James Constable

[recordmeister]

Who owns Eastleigh? Who used to sponsor us?

You do the maths.

[Snake]

So, my earlier reply is dismissed as "bonkers" and I'm not able to judge like "the rest of us", yet I'm the one accused of getting personal? Nice to see that, in essence, questioning someone's mental capacity isn't "personal".

There is another place for you both to carry on this internet argument if you want, and you'll get much more reaction. Alternatively on RO a PM facility exists if you don't fancy fannying around on there.

[GodalmingYellow]

So, my earlier reply is dismissed as "bonkers" and I'm not able to judge like "the rest of us", yet I'm the one accused of getting personal? Nice to see that, in essence, questioning someone's mental capacity isn't "personal".

Myles, please don't twist things into something they are not. Saying a post is bonkers is a million miles from saying the poster is bonkers and you know it. As someone who has suffered with mental illness in the form of anxiety and depression over several decades, the notion that I would use the term bonkers as personal abuse is simply alien to me. Can we be a little more grown up please?

[GodalmingYellow]

In Waddock's short term in charge, Beano started 5 (subbed once) and came on as sub in 3, so he played in every game. But only scored a single goal. Kitson's stats are almost identical (he even scored and was subbed in the same games) but he one came on as a sub once due to his absence from the first couple of games. So in terms of GW's direct experience, they're identically effective players, and neither is really good enough. So if you're looking to free up some wages to freshen the squad, and one of them is out of contract, it's a bit of a 'no brainer'

It's a fact of working life, no matter what business, that if a new boss comes along, and your contract is up for renewal, then you've got to do better than 12.5% return, I'm afraid.

Its not a "no brainer" though.

If the Mini plant production line shuts down because nuts and bolts are not being bought in sufficient numbers, you don't sack the production line staff, you sack the storesman. The problem at OUFC didn't lie with Beano, it lay with the lack of creativity from the team, which is a much wider issue.

If Waddock has only looked at the last few games in reaching his decision on Beano, then he hasn't done his job properly. There is 6 years of history to go on at this club alone.

[Ancient Colin]

I really don't buy into the "he'd have scored lots of goals with better service" story - in part because he was also a cause of the lack of support firstly through generally poor control, failing to hold the ball up and link (OK "that's not his game" but it hardly helped a not very creative midfield or encourage them to get close or past the striker when balls played forward came pinging back behind him) and secondly from generally indifferent positioning and movement when we are in possession. The pluses to his game - the determination, harassing opposition, aggression - endear him to the fans (and, as a corrolary, poisoned them against other strikers who "weren't Beano"), but they don't make for a main striker for a club with aspirations to escape division four and thrive in division three. That he's heading for Eastleigh suggest that others think similarly.

That said, this could have been handled better and the key really is who comes in to replace him. Over the last few seasons, there have been countless opponents where I've thought "I wish we had their number nine" ... but will we be prepared to pay for (and will we attract) one of those?

[Old Abingdonian]

Agree totally with AC. I would add, however, that while money helps (and may provide a more reliable way to securing an effective striker), it is neither necessary (beyond the norms for the league) nor a guarantee. As we all know, it's also about attitude, teamwork, finding the elusive 'diamond in the rough' of non-league etc. In our case, I would think it is about GW's quality as a manager - he should now have enough vacancies, and enough contacts in the game, to be able to recruit players to work with the existing squad to play in the way he would like them to. In fact, the position is even rosier, in that he has the basis of a very good (L2) defence [Wright / Mullins / Raynes / Bevans etc.] and can concentrate on how he wants to attack, with at least one quality winger already here.

If he can't build on this, then it will not simply be money that is lacking.

[slappy]

So are Eastleigh going to build a team around James Constable, with solid defence and midfield making the balls for him to score 20 a season? If so, they're wasting their money.

We've been stuck with an average L2 striker for three seasons as good old Kelvin signed him on a 3 year deal at the end of 2011, expecting to cash in pretty soon after, and then JC decided he didn't actually want to move. Three seasons of trying every striker partner and formation couldn't get him scoring enough goals. Oh, must be the manager and coaching staff, nothing to do with a player who runs around a lot, gets caught offside, gets too many yellow and red cards, and gets an average return as the club's main striker.

Thanks for the memories and all that, but it's time to move on.

[GodalmingYellow]

Football is a game of opinions, and you have to respect opinions, but some of the replies above simply do not bear out the facts.

Several have said Constable did not score enough. Well the facts are that he scored a goal in every 3 games in his worst season for the club. That is a decent average at any level.

Several have said that Constable did not score enough, yet every striker at the club in the last 6 years has scored less. So either OUFC have no ability to sign decent strikers, or the team is not creating enough chances, given that strikers at all levels will and do miss chances and more so at L2. Maybe the probably nigh on 30 or so strikers we have used in the last 6 years have all been incompetent and our managers have been seemingly incapable of signing someone better, but that seems rather implausible to me, and if it is the case, we are going to find it even more difficult now with heavy money savings apparently being applied. Rather more likely is the case that over the last 6 years, our side has been set up to score on the break and hold on to a lead, rather than go all out for scoring. And lo and behold, that is the story that more or less everyone on this forum has complained about over the last 6 years.

The fact is that Beano scored more than everyone else, not just in the seasons that he was at OUFC, but in the entire history of OUFC, bar one player. No one can escape that fact.

Finding a regular 20 goal a season striker is very very hard, and rarely happens at this level. In fact only one striker in the entire division managed it this last season. And only 2 even got above 15 goals. Of the just 7 (yes just 7) who scored more than 12 goals in the entire division, only 2 were in automatic promotion teams, and just 1 in a play off team. If you do find a striker capable at a level of 20 goals a season, it costs of shed load of money to wrench them from their club, who will inevitably want to hang on to them, both in terms of transfer fees, signing on fees and wages. There are no 20 goals a season strikers that come for free and next to no wages. They do not exist.

For too many on here, the grass is greener elsewhere, but the reality is very very different. Arise, take in the aroma of the Arabica. You expect far too much and wish away our best assets far too easily.

[GodalmingYellow]

Agree totally with AC. I would add, however, that while money helps (and may provide a more reliable way to securing an effective striker), it is neither necessary (beyond the norms for the league) nor a guarantee. As we all know, it's also about attitude, teamwork, finding the elusive 'diamond in the rough' of non-league etc. In our case, I would think it is about GW's quality as a manager - he should now have enough vacancies, and enough contacts in the game, to be able to recruit players to work with the existing squad to play in the way he would like them to. In fact, the position is even rosier, in that he has the basis of a very good (L2) defence [Wright / Mullins / Raynes / Bevans etc.] and can concentrate on how he wants to attack, with at least one quality winger already here.

If he can't build on this, then it will not simply be money that is lacking.

You really think a back line of Wright Mullins Raynes and Bevans is very good? where are your full backs? Raynes is a squad player at best. Mullins will be injured for the start of next season. Bevans is a youth team player and should only be used sparingly. Only Wright of that lot is good enough, and he needs to find some form and fitness over the summer.

Finding elusive rough diamonds creates all manner of problems. Firstly finding them can take years. Secondly each one that fails costs a lot of money, and lost promotion opportunities and therefore lost ticket sales and therefore even mor elost money. Each time money is lost, the availability of money for next time is greatly diminished, and so the chances of finding the rough diamond diminish.

We don't have a quality winger here. I assume you are referencing Potter, but since his return from a bad injury, he has lost his pace, which for a winger is a tragedy.

The squad needs 3 decent strikers, 3 creative midfielders, 2 defensive midfielders, 2 wingers, 2 full backs and a temporary goalkeeper.

The squad at present looks like relegation material.

[slappy]

I see Midson has now signed for Eastleigh. Yes, that partnership of Constable and Midson really worked for us didn't it?

[GodalmingYellow]

I see Midson has now signed for Eastleigh. Yes, that partnership of Constable and Midson really worked for us didn't it?

Why are you concerned about Eastleigh? This is a forum for Oxford United.

If we look at why it didn't work for OUFC, perhaps because Midson was played wide and Beano as a lone striker. A common issue with Wilders attacking set ups.

[Old Abingdonian]

GY, I said 'the basis of a very good L2 defence, and I would stand by that. I am aware there is no LB, and I think you are really unfair on Raynes.

The winger to whom I referred was COD, not Potter. I agree that Potter has looked shell-shocked since returning form injury, and I suspect it is as much psychological as physical. That dirty midfielder from a now-conference club has a lot to answer for

[ty cobb]

I thought Midson and Beano did pretty well together for us, didn't we get promoted with them both in the team at Wembley? I think a front line of Midson Green and Beano would have been a massive improvement than some of the dross we've seen of late, Midson did go onto score nearly 20 goals in a average Wimbledon team and Green didn't do too badly for himself did he?

Completly agree with GY there is an awful lot of stuff talked on here without any reference to the facts of the matter. The fact is Beano scored more goals than any other Oxford United player (bar one) so to argue he is not a good goalscorer does not stand up to any kind of scrutiny. Did he have a off season last season in terms of goals scored by his high standards? Yes. Was he the top scorer in our team? Yes. Was he in and out of the team with no settled strike partner and a lack of good creative midfielders? Yes. Have any of the many strikers who have come in performed better than him and displaced him from the team? No.

By not offering such a loyal servant and hero of the club a 2 year contract when he is only 29 and 2 goals away from the all time record of goals scored leaves a bad taste and makes us a pretty cut throat club.

As GY says we have a relegation looking squad. A few months ago we were a promotion chasing team, I do wonder what IL has to do to make some of fans question him.

[Eric Pollard]

To say we look like a 'relegation threatened' squad three weeks into the close season is er.. am I allowed to say it ...bonkers. Let's at least see who the new recruits are before sticking our heads in the oven.

And we do have the basis of a good defence - Raynes is being unfairly maligned by some - he is a good stopper at this level. And Long also looks like a decent prospect to this supporter as well.

[Kairdiff Exile]

I see Midson has now signed for Eastleigh. Yes, that partnership of Constable and Midson really worked for us didn't it?

Er... yes, it did. It was those two (along with Green) whose goals got us promoted, so I think Eastleigh have been shrewd in reuniting them. Had they played as a front two (rather than Midson being stuck out on the left), they might have scored even more goals for us. And as Ty Cobb has said below, if you take Midson's goals in the league with Wimbledon and Beano's goals with us, there's good evidence to suggest they could have worked for is in Division 4 if Wilder had played them.

So I'm not really sure what point you're making.

The next few weeks are crucial. We have to make some good signings now. Not big-money signings, not big names, just solid, promising talent whose careers are on an upward trajectory rather than heading the other way. That's how we got out of the CONference and it'll be how we stop the rot now.

Without it -and with all due respect to Eric Pollard's point above - I do fear for us next season.