position for everyone to find themselves in, and subsequently trying to get it to work. Obviously a case of outside looking in, but losing Tuanzebe, Woolfenden, Burgess, Broadhead and Chaplin despite seemingly wanting to keep all of them, not to mention the Morsy situation, doesn't suggest sunshine and happiness across the camp. As an aside, Woolfenden signing that contract baffled me then and still baffles me now.
It's my belief if they could go back and do things differently they would, and hopefully they'll pick up and learn for next season should we achieve promotion once again.
i'm not sure what we could've realistically done to keep tuanzebe and burgess, and i'm quite happy with jaden and clarke over broady going forward
I think it was mismanaged but it was a difficult position for everyone to find themselves in, and subsequently trying to get it to work. Obviously a case of outside looking in, but losing Tuanzebe, Woolfenden, Burgess, Broadhead and Chaplin despite seemingly wanting to keep all of them, not to mention the Morsy situation, doesn't suggest sunshine and happiness across the camp. As an aside, Woolfenden signing that contract baffled me then and still baffles me now.
It's my belief if they could go back and do things differently they would, and hopefully they'll pick up and learn for next season should we achieve promotion once again.
As regards Woolfenden, he maybe thought his chances of making the team were still good, and I wonder if in fact it was the unexpected departure of Morsy (which ended up making O'Shea captain) that really did for him because O'Shea occupies his position and McKenna has never seemed to be one to drop a captain.
I would imagine any player signing for any club at big money would ask his potential new boss " Will I be first choice". If the manager says no then it's highly unlikely the player will sign. Also unless you are buying an older player specifically as a back up why would you as a manager splash out millions on a player unless you felt he was better than what you have. Woolfy needs to remember it was KM that kept him at the club. I never felt woolfy ever let us down, even in the Premier League. But it was obvious that those in charge at PR after our dalliance in the Premier League felt that in many areas we were short of quality and the right sort of players. Personally I feel we are still short of the quality needed in the No.9 position and unless Szmodics can come up with the goods we don't have that player like Chappers or an Eric Gates.
As regards Woolfenden, he maybe thought his chances of making the team were still good, and I wonder if in fact it was the unexpected departure of Morsy (which ended up making O'Shea captain) that really did for him because O'Shea occupies his position and McKenna has never seemed to be one to drop a captain.
[Post edited 4 Oct 17:13]
Possibly. The only thing I can think of is Woolfenden was content to being a squad player here in the Premier League but expected to start should we go down as O'Shea would leave. O'Shea staying changed the mindset. For all the digs (not from yourself) about him being a squad player at Coventry, keeping him until the end of August rather than selling him over the summer meant he didn't get a pre season to claim a starting spot for a side doing well.
As regards Woolfenden, he maybe thought his chances of making the team were still good, and I wonder if in fact it was the unexpected departure of Morsy (which ended up making O'Shea captain) that really did for him because O'Shea occupies his position and McKenna has never seemed to be one to drop a captain.
[Post edited 4 Oct 17:13]
The contract signing seemed very odd at the time.
My guess, and it’s only a guess, is that it was strongly sold to him / his agent that it was most likely that O’Shea would leave on relegation (after all had done this before, I think twice) and he would then have a great chance of being a regular again this season. Obviously we wanted Woolf to sign, or he left on a free, so we’d have been selling hard.
I suspect it was a surprise to all, even McKenna, that O’Shea stayed and that meant whatever Woolf had been ‘promised’ was no longer relevant. In fact worse than that for Woolf as getting O’Shea to stay included the offer of captaincy.
And Woolf, understandably, felt annoyed as he’d given up becoming a free agent on that promise and saw a season on the bench ahead.
I think we should have sold him early in the window, it would have reduced the bitterness. £4m for someone who could have left on a free a few months before is clever business by us.
Possibly. The only thing I can think of is Woolfenden was content to being a squad player here in the Premier League but expected to start should we go down as O'Shea would leave. O'Shea staying changed the mindset. For all the digs (not from yourself) about him being a squad player at Coventry, keeping him until the end of August rather than selling him over the summer meant he didn't get a pre season to claim a starting spot for a side doing well.
My guess, and it’s only a guess, is that it was strongly sold to him / his agent that it was most likely that O’Shea would leave on relegation (after all had done this before, I think twice) and he would then have a great chance of being a regular again this season. Obviously we wanted Woolf to sign, or he left on a free, so we’d have been selling hard.
I suspect it was a surprise to all, even McKenna, that O’Shea stayed and that meant whatever Woolf had been ‘promised’ was no longer relevant. In fact worse than that for Woolf as getting O’Shea to stay included the offer of captaincy.
And Woolf, understandably, felt annoyed as he’d given up becoming a free agent on that promise and saw a season on the bench ahead.
I think we should have sold him early in the window, it would have reduced the bitterness. £4m for someone who could have left on a free a few months before is clever business by us.
My guess, and it’s only a guess, is that it was strongly sold to him / his agent that it was most likely that O’Shea would leave on relegation (after all had done this before, I think twice) and he would then have a great chance of being a regular again this season. Obviously we wanted Woolf to sign, or he left on a free, so we’d have been selling hard.
I suspect it was a surprise to all, even McKenna, that O’Shea stayed and that meant whatever Woolf had been ‘promised’ was no longer relevant. In fact worse than that for Woolf as getting O’Shea to stay included the offer of captaincy.
And Woolf, understandably, felt annoyed as he’d given up becoming a free agent on that promise and saw a season on the bench ahead.
I think we should have sold him early in the window, it would have reduced the bitterness. £4m for someone who could have left on a free a few months before is clever business by us.
Who knows of course, it’s just my guesswork.
[Post edited 4 Oct 17:33]
That was great money for someone who's hardly played. Cov would expect to get a 1st teamer for that money. Doesn't matter what he says about us. Hope he gets in their team but he is not an up and at em sort of character. Won't be banging the manager's door down to get an opportunity.
Why was Kipre not picked on Tuesday after waiting for his opportunity and taking it with both hands when he got a go?
Kipre was shattered against Pompey by the end. Recovery time may have been a factor but the manager picks the team. That's what his jobs is and he lives or dies by his choices.
Possibly. The only thing I can think of is Woolfenden was content to being a squad player here in the Premier League but expected to start should we go down as O'Shea would leave. O'Shea staying changed the mindset. For all the digs (not from yourself) about him being a squad player at Coventry, keeping him until the end of August rather than selling him over the summer meant he didn't get a pre season to claim a starting spot for a side doing well.
Very good point about the pre-season. I expect Woolf will get his chance: he’s a very good player at this level.
And boy will McKenna have learned a lot over the last 15 months. He had two seasons of “champagne and roses”, and seemingly managed to keep everyone happy.
Since then a real drop to earth … and he’s now managing ego’s and big money signings with high expectations from supporters and owners. It’s no wonder he’s looking older!
We've had very little success since the new signings came in. This year has hardly been a cakewalk.
We went up to the Prem and we signed better players. It was the Prem and we didn't survive but none the less our aspirations are to improve and get better and sign high calibre players so the next time we do stay up. It's utter utter nonsense that McKenna wouldn't play his best players. And he has.
I think Woolfy character has now been called into question a few times. Too laid back, ridiculous Instagram post recently and now this. Perhaps he needs to focus on his game and his character into the dressing room. We want elite characters and playing ability.
Heard that he wasn't getting picked because of politics??
Can’t comment further and I know it’ll be unpopular, but I have it on very good authority that price-tags played a huge part in why certain players were picked / continued to be picked. People can downvote all they want, but I’m team Woolfie/Burgess in this.
I still support the other lads though of course.
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