[Archived] David Jones - What were your thoughts?

[T.J.Newton]

The dependable, good all rounder David Jones should have been our 1st signing this summer, simple as.

[thenodrog]

Evans was signed because we ignored Jones and went for Marrow and pre-season proved it to be a mistake..........or did I miss something

Didn't Spearing cock it all up by choosing to go to Notlob after we had informed Jones that the scouser was priority and that his (Jones) services would not be required?

People can argue and debate over the respective abilities of Marshall, Williamson, Judge, Cairney, Lowe and Evans but I don't really care. All I'm saying is given the evidence of his displays last season (and seemingly the continuation of it at the Dingledome) that if we had kept Jones his name would have been pencilled in first before any of them in my team. His application is very good and he has a good left foot delivery from dead ball situations but the bit that impresses me most is his lead by example and never say die attitude. It is exemplary and especially so for this division.

[longsiders1882]

OnlyonejAckwalker, I go on quite a few clubs boards, I love football - and you call Burnley fans insular.

I started this thread because I wanted some opinions on Jones from people who'd been watching him. It might surprise you to hear that even though I'm a Burnley fan there's a few people on here who's opinions on football I respect so, as he was with you last season, seemed only logical and, as it transpired, the views I got were largely accurate. He may not have been what you needed but he was exactly what we did.

[Riverside67]

Jones looked a good championship player to me and I would have signed him.

Burnley appear to have got far more out of him than we did. Maybe it was an age thing as to why we did not follow up on him but at the moemnt I bet he is not regretting his choice,

Best is another classic case of us not getting the best out of what should be a good player at this level. So far Taylor and Marshall are looking very ordinary as well. I think this is purely a confidence thing and Bowyer needs to find it now.

If you think our midfield could be Evans, Rochina, Cairney, Williamson,King when all are fit then I would still say that was good enough for this division.

Burnley have had a settled team all season. We have not. Fine lines and all that but we need a spark from somewhere to get the season going now. Hanley's misjudgement has derailed the momentum and set back the confidence. You could feel that at 3-00pm Saturday before we kicked a ball.

[Brfcrule1]

I have to say my opinion varies to most although I believe Jones was very good for us last year the business we have conducted over the summer has been very good with the additions of Cairney & Evans they have more than made up for the loss of Jones I also hope we can make Cairney's loan a permanent and if we need to break the bank to get him I think we should,

[Paul]

I have to say my opinion varies to most although I believe Jones was very good for us last year the business we have conducted over the summer has been very good with the additions of Cairney & Evans they have more than made up for the loss of Jones I also hope we can make Cairney's loan a permanent and if we need to break the bank to get him I think we should,

If we conducted "very good business" over the summer why is it the squad lacks depth, creativity and excitement?

Of the people I know the commonest remark is "it's a young squad and at least they are trying."

Talk about damning with faint praise. We aren't good enough.

[chaddyrovers]

If we conducted "very good business" over the summer why is it the squad lacks depth, creativity and excitement?

where does the squad lack depth??? we don't lack depth. the squad is good enough to get us into the playoffs come end of the seasn

we have 2 players for every position.

[OJRovers]

I love this.

I bet you could go through the whole side and you'd not swap one of your players for ours. And Bowyer is a better manager too, yeah?

And yet after 12 games, there's a 14 point gap opened up between us. It's a funny one, that's for sure.

Love how the dingles think their Barcalona and have Jose as manager, christ if they actually won anything.

I don't have a clue about the rest of the Burnley team. (I know how bad Keith Treacy is)

But i'm basing my view on Jones having seen him play last season. He started well, but IMO was poor at the end, he's not mobile enough and extremely one footed. I've seen much more in our younger players this season.

It terms of comparisons to Rovers - what was the score at T'Turf again?

[longsiders1882]

Love how the dingles think their Barcalona and have Jose as manager, christ if they actually won anything.

I don't have a clue about the rest of the Burnley team. (I know how bad Keith Treacy is)

But i'm basing my view on Jones having seen him play last season. He started well, but IMO was poor at the end, he's not mobile enough and extremely one footed. I've seen much more in our younger players this season.

It terms of comparisons to Rovers - what was the score at T'Turf again?

OJ you are in danger of doing the very thing Rovers fans often accuse Burnley fans of - judging our performance by comparing it solely to yours. Truth be told if you look at the results just before and since the game at the Turf it was arguably your best result of the period, so far nobody has walked away from the Turf with a point since - and you were the first to do so since the opening game of the season (though I suspect that will not be true come 5 O'Clock Saturday)!. Played 15 League and cup games so far this season, Won 12, lost 1 drawn 2.

Obviously we ain't Barca - about the only thing we have in common with them is a fantastic work ethic - but we are muddling through. It won't last - which is why we should enjoy it now, surely?

[Rover_Shaun]

where does the squad lack depth??? we don't lack depth. the squad is good enough to get us into the playoffs come end of the seasn

we have 2 players for every position.

I can guarantee you now this current squad will not get into the play-offs. You can take that to the bank. As we are seeing now the team is crippled by just a couple of injuries and suspensions in key areas. The likes of Marrow, Judge, Taylor, Eastwood and Marshall are were the squad seriously lacks depth.

I'd settle for 10th, and taking at least one cup seriously for once. And they, and GB will have done excellently to get that.

Then after a decent mid-table season, if the club hasn't imploded financially, we can then add to the squad next summer for a stab at the play-offs. This season is a steep learning curve for the manager and the core of the squad.

As the owners aren't serious about attaining promotion small steps forward are the key.

This is a positive post by the way (as it's a vast improvement on last season)

[thenodrog]

I have to say my opinion varies to most although I believe Jones was very good for us last year the business we have conducted over the summer has been very good with the additions of Cairney & Evans they have more than made up for the loss of Jones I also hope we can make Cairney's loan a permanent and if we need to break the bank to get him I think we should,

Get away with you. 'Cairney' and 'break the bank' do not belong in the same sentence. If we can pick him up relatively cheaply and his wages are in line with what we can afford then I'd keep him. If not there are dozens of Cairneys out there. Hardly the next Ozil or Hazard is he?

Best advice I can give to you brfcrule1 is to chuck out your Championship manager.

[Paul]

where does the squad lack depth??? we don't lack depth. the squad is good enough to get us into the playoffs come end of the seasn

we have 2 players for every position.

Re depth see B&W's post

Creativity and excitement?

[darrenrover]

I can guarantee you now this current squad will not get into the play-offs. You can take that to the bank. As we are seeing now the team is crippled by just a couple of injuries and suspensions in key areas. The likes of Marrow, Judge, Taylor, Eastwood and Marshall are were the squad seriously lacks depth.

I'd settle for 10th, and taking at least one cup seriously for once. And they, and GB will have done excellently to get that.

Then after a decent mid-table season, if the club hasn't imploded financially, we can then add to the squad next summer for a stab at the play-offs. This season is a steep learning curve for the manager and the core of the squad.

As the owners aren't serious about attaining promotion small steps forward are the key.

This is a positive post by the way (as it's a vast improvement on last season)

I'm in total agreement.

We may have the squad numbers but with the odd exception, the requisite quality to mount a serious promotion challenge isn't there.

Win a couple then lose a couple will only ever result in mid table. The worry for me is that the few morsels of quality we do possess may disappear in January and then we'll be anxiously looking over our shoulder.

That said GB is doing a sterling job thus far IMO with the hand he's been dealt. As has been said elsewhere, I really hope he doesn't look to excuse grossly inadequate performances such as Saturdays but takes it on the chin and looks to learn from it.

Back on thread, I'm surprised we didn't sign Jones, we could certainly do with him now.

[Blue blood]

where does the squad lack depth??? we don't lack depth. the squad is good enough to get us into the playoffs come end of the seasn

we have 2 players for every position.

So frustrating! Can you not see that not everything is brilliant at Rovers and that actually some of our players are less than excellent? Are you seriously saying that the likes of Taylor, Marshall, Judge, Eastwood, Marrow, Songoo (admittedly not seen much of) Best (on current performances) are good enough to get us promoted? Are you saying we have enough creativity - bar an injured Rochina, all we've got is a knackered Dunn who'll be lucky to do half the season? (funny he keeps fit when playing for a new contact though.)

My thoughts would be that we have a team good enough to get playoffs. But we don't have a squad good enough to get us there. If we can keep most of our 1st 14 fit, great - otherwise we're a pretty mediocre showing. Not sure how the evidence game after game shows everything as rosy.

As for Jones - whoops. I'd have gone for someone a bit younger myself, although with hindsight it seems a mistake and I'd rather have him then the likes of Judge and Marrow. Also if we can't keep Cairney for the season, even though I prefer him to Jones, maybe having someone for a whole season would be more advantageous. Hopefully though we can keep him.

[JonnyBRFC]

Jones isn't what we need, a steady player no doubt but we have plenty of holding midfielders at our disposal.

I would take Cairney and Evans over Jones, every day of the week - younger and a lot better with both feet.

It's just a shame Evans is injured, was the missing link for me.

[Rover_Shaun]

Consolidation is the key.

Whilst it's looming on the horizon we as fans cannot wholely be held to emotional ransom by the potential prospect of financial doom and we have to be realistic in our expectations. Ludcricous promotion expectations, and thus the pressure they put on Gary Bowyer, are not helped by unfounded comments from imbeciles like Shelfman citing promotion as an aim even though the clubs actions to do not portray this.

Promotion is a pipe dream and we should just let Bowyer get on with it and see. Dreams are nice to have, and we all have them, but the key is not to be a hostage to them

I may be waffling, so apologies

I would take Cairney and Evans over Jones, every day of the week - younger and a lot better with both feet.

The point is we could have had Cairney (don't forget he's potentially gone in January), Evans AND Jones. Rather than Marrow, the forgotten man.

[JonnyBRFC]

The point is we could have had Cairney (don't forget he's potentially gone in January), Evans AND Jones. Rather than Marrow, the forgotten man.

Only thing I'd say is wages, maybe age could come into play. I don't think Jones offers any more than Evans or Lowe has done this season.

Maybe Jones didn't want to play for us, or GB just didn't want him here.

He is a steady player who keep things ticking over, good engine and can put a foot in.

[Blue blood]

Jones isn't what we need, a steady player no doubt but we have plenty of holding midfielders at our disposal.

I would take Cairney and Evans over Jones, every day of the week - younger and a lot better with both feet.

It's just a shame Evans is injured, was the missing link for me.

Spot on. Agree also about the former Hull duo, but it depends if Jones was coming instead of them or as well as. Also depends on whether Evans can stay fit for a decent amount of the season, and if Cairney goes. The benefits of hindsight I suppose!

Consolidation is the key.

Whilst it's looming on the horizon we as fans cannot wholely be held to emotional ransom by the potential prospect of financial doom and we have to be realistic in our expectations. Ludcricous promotion expectations, and thus the pressure they put on Gary Bowyer, are not helped by unfounded comments from imbeciles like Shelfman citing promotion as an aim even though the clubs actions to do not portray this.

Promotion is a pipe dream and we should just let Bowyer get on with it and see. Dreams are nice to have, and we all have them, but the key is not to be a hostage to them

I may be waffling, so apologies

Not waffle a good post.

Totally agree with your assessment of where we are, and what the clubs actions are. All shout out consolidation, and under Bowyer that wouldn't be a bad thing.

However if we need promotion, if it's promotion or up financial creek without a paddle, then this makes the clubs actions all the more reprehensible. Because basically what they're asking Bowyer to do is not in line with the support they're giving him. If promotion is a must for our future survival, then not giving Bowyer the resources to realistically have a go at this is criminal. It's like trying to get a surgeon to perform heart surgery with a butter knife.

Ok, maybe a bit excessive, but the club cannot demand promotion but not put in place the resources to do so. And if promotion is a must, not providing the resources to do so is more than negligent, it's blind stupidity. But then what else should we expect from our board and owners?

[FGS5635]

Nobody was to fussed at the time when we signed others. Hindsight is a beautifull thing.

Good luck to him, he basically shone for us in a really bad side and now we seem to be making him into something he isnt.

You have to factor in he looks like keano's angry younger brother. Full of rage after years of his parents prefereing golden boy kean and years of keano winding him up.

He's bald....we hate bald....time to move on.

[OJRovers]

So frustrating! Can you not see that not everything is brilliant at Rovers and that actually some of our players are less than excellent? Are you seriously saying that the likes of Taylor, Marshall, Judge, Eastwood, Marrow, Songoo (admittedly not seen much of) Best (on current performances) are good enough to get us promoted? Are you saying we have enough creativity - bar an injured Rochina, all we've got is a knackered Dunn who'll be lucky to do half the season? (funny he keeps fit when playing for a new contact though.)

My thoughts would be that we have a team good enough to get playoffs. But we don't have a squad good enough to get us there. If we can keep most of our 1st 14 fit, great - otherwise we're a pretty mediocre showing. Not sure how the evidence game after game shows everything as rosy.

As for Jones - whoops. I'd have gone for someone a bit younger myself, although with hindsight it seems a mistake and I'd rather have him then the likes of Judge and Marrow. Also if we can't keep Cairney for the season, even though I prefer him to Jones, maybe having someone for a whole season would be more advantageous. Hopefully though we can keep him.

There is nothing between any of the teams in this league. If someone showed you a list of Hull's squad from last year, you wouldn't get too excited. Just look at how well Burnley are doing.

I do think Rovers are underperforming. We have potentially as good a squad as any bar QPR. You need to add the work ethic and get the team to gel. An experienced manager helps too.

What is stopping Rovers is the legacy of 3 years of turmoil under the owners and a shambles of a 'board'. Bowyer is slowing turning the tide and making us at least competitive again.

[Leonard Venkhater]

Spot on. Agree also about the former Hull duo, but it depends if Jones was coming instead of them or as well as. Also depends on whether Evans can stay fit for a decent amount of the season, and if Cairney goes. The benefits of hindsight I suppose!

Not waffle a good post.

Totally agree with your assessment of where we are, and what the clubs actions are. All shout out consolidation, and under Bowyer that wouldn't be a bad thing.

However if we need promotion, if it's promotion or up financial creek without a paddle, then this makes the clubs actions all the more reprehensible. Because basically what they're asking Bowyer to do is not in line with the support they're giving him. If promotion is a must for our future survival, then not giving Bowyer the resources to realistically have a go at this is criminal. It's like trying to get a surgeon to perform heart surgery with a butter knife.

Ok, maybe a bit excessive, but the club cannot demand promotion but not put in place the resources to do so. And if promotion is a must, not providing the resources to do so is more than negligent, it's blind stupidity. But then what else should we expect from our board and owners?

A point very well made.

In the cold light of day , looking at the choice of manager (decent,honest, reliable, safe, good bloke... but lacking the management and proven promotion experience) and the distinct lack of support in the market, I had merely assumed that we were consolidating i.e. it was not a promotion or bust season.

Information re mounting debts and Financial Fare ( to bigger clubs) Play etc rather points to a requirement for a promotion or bust strategy. Well, the owners and their puppets must have known this in the summer.....

[Amo]

The point is we could have had Cairney (don't forget he's potentially gone in January), Evans AND Jones. Rather than Marrow, the forgotten man.

We tried to sign Jones but he rejected us over Burnley.

[Rover_Shaun]

Really? I seem to recall us doing sod all and targetinng other players

[roversfan99]

Jones said in the Lancashire Telegraph that Rovers never offered him a contract.

[thenodrog]

We tried to sign Jones but he rejected us over Burnley.

I don't believe that unless we offered him a real pittance in wages or possibly a vague 'wait and see' over Spearing.

After the shirkers, money grabbers, fakes and glassbacks that we suffered through greed and incompetance and to quote a recent managerJones represented a 'proper man' in midfield. I'd wager one or two of the older Dingles might draw comparison with Peter Noble.