Grayson

Sorry I didn’t see him play last. Other half says he looked good last night, but he was actually more impressed with Hawkes not sure of his name, he looked cool and composed.

For me Grayson and McCall are absolutely right about training. Having talent is not enough, you have to train and work hard, then you will be absolutely ready to play. It is also a matter of discipline in that as a professional you have to do things that we don’t like. Gibson has some growing up to do, and I hope his father can Instill in him the need to work hard in training.. look no further than Stephen Warnock for what it takes to perform at the top level.

 

This isn’t about running his arse off, it is about playing in training as if it was a match. Different era now, they have to behave professionally. It isn’t about creativity it is about application and giving your body the best possible fuel, training so you are ready and fit to go.

 

Probably royally pissed off with them having cost him a small fortune in ‘play off/promotion’ bonus.

 

One size doesn't fit all, some players are and always have been, poor trainers, only a real game switches them on. A manager has to compromise or there are no winners.

 

I've seen plenty of Bradford City players training thank you @Onside, it's not about creativity sorry I've heard it all now, that's exactly what football is all about your team being more ceative than the oppsition.

 

Winner

 

Well I would certainly be concerned if we put out our creative players on the pitch without hard work and training!

Manager at training, right lads form two queues those that talented and creative too my right those that are not to my left. Those on the right can go home and put your feet up, your all playing next match, those on the left can work your socks, you are all on the bench!

I am really shocked that you think that he doesn’t have to put a shift in training. Many talented and creative footballers have ended up playing in the non leagues because they couldn’t apply themselves or be a professional!

 

Every time I have seen Gibson he has been excellent. But if he is not putting in the effort in and standing out at his place of work the training ground he shouldn’t be picked

 

It was a bright cameo from Gibson but to be brutally honest - he snatched at a good chance and didn't really get a decent ball into the box. I think Grayson's comments were completely fair and an admittance that this is a player that has to carry on improving.

There is heaps of talent there but its a talent that McCall, as a manager who favoured these kind of players, didn't give many league minutes to either. Only 20mins while 3-0 down against Wimbledon and 10mins while 2-0 down at Oldham. At least Grayson has given him a good chances to impact games, while at 0-0 at Doncaster and at 1-1 last night.

Maybe McCall had similar advice for Gibson to that which Grayson provided in his post-match interview.

 

Even if you don't rate him, city fans should still be hoping Grayson is our manager next season. If he is, it means he's been backed to do the job and we can look forward to bringing in high calibre players. If he leaves, it means we have a midtable budget at best and are set for another average season. I know which one I prefer...

 

I remember a McCall after match interview earlier in the season, where he was asked why Gibson was not featuring and his answer was exactly the same as Grayson’s last night.
“ I can only go by what I see in training”
Can they both be wrong?

I think Gibson obviously has potential, but if his general attitude isn’t right he’s going to make it hard for himself

 

Please stop quoting something I havent said, of course when they return for pre season training they have to get to a certain fitness level, but once you get to the end of September with league, checkatrade, and league cup games you should have achieve a fitness level that you aren't going to improve on the traing pitch, then it becomes a mixture of applying what the manager wants with regards his formation/ system and you as a creative player brings to the game.
As @abbomf says
"One size doesn't fit all, some players are and always have been, poor trainers".

 

It’s not so much about fitness even though I think looking at the players this season they seem behind other seasons. It’s about attitude it small sided games and putting the effort in and standing out. Like Hawkes must have done as Grayson alluded to.

 

I am not quoting anything, I am providing a summary of my interpretation of what you have said.

I agree about fitness, and the fact that one size doesn’t fit all. I fully respect both McCall and Grayson assessment of players, and to be quite honest if he can’t perform in training for McCall we have a problem, he used all his man management skills to get the best out of players, and guess what he didn’t pick him either.

 

Thing is Dave ......... As Onside said, 'Application'. City want and need winners and triers, not the kind who give up when the chips are down. So yeah ..... Super fit isn't the be all and end all, but attitude is up there with all the rest of the Hallmarks for a good team.

 

Sorry @Park bantam ........... I've just read your similar post.

 

Back on Grayson, this is the crux of it really. But to go further than that, if Grayson does leave then its another setback for the club who really need to be fully focused on the playing staff this summer. We can't afford for that to be delayed by another manager search.

I don't see us being able to get another manager of Grayson's calibre and suspect we'd end up having to consider the Alexander's, McCann's, Rosler's who have been cast off by our L1 rivals.

 

Yes I'm not disagreeing attitude has a part to play, but so has players individual agility, Mark Marshall did not become a very good player for us in his second season because he trained better and had an attitude problem, he excelled because the new mansger saw what the lad could offer the team with his undoubted talent, the obvious difference being McCall let him have more of a free rein on how he payed, where as Parkinson openly stated on an early post match interview all he wanted Marshsll to do was as he had done previously at Port Vale and that was to beat his full back and get a cross in, you tell me which Mark Marshall you prefered ?.

 

Yes and the same manager didn’t play Gibson! That tells me everything I need to know and has been reinforced by the following manager.

 

Remember the interview, he also derided Alex Jones. Don't seem to Remember McCall getting any stick for it, rightly so. I like the look of Gibson from what I've seen, but it's 2018 not the 80's when footballers would often spend half the week in the pub and smoked etc. Times change look at the stick McCarten has received for not been up to scratch with fitness, I'm guessing Gibson is similar if he's not applying himself in training.