Ally: McKay Was Magic

[the gunslinger 3,366]

From what I can see McCulloch played 30 times last season, are you saying we failed to win over 15 of those matches? Wylde played in 21 matches, a 90% win rate is something like 18 games.

 

I imagine McGregor played in most of the matches we failed to win last season, should he have been dropped for Grant Adam? Statistics tell us part of the story, not all of it.

 

it was earlier in the season and the previous one. jig did well up front after Christmas.

[andy steel 0]

There's two reasons I can think of for dropping McKay on Saturday - one, we ought to have been able to take care of ES with Shiels in his role, and two, if he'd played poorly (as will happen) we would have been on his back.

 

It's all well and good blaming the manager but we have some of the least tolerant fans on the face of the planet. Everton fans may just have enjoyed watching Rooney as a kid - we'd have moaned the arse off him if he had so much as misplaced a pass.

 

Rangers must be the hardest club in the world for a kid to break into, and we have to take a lot of the blame for that.

[Frankie 8,182]

Given our lack of pre-season games, Saturday was an opportunity to rotate a few players.

 

McKay and MacLeod have done very well so far but we need to ensure all our players are fit and sharp for a busy ten days ahead!

[calscot 0]

I get the impression some people think that players' abilities go rapidly downhill after the age of 18 and that if you don't play in the first team your talent disappears overnight.

 

All the players we played were 18 once. They have benefited from playing in the first team. What is wrong with playing them?

 

Should be play McKay in every game till he turns twenty and then replace him with a seventeen year old? What is it people want? What is the point? Should we ban clubs from playing players over twenty or maybe people should just watch the under 21 leagues?

 

Why is football in the Olympics less popular than the World Cup when you're only allowed three players aged over 22? With all these youngters, shouldn't the quality be higher?

 

As far as I can tell, playing teenagers is not the magic formula for winning titles. Just ask Man U.

 

There is a place for youngsters in every team as you have to learn your trade and you can't do that properly without being given a chance to do your job for real. But if you wanted a lawyer or a kitchen fitter or a mechanic, do you prefer the inexperienced young apprentice or the seasoned professional?

[GovanAllan 0]

Oh well don't play the young lad because we might groan if he puts a pass astray or he's to young to play every game.

 

If we had loaned McKay out to a Div3 team when we were in the SPL would we not expect him to play every game to get experience?

 

Can somebody also let me know when this it's still preseason finishes?

[calscot 0]

We won't have a settled squad until after the transfer window closes. We're well behind due to not having a licence and ideally I think we should be bringing in almost all new players at the beginning of the window and before the pre-season games begin.

 

We don't seem to have been doing that consistently over the years and I think you could find a good correlation between when we bring the players in and how good the start of our season is, and indeed our whole season.

[Darthter 542]

I think the thin you've got to be careful of with youngsters is their attitude. At 17/18, they are still impressionable, and suddenly thrusting into the limelight on a full time basis, can have a negative effect.

 

A good example of this (IMHO) was John Fleck. He appeared in the 1st team @ 16 (I think), and according to reports developed a bit of a bad attitude, possibly thinking his skill level was above where it was in reality. By the time he settled his "potential" reputation was ruined& he moved on. Scott Allan @ Utd was similar...played 2 or 3 1st team games, got good reviews and started demanding all sorts of contract improvements.

 

Hopefully Ally is just trying to keep the kid in reality mode which will stand him in good stead for the future.

[alexscottislegend 2,090]

I think the thin you've got to be careful of with youngsters is their attitude. At 17/18, they are still impressionable, and suddenly thrusting into the limelight on a full time basis, can have a negative effect.

 

A good example of this (IMHO) was John Fleck. He appeared in the 1st team @ 16 (I think), and according to reports developed a bit of a bad attitude, possibly thinking his skill level was above where it was in reality. By the time he settled his "potential" reputation was ruined& he moved on. Scott Allan @ Utd was similar...played 2 or 3 1st team games, got good reviews and started demanding all sorts of contract improvements.

 

Hopefully Ally is just trying to keep the kid in reality mode which will stand him in good stead for the future.

Yes, John Fleck is now in League One with Coventry trying to salvage his reputation. Don't remember anyone having the hype he had; seems he was good at youth level because of his strength but now he's less effective as older players are at least his equal.

[calscot 0]

Fleck out injured for next three weeks.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

if we need to rest McKay it should be on the smaller pitches away from home.