Most liked posts in thread: Anthony O’Connor wants to stay next season

This reinvention of AOD as some sort of squad player/back up is laughable. He's been in the top two in terms of appearances in all the time he's been here. Six different management regimes have continued to pick him and he's been ever present under the present one. I'm sure many on here would like him downgraded and like to invent stuff to somehow justify this. The facts are that he continues to be integral and vital to the team and has been during numerous formation, tactical and playing style changes. Negotiations can only proceed under these terms or AOD needs to find another agent.

 

I’d keep but only if he takes a wage cut. Wouldn’t be first choice for me if we are serious about promotion but a good cover for CB/RB so his wages need to reflect that. If he went based on that offer, wouldn’t be end of world

 

New deal for me. It sounds clear he will accept a decreased deal vs what he’s currently on and today, showed his versatility which is important in a squad.

He’s been decent this season and perhaps showed a few of us there’s a decent player in there.

 

It was a 10 yard pass that I could have made. Cook did it all himself. If you're calling that an "assist" then it's not something I'm going to bother debating.

Now, if he'd have made that pass when clean through then fine, it's an assist.

 

Another contract for Clarke... why? He's getting less and less minutes on the pitch and having less and less impact when he's on it. I think we'll be seeing more of the youngsters getting game time and if they don't step up, Turnbull should be looking to bring someone in and not keep someone who is deteriorating before our eyes.

 

He's not strong enough to play in the centre and is easily best in the air. He be half decent at full back of he had a bit of pace and could find a man with a pass. I don't think he's done too bad in this recent spell but added up over the spell of his contact, I doubt think we've had value for money. Him, Wood, O'Donnell, Pritchard and Donaldson need to go as we've stagnated and regressed with them in the squad. If we're serious about promotion next season, let's be ruthless and go for it...

 

But strange, think it’s called having an opinion. We won’t always agree with the ‘headteacher’ Sparks and the management team in this case, but I don’t think we’ll see fans protesting out side Valley Parade trying to drive him out. He’s a very average player who can play a number of positions, if he takes drastically reduced terms from being one of the highest earners which I’m not sure anyone can say he’s been good value for money on that score, then he might be worth keeping as a squad player.

Personally I don’t rate him, he runs like he’s in treacle at times the Forest Green penalty sending off was one of the slowest I’ve ever seen a professional footballer move and that’s saying something. But as a cheap back up we could do much worse so wouldn’t complain if the wage is right.

We need someone with much more pace and who is much more a natural RB next season though.

 

I'm order to get promotion you need balance in a system that works and back up in key areas.

You don't need the 11 best players in the division.

 

Don’t most players say they want to stay unless they already have something lined up? It gives them a gal back position and if not offered anything they can leave saying they always wanted to stay

 

To say he has zero ability going forward just isn't true though is it. Sure he's not going to skin full backs like a flying winger but he's a decent footballer and gets himself in the box. I think when T&S took over they told the whole defence to defend and not go adventuring forwards. Maybe as they relax that a bit we'll see a bit more from all of them

 

Every team needs a player that can fill in and do a decent enough job in 2 or 3 positions when called upon, especially when squad sizes are going to be reduced even further next season. AOC is that player for me, and I'd be very happy to see him still here next season.

 

At the beginning of the season , even as far into it as December, AOC was a player that I believed was still here for no reason other than his contract ran to summer 2021, and we couldn't shift him elsewhere. He'd been as complicit as the rest of the team at the time, that got us relegated.
My personnel thoughts on him were, I never want to see him in a city shirt again.

Since T&S took over the reins, we've seen a far more settled and happier AOC, at both centre half and full back.
Putting in some tremendous ( arguably) goal saving challenges, lots of effort, and recently (may have been Bolton) I had him as my MOTM.

Having said that, he's not a full-back, and out of our centre-half's he's probably the weakest.

It's likely he'll leave in the summer, however, from been part of the pathetic relegation squad, he'll now leave without a cloud over his head from his time here. And bravo to him for that, it show's how the lad has pulled it around and clearly does care.

 

Not sure about AOC, if he was good enough he'd be starting in CB position, I think all signs point toward an exit for him. He'll get another league two contract no doubt about it. I know we can do better, all reliant on Turnbulls list I think.

 

He definitely wants to stay. He's taken a page out of the Billy Clarke book and gone and bought himself a house 10 minutes from the training ground.

 

We may see him as a back-up, I think he sees himself as a starter. If he gets a new contract, but not a start, how long before rumours come out about him being unhappy? “Trouble at t’mill” potential - move on for me.

 

Or you could say that under 5 of those managers we ended up 2nd from bottom of the football league and he's been top two in appearances. Depends what your agenda is. Personally i would keep him because he can play more than one position well. But depends on what money he wants. But lets not kid oursleves, every player bar the odd one is replaceable in this squad.

 

He has now added central midfield to his CV. So far this season he has played centre half, played in a three, played full back and now central midfield. Good squad player for me as he is still only 28.
Paudie and Niall are good centre backs but you couldn't see them playing anywhere else. We need a squad not just a starting eleven.

 

Agree. I've been ambivalent about him but he's a decent player at this level, never gets injured and can do a job in different positions. I'd keep him.

 

Billy can get his 500th game at Harrogate if he wants. There's no room for sentiment and we can't afford to carry someone who isn't pushing the first XI.