NMH said:Quite, and a good observation BoF - and there-in lies some intrinsic fact.
IF a club that's happy languishing in the lower division acquires a player with vision and talent, and one who can think in a Premiership-quality-kind-of-way, that player is going to see very clearly when they are put into a situation that has little future.
Some lads might feel comfortable playing in formations that have no future and will not lead to any fulfilled ambition.
Zamora worked great for us - a quality player who was able to fit into the 2nd Division level because Mickey Adams opened games up to include his skills - and he could capitolise. The manager and player worked together well and it paid out in spades.
Now imagine Zamora forced to play to a manager's will, where-in he cannot excel, struggles to get the service that will enable him to score goals - and young Zamora is told "it's my way or the highway, or you play in the reserves and LIKE IT". I put it to you that Zamora would be uncomfortable, not want to stick around, and probably rebel so he can move out asap.
Yes, these Mcghee lovers want to say that he got us promoted and won some games, and it's the fault of these bad-boy players Knight Jarrett CKR that they couldn't get on with it.
Maybe they're outstanding architects who like to be excellent tea-boys or stay in the mail-room and be model professionals while their best years (in the case of sport - in a short profession) whipped by. Maybe they're brilliant bricklayers who would be happy to be fantastic hod-carriers for a small company going nowhere?
It's difficult to get the point across to some people who just think "these were BAD servants" - but they would be DEAD RIGHT if you want to harness proper talent to a club with no more ambition than to survive in the lower divisions. Nope, let THEM go;- WE DON'T WANT BRILLIANT TALENT PLAYING FOR A CLUB THAT IS JUST INTENT ON BASIC SURVIVAL. It won't work for either party, and it has been proven thankyouverymuch.
A good couple of examples there - Knight and Jarret. Where are they now?
CKR is bucking the trend at the moment, but he only makes the odd appearance (he doesn't even seem to be a regular on the bench despite his 'BRILLIANT TALENT'), we'll see where he is in a few seasons time. Fair play, he'll probably be playing regular football in the Championship, he has the talent to be a good player at that level. But then again we be might be playing there as well.