Bristol City’s flying winger Albert Adomah has indicated that he fancies playing for Ghana in the 2014 World Cup campaign.
Adomah, 23, was born in London and played for Barnet before moving to the Robins last summer and has dual nationality. Albert proved himself at Championship level last season and gave a number of defenders headaches when I saw him play. He’s still not the finished article, but has stacks of pace and trickery. From what I saw he still needs to improve on his final ball and decision making, but they are things that come with maturity.
Former Liverpool and Newcastle midfielder Didi Hamann has now been linked with the vacant manager’s job at Swindon. The former German international is currently employed in a coaching capacity at Leicester City and joins Paolo di Canio, Paul Buckle, George Burley, Paul Trollope, my mum and numerous others in the running for the job. Meanwhile defender Michael Rose looks to be off to Colchester. The 28 year old former Stockport defender joined from Stockport last summer and was fuming earlier in the season when Danny Wilson dropped him to the bench after the arrival of Alan Sheehan. He told me: “I didn’t come to Swindon to sit on the bench – not at my age.” It looks as though he won’t be hanging around for more of the same treatment.
Bristol Rovers are also in for Buckle once his play-off involvement with Torquay is over.
Oxford boss Chris Wilder has signed Eastbourne Town’s Ryan James, a 21 year old central defender. James played youth football for both Millwall and QPR. James combined playing for Eastbourne with work for the Nike Academy which helps young players join professional clubs. He has been given a six month deal.
I've set up this blog (Monday-Friday) to give extra coverage to teams I cover for the national press. Any views and opinions are all my own. Best wishes, Jeff. Follow me on Twitter and I'll update you each time I blog. http://twitter.com/JeffTaplin P.S. During the summer break I reserve the right to ramble on about anything and everything!
Showing posts with label Alan Sheehan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alan Sheehan. Show all posts
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Wilson praises youngsters – Kids are Alright
A two-all draw won’t be something Swindon chief Danny Wilson will end up being pleased with at most home games this season, but following Alan Sheehan’s sending off, his ten man side fought back twice and he said:
“I have to say that if anyone asks any questions about the character of the team and players, that was on show today. They were absolutely fantastic. You can’t ask for any more than that for commitment and to come back like they did on both occasions was a fantastic credit to them.
It was a very young side that was out there. A very young side. But they’ve shown a lot of maturity today.”
On Rose being put on the bench at the start of the game, Wilson admitted:
“I’m sure he will feel aggrieved, but that’s football. That’s life. You make a decision and that’s it. I just felt it was a home game that was possibly set up for Alan, but it wasn’t to be in the end and it turned out to be Michael’s day with a great delivery for the goal (Austin’s) and a fantastic free kick. Terrific. He’s come off the bench and made an impact and that’s what you hope your substitutes will do.
For their second goal (former Swindon loanee Revell) in particular from Alex it’s Sod’s Law isn’t it? From our point of view we could have done better in that situation, but you have to remember that we were getting very stretched then. The lads aren’t on empty tanks as such, but they are starting to stretch it in wide areas and the length of the pitch as well and so it’ difficult to cover the whole ground with a man less as we did. So you can’t be too critical in that respect. They were trying to get to the ball and scampering a bit, but Alex has got into the near post and just beat us to it.
Even then I would have thought the game was over, but fair credit to the boys to come back as they did really.”
Wilson was especially pleased with the two Swindon goals and said:
“There were two bits of quality and the finishes in both cases. Charlie’s header was terrific . Crikey he got the man-of-the-match today and fully deserved it. Without a doubt he’s worked his tail off today on his own up there. He showed terrific appetite for what we needed at that time and showed great responsibility up there on his own. It was never easy against two uncompromising centre backs and he was rewarded for it. It doesn’t always happen.
The second goal was a definite foul, but you’ve still got to execute it. It’s a good position to be in, but you need the exponent of it and Rosey’s come in and planted bang in the top corner and the keeper’s got no chance.”
The Robins’ boss admitted it hadn’t been a great spectacle to start with and said:
“The first half was a poor first half for both teams. There was nothing much to write home about that to be honest. It was a poor game, but it livened up second half. From the way they’ve set themselves up they’ve come to get a decent result. This result might not be what they expected after we went a man down and they’ve been up twice. So really we can take the confidence from that. The fans want to see players run their socks off and they ran themselves to a stand still. No-one’s in a position to say they didn’t do that today.”
Man-of-the match Austin, 21, netted his 6th goal in ten games and was full of praise for Rose. He said: and the work ethic he’s shown today – he’s be
“He’s the sort of player you want on your side. It was a cracking delivery for my goal and then a great free kick. It’s the sort of thing he does all the time in training.”
“I have to say that if anyone asks any questions about the character of the team and players, that was on show today. They were absolutely fantastic. You can’t ask for any more than that for commitment and to come back like they did on both occasions was a fantastic credit to them.
It was a very young side that was out there. A very young side. But they’ve shown a lot of maturity today.”
On Rose being put on the bench at the start of the game, Wilson admitted:
“I’m sure he will feel aggrieved, but that’s football. That’s life. You make a decision and that’s it. I just felt it was a home game that was possibly set up for Alan, but it wasn’t to be in the end and it turned out to be Michael’s day with a great delivery for the goal (Austin’s) and a fantastic free kick. Terrific. He’s come off the bench and made an impact and that’s what you hope your substitutes will do.
For their second goal (former Swindon loanee Revell) in particular from Alex it’s Sod’s Law isn’t it? From our point of view we could have done better in that situation, but you have to remember that we were getting very stretched then. The lads aren’t on empty tanks as such, but they are starting to stretch it in wide areas and the length of the pitch as well and so it’ difficult to cover the whole ground with a man less as we did. So you can’t be too critical in that respect. They were trying to get to the ball and scampering a bit, but Alex has got into the near post and just beat us to it.
Even then I would have thought the game was over, but fair credit to the boys to come back as they did really.”
Wilson was especially pleased with the two Swindon goals and said:
“There were two bits of quality and the finishes in both cases. Charlie’s header was terrific . Crikey he got the man-of-the-match today and fully deserved it. Without a doubt he’s worked his tail off today on his own up there. He showed terrific appetite for what we needed at that time and showed great responsibility up there on his own. It was never easy against two uncompromising centre backs and he was rewarded for it. It doesn’t always happen.
The second goal was a definite foul, but you’ve still got to execute it. It’s a good position to be in, but you need the exponent of it and Rosey’s come in and planted bang in the top corner and the keeper’s got no chance.”
The Robins’ boss admitted it hadn’t been a great spectacle to start with and said:
“The first half was a poor first half for both teams. There was nothing much to write home about that to be honest. It was a poor game, but it livened up second half. From the way they’ve set themselves up they’ve come to get a decent result. This result might not be what they expected after we went a man down and they’ve been up twice. So really we can take the confidence from that. The fans want to see players run their socks off and they ran themselves to a stand still. No-one’s in a position to say they didn’t do that today.”
Man-of-the match Austin, 21, netted his 6th goal in ten games and was full of praise for Rose. He said: and the work ethic he’s shown today – he’s be
“He’s the sort of player you want on your side. It was a cracking delivery for my goal and then a great free kick. It’s the sort of thing he does all the time in training.”
Monday, 25 October 2010
Swindon Town 2 Leyton Orient 2 – Copper Kettle
After a first half performance that was void of any entertainment, this game came alive with the somewhat dubious sending off of defender Alan Sheehan in the 53rd minute when he slid into tackle Orient striker Scott McGleish.
McGleish got straight up and walked away without a complaint (read his views in tomorrow’s blog), but referee Trevor Kettle reached for the red card - to Sheehan’s obvious horror.
Before that incident no-one in the ground would have put money on a 2-2 draw and I suspect there were a few betting slips with that result written on them being shredded at half time.
Both sides had played with five man midfields and effectively left their respective strikers – McGleish and Charlie Austin – chasing shadows.
Seven minutes after Sheehan had gone for his shower Orient midfielder Matt Spring – the pick of the bunch for me in the first half – picked up a pass from full back Elliott Omozusi on the right and drilled an 18 yard shot into the bottom left hand corner of the net.
Danny Wilson had sacrificed midfielder David Ball – on loan from Manchester City – in the 58th minute for full back Michael Rose. Presumably this was merely an effort to shore up the defence given Sheehan’s absence, but Rose effectively gave Swindon an attacking edge they had lacked for most of the afternoon.
In the 62nd minute Rose picked out striker Austin who glanced home a leveler from 8 yards for his sixth goal in ten games.
Fourteen minutes later Alex Revell – who spent ten games on loan at Swindon last season – nodded in a cross from left back Charlie Daniels, although the angle was so acute, central defender Scott Cuthbert must still be wondering today how the former Southend man had managed to squeeze the ball past him on the near post.
Six minutes before time a free kick was awarded 20 yards out and after a short debate with team mate Jon-Paul McGovern, Rose got his way and stepped up to blast home from 20 yards for his second of the season.
In the press conference after the game Rose, 28, had seemed strangely downbeat iven the fact that he had made one goal and scored another. He said:
“I was really disappointed to be on the bench as you want to play in every game, but it’s something you have to take in football these days and hope the lads get the win while you can’t help them out.
With the free kick (for Austin’s goal) I was just trying to put the ball in a good area. We’ve got players who will attack the ball like Charlie, Sean (Morrison) and Scotty (Cuthbert) so I just try to get the ball in a good area for them really.
Charlie’s like that in training every day. He’s a great goal scorer and I was glad to put the ball where he wanted it.
For the second one J-P asked me whether I wanted it and I said “yeah”. Matty (Ritchie) was sniffing around it as well and so I told him to go away. Other than that it was me and J-P and I fancied it and luckily it went in.
Whoever fancies it on the day will take it. It depends on where the wall is, where the keeper is and whether you’ve spotted something. Having been on for only 30 minutes I wanted the chance to score and did.
Every free kick is different, but then you just have to make your mind up and decide where you want to put it. It probably went in a little bit better than where I wanted it to go and I don’t think I could have got it closer to the top corner.
It’s one of the hardest things to describe when you’ve scored a goal for your club. You’ve pleased all of the fans got a draw for the club, but unfortunately we didn’t go on to win. If things had been different and we’d carried on with eleven men we might have sneaked it and I wouldn’t have come on.
It was a slow game (in the first half) and wasn’t one of the best for the fans, but you get them and now we’ve got to look forward to next week.
When we went down to ten men we just had to stay solid with two banks of four. Charlie was working his socks off up front which he does every week and we just had to work that extra bit harder just to cover the extra space that the other team have got.
I feel I’ve settled in at the club. I really get on with all of the lads.
Obviously we’d prefer to be up there (in the league), but we’re not too far off at the minute. We just need to get back to winning ways. We’ve been a bit stop-start in the league and hopefully we can string a few wins together.”
Regarding the sending off the former Stockport man said:
“I’m going to have to sit on the fence and say I don’t know. Obviously the referee was closer than I was. He thought Shee’s was late. I didn’t think it was a sending off, possibly a booking at most.”
My clipping from this morning's copy of The Sun
The Sun’s football website: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football
McGleish got straight up and walked away without a complaint (read his views in tomorrow’s blog), but referee Trevor Kettle reached for the red card - to Sheehan’s obvious horror.
Before that incident no-one in the ground would have put money on a 2-2 draw and I suspect there were a few betting slips with that result written on them being shredded at half time.
Both sides had played with five man midfields and effectively left their respective strikers – McGleish and Charlie Austin – chasing shadows.
Seven minutes after Sheehan had gone for his shower Orient midfielder Matt Spring – the pick of the bunch for me in the first half – picked up a pass from full back Elliott Omozusi on the right and drilled an 18 yard shot into the bottom left hand corner of the net.
Danny Wilson had sacrificed midfielder David Ball – on loan from Manchester City – in the 58th minute for full back Michael Rose. Presumably this was merely an effort to shore up the defence given Sheehan’s absence, but Rose effectively gave Swindon an attacking edge they had lacked for most of the afternoon.
In the 62nd minute Rose picked out striker Austin who glanced home a leveler from 8 yards for his sixth goal in ten games.
Fourteen minutes later Alex Revell – who spent ten games on loan at Swindon last season – nodded in a cross from left back Charlie Daniels, although the angle was so acute, central defender Scott Cuthbert must still be wondering today how the former Southend man had managed to squeeze the ball past him on the near post.
Six minutes before time a free kick was awarded 20 yards out and after a short debate with team mate Jon-Paul McGovern, Rose got his way and stepped up to blast home from 20 yards for his second of the season.
In the press conference after the game Rose, 28, had seemed strangely downbeat iven the fact that he had made one goal and scored another. He said:
“I was really disappointed to be on the bench as you want to play in every game, but it’s something you have to take in football these days and hope the lads get the win while you can’t help them out.
With the free kick (for Austin’s goal) I was just trying to put the ball in a good area. We’ve got players who will attack the ball like Charlie, Sean (Morrison) and Scotty (Cuthbert) so I just try to get the ball in a good area for them really.
Charlie’s like that in training every day. He’s a great goal scorer and I was glad to put the ball where he wanted it.
For the second one J-P asked me whether I wanted it and I said “yeah”. Matty (Ritchie) was sniffing around it as well and so I told him to go away. Other than that it was me and J-P and I fancied it and luckily it went in.
Whoever fancies it on the day will take it. It depends on where the wall is, where the keeper is and whether you’ve spotted something. Having been on for only 30 minutes I wanted the chance to score and did.
Every free kick is different, but then you just have to make your mind up and decide where you want to put it. It probably went in a little bit better than where I wanted it to go and I don’t think I could have got it closer to the top corner.
It’s one of the hardest things to describe when you’ve scored a goal for your club. You’ve pleased all of the fans got a draw for the club, but unfortunately we didn’t go on to win. If things had been different and we’d carried on with eleven men we might have sneaked it and I wouldn’t have come on.
It was a slow game (in the first half) and wasn’t one of the best for the fans, but you get them and now we’ve got to look forward to next week.
When we went down to ten men we just had to stay solid with two banks of four. Charlie was working his socks off up front which he does every week and we just had to work that extra bit harder just to cover the extra space that the other team have got.
I feel I’ve settled in at the club. I really get on with all of the lads.
Obviously we’d prefer to be up there (in the league), but we’re not too far off at the minute. We just need to get back to winning ways. We’ve been a bit stop-start in the league and hopefully we can string a few wins together.”
Regarding the sending off the former Stockport man said:
“I’m going to have to sit on the fence and say I don’t know. Obviously the referee was closer than I was. He thought Shee’s was late. I didn’t think it was a sending off, possibly a booking at most.”
Yesterday's match report from the News of the World
Monday, 27 September 2010
Swindon Town 1 Huddersfield Town 0 – Man Mountain
Sean Morrison is an exceptional young talent.
As central defenders go he has all it takes to make it to the top, but he’s only 19 years old and while he should enjoy the plaudits after performances like the one he showed against Huddersfield on Saturday, he also has to keep his feet on the ground.
His manager, Danny Wilson, is one person who can – and will - help him to continue to develop his ability so that at some stage he is ready for the next step. His mum and dad are also solid people who can give him wise council and he has plenty of team mates who can give him guidance, but like anyone, his future is ultimately in his own hands.
Fortunately Sean seems to be listening to Wilson and shrugged off speculation linking him with Newcastle, Liverpool and others after the game on Saturday. He said:
“A couple of people I know have gone up to the Premier League and it hasn’t worked out for them for one reason or another. Ben Tozer (who signed for Newcastle at about the same age and has suffered from injuries and been restricted to Toon reserve fixtures) has now signed on loan for Northampton and played really well at Anfield when they won last week.
I’ve signed a contract for another two years and just played my 50th professional game which is a real milestone and I couldn’t be happier.
I’m sure that there are scouts at every game and they watch every player on the pitch, but I’m just focused on keeping clean sheets.”
And that’s the way it should be. The Swindon faithful won't begrudge him a move to a bigger club when the time is right, but he's at the right place now to hone his skills and learn the trade. Because as good as he is, make no mistake, he's still learning.
Keeper David Lucas, 32, played his own part in Swindon’s victory, but praised Morrison saying:
“Sean’s enjoying himself at the moment and you can see it in the way he plays. Last season he had the crutch of knowing Gordon Greer (now at Brighton) would be playing most of the games, but now he knows that he’ll be playing each week and he has risen to it.”
And Morrison himself was quick to recognise central defensive partner Scott Cuthbert who played a big part in the clean sheet. Morrison said:
"I know Scott's a good honest player and always gives 100%. We've developed a good understanding at the moment and long may it continue and there be many more clean sheets to come. We worked hard for it and Alan Sheehan said to me at half time that we couldn't keep creating this many chances and not score."
It was Sheehan's corner that led to Morrison's goal.
When I watch Sean, I think back to Titus Bramble who also had everything at the same age. Physically they are both tall and well built, neither shirks a tackle and they can both spray the ball about the pitch. Sean is even taking the long throws into the opposition boxes at the moment.
However, Bramble’s problem was always his lapses in concentration at the most inopportune moments – and his off field image.
My phone footage of Sean’s winner – the only time I filmed anything during the whole game! I had one of my funny feelings that something was about to happen ... again!!
Away from the County Ground, Sean will have to find his own way just like the rest of us did at his age. He’ll make mistakes and have to work out who is a friend and who is a hanger-on, but he’s smart enough to be able to make the right judgments.
Listening to 606 on the way home on Saturday evening I was stunned to hear Robbie Savage laugh at a caller when they pointed out he was an entertainer, but frankly that’s all ever football has been about. Savage was a good footballer, but lacks perspective.
I hope that Sean retains his – as I’m confident he will - and keeps his feet firmly planted on the ground ... apart from when he needs to head in an injury time winner of course!
My clipping from this morning's copy of The Sun
The Sun’s football website: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football
The Sun’s football website: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football
As central defenders go he has all it takes to make it to the top, but he’s only 19 years old and while he should enjoy the plaudits after performances like the one he showed against Huddersfield on Saturday, he also has to keep his feet on the ground.
His manager, Danny Wilson, is one person who can – and will - help him to continue to develop his ability so that at some stage he is ready for the next step. His mum and dad are also solid people who can give him wise council and he has plenty of team mates who can give him guidance, but like anyone, his future is ultimately in his own hands.
Fortunately Sean seems to be listening to Wilson and shrugged off speculation linking him with Newcastle, Liverpool and others after the game on Saturday. He said:
“A couple of people I know have gone up to the Premier League and it hasn’t worked out for them for one reason or another. Ben Tozer (who signed for Newcastle at about the same age and has suffered from injuries and been restricted to Toon reserve fixtures) has now signed on loan for Northampton and played really well at Anfield when they won last week.
I’ve signed a contract for another two years and just played my 50th professional game which is a real milestone and I couldn’t be happier.
I’m sure that there are scouts at every game and they watch every player on the pitch, but I’m just focused on keeping clean sheets.”
And that’s the way it should be. The Swindon faithful won't begrudge him a move to a bigger club when the time is right, but he's at the right place now to hone his skills and learn the trade. Because as good as he is, make no mistake, he's still learning.
Keeper David Lucas, 32, played his own part in Swindon’s victory, but praised Morrison saying:
“Sean’s enjoying himself at the moment and you can see it in the way he plays. Last season he had the crutch of knowing Gordon Greer (now at Brighton) would be playing most of the games, but now he knows that he’ll be playing each week and he has risen to it.”
And Morrison himself was quick to recognise central defensive partner Scott Cuthbert who played a big part in the clean sheet. Morrison said:
"I know Scott's a good honest player and always gives 100%. We've developed a good understanding at the moment and long may it continue and there be many more clean sheets to come. We worked hard for it and Alan Sheehan said to me at half time that we couldn't keep creating this many chances and not score."
It was Sheehan's corner that led to Morrison's goal.
When I watch Sean, I think back to Titus Bramble who also had everything at the same age. Physically they are both tall and well built, neither shirks a tackle and they can both spray the ball about the pitch. Sean is even taking the long throws into the opposition boxes at the moment.
However, Bramble’s problem was always his lapses in concentration at the most inopportune moments – and his off field image.
As far as concentration is concerned, this is an area that Wilson has been urging Sean to work on and, to be fair, he is listening to his boss. He proved this by frustrating the Huddersfield strikers for more than ninety minutes before nodding in the injury time winner.
My phone footage of Sean’s winner – the only time I filmed anything during the whole game! I had one of my funny feelings that something was about to happen ... again!!
And the BBC's slightly better camera work!
Away from the County Ground, Sean will have to find his own way just like the rest of us did at his age. He’ll make mistakes and have to work out who is a friend and who is a hanger-on, but he’s smart enough to be able to make the right judgments.
Listening to 606 on the way home on Saturday evening I was stunned to hear Robbie Savage laugh at a caller when they pointed out he was an entertainer, but frankly that’s all ever football has been about. Savage was a good footballer, but lacks perspective.
I hope that Sean retains his – as I’m confident he will - and keeps his feet firmly planted on the ground ... apart from when he needs to head in an injury time winner of course!
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