SPL POTY Contenders?

[ian1964 10,457]

I wouldn't have McCulloch on a short list of 6 just for Rangers POTY, never mind for the whole country.

 

Really guys, Lee McCulloch????

 

2 or 3 decent games does not a season make.

 

From Rangers I would have (in no order) McGregor, Bougherra, Weir, Davis, Boyd and even Miller (as hard as that is to admit) all ahead of McCulloch and have been far more persistent performers this season.

 

From other clubs Stokes is a good shout, as is Webster, but I dont see enough of the other clubs to really make a judgement.

 

Although going on previous winners the contest is morally corrupt. Any competition where winners can include Caldwell, Maloney, McGeady, Hartson and Ricksen is beneath any credibility test as far as i'm concerned.

 

 

I have to disagree with that, we all know he is a limited player, but credit where credit is due he has been a consistent performer in our midfeild when every other player has been out injured or suspended and has came up with crucial goals, C****c away & Hertz away spring to mind, which have helped us maintain our lead at the top of the table.

[Bluedell 5,356]

I wouldn't have McCulloch on a short list of 6 just for Rangers POTY, never mind for the whole country.

 

Really guys, Lee McCulloch????

 

2 or 3 decent games does not a season make.

 

From Rangers I would have (in no order) McGregor, Bougherra, Weir, Davis, Boyd and even Miller (as hard as that is to admit) all ahead of McCulloch and have been far more persistent performers this season.

 

Davis has not been consistent throughout the whole season. He under-performed during August to November, but has been outstanding since the start of December.

 

McCulloch has been our most consistent midfielder by a long way, but Davis's performances for the past 3 months have out-shone everyone else in the team.

[Dr Preston Burke 0]

I don't understand how you can say the award is beneath contempt because Ricksen won it? From September 2004 to March 2005 he was easily the best player in the SPL. His form only dropped when Hutton broke his leg against Kilmarnock and he returned to right back for the rest of the season. He's not a player who is remembered particularly fondly, rightly or wrongly, but as a central midfielder he was easily one of our best of the last ten years. Very Davis-esque in the 04/05 season.

Edited March 5, 2010 by Dr Preston Burke

[Danny 0]

I wouldn't have McCulloch on a short list of 6 just for Rangers POTY, never mind for the whole country.

 

Really guys, Lee McCulloch????

 

2 or 3 decent games does not a season make.

 

You're right. And as such he's had way more than 2 or 3 decent games.

[Danny 0]

I don't understand how you can say the award is beneath contempt because Ricksen won it? From September 2004 to March 2005 he was easily the best player in the SPL. His form only dropped when Hutton broke his leg against Kilmarnock and he returned to right back for the rest of the season. He's not a player who is remembered particularly fondly, rightly or wrongly, but as a central midfielder he was easily one of our best of the last ten years. Very Davis-esque in the 04/05 season.

 

I think he meant because it was given to Hartson AND Ricksen jointly. Which did diminish its credibility a lot. Much like giving it to Caldwell last year.

[Dr Preston Burke 0]

I think he meant because it was given to Hartson AND Ricksen jointly. Which did diminish its credibility a lot. Much like giving it to Caldwell last year.

 

Have re-read his post and i'm still sticking to my interpretation of it

[calscot 0]

I think that while there are better players than McCulloch, he’s in with a shout as few have played close the number of games with the same consistency and one or two have let themselves down off the park.

 

MacGregor - has been very good this season but had a couple of bad games and his headlines don’t help him.

Alexander – not enough games.

 

Broadfoot – not enough games and a couple of shockers.

Whittaker – very inconsistent and goes from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Weir- been a top performer this season and has a similar shout to McCulloch, and shades him for me.

Bougherra – not enough games and a couple of howlers. His attitude does not deserve to be rewarded.

Wilson – not enough games.

Papac – very inconsistent this season and had quite a few bad games.

 

Davis – steady for the first few months and then played of a very high standard since then. Comes well ahead of McCulloch.

Novo – done very well this season but not started that many games. Had a few very anonymous games too.

Thomson – very poor when back from injury but playing well now.

Mendes – hardly played.

Edu – not played much, starting to look good like the end of last season.

Fleck – not had enough games and not shown enough either.

Rothen – no need to talk about him.

Little – not enough games.

Beasley – injured too often.

 

Lafferty – poor this season

Miller – done reasonably well this season but not as consistent as McCulloch.

Boyd – vastly improved this season while still putting the goals away. Played most games for a change and on my short list of two with Davis.

 

So forced to give a shortlist of 5 my choice would be

 

Boyd

Davis

Weir

McCulloch

McGregor

 

in that order.

[Danny 0]

Agree my shortlist was between Davis and Boyd, and I gave it to Davis, but only just.

 

Davis

Boyd

McGregor

McCulloch

Bougherra

[Tannochsidebear 2,321]

I can agree with Bluedell that Davis was very inconsistent during the early months of the season, much to my frustration. However his assists tally doesn't lie, and his level of consistency has been much better for the last 3 months or so.

 

I just dont get it with McCulloch though. He is rarely above average, is generally 5 yards away from where he needs to be, has no pace, clumsy challenges and silly free kicks, very little forward progress. Always jockeying opponents when they are running at us. I just dont see where this consistent performer stuff comes into it. He has been truly awful in every position we have tried him in until now, where the busy central areas allow him some hiding room and for other players to cover for him.

 

It is the exact same sitaution as Ricksen for me. Another overpaid liability who should have been punted long before he was. During that 04-05 season, he had a run of games where he was no longer the worst player for a period of about 3 months, strangely at a time when he was negotiating a new contract, when before it he was truly awful, and after the contract was signed he went back to being truly awful. He would be in my top 3 of worst ever Rangers players of the last 25 years.

 

So yes, I am making assertions that the award going to Hartson, whom timmy fans didnt even think was in their top 3 that season, and Ricksen jointly was a complete joke. We had Prso and Novo both scoring lots of goals, and even Boumsong was a better shout even though he only played half the season, and of course big Marv.

[Super_Ally 0]

I just dont get it with McCulloch though. He is rarely above average, is generally 5 yards away from where he needs to be, has no pace, clumsy challenges and silly free kicks, very little forward progress. Always jockeying opponents when they are running at us. I just dont see where this consistent performer stuff comes into it. He has been truly awful in every position we have tried him in until now, where the busy central areas allow him some hiding room and for other players to cover for him.

 

Think you're an excellent poster generally and agree with much of the rest of the post. But don't agree at all with that paragraph. Surely the engine room of midfield place is the the worst place if you're trying to hide?

 

Also think the idea that jockeying an opponent is always a bad thing is a fallacy up there with people who think keepers punching the ball is always bad and "flapping".