McCall speaks...

Like who ?.

 

The ball Seaman launched went over the halfway line where Gazz had already started his run, then McCall is pointing and telling the defenders at the back at the back of him to pick Gazz up which they didn't, irrelevant of the bit of magic that turned Colin Hendry inside out.

 

Chris Waddle is the best midfielder and most talented midfielder to play for Bradford City.. after that John Hendrie. Waddle was a better player than Stuart McCall. he may not have done as much as McCall for the club but that's not what the question was.

 

Gazza started his run 40 yards away from the centre-halfs, McCall allows him to run off and does't read the pass from Seaman (another mistake). he doesn't track Gazza, Gazza picks up the ball and scores. he lets him run past him like Josh Wright did at Barnsley.

 

Now you are being silly if were going to quote players who hardly had a full season at Valley Parade why not include Carbone, were talking about a footballer who played his first spell from 1982, till 1988 where him and the rest of that team nearly got us promoted in the nearly season.
He then returned in 1998 and in his first season helped get us promoted to the Premier League.
John Hendrie was a wide man yes he cut in as he had the ability to do so but to class John Hendrie as a midfield player is stretching it.

 

John Hendrie played wide in a midfield four like McCall played central in a midfield four.. across the middle of the pitch, in the middle of and between defenders and strikers. he played in midfield. he may have played wide, but a wide midfielder / winger is still a midfielder.

 

Gazz started his run from just inside our half with McCall facing the kick out from Seaman there was no way McCall or any other Scottish midfield player was going to get near Gazz, there were 3 Scottish defenders behind McCall who also never got near Gazz and that was poor as Gazz was not renowned for his pace.

 

behave bronco.. none of the centre-halfs for Scotland engage because then they are dragged out of their defensive shape and if they go, who picks up the strikers? they step into midfield and it leaves acres of space for Shearer and Sheringham to work into. it was McCall's job to track Gazza. if you're saying McCall wasn't near enough to Gazza at the start of the move from Seaman to be able to do this then his starting positioning was poor, he doesn't recognise the dangers around him and that's another mistake. it's not like Seaman rushed his clearance and McCall didn't have time to pick up Gazza at the start of the move.

you are allowed to admit that at that moment in time, McCall wasn't at his best and didn't do his job as a central midfielder. he won't read this, he won't be upset with you. you can say penance if you think it will absolve you of criticising him in that moment.

 

Hendrie was a wide midfield player OK.

 

Scotland had a back 4 who were all facing the kick and not one of them closed Gazz downnever mind pick him up when he made his run, I think it was Tommy Boyd who should have been the player to pick Gazz up once he made his run.

I'd say none of the Scotland team were at there best that day, you based you criticism with regards McCalls time as manager/coach you say, yet you pick him out in a one off game as I posted obsessed.

 

Let's be fair. Comparing waddle to mccall in terms of what they did in a team is like Comparing Stanley Matthews to nobby stiles.

Stuart McCall isn't a very good football manager, but as a player he was, and probably will be for the rest of my life, the best central midfield player ever to put on a city shirt.

No question about it.

 

Depends on you context of best. I'm guessing you're referring to Chris Waddle or Benito as the best player to play for City. But their influence on our football was actually minimal to next to nothing compared to McCall. Depends on your voting criteria but Stuart McCall will never be beaten as the most influential player we've ever had.

 

I'd heard from a very good source as well. It was the training methods more than anything that they were critical of.

 

John Hendrie was NEVER a midfield player and Chris Waddle couldn't tackle a fish supper. He was an exceptional passer of the ball and very talented but in terms of contribution to Bradford City McCall is head and shoulders our most influential midfield player of modern times.

 

Were these "run ins" before or after we paid his legal fees for his "wrongful arrest" I wonder?

 

Stuart strikes me as the type to try and win players over by being nice rather than ruthless which if you manage people some people have to know you have it in your locker to be that or they won't respect you. From the outside looking in he cares too much and the pressure seemed to get to him his interviews towards the end came across badly and sparks made the right call for him and the club.

Amazing player everything you want to see at the club and has earned the respect he has. There is no one I would want to succeed more than him at this club but unfortunately I don't think we'll get to see it.

 

John Hendrie never played as a "wide midfielder" ever. He was an out and out winger. Often well ahead of midfield players when receiving the ball-where he was most dangerous for us getting behind the full back to get a cross in.

 

As a player BRE isn't fit to clean Stuarts jock strap he is a very average league 2 Clogger and that's being kind. Reading whats been put above I look forward to not reading about his future below average performances at other clubs.