£1m for DMG - Why do people think it's such a bad deal?

[Arizona]

Just looking at some of the players we've spent £1m or less on in the past and you've got:

 

• Andrew Davies - Over 50 Prem appearances in the Prem and clearly a class above.
  
• Stern John - May have been older and with little resale value, but immense CCC experience
  
• Marian Pahars - At that time he was already attracting interest from teams like Werder Bremmen and had several caps and goals for Latvia.
  
• James Beattie - England U21 international on the fringes of a Prem side.
  
• Marek Saganowski - After he went on that scoring run.
  
• BWP - From Man City's youth team and with a handful of Prem appearances.
  

 

Then you consider we've just sold Dyer to Swansea for £400k.

 

Then there's DMG. Don't get me wrong, HCDAJFU in L1 certainly, but last season wasn't all THAT impressive. Until his mini scoring run of 5 goals in our last 13 games, many people were angry with his attitude and lack of scoring, claiming he should be dropped from the side althogether. There are a couple of arguments I don't buy either.

 

1. He's our top scorer. Not exactly an achievement given the competition. Even given Saga's goal drought in the last 13 games, he still got a better scoring rate in the 20 games he played for Saints this season. Pekhart (remember him) never played, BWP played on the wing more often than not, Euell is a donkey who relies of 5 decent games a season to save his reputation and Robertson was f**king hopeless.

 

2. It's his first full season in the first team. He played at least 10 first team games last season and half a dosen the season before, aswell as quite a few out on loan. In all he probably made 50 odd first team appearances before the start of this season.

 

3. He's still young. Yes maybe so, but he's not all that young if we're honnest. I can't think of that many players who are average at 21, and end up playing for England when they're 25. If he were 17 and looking better with every game like Bale or Theo, I might be excited. I can't honnestly say I've seen much improvement in DMG over the last 3 years. Also it's not like Dyer where you think "he's got bags of pace and skill, if he could just hone his crossing and get a bit more awareness, he'd be incredible.

 

IF he were to leave and become one of the CCC's top strikers in a few years, how much is he really going to be worth? We got Rasiak for £2m. I think between £2-3m is realistic.

 

So in summary, let's hope he stays, but selling him for £1m really isn't much to cry about.

[Ludwig]

Inflation and the complete overvaluation of homegrown players in recent years, inflated prices means we can't accept less than £2M in order to have received a relatively good price.

[Matthew Le God]

People keep harping on about his scoring record. 14 goals in 46 games. They seem to forget...

 

i) For large parts of the season he wasn't playing as a striker! At times he was wide right and also played deeper behind the two strikers(Euell and Saga in the 442 diamond under Wotte) or behind one striker in an atacking midfield role under Poorvliet.

 

ii) He was in a struggling side that produced very few opportunities for him.

Edited 5 June, 2009 by Matthew Le God

[fanimal]

We have to build yet another new team for next season, at some point soon we need a core of players, the spine in particular. We cannot continually think of selling all our younger more promising players especially.

 

What is really sad about all this is he would be the 8th of the Youth team that did so well a few years ago - Mills, Cranie, Theo, Bale, Dyer, Best, Blackstock already left, so if DMG,Surman and Lallana go thats the whole lot nearly!

[Barry the Badger]

With the right manager to bring the best out of him I think he could really come good. If we can afford to keep him we should.

[Chez]

Interesting arguement and £1m is a lot of wedge for a League 1 side. I'd have to argue though that we need quality to get us out of the league not money to waste on old ****e. If we sold him who would be his replacement, some load of **** I bet.

 

Also I have got to pick you up on two of your points

2. It's his first full season in the first team. He played at least 10 first team games last season and half a dosen the season before, aswell as quite a few out on loan. In all he probably made 50 odd first team appearances before the start of this season.

 

let me give you some facts about the previous two seasons for David McGoldrick

in 2006/7

Saints League starts 1

Saints FA cup starts 2

Saints Subs 8 and they were for 25, 14, 9, 1, 10, 16, 1 and 30 minutes.

 

in 2007/8

Saints League starts 2 (58 and 45 minutes)

Saints Subs 8 and they were for 11, 5, 11, 2, 10, 23, 28 and 17 minutes

 

I don't see how anyone can describe 2008/9 as anything else but his first full season for Saints and at CCC level.

 

3. He's still young. Yes maybe so, but he's not all that young if we're honnest. I can't think of that many players who are average at 21, and end up playing for England when they're 25.

James BT was extremely average. He worked hard btu absolutely no quality of end product. A terrible scoring record and little sign of what might come. Fast forward 5 years and he was an England striker.

[St Landrew]

With the right manager to bring the best out of him I think he could really come good. If we can afford to keep him we should.

 

I think therein lies the answer. The right manager is going to find the best, and best combination, in all the players, not just McGoldrick. It's quite obvious that rival clubs have seen a lot of promise and skill in him, and maybe it's time we [saints fans] valued him too. Perhaps £1M is about right, but it means that Saints would be one pretty good player down, and having to find a replacement.

[Chez]

Perhaps £1M is about right, but it means that Saints would be one pretty good player down, and having to find a replacement.

 

yep, look how we replaced Safri with Wotton last summer. At the higher echelons of football you need quality players to have any hope whatsoever of winning the league. McGoldrick will go and we'll bring in some useless load of old ****e on less money. Our scouting system is toilet. I doubt we have a clue who is decent in League 1 never mind League 2.

[Big_Bald_Si]

I think he's useless. He's got no vision and I think he was fortunate ending up as our top scorer. Lacks drive and concentration for me as well.

 

£1 million would be an excellent deal for us.

[Torres]

I can't think of that many players who are average at 21, and end up playing for England when they're 25.

 

Italy rather than England, but Luca Toni is a great example - bobbins at 21 and bumming around the lower leagues, winning the World Cup at 29.

 

Plus - Ian Wirght, Stuart Pearce...

Edited 5 June, 2009 by Torres

[Andy_Porter]

I think he's useless. He's got no vision and I think he was fortunate ending up as our top scorer. Lacks drive and concentration for me as well.

 

£1 million would be an excellent deal for us.

 

Agreed.

 

Just like Surman, Lallana, Size etc if they where half as good as someone people seem to think we wouldn't have been relegated in such an embarassing way.

[Andy_Porter]

 

ii) He was in a struggling side that produced very few opportunities for him.

 

He had the most shots in the league, we created several chances for him he was just bobbins all season.

[Chez]

Agreed.

 

Just like Surman, Lallana, Size etc if they where half as good as someone people seem to think we wouldn't have been relegated in such an embarassing way.

 

perhaps the ther players and tactics were cack? McGoldrick and Lallana were in their first full seasons and should never have been expected to carry the side.

[Andy_Porter]

perhaps the ther players and tactics were cack? McGoldrick and Lallana were in their first full seasons and should never have been expected to carry the side.

 

Indeed, can't help thinking we would have been a lot better off keeping John for the full season and using him as our lone striker under Poortvillet. Even Euell playing the whole season after his injury could have made a difference

 

Lowe's masterplan of just playing the kids was a big part in our downfall no doubt.Some of the players get talked up on here like they're world beaters when they're just as accountable as the management.

[Barry the Badger]

I think he's useless. He's got no vision and I think he was fortunate ending up as our top scorer. Lacks drive and concentration for me as well.

 

£1 million would be an excellent deal for us.

 

But surely if we get in a manager who can instill that drive and concentration he could do the business. I'm not his biggest fan by a long shot but he did score some cracking goals last season so the potential is there.

 

If a new manager can harness his potential and help him become more consistent we could have a very good player there.

[JustMike]

Because apparently now 14 goals in 46 games in the second division is good!!

 

I've no idea how or why that happened, but it somehow has.

 

IMO, if he scored double that he'd have proved himself in this league and perhaps have earned a move to a lower prem club, maybe worth 2m. But at the moment he hasn't proved himself in the CCC and I just don't see that being worth 1m. But modern football is ridiculous.

 

it is in a team of kids that are struggling to put 2 passes together

[a1ex2001]

I'd rather him be in our side next season than playing against us, so by that measure he stays. (Obviously he won't be going to a league 1 club but you can see my point)

[a1ex2001]

Oh and for the guy that said he needed to score 28 goals in his first season to prove himself in the Championship pull th other one it's got bells on. That would make him pretty much the leagues top scorer and worthy of a shot at the prem, a good championship striker will get 15-20 goals a season (look at the goal charts) and I think DMG could easily achieve that in a better tem playing as a striker all season.

[Doctoroncall]

Considering he had the second highest number of shots (121, 64 on target) in the league his goal tally (12) isn't great. How many were penalties?

[spank_182]

it is in a team of kids that are struggling to put 2 passes together

 

I seem to remember quite a few matches early-mid season where the team were putting together about 30 passes, but just were too scared to get near the goal and usually just ended up with Mcgoldrick just ballooning it over. He's good sometimes, and certainly has the skills, but can be play a bit arrogant, plus for a striker is really pretty bad at penalties! Ideally would like to keep him, but he's clearly been looking for a move North and think this has affected his game at times.

[St Marco]

I'd take that million and try and get Blackstock back. He hardly played last year even being farmed out to Forest but still scored more goals then DMG.

[70's Mike]

tough call

i actuall believe DMG can play but if Pinnacle need thr cash then we should take it as long as we have a manager who knows the lower leagues and top non leagues and finds a brick sh*t hoyse defender, a ball winning constructive worker for midfield and a replacement target man.

[Arizona]

Interesting arguement and £1m is a lot of wedge for a League 1 side. I'd have to argue though that we need quality to get us out of the league not money to waste on old ****e. If we sold him who would be his replacement, some load of **** I bet.

 

Also I have got to pick you up on two of your points

 

 

let me give you some facts about the previous two seasons for David McGoldrick

in 2006/7

Saints League starts 1

Saints FA cup starts 2

Saints Subs 8 and they were for 25, 14, 9, 1, 10, 16, 1 and 30 minutes.

 

in 2007/8

Saints League starts 2 (58 and 45 minutes)

Saints Subs 8 and they were for 11, 5, 11, 2, 10, 23, 28 and 17 minutes

 

I don't see how anyone can describe 2008/9 as anything else but his first full season for Saints and at CCC level.

 

James BT was extremely average. He worked hard btu absolutely no quality of end product. A terrible scoring record and little sign of what might come. Fast forward 5 years and he was an England striker.

 

For your first point I agree, we can't sell the DMGs and Lallanas then replace them with cheap gash. I would argue though a decent manager (whether that's Wotte or not is another thread) would be able to find a half decent player for £1m.

 

Regarding your second point, I was including the loan spells he had in L1 over the last couple of year. 18 at Port Vale, 7 at Notts Co, 12 at Bournemouth. Yes CCC is a step up, but with 21 appearances for Saints mixed in with that, it really shouldn't have come as a shock to the system. I make that 58 appearances in all competitions prior to this season.

 

Your third point, yes there are some late bloomers, but for every Beattie, Idiakez or Wright, there are 100 other's who just stay average and just get completely forgotten.

 

Considering he had the second highest number of shots (121, 64 on target) in the league his goal tally (12) isn't great. How many were penalties?

 

Yes, that's the other argument I don't buy. He quite clearly has had the chances, even if we haven't looked to creative as a team. BTW, he took 5 penalties last season, scored 2 in the League, 1 in the LC and missed 2 more in the League.

[ottery st mary]

Let mighty Mac GO and get Ben Strevens from Dagenham or Exeter will.

[Sheff Saint]

Italy rather than England, but Luca Toni is a great example - bobbins at 21 and bumming around the lower leagues, winning the World Cup at 29.

 

Plus - Ian Wirght, Stuart Pearce...

 

We could probably find 100 players that were rubbish at 21 and stayed rubbish until they were 29 and beyond for every 1 player that got THAT much better.

[Sheff Saint]

yep, look how we replaced Safri with Wotton last summer. At the higher echelons of football you need quality players to have any hope whatsoever of winning the league. McGoldrick will go and we'll bring in some useless load of old ****e on less money. Our scouting system is toilet. I doubt we have a clue who is decent in League 1 never mind League 2.

 

True and i agree. But being old doesn't make you ****.

 

Steve Howard for Leicester anyone?

Neil Shipperley for Sheff Utd?

 

What we need is a manager who can work some seasoned pro's into a strong and solid unit. Sure, we need to bed in some kids as well but bed them in.

 

As for 'quality' - what constitues 'quality' in this league? I don't think Safri was real class. He definatly bought about a certain something when he was here, but would he have inspired last years lot? Doubtful, i reckon he would have had the innfluence Wotton did.

 

McGoldrick is neither a poacher or a lump. Rather simplisticly, i think that's what we need in this division. A big bloke and a quick little fella.

[Doctoroncall]

I wonder how Patterson would have done with 46 league games last season. If he'd played all those games and taken 4 penalties, getting all those chances, is it impossible he'd had scored 14 too? it's not a huge number is it. I think there are a hell of a lot of strikers that would expect to score at least 14 in 46.

 

It was 12 in 46 league games, two being penalties.

[Bearsy]

I will never support selling our best players.

[SuperMikey]

We should try to keep hold of DMG in my opinion. While his form has been slightly underwhelming this season, he's showed glimpses of class in his performances, especially in the latter part of the season. With another season of first team football under his belt I reckon he could be scoring regularly for us in either L1 or CCC, wherever we end up.

 

Having said that, £1m would certainly be a useful thing to have, and it would help us shore up areas of the team that need reinforcing (such as the defence). While we wouldn't get 100% of the transfer fee (Notts Co. would get a large chunk and some would go towards paying back debts etc) a sum of around 600k would be bloody useful in the transfer market. For that we could get a good L1 level goalscorer, the person that sticks in the forefront of my mind is Lee Trundle. Partenered with someone with a good work rate up front (Paterson, White, BWP) he could be prolific for us, and has slipped down the pecking order at Bristol City.

 

However, what i'd really like to see would be us signing Jan Paul Saeijs. He looked brilliant for us when he played, and had a few slip ups, but this was mainly due to the vast changes in playing style from the Netherlands to England. I remember seeing something from Gomes, the Tottenham goalkeeper in the paper pinning his abysmal early season form on the differences between Dutch and English football, he said that Dutch football was mostly played in the middle of the park and 'keepers only really had about 3 or 4 saves to make each match. Being thrown in to a relegation battle in a pretty poor team, under pressure from fans, board, staff, must be pretty difficult.

 

SIGN JPS!

 

Or Lee Trundle.

[Village Saint]

People keep harping on about his scoring record. 14 goals in 46 games. They seem to forget...

 

i) For large parts of the season he wasn't playing as a striker! At times he was wide right and also played deeper behind the two strikers(Euell and Saga in the 442 diamond under Wotte) or behind one striker in an atacking midfield role under Poorvliet.

 

ii) He was in a struggling side that produced very few opportunities for him.

 

And more to the point with his workrate and ability, he stood out like a shining beacon compared to so many around him. There isn't a team in the Championship that woudn't bite your hand off to get him for a million - not least because they know that at his current rate of progress and development they'll be able to sell him on for big money to the Prem in a year's time.

 

Sadly it is not just amongst fans that we get this short-sighted view that expects everyone to be a world beater after a few games when they are still young and developing. It the same short-sightedness that led the club to give away Kenwynne Jones and then were pleased at the small change we got back. If we really do have to lose DmG - our best outfield player last year - we really must expect to get a proper fee in exchange.

[Arizona]

And more to the point with his workrate and ability, he stood out like a shining beacon compared to so many around him. There isn't a team in the Championship that woudn't bite your hand off to get him for a million - not least because they know that at his current rate of progress and development they'll be able to sell him on for big money to the Prem in a year's time.

 

Sadly it is not just amongst fans that we get this short-sighted view that expects everyone to be a world beater after a few games when they are still young and developing. It the same short-sightedness that led the club to give away Kenwynne Jones and then were pleased at the small change we got back. If we really do have to lose DmG - our best outfield player last year - we really must expect to get a proper fee in exchange.

 

I'll have a pint of whatever you're drinking. Jet fuel?

[Big_Bald_Si]

I will never support selling our best players.

 

And how about selling McGoldrick?

 

I just don't get what people see in him. I went to every home game this season, and time and time again, the lad frustrates with his inability to spot a pass and fluffing golden opportunities. His workrate for me, can be appalling as well.

 

£1 million truly is a good deal for us, especially if we get to reinvest that money.

[SaintRichmond]

 

 

( Re McGoldrick )

 

IF he were to leave and become one of the CCC's top strikers in a few years, how much is he really going to be worth? We got Rasiak for £2m. I think between £2-3m is realistic.

 

So in summary, let's hope he stays, but selling him for £1m really isn't much to cry about.

 

 

 

UNTIL you ask yourself .... WHO have we got to replace him with circa 14 goals per season.... ??????

 

Answer ... NOBODY ....... So we will have to "aquire somebody" ...... and players who can SCORE GOALS do not come cheap ..........

 

....... Unless they are being bought from Saints of course

[sotonist]

McGoldrick scored 12 league goals by playing in every single game and playing almost every minute of every single game. It wasn't an impressive scoring feat really.

 

How many of the top scorers in league one last season cost their clubs £1m+?

 

I'm confident we can replace him.

[Saint_clark]

Because apparently now 14 goals in 46 games in the second division is good!!

 

I've no idea how or why that happened, but it somehow has.

 

IMO, if he scored double that he'd have proved himself in this league and perhaps have earned a move to a lower prem club, maybe worth 2m. But at the moment he hasn't proved himself in the CCC and I just don't see that being worth 1m. But modern football is ridiculous.

 

14 goals in 46 games is not good - but we were on of the relegated sides, so it seems a lot better.

[SaintRichmond]

McGoldrick scored 12 league goals by playing in every single game and playing almost every minute of every single game. It wasn't an impressive scoring feat really.

 

How many of the top scorers in league one last season cost their clubs £1m+?

 

I'm confident we can replace him.

 

 

We CAN, but WILL we ??? ...... 14 goals may not seem much, but he is going to improve ...... Like for like, it will cost us (at best) the SAME amount of money to replace him

 

We are in no place (yet ) to compete ....... I think ANY player capable of lacing his boots unaided will be sold

 

This coming season, at best, will be one of stabilisation ..... and trying to recover from a -10 points of course

[sotonist]

We CAN, but WILL we ??? ...... 14 goals may not seem much, but he is going to improve ...... Like for like, it will cost us (at best) the SAME amount of money to replace him

 

We are in no place (yet ) to compete ....... I think ANY player capable of lacing his boots unaided will be sold

 

This coming season, at best, will be one of stabilisation ..... and trying to recover from a -10 points of course

 

By the same token, he can improve, but will he?

I'd rather sign two or three non-leaguers like beckford with a fraction of the transfer fee and salary and give them a go rather than hold on to a player wo wants to leave, whose contract will be diminishing and his reputation may be going with it.

[Chris Larkin]

How many of the top scorers in league one last season cost their clubs £1m+?

Thought this was an interesting point, so I looked it up. Figures are from Wikipedia, and so are perhaps not exact:

 

29 Goals - Rickie Lambert, £200,000 [Rochdale -> Bristol Rovers, August 2006]

29 Goals - Simon Cox, ~£200,000 [Reading -> Swindon Town, January 2008]

27 Goals - Matty Fryatt, ~£350,000 [Walsall -> Leicester City, January 2006]

27 Goals - Jermaine Beckford, £45,000 [Wealdstone -> Leeds United, March 2006]

24 Goals - Gary Hooper, £175,000 [southend United -> S****horpe United, July 2008]

23 Goals - Craig Mackail-Smith, £125,000 [Dagenham & Redbridge -> Peterborough United, January 2007]

 

In answer to your question then, apparently none of them.

[ooohTerryHurlock]

Just looking at some of the players we've spent £1m or less on in the past and you've got:

 

• Andrew Davies - Over 50 Prem appearances in the Prem and clearly a class above.
  
• Stern John - May have been older and with little resale value, but immense CCC experience
  
• Marian Pahars - At that time he was already attracting interest from teams like Werder Bremmen and had several caps and goals for Latvia.
  
• James Beattie - England U21 international on the fringes of a Prem side.
  
• Marek Saganowski - After he went on that scoring run.
  
• BWP - From Man City's youth team and with a handful of Prem appearances.
  

 

Then you consider we've just sold Dyer to Swansea for £400k.

 

Then there's DMG. Don't get me wrong, HCDAJFU in L1 certainly, but last season wasn't all THAT impressive. Until his mini scoring run of 5 goals in our last 13 games, many people were angry with his attitude and lack of scoring, claiming he should be dropped from the side althogether. There are a couple of arguments I don't buy either.

 

1. He's our top scorer. Not exactly an achievement given the competition. Even given Saga's goal drought in the last 13 games, he still got a better scoring rate in the 20 games he played for Saints this season. Pekhart (remember him) never played, BWP played on the wing more often than not, Euell is a donkey who relies of 5 decent games a season to save his reputation and Robertson was f**king hopeless.

 

2. It's his first full season in the first team. He played at least 10 first team games last season and half a dosen the season before, aswell as quite a few out on loan. In all he probably made 50 odd first team appearances before the start of this season.

 

3. He's still young. Yes maybe so, but he's not all that young if we're honnest. I can't think of that many players who are average at 21, and end up playing for England when they're 25. If he were 17 and looking better with every game like Bale or Theo, I might be excited. I can't honnestly say I've seen much improvement in DMG over the last 3 years. Also it's not like Dyer where you think "he's got bags of pace and skill, if he could just hone his crossing and get a bit more awareness, he'd be incredible.

 

IF he were to leave and become one of the CCC's top strikers in a few years, how much is he really going to be worth? We got Rasiak for £2m. I think between £2-3m is realistic.

 

So in summary, let's hope he stays, but selling him for £1m really isn't much to cry about.

 

Beattie?

[ooohTerryHurlock]

McGoldrick scored 12 league goals by playing in every single game and playing almost every minute of every single game. It wasn't an impressive scoring feat really.

 

How many of the top scorers in league one last season cost their clubs £1m+?

 

I'm confident we can replace him.

 

But for the first half of the season he was up front on his todd. Hard graft for an in experienced striker. Someone had the brain wave of shipping out our three best marksman on loan unless you had forgotton.

[sotonist]

But for the first half of the season he was up front on his todd. Hard graft for an in experienced striker. Someone had the brain wave of shipping out our three best marksman on loan unless you had forgotton.

 

He scored his first six goals in the first 26 matches and his second six in the remaining 20. It's a difference but it's not really substantial.

 

I'll admit there were a couple of matches in which he was our best player in the second half of the season but the rest of the time he was most people's pick for the first substitution.

 

Put together his underwhelming performance with his misadventure off the field, his desire to return to nottingham and probable lack of desire to drop a level, I think we'll get more commitment and better value out of trying to pick up the next lambert/cox/beckford.

[NickG]

some of previuos seasons top scorers

 

83 Wallace 12

86 Armstrong 10

89 Rod Wallace 12

92 Shearer 13

93 Le T 15

96 Shipperley 7 (with supply from MLT!)

98 Ostenstad 11

99 Ostensatd 7

00 Pahars 13

01 BT 11

05 Crouch 12

06 Fuller 9

 

Been selective but most of those years we played few less games, in a much better team with some good midfielders/wingers - and the CF we had were often experienced and played all season as CF -with partner etc, not half on their own despite being their first season and second half in midfield

Edited 5 June, 2009 by NickG

[NickG]

He scored his first six goals in the first 26 matches and his second six in the remaining 20. It's a difference but it's not really substantial.

 

I'll admit there were a couple of matches in which he was our best player in the second half of the season but the rest of the time he was most people's pick for the first substitution.

 

Put together his underwhelming performance with his misadventure off the field, his desire to return to nottingham and probable lack of desire to drop a level, I think we'll get more commitment and better value out of trying to pick up the next lambert/cox/beckford.

 

second half he played most in midfield

[70's Mike]

I will never support selling our best players.

 

welcome to the world of southampton football club, past, present and future

[70's Mike]

some of previuos seasons top scorers

 

83 Wallace 12

86 Armstrong 10

89 Rod Wallace 12

92 Shearer 13

93 Le T 15

96 Shipperley 7 (with supply from MLT!)

98 Ostenstad 11

99 Ostensatd 7

00 Pahars 13

01 BT 11

05 Crouch 12

06 Fuller 9

 

Been selective but most of those years we played few less games, in a much better team with some good midfielders/wingers - and the CF we had were often experienced and played all season as CF -with partner etc

 

not sure of your point but i wonder how many goals the 2nd and 3rd highest goalscorers scored in those years

[NickG]

less??

 

Point is, his return isn't great, but some seem to think we these good forwards we have had in the passed, playing in good teams with support etc have been banging in 20 to 30 each year, when often they would of loved 14 or 15!

[The9]

People keep harping on about his scoring record. 14 goals in 46 games. They seem to forget...

 

i) For large parts of the season he wasn't playing as a striker! At times he was wide right and also played deeper behind the two strikers(Euell and Saga in the 442 diamond under Wotte) or behind one striker in an atacking midfield role under Poorvliet.

 

ii) He was in a struggling side that produced very few opportunities for him.

 

I would say for the entire season he wasn't playing as a striker, including the 4-5 months where he was meant to be the only one in the middle up front.

 

As for "produced few opportunities", it helps not to be ambling around on the half way line when your colleagues are crossing the ball into the box for you.

[Stu Man Do]

People keep harping on about his scoring record. 14 goals in 46 games. They seem to forget...

 

i) For large parts of the season he wasn't playing as a striker! At times he was wide right and also played deeper behind the two strikers(Euell and Saga in the 442 diamond under Wotte) or behind one striker in an atacking midfield role under Poorvliet.

 

ii) He was in a struggling side that produced very few opportunities for him.

 

I'll take issue with this point despite the fact id be happy to keep DMG for next season ... throughout the season DMG had the HIGHEST number of chances of ANY player in the championship I think had one stage he'd scored 8 goals from something like 90 shots. Granted some of the chances he missed were hard but others my proverbial granny could have scored!

[Ewell]

Because apparently now 14 goals in 46 games in the second division is good!!

 

I've no idea how or why that happened, but it somehow has.

 

IMO, if he scored double that he'd have proved himself in this league and perhaps have earned a move to a lower prem club, maybe worth 2m. But at the moment he hasn't proved himself in the CCC and I just don't see that being worth 1m. But modern football is ridiculous.

 

It is funny how Saints bought Grzegorz Raziak from Tottenham via Derby who was considered to be a top quality Championship player. He scored 18 in 41 appearances for Derby in 2004\05. Now at the time Raziak was about 26 and in his prime. Unlike McGoldrick Raziak was a proven international that played EVERY match up front as a striker!

 

Now McGoldrick's record for a player who is in his early 20's and in his first season as a regular in a struggling team is pretty reasonable. We also have to remember he played plenty of matches out wide and in the hole!

 

My conclusion is you can dress stats up to whatever way you like so lambasting his scoring record is pretty pointless and proves very little.

 

It is what he offers the team that counts. All I know is last season when he played well Saints played well. We just need to get him playing better more often but as we know consistency in young players is an age old problem. Our Chairman to be had his issues and critics don't you know.

[madsent]

some of previous seasons top scorers

 

83 Wallace 12

86 Armstrong 10

89 Rod Wallace 12

92 Shearer 13

93 Le T 15

96 Shipperley 7 (with supply from MLT!)

98 Ostenstad 11

99 Ostenstad 7

00 Pahars 13

01 BT 11

05 Crouch 12

06 Fuller 9

 

Been selective but most of those years we played few less games, in a much better team with some good midfielders/wingers - and the CF we had were often experienced and played all season as CF -with partner etc, not half on their own despite being their first season and second half in midfield

 

McGoldrick obviously doesn't have the physical presence of Shearer or Beattie but his goals-to-games ratio is similar to theirs at the same age. Shearer scored 4 in 36 league games as a 20 year old and then scored 13 in 41 as a 21 year old. James Beattie's scored 5 in 35 as a 19-20 year old and 11 in 37 as a 21-22 year old. I'm not saying McGoldrick is ever going to be as good as either player but that doesn't mean he won't become a decent player at a good level. At the moment, he's probably worth £1m for his potential but we'd want a decent sell-on clause if he left.