STOCKTON

[scorpion]

Where are you Cole?

[Fred Andrews]

He's injured, yet again.

To be fair though he's probably achieved more on the physio table than on the pitch this season.

[ianmcgibbon]

Hamstring.

Or paper cut.

[sinfinbovril]

At least there's no chance of him passing a medical anywhere else.

[Ilson Brewer]

Jan 6, 2024 14:49:36 GMT sinfinbovril said:

At least there's no chance of him passing a medical anywhere else.

Unless he actually wants to be here and assuming we actually want to try and play to his strengths, then I can’t see any point in him staying. He’s been a very expensive waste so far.

[annable]

Just been a disastrous signing and a massively expensive one which has failed at all levels. OK he got an injury to begin with but he's been over that for a couple of months now and didn't get picked by either Dino and Mills. You'd have thought we'd have been building a team round somebody with that goal scoring record and for him to have score more own goals in the league than goals for us is just a remarkable, unwanted stat for us as a club. You'd have got 10,000-1 on that at the start of the season.

Unless we get a new manager in who persuades him he's the main man they we may as well get rid as he's contributed absolutely nothing to this season.

[popsidepete59]

More than likely a sore backside or splinter in his backside, spent more time sat down than on the pitch.
I may be cynical, but he can't be Injured all this time.
If we sell him, he'll make his debut immediately I'd guess?

[mikeyboy]

Jan 6, 2024 14:49:36 GMT sinfinbovril said:

At least there's no chance of him passing a medical anywhere else.

I guess he probably already has…

[Fred Andrews]

If he goes (and I think we'll all be shocked if he's here after January), does he just go somewhere on a free to get him off the wage bill more easily? A loan out somewhere? He's still got 18 months left on his deal.

Wouldn't be surprised to see someone like a Salford take a punt on him, or maybe Walsall given they have just lost 10 goal loanee Freddie Draper. What we ideally shouldn't do is let him go to a fellow relegation battler as he'll probably get 15 goals before the end of the season knowing our luck! I wouldn't expect any interest from the higher end of the L1 table given he didn't exactly bang them in for Morecambe last season and has 1 in 16 for us so far this campaign.

[fergo]

Situation has some similarities to Rene Howe, who only lasted half a season.

[reddersrocket]

We finally sign a striker who is a good size, technically sound and knows where the back of the net is. But has had limited game time due to injury, then Managers not starting him supposedly in order to manage the fitness etc.

We've also not played to his strengths and provided naff all service.

A lot of the negativity on here is based on a supposed falling out with the now previous manager, but would any of us blame him if he had. We were all unhappy with what we could see going on, so why are we lambasting a player for potentially feeling the same, if indeed he did.

I for one, it would possibly appear, desperately wants him to stay and be the main man for us. Every team needs that talismanic striker that can get the magical 20 goals a season. We just need a bit of a shift in approach and actually play some attacking football, not just depend on our good defenders to eek out a draw.

If he feels unloved and lacking confidence then it's up to the fans to embrace him and help him through this. Rumours of him leaving and supporters believing it won't help.

I may be completely wrong with some of the above but I'd like to think that we can keep him, let Gordon and Walker go and use the cash to get more quality in and get us firing.

I have a feeling I may be standing on my own in the corner 🤔🤣

[mikeyboy]

Jan 6, 2024 22:10:40 GMT reddersrocket said:

We finally sign a striker who is a good size, technically sound and knows where the back of the net is. But has had limited game time due to injury, then Managers not starting him supposedly in order to manage the fitness etc.

We've also not played to his strengths and provided naff all service.

A lot of the negativity on here is based on a supposed falling out with the now previous manager, but would any of us blame him if he had. We were all unhappy with what we could see going on, so why are we lambasting a player for potentially feeling the same, if indeed he did.

I for one, it would possibly appear, desperately wants him to stay and be the main man for us. Every team needs that talismanic striker that can get the magical 20 goals a season. We just need a bit of a shift in approach and actually play some attacking football, not just depend on our good defenders to eek out a draw.

If he feels unloved and lacking confidence then it's up to the fans to embrace him and help him through this. Rumours of him leaving and supporters believing it won't help.

I may be completely wrong with some of the above but I'd like to think that we can keep him, let Gordon and Walker go and use the cash to get more quality in and get us firing.

I have a feeling I may be standing on my own in the corner 🤔🤣

[/quote

Not at all Redders - I think you’re Bob on. But I’d guess it’s Ben that wants him out.

[popsidepete59]

Jan 6, 2024 22:27:18 GMT mikeyboy said:

Jan 6, 2024 22:10:40 GMT reddersrocket said:

We finally sign a striker who is a good size, technically sound and knows where the back of the net is. But has had limited game time due to injury, then Managers not starting him supposedly in order to manage the fitness etc.

We've also not played to his strengths and provided naff all service.

A lot of the negativity on here is based on a supposed falling out with the now previous manager, but would any of us blame him if he had. We were all unhappy with what we could see going on, so why are we lambasting a player for potentially feeling the same, if indeed he did.

I for one, it would possibly appear, desperately wants him to stay and be the main man for us. Every team needs that talismanic striker that can get the magical 20 goals a season. We just need a bit of a shift in approach and actually play some attacking football, not just depend on our good defenders to eek out a draw.

If he feels unloved and lacking confidence then it's up to the fans to embrace him and help him through this. Rumours of him leaving and supporters believing it won't help.

I may be completely wrong with some of the above but I'd like to think that we can keep him, let Gordon and Walker go and use the cash to get more quality in and get us firing.

I have a feeling I may be standing on my own in the corner 🤔🤣

[/quote

Not at all Redders - I think you’re Bob on. But I’d guess it’s Ben that wants him out.

I think you'll find most Albion fans would love to see Cole stay, and even more so would love to see him playing regularly, from the first whistle, not the last 10 minutes.
I'd love him to stay.

[Fred Andrews]

Our previous three managers, Jimmy, Dino and now Gary (so far) seem to have little to no attacking intent in their play though, the main focus has always been to defend (if Jimmy hadn't got sacked we'd have had 10 defenders on the pitch eventually), so how are we suddenly going to start using Cole properly, that's the problem. He needs quality balls into the box from wingers and a decent playmaker sat behind him feeding him balls on the edge of the box, sadly the best one we have is sat in front of the back four. He's not the type of striker bar the occasional wonder goal, who is going to create goals for himself and run himself ragged.

I did say at the start of the season as good as a striker Cole can be, I wouldn't be surprised if he was completely mis-used and so far it's been the case. Did Dino sign him on reputation rather than even knowing how to use him? He's looked lost and unenthusiastic out there when he has played, and I don't actually blame him for the most part. His injuries haven't helped, it's just one injury/niggle after another at the minute, and another player with a good injury record who played 143 games in the last three seasons, who joins us and becomes attached to the physios table.

[ianmcgibbon]

I must differ.

Well paid player (at this level) gets mardy when not playing.

I couldn't give a stuff whether he thinks he should be playing or not, I may actually agree with him.

But, tough, train hard, look to take your chance and get your head down.

[bennyboy]

We've not missed him, well we have in a way, he's a proven striker. Sorry my first point, he ain't played, it's going to take too long for him to get into the groove with this lot.
I say if he's unhappy and not playing then he's better gone.
That's not being unfair it's being fair.
As for Walker and Gordon, someone mentioned them to get rid of, again is it unfair? Well they've played more that Stockton but I actually agree, they've had their chances and come up short in my opinion, Baah has too but I think he deserves a little more time.

[mikeyboy]

Jan 7, 2024 9:17:49 GMT bennyboy said:

We've not missed him, well we have in a way, he's a proven striker. Sorry my first point, he ain't played, it's going to take too long for him to get into the groove with this lot.
I say if he's unhappy and not playing then he's better gone.
That's not being unfair it's being fair.
As for Walker and Gordon, someone mentioned them to get rid of, again is it unfair? Well they've played more that Stockton but I actually agree, they've had their chances and come up short in my opinion, Baah has too but I think he deserves a little more time.

It was Gary Mills himself who mentioned Walker and Gordon going, Benny. Maybe makeweights in other deals?

[bennyboy]

Jan 7, 2024 9:34:43 GMT mikeyboy said:

Jan 7, 2024 9:17:49 GMT bennyboy said:

We've not missed him, well we have in a way, he's a proven striker. Sorry my first point, he ain't played, it's going to take too long for him to get into the groove with this lot.
I say if he's unhappy and not playing then he's better gone.
That's not being unfair it's being fair.
As for Walker and Gordon, someone mentioned them to get rid of, again is it unfair? Well they've played more that Stockton but I actually agree, they've had their chances and come up short in my opinion, Baah has too but I think he deserves a little more time.

It was Gary Mills himself who mentioned Walker and Gordon going, Benny. Maybe makeweights in other deals?

I heard the interview but not in full, just the bit about there will be movement of players and hopefully this coming week, or something like that with Ben fully behind him.
Thanks👍

[Fred Andrews]

It might give clubs dealing with us a little more confidence/security if they know Gary is our permanent manager now rather than just caretaker? We all know he is now and I wish the club would just announce it.

I mean in terms of clubs maybe loaning us some younger talents, they might not been as keen if they don't know who the manager will be a week or two after they join.

As for Cole I'd love him to turn things around, and us suddenly start playing well, but I just struggle to see it at this point.

[rhys0204]

If he's as good as he thinks he is (and what we're paying him for), he'd be able to get some goals without the rest of the team bending over backwards for him. He's already shown he's unfit and has a terrible attitude, so I'd rather we're rid of him, to be honest.