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Post by chiefdelilah on Apr 18, 2015 7:21:22 GMT
Where did it all go wrong?
I remember being so excited when we signed him as he'd looked the part even in League Two. He scored all kinds of goals, he was quick, he went past players, he was lethal.
I know the obvious answer is that the jump in divisions was too much for him but is there an argument he was unlucky?
He got a bad injury straight away, and then looked lively and scored a good goal on his debut. But he was miles behind fitness-wise as a result of that knack and he was never going to make it as a centre forward under TP so was stuck in midfield or on the wing at a time when he was still developing.
Under different circumstances might he have made it? Or was he just not up to it?
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Post by JoeinOz on Apr 18, 2015 7:24:35 GMT
The jump in leagies was too much for him. Assistant manager at Wellington Phoenix now.
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Post by werrington on Apr 18, 2015 7:27:35 GMT
Him and Carl Asaba were the original and now infamous "square pegs round holes Nige " pioneers
That is some feat in itself and they'll go down in history
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Post by Jamo on the wing on Apr 18, 2015 7:30:43 GMT
Him and Carl Asaba were the original and now infamous square pegs round holes pioneers That is some feat in itself and they'll go down in history Tone's line whenever we lost was that we had "four forwards on the pitch" so what else could I do?
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Post by nottinghamstokie on Apr 18, 2015 8:11:37 GMT
Definitely two divisions too big a jump ( or at least two in one go was ) although had he not had that injury who knows ? He did very well, goals-wise, at Tranmere in League one, so that possibly sums it up
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Post by davejohnno1 on Apr 18, 2015 8:24:18 GMT
Where did it all go wrong? I remember being so excited when we signed him as he'd looked the part even in League Two. He scored all kinds of goals, he was quick, he went past players, he was lethal. I know the obvious answer is that the jump in divisions was too much for him but is there an argument he was unlucky? He got a bad injury straight away, and then looked lively and scored a good goal on his debut. But he was miles behind fitness-wise as a result of that knack and he was never going to make it as a centre forward under TP so was stuck in midfield or on the wing at a time when he was still developing. Under different circumstances might he have made it? Or was he just not up to it? The simple answer is that he was crap. He wasn't quick, he wasn't good in the air, he didn't have a particularly good touch. In short he didn't have a single outstanding quality that gave him even the remotest of chances of succeeding at a higher Level than he'd played at previously.
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Post by Jamo on the wing on Apr 18, 2015 8:27:28 GMT
I think he always put himself under too much pressure as he knew it was his big chance.
He more often than not scuffed his shots and looked power puff.
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Post by nottinghamstokie on Apr 18, 2015 8:58:26 GMT
In short he didn't have a single outstanding quality that gave him even the remotest of chances of succeeding at a higher Level than he'd played at previously. and yet....he did very well at Tranmere, so surely "succeeded at a higher level than he'd played at previously" ( League Two ) ??
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Post by metalhead on Apr 18, 2015 9:08:48 GMT
I always thought he was surprisingly lightweight, seemed to have no physical presence whatsoever. He was also hyped beyond belief. I remember the sentinel having a full page spread about him and his goal scoring exploits for Mansfield, risky business when you're making such a big step.
The whole "he was played on the left" bollocks doesn't really wash with me because he was shit the few times he played down the middle. In truth, he was well out of his depth.
The injury ruined him? Not for me. He didn't have a particularly good football brain and that has nothing to do with any injury.
Ultimately, I really didn't care when he left. His contract expired and I just thought cheerio Chris. He seems to have done ok since though so good on him.
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Post by uknorse on Apr 18, 2015 9:12:11 GMT
ruptured his cruciate ligaments in the friendly with wba on the wed night, and stoke still put out in the media that he'd be fit for the friendly on the sat...cos it affected season ticket sales...this i no to be a fact, cos i saw him at the nuffield 3days after his op and he told me that himself... like all pace based players, he lost the most important asset to his game...and was never the same player
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Post by davejohnno1 on Apr 18, 2015 9:13:00 GMT
and yet....he did very well at Tranmere, so surely "succeeded at a higher level than he'd played at previously" ( League Two ) ?? Lower league football encompasses leagues 1 and 2. That was his level. He was crap. A good honest bloke who tried his best but ultimately he was rubbish.
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Post by xchpotter on Apr 18, 2015 9:23:07 GMT
I may be wrong but didn't he get a massive bollicking off TP for equalising in the last minute against Palace.....he wasn't supposed to have been that far forward to score the equaliser or something like that....could be wrong.
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Post by chiefdelilah on Apr 18, 2015 9:29:06 GMT
I always thought he was surprisingly lightweight, seemed to have no physical presence whatsoever. He was also hyped beyond belief. I remember the sentinel having a full page spread about him and his goal scoring exploits for Mansfield, risky business when you're making such a big step. The whole "he was played on the left" bollocks doesn't really wash with me because he was shit the few times he played down the middle. In truth, he was well out of his depth. The injury ruined him? Not for me. He didn't have a particularly good football brain and that has nothing to do with any injury. Ultimately, I really didn't care when he left. His contract expired and I just thought cheerio Chris. He seems to have done ok since though so good on him. You could argue though, that he wasn't suited to playing through the middle in a TP team either. Just wasn't going to happen for him regardless by that time.
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Post by leicspotter on Apr 18, 2015 9:32:04 GMT
I now work with a Mansfield fan who asked me this very question on Tuesday. I reckon a combination of bad luck (injury), being a "square peg" (TP) and probably not being quite good enough to make the move. If he had a decent start, then maybe he would have fared better (like Liam Lawrence perhaps)
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Post by metalhead on Apr 18, 2015 9:44:26 GMT
I always thought he was surprisingly lightweight, seemed to have no physical presence whatsoever. He was also hyped beyond belief. I remember the sentinel having a full page spread about him and his goal scoring exploits for Mansfield, risky business when you're making such a big step. The whole "he was played on the left" bollocks doesn't really wash with me because he was shit the few times he played down the middle. In truth, he was well out of his depth. The injury ruined him? Not for me. He didn't have a particularly good football brain and that has nothing to do with any injury. Ultimately, I really didn't care when he left. His contract expired and I just thought cheerio Chris. He seems to have done ok since though so good on him. You could argue though, that he wasn't suited to playing through the middle in a TP team either. Just wasn't going to happen for him regardless by that time. You have to adapt to a system though.
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Post by chiefdelilah on Apr 18, 2015 9:56:06 GMT
You could argue though, that he wasn't suited to playing through the middle in a TP team either. Just wasn't going to happen for him regardless by that time. You have to adapt to a system though. Not always possible. Not like he could extend his neck like Inspector Gadget. How many centre forwards under 6 ft made it under TP?
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Post by werrington on Apr 18, 2015 10:01:11 GMT
You have to adapt to a system though. Not always possible. Not like he could extend his neck like Inspector Gadget. How many centre forwards under 6 ft made it under TP? I say to this day that Stein would of been discarded by Pulis never mind Greenacre mate
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Post by chiefdelilah on Apr 18, 2015 10:13:10 GMT
Not always possible. Not like he could extend his neck like Inspector Gadget. How many centre forwards under 6 ft made it under TP? I say to this day that Stein would of been discarded by Pulis never mind Greenacre mate No doubt mate.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2015 10:14:11 GMT
Not always possible. Not like he could extend his neck like Inspector Gadget. How many centre forwards under 6 ft made it under TP? I say to this day that Stein would of been discarded by Pulis never mind Greenacre mate I wonder what Macari would have done with Greenacre?
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Post by choppercherry on Apr 18, 2015 11:34:54 GMT
I seem to remember Pulis liked to play him on the wing and not as the 6 yard box man.
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Post by march4 on Apr 18, 2015 12:12:14 GMT
Not always possible. Not like he could extend his neck like Inspector Gadget. How many centre forwards under 6 ft made it under TP? I say to this day that Stein would of been discarded by Pulis never mind Greenacre mate TP would have played him on the wing.
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Post by onionman on Apr 18, 2015 12:41:46 GMT
We probably would have been relegated if it wasn't for his goal against Brighton, so in his very small way he has played his part in where we are now.
I tend to favour the very simple "he was rubbish" theory for why he failed though. Apart from a couple of poachers efforts, he never did anything that made you think he would be doing well in other circumstances.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2015 14:19:14 GMT
Did he marry TP's daughter in the end?
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