Where next, Ben Gibson ?

[Sufyellow 250]

Just now, norwich canary said:

I don’t understand the love in for either Gibson or mccallum. Both were Terrible our defence for most of the season leaked silly goals almost every game 

Midfield didn't help either,  alot of McCallum's problems was the attacking role he was asked to play high up the pitch , with no Midfield cover. That tactic was destroyed at Leeds down both sides. 

[JonnyJonnyRowe 1,057]

50 minutes ago, Sufyellow said:

Midfield didn't help either,  alot of McCallum's problems was the attacking role he was asked to play high up the pitch , with no Midfield cover. That tactic was destroyed at Leeds down both sides. 

We haven't had a left back who can actually defend for years I'm afraid.

McCallum did have decent aerial ability, but his defending on the floor was dreadful, same with Jamal Lewis, Giannoulis often poor too.

Bring back Adam Drury! 

[Don’t be Krul 454]

10 hours ago, Graham Paddons Beard said:

This is the best laugh I’ve had for a while. A centre back agreeing to a yellow card bonus. Brilliant. 

Good job big Dunc wasn't on such a contract, he'd have owed the club! Myth is that referees used to go in the changing room before the game to give him his yellow card then, get it over and done with 🤣

Edited June 1, 2024 by Don’t be Krul

[Midlands Yellow 4,721]

6 hours ago, JonnyJonnyRowe said:

We haven't had a left back who can actually defend for years I'm afraid.

McCallum did have decent aerial ability, but his defending on the floor was dreadful, same with Jamal Lewis, Giannoulis often poor too.

Bring back Adam Drury! 

I’d prefer Mark Bowen. 

[Creedence Clearwater Couto 1,712]

12 hours ago, RobJames said:

McCallum won't be short of offers. Odd thin ltting him leave. Not the best of defenders but ooked good going forward.

Maybe as with Mumba it was thought he was surplus to requirements given the players lined up to come in.

Not really. McCallum is a liability defensively and not good enough to play as an out and out winger or attacking midfielder. It would’ve been easy to keep him, but I think McCallum is as good as he’ll get, and the defensive aspect can’t/won’t improve. Therefore Knapper has made the right call and acted decisively which is good to see.

 We need better if we want to challenge for promotion, is the bottom line.

[KeiranShikari 1,524]

10 hours ago, daly said:

Never understand getting rid of McCullum

 

Stoke finished 17th and they're in pole position to sign him. That should probably tell you something.

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 2,518]

By the sounds of the reports Norwich did try and extend with McCallum, but the player turned down the offer. I presume he was told he’d be backup and he wanted to go and play somewhere.

For me, McCallum is a perfectly serviceable left back for the Championship and given he is still relatively young he could still improve. A shame to lose him for nothing. 

[Graham Paddons Beard 2,899]

13 minutes ago, Bethnal Yellow and Green said:

By the sounds of the reports Norwich did try and extend with McCallum, but the player turned down the offer. I presume he was told he’d be backup and he wanted to go and play somewhere.

For me, McCallum is a perfectly serviceable left back for the Championship and given he is still relatively young he could still improve. A shame to lose him for nothing. 

Exactly my view. 

[ZLF 350]

17 minutes ago, Bethnal Yellow and Green said:

For me, McCallum is a perfectly serviceable left back for the Championship and given he is still relatively young he could still improve. A shame to lose him for nothing. 

Sounds like he wants regular starting football while the clubs assessment (webber & knapper) is prob  he is perfectly serviceable but think better is out there whether it's giannoulis, the new signing or shipley/ Montoia or whoever is coming through

[chicken 3,142]

20 minutes ago, Bethnal Yellow and Green said:

By the sounds of the reports Norwich did try and extend with McCallum, but the player turned down the offer. I presume he was told he’d be backup and he wanted to go and play somewhere.

For me, McCallum is a perfectly serviceable left back for the Championship and given he is still relatively young he could still improve. A shame to lose him for nothing. 

I think it may also have been contract length. At 23, if he's not showing signs of improvement soon, do you really want him tied to a 3yr contract or more?

A shame he went for free but at the same time, how much would he be worth? Not sure if it would be more than a million.

[Monty13 2,811]

24 minutes ago, ZLF said:

Sounds like he wants regular starting football while the clubs assessment (webber & knapper) is prob  he is perfectly serviceable but think better is out there whether it's giannoulis, the new signing or shipley/ Montoia or whoever is coming through

If your model is reliant on buying and selling younger players why offer a contract to a player that hasn’t developed into one more valuable over a number of years?

I can believe we only offered him a backup role if we did and I can understand why he said no.

[DraytonBoy 256]

2 hours ago, Creedence Clearwater Couto said:

Knapper has made the right call

And yet they offered him another contract.

[shefcanary 3,096]

1 hour ago, Bethnal Yellow and Green said:

By the sounds of the reports Norwich did try and extend with McCallum, but the player turned down the offer. I presume he was told he’d be backup and he wanted to go and play somewhere.

For me, McCallum is a perfectly serviceable left back for the Championship and given he is still relatively young he could still improve. A shame to lose him for nothing. 

I still see him ending up as a LCB or on the left of a CB 3 eventually, after watching him play in such a role for QPR very competently! His aerial ability as demonstrated last season is good and needs to be utilised. Without lung busting runs forward, which he has shown he has difficulty recovering from, I think his positional and defensive ability can only improve.

[Mario Harpershite 27]

30 minutes ago, shefcanary said:

I still see him ending up as a LCB or on the left of a CB 3 eventually, after watching him play in such a role for QPR very competently! His aerial ability as demonstrated last season is good and needs to be utilised. Without lung busting runs forward, which he has shown he has difficulty recovering from, I think his positional and defensive ability can only improve.

I thought he predominantly played as a wing back in a back 5 for QPR but that could be my fading memory..?

Not sure he’s defensively sound enough to be a full back let alone a CB personally even in a back 3.

As for comments elsewhere about whether Knapper ‘made the right’ call, that’s more nuanced than he either wanted him to stay or he didn’t.

Knapper seemingly wanted McCallum to stay as back up and offered a contract remunerated on that basis.  McCallum didn’t want that so he’s looking elsewhere. Both of which are understandable positions for Knapper and McCallum to take and we all move on. 

[Ulfotto 838]

I think McCallum point was Norwich offered him a new deal pretty late in the day. I think Bryam said the same last season. As a footballer you want to be wanted and basically waiting until the last minute to offer you a new deal can be perceived as disrespectful. Particularly if said deal contains a pay cut.

[ZLF 350]

Cordoba looks like the lcb option so again Sam it seems the club feels there are better value options out there as the starter, which together with suspect defending may have been reflected in the contract offer.   He clearly wanted more whether in cash or starting reassurance.

It's always a judgement  call but he has gone and I'm interested yo see who comes in

[Creedence Clearwater Couto 1,712]

2 hours ago, DraytonBoy said:

And yet they offered him another contract.

If that’s true, it clearly change my opinion. I wasn’t aware of this.

[NewNestCarrow 307]

4 hours ago, Bethnal Yellow and Green said:

By the sounds of the reports Norwich did try and extend with McCallum, but the player turned down the offer. I presume he was told he’d be backup and he wanted to go and play somewhere.

For me, McCallum is a perfectly serviceable left back for the Championship and given he is still relatively young he could still improve. A shame to lose him for nothing. 

Or he might have wanted a longer deal and / or more cash

Or he might have sought a move away from E Anglia (had previous promises been kept? is his family still in the Mids?)

Or he was offered a contract by NCFC simply to protect their employment rights (McCallum is u-24 so can't move on a simple Free) 

Lots of possible reasons.

 

[RobJames 922]

Odd one with McCallum

If the club did offer him a new contract it would not have been at the old fate, nor I suspect for three years either.There's no evidence that he was wanting to run down his contract as he had a better offer lined up elsewhere

To remain competitive and reflect our non parachute budget (first time in over a decade) we will have to recruit the likes of Sainz from outside the UK. The recognition thre being that players like Panama Pete will see City as a gateway to the PL.

PL clubs have the money, and the need,to want the finished product. We get a player who hopefully has that quality. And it is not us 'selling' as the clueless bleats will have. NO City player would refuse the chance to move up to the PL - there is also the no small matter of a huge increase in wages etc.

Yep, we could block that move. Assuming no release clause.

Howeer, QPR away against Chelsea or Fulham just down the road. Makes for one unhappy, disruptive player and a sign to others. Stay away from City, as they will block your progress. So instead. Accept the inevitable. Hold out for the best deal and move on.

Unless by some miracle we are able tomatch the top six's income there will always be clubs how can offer more than we can. Gain promotion to the PL and that number of clubs rediuces considerably.  Until then w are fair game to those 20 clubs.

[Nuff Said 6,058]

18 hours ago, Bethnal Yellow and Green said:

Every time I hear what 'Ben Gibson supposedly earns' it goes up by £5k a week. These figures are laughable.

[NewNestCarrow 307]

7 minutes ago, RobJames said:

Odd one with McCallum

If the club did offer him a new contract it would not have been at the old fate, nor I suspect for three years either.There's no evidence that he was wanting to run down his contract as he had a better offer lined up elsewhere

To remain competitive and reflect our non parachute budget (first time in over a decade) we will have to recruit the likes of Sainz from outside the UK. The recognition thre being that players like Panama Pete will see City as a gateway to the PL.

PL clubs have the money, and the need,to want the finished product. We get a player who hopefully has that quality. And it is not us 'selling' as the clueless bleats will have. NO City player would refuse the chance to move up to the PL - there is also the no small matter of a huge increase in wages etc.

Yep, we could block that move. Assuming no release clause.

Howeer, QPR away against Chelsea or Fulham just down the road. Makes for one unhappy, disruptive player and a sign to others. Stay away from City, as they will block your progress. So instead. Accept the inevitable. Hold out for the best deal and move on.

Unless by some miracle we are able tomatch the top six's income there will always be clubs how can offer more than we can. Gain promotion to the PL and that number of clubs rediuces considerably.  Until then w are fair game to those 20 clubs.

2018/19 was without any PL parachute money. The club still spent £54m on staff costs  (est £40m without the promo bonuses)

[Nuff Said 6,058]

6 hours ago, Midlands Yellow said:

I’d prefer Mark Bowen. 

I’d prefer Jim Bowen.

[Midlands Yellow 4,721]

19 minutes ago, Nuff Said said:

I’d prefer Jim Bowen.

Bullseye. 

[Nuff Said 6,058]

49 minutes ago, Midlands Yellow said:

Bullseye. 

Look at what we could have won… maybe not. 😢

[Midlands Yellow 4,721]

7 minutes ago, Nuff Said said:

Look at what we could have won… maybe not. 😢

Listen to Tony. 

[Sufyellow 250]

15 hours ago, JonnyJonnyRowe said:

We haven't had a left back who can actually defend for years I'm afraid.

McCallum did have decent aerial ability, but his defending on the floor was dreadful, same with Jamal Lewis, Giannoulis often poor too.

Bring back Adam Drury! 

A good defender,  but would of been destroyed playing those tactics last season. 

[BigFish 2,335]

If the club is serious about a rebuild the first stage is moving on those it possible to move on, Even before Knapper is was clear that McCallum, Gino and Gibson were having their contracts run down. This is true now more than ever, if the club want to take a new direction.

[Terminally Yellow 2,614]

27 minutes ago, BigFish said:

If the club is serious about a rebuild the first stage is moving on those it possible to move on, Even before Knapper is was clear that McCallum, Gino and Gibson were having their contracts run down. This is true now more than ever, if the club want to take a new direction.

A club with resources as limited as ours can't do these extensive twenty out, twenty in rebuilds. I suspect you'll now see a couple of big outs (to cover the losses this club makes), two or three free transfer incomings and a couple of loans (I suspect Knapper will be a far greater user of the loan system than Webber). 

Edit: Should have added this is in addition to the CB purchase we're making, who I suspect will probably be it in terms of fees unless we make some substantial sales above and beyond the figures needed to balance the books. 

Edited June 1, 2024 by Terminally Yellow

[Capt. Pants 5,161]

Well if McCallum was to be treated as backup that suggests Montoia isn't viewed as ready for that role yet.

So it's 2 left backs needed really with Montoia out on loan? 

It's a shame succession planning hasn't quite worked there but I guess they were counting on Sam renewing. I think we need to be a bit careful how we align players to certain squad status. We need genuine competition for places in all positions where poor form is rewarded with being dropped, likewise if a player makes the best if an opportunity then it's their place to lose.

Just wondering how we're going to please our young CBs, Fisher, Gibbs, Idah, Kamara and possibly others with a similar positioning of well you're only backup.

 

[hogesar 10,968]

Despite some of the trolling on this thread it should be pretty obvious that Gibson wasn't on 40-50k in the championship with us. In the Prem, far more believable.