Re: The Doc is on his bike......

[morty 0]

By Russel I mean Russel Martin, as opposed to Darel Russel obviously.

[Guest]

Pretty gutted about this decision, but I don''t think it''s to do with the fact Lambert doesn''t rate him - merely that he thinks he can get better value for money from one or two other centre backs (who are probably younger and "hungrier"), and probably on Doc''s wages combined. I can''t see our budget being massive, so Lambert has to cut his cloth accordingly.Wouldn''t surprise me if Doc was asked to take a wage cut but thought he would try his hand elsewhere, and snag a nice signing on bonus as well. There''s no doubt he has been our best centre back this season, and one of our most consistent performers in his 6 years here - just  shame he''s been vilified by the same bunch of clueless morons who need a boo-boy to make them feel better (e.g. Fleming, Holt and so on).Thanks, and all the best!

[Graham Humphrey 13]

I''m already looking forward to my role as "Russell Martin defender-in-chief" for next season.  It''s been fun representing the Doc but time for a change [;)]

[freddyf105 0]

[quote user="Graham Humphrey"]I''m already looking forward to my role as "Russell Martin defender-in-chief" for next season.  It''s been fun representing the Doc but time for a change [;)]
[/quote]

D''you want a helmet or somthing?! You''ll need one!

[UEA Canary 0]

good move i think. docs been superb this season and a great servant for the club, but everyones time must come up and move on. he hardly covered himself in glory last season, admittedley in a struggling and disjointed side, but i still beleive its the right call. lambert knows the players hes got better than any of us, and ill trust him to decide who he thinks will perform at the high end of the championship, which is where he wants to be.

[GJP 79]

[quote user="Graham Humphrey"]I''m already looking forward to my role as "Russell Martin defender-in-chief" for next season.  It''s been fun representing the Doc but time for a change [;)]
[/quote]

Job share?

[Graham Humphrey 13]

[quote user="freddyf105"]

[quote user="Graham Humphrey"]I''m already looking forward to my role as "Russell Martin defender-in-chief" for next season.  It''s been fun representing the Doc but time for a change [;)][/quote]

D''you want a helmet or somthing?! You''ll need one!

[/quote]Hey, I''ve already got one - I''ve had to, the last few years it''s taken a battering but it can still do a job (just like...)What can I say?  I like an underdog.

[PhatCanary 0]

Due to another bug ripping through the kids of the Phat house I''ve been elbow deep in sick all night so only just found out that we have let Doc go,must admit i have never been his biggest fan but he has had a good season and i''m left feeling a little shocked,at the moment i''m in the lets wait and see who comes in camp because i firmly believe Lambert already has players lined up and as we don''t have the full facts none of us can judge PL and to start tearing into him is just stupid,i would just like to wish Doc all the best and hope he gets a good league 1 club because i do feel this is the level he has performed best at,as for the other defenders we have, imo Askou is better than Doc and Nelson, and Whitbread has the potential to be better than all of them if he stays fit and lets not forget Spillane who was having a superb season before he got injured imo he is Docs ready made replacement.

[Graham Humphrey 13]

[quote user="GJP"]

[quote user="Graham Humphrey"]I''m already looking forward to my role as "Russell Martin defender-in-chief" for next season.  It''s been fun representing the Doc but time for a change [;)][/quote]

Job share?

[/quote]You''re hired!  After Chris Brown and Gary Doherty this should be a walk in the park...

[William Darby 0]

[quote user="freddyf105"]

[quote user="ſilly ſauſage"]We do know that if there wasn''t a injury to our defence, Doc would''ve gone a few months back.  Which indicates (to me anyway) that he must''ve been on good money.  Now as far as cash/wages go Lambert must think he could get greater value else where from a different player.  IMO.[/quote]

Doc would''ve gone a few months back?? Why did the club choose to offer him tht 1 year extension to his deal then? Why didn''t they come to a financial agreement tat would have benefitted them and cancelled his contract? I think the whole ''high wage'' thing is a myth, if we could afford to renew his contract last season then we could this season, loads of people have been saying that why are you not taking it on board?

[/quote]Obviously you can''t remember Lambert saying he can leave, but having to play Doc because of the injuries at the back?

[morty 0]

[quote user="Graham Humphrey"][quote user="GJP"]

[quote user="Graham Humphrey"]I''m already looking forward to my role as "Russell Martin defender-in-chief" for next season.  It''s been fun representing the Doc but time for a change [;)][/quote]

Job share?

[/quote]You''re hired!  After Chris Brown and Gary Doherty this should be a walk in the park...[/quote]You defended Chris Brown?Blimey lol.

[Graham Humphrey 13]

Yes and I have the scars to prove it [:D]

[freddyf105 0]

[quote user="ſilly ſauſage"][quote user="freddyf105"]

[quote user="ſilly ſauſage"]We do know that if there wasn''t a injury to our defence, Doc would''ve gone a few months back.  Which indicates (to me anyway) that he must''ve been on good money.  Now as far as cash/wages go Lambert must think he could get greater value else where from a different player.  IMO.
[/quote]

Doc would''ve gone a few months back?? Why did the club choose to offer him tht 1 year extension to his deal then? Why didn''t they come to a financial agreement tat would have benefitted them and cancelled his contract? I think the whole ''high wage'' thing is a myth, if we could afford to renew his contract last season then we could this season, loads of people have been saying that why are you not taking it on board?

[/quote]

Obviously you can''t remember Lambert saying he can leave, but having to play Doc because of the injuries at the back?
[/quote]

There''s a difference between saying you can leave and cancelling a contract.

[GJP 79]

[quote user="Graham Humphrey"][quote user="GJP"]

[quote user="Graham Humphrey"]I''m already looking forward to my role as "Russell Martin defender-in-chief" for next season.  It''s been fun representing the Doc but time for a change [;)]
[/quote]

Job share?

[/quote]
You''re hired!  After Chris Brown and Gary Doherty this should be a walk in the park...
[/quote]

I dunno...

The signs are worrying. I mean Russell Martin has come in to replace Jon Otsemobor (officially the worst player in the history of the Universe, fact) so going by that he should look pretty good in comparison.

But it seems not.

 

 

[GJP 79]

[quote user="PhatCanary"]and lets not forget Spillane who was having a superb season before he got injured imo he is Docs ready made replacement.[/quote]

You''re joking, right?

Not anywhere near being as good as the Doc.

Never will be either.

[William Darby 0]

[quote user="freddyf105"][quote user="ſilly ſauſage"][quote user="freddyf105"]

[quote user="ſilly ſauſage"]We do know that if there wasn''t a injury to our defence, Doc would''ve gone a few months back.  Which indicates (to me anyway) that he must''ve been on good money.  Now as far as cash/wages go Lambert must think he could get greater value else where from a different player.  IMO.[/quote]

Doc would''ve gone a few months back?? Why did the club choose to offer him tht 1 year extension to his deal then? Why didn''t they come to a financial agreement tat would have benefitted them and cancelled his contract? I think the whole ''high wage'' thing is a myth, if we could afford to renew his contract last season then we could this season, loads of people have been saying that why are you not taking it on board?

[/quote]Obviously you can''t remember Lambert saying he can leave, but having to play Doc because of the injuries at the back?[/quote]

There''s a difference between saying you can leave and cancelling a contract.

[/quote]What''s that got to do with it?  If there wasn''t a problem with our defence Doc probably would''ve gone.  Which strongly indicates at the time Lambert wanted Doc off the books.

[freddyf105 0]

[quote user="ſilly ſauſage"][quote user="freddyf105"][quote user="ſilly ſauſage"][quote user="freddyf105"]

[quote user="ſilly ſauſage"]We do know that if there wasn''t a injury to our defence, Doc would''ve gone a few months back.  Which indicates (to me anyway) that he must''ve been on good money.  Now as far as cash/wages go Lambert must think he could get greater value else where from a different player.  IMO.
[/quote]

Doc would''ve gone a few months back?? Why did the club choose to offer him tht 1 year extension to his deal then? Why didn''t they come to a financial agreement tat would have benefitted them and cancelled his contract? I think the whole ''high wage'' thing is a myth, if we could afford to renew his contract last season then we could this season, loads of people have been saying that why are you not taking it on board?

[/quote]

Obviously you can''t remember Lambert saying he can leave, but having to play Doc because of the injuries at the back?
[/quote]

There''s a difference between saying you can leave and cancelling a contract.

[/quote]

What''s that got to do with it?  If there wasn''t a problem with our defence Doc probably would''ve gone.  Which strongly indicates at the time Lambert wanted Doc off the books.
[/quote]

So Lambert said ''right Gary you can leave'' then a gameor so later needed him?? If he was so desperate for him to leave hy didn''t he try to come to an agreement with Doherty about terminating his contract?? I''m fairly sure he didn''t just put him into the first team squad and THEN say ''you can leave if you want''... either way we both have our differing opinions and I don''t think either of us will change our minds! [:D]

[sgncfc 1,228]

I''m not at all surprised by this. Doc has had a good season against extremely poor opposition but the main reason we won so many games was because the opposition strikers didn''t convert their chances. The fact that they still made them illustartes that the Doc/Nelson combination wouldn''t be good enough in a higher league. He wasn''t good enough in the Championship last year so the chances are he won''t be this year. Nelson will barely get a game either - but he is still under contract and, to be honest has done the job he was signed for which was to get us out of League 1.

I always expected Lambert to get another centre back in to partner Whitbread, with Spillane as back up and Nelson in an emergency. It makes perfect sense. Lambert knows his football and Doc is simply not good enough for the Championship.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

I have stuck by Doc when he has been unfairly criticised and agree he had a good season and leaves with his head held high.

Thank you for your service, Doc.

It is clear from this that Lambert will be taking no prisoners in his ambitions. He deserves our absolute trust and taking that attitude we surely have to feel excited that we have a strong leader with a single minded approach to taking himself and NCFC to higher levels.

Lambert is hard but fair, players know where they stand and can ask for nothing more.

Clearly, Lambert has a plan and a strategy which appears to say that he is looking to build a team and system for The Championship.

It is going to be an interesting summer.

[grantroederdisaster 0]

Yet another poster praising yesterdays shock release of our best defender and saying we''ll be alright with inferior players like Whitbread (whos done bugger all, if he was that good he''d of been playing this season more and hes injury prone), and Spillane (don''t rate him as a CB, not strong enough in the air!).

 

The Docs departure leaves a massive hole in our defence which presumably Lamberts thinking of bringing in a replacement cause certainly Askou, Nelson, Whitbread and Spillane as our CB''s going in to next season probably wouldn''t be good enough!

 

The Doc has been good enough for the Championship which he has proved with us. Even last season he was one our best players and was one of the few players from last seasons relegation that can say they did well.

 

Common myths of recent times -

The Docs slow - Nonsense, rarely beaten for pace.

 

The Docs cr*p - Over 200 games for us most of them good ones. Certain players are made into scapegoats and in a poor season the defence is always blamed when it isn''t always their fault. If the midfield is poor and getting bypassed then the defence is put under more pressure, which is what happened last season.

 

Whitbread will be the dogs b ollocks  when he gets fit! - If he was that good he''d of kept in the team this season but he didn''t look that great when he came on and the long term injury problems for me makes him more likely to turn our like another over rated CB we had last season - Jon Kennedy.

 

Oh the Championships such a step up from what we''ve been this season - Again more nonsense. We got relegated through bad boardroom decisions which left us with Roeder whos not a football manager in charge making awful decisions and not being able to motivate the side. I think how we''ve been this season we''d of been capable of a top half Championship finish and  our squad is much better than last seasons.Yes the Championships a step up from League 1 but I''d say all of the top 6 clubs in League 1 plus Southampton would hold their own in the next League up so it won''t be that daunting I ope!

 

I trust Lambert although I totally disagree with letting the Doc go. Apart from being one of our best players, he also loved playing for us and wanted us to do well, which when you remember back to most of the previous 2 seasons loan players who didn''t give a f uck, that goes a long way. The Doc was also inspirational for the other players!

[Houston Canary 0]

grantroeder, what CCC club do you think will be trying to sign Doherty now he''s available? One of those coming down from the Prem looking to bounce back, or one of the playoff teams that doesn''t get promoted, surely.

[Houston Canary 0]

The line of suitors for his services must be growing by leaps and bounds, based on the sentiments of Doherty''s fervent fans. Being super talented AND playing with grit and determination is a rare combo. Usually it''s the lesser players that have to make up for it with what looks like extra effort while the star players seem to make it look so easy, but he has both! What a steal he will be for whichever CCC or higher team can convince him to sign.

Whoa, I''m getting dizzy from all this sarcasm.

[mickfoot 0]

110%er, hope you find a good club that will appreciate you as much as you were appreciated at Norwich.

[Mister Chops 7]

Not sure he was a legend, but he was a 100% player who has carried the burden of other people''s failings.I hope he''ll find a club where supporters realise he does not give away penalties and free kicks around the box in every game.  I hope he''ll find a club where the central midfielders don''t go missing, leaving him horribly exposed as he was in 2008-9.  I hope he''ll find a club where the right back doesn''t keep wandering off like an old boy with dementia, leaving the centre backs horribly exposed. And if he gets a team in the Championship and comes back to Carrow Road, I''ll stand up to applaud him and I hope many others will do the same.

[Mister Chops 7]

[quote user="ſilly ſauſage"]I find it all odd really.  At times in the Championship Doc was a flippin liability but it''s all forgotten.Lambert who we all think walks on water, makes a decision to get shot, people line up to defend Doc because all of a sudden he''s brilliant.  [/quote]I''ll keep posting these stats in the hope you might read them.Player of the Season 2005-63rd place PotS 2008-93rd place PotS

2009-10Selected for League One Team of the Year 2009-10All our players were liabilities at times in the Championship, that''s why we got relegated.

[Mister Chops 7]

[quote user="Houston Canary"]The line of suitors for his services must be growing by leaps and bounds, based on the sentiments of Doherty''s fervent fans. Being super talented AND playing with grit and determination is a rare combo. Usually it''s the lesser players that have to make up for it with what looks like extra effort while the star players seem to make it look so easy, but he has both! What a steal he will be for whichever CCC or higher team can convince him to sign.

Whoa, I''m getting dizzy from all this sarcasm.[/quote]Well, he''s got all summer so let''s see where he ends up.  I think he''ll be playing in the Championship next season, what do you think?

[norfolkbroadslim 223]

So we get rid of the Doc and are left with Askou, Nelson and Spillane.

Can somebody please explain the logic in that to me because I am struggling to see it.  Is it becuase of wages?  But surely with Doherty''s contract expiring we could offer him less as a take it or leave it offer???

Nelson and Askou are not better players than Doherty.  I am very worried about our defence for next season now.  Lambert as was reported last week I think, won''t have that much to spend.  You would now think we need a replacement for the Doc or are we going with Nelson and Askou?[:S]  Neither of Askou or Nelson are very quick, Lee Trundle could out run Askou.  We also don''t have Forster and if we can''t him back on loan, well we will have to hope and pray we can get another keeper who is half as good on loan.

If we do replace Doherty, well we have given him away for nout (strange when we have no money) and will have to spend upwards of £500k to replace him. 

So much for keeping the majority of the Championship winning side together (of which I would say Doherty was a key part).  We used him, then tossed him aside, it is a disgrace.[:@]

I know we don''t know all of the facts.  Maybe we have more money than we think or we have secured major investment?  Which would make the decision a little more easy to understand, but then why keep Nelson and particularly Askou?

I have no complaints about the other players who have been released.  Lathrope showed promise and he is one they have obviously made a decision on as with his chances being limited and I can''t really complain at that.

I am still totally perplexed by this decision.  Maybe it will become clearer, maybe it won''t.  It will be interesting to see if Beckford (if still at Leeds) runs us ragged next season.

Lambert may walk on water, but for me, at this stage he has put one foot well and truely beneath the surface.[:@]

[norfolkbroadslim 223]

[quote user="Bird Table"]Good decision! Doc was clearly not up to it at Championship level when we went down. He was brilliant this season, but only because barely any teams in League 1 have any pace up front.
[/quote]

I don''t agree with you.  But on your logic, on what evidence will Nelson and/or Askou be any better than the Doc in the Championship?  Neither of whom have any experience at that level.  It''s a big gamble to take IMHO

[norfolkbroadslim 223]

[quote user="wrathsajoke"]rubbish player-pleased hes gone, proves we mean business next season[/quote]

Shut up moron[:#]

[norfolkbroadslim 223]

[quote user="ſilly ſauſage"]I find it all odd really.  At times in the Championship Doc was a flippin liability but it''s all forgotten.

Lambert who we all think walks on water, makes a decision to get shot, people line up to defend Doc because all of a sudden he''s brilliant. 
[/quote]

I don''t agree with you.  But on your logic, on what evidence will Nelson and/or Askou be any better than the Doc in the Championship?  Neither of whom have any experience at that level.  It''s a big gamble to take IMHO