Ishmael Miller signs

[Londonboy]

I'd rather have him than not...if he's shite then we don't play him... Sorry I don't get what anyones issue is???  

[Gary1906]

Give the lad a chance for goodness sake! Is this forum all about criticising?? That’s all that some people are happy doing.

I personally think he’s a good signing, he offers something different than the other strikers. He’s a big, strong target man who gets in front of centre-half’s and can hold the ball up and deliver flick ons.

Thinking positively maybe he’s had a year out of football, realised how much he’s missed it and how lucky he is to be a professional footballer and now he’s got his mojo back. If so, we will be the beneficiaries of that.

 

[L1onheartNew]

3 hours ago, BP1960 said:

 

I believe Stanley Matthews is playing for Heaven FC, so I guess he wont be coming here now.

 

He isnt coming???

Dammit, i need to change my first goalscorer in the prediction league now.

[Ryan]

1 hour ago, kowenicki said:

 

Any other examples? Something from the last 4 years?  Perhaps he’s grown up? 

 

 

 

But surely if he’s got previous for these types of things it’s not worth the risk? One more incident like these and it could divide the harmonious dressing room that Frankie has built. If a talent like Byrne isn’t worth the hassle then why should a crock who hasn’t played week in week out for years be?

 

I am of course playing devil’s advocate because I’m not the type of poster who pretends to care about these things. I want Oldham Athletic to sign the best footballers and I couldn’t care less about their ‘attitude’.

 

It’s just laughable that people will lap this stuff up. #Badeggs are fine if they’re on a low wage but if a high earner tweets a few emojis then he must be forced out of the club. Anyone would think Abdallah wanted to save money on wages...

Edited August 2, 2018 by Ryan

[League one forever]

1 hour ago, Bristolatic said:

@astottie I won't disagree with the bulk of what you have just said. Neither were any of my posts intended to offend, so I apologise to @archiecat for the comparison with another poster. I just simply find it somewhat bamboozling that players are written off before even kicking a ball. I'm a firm believer in giving everyone a fair crack before coming to any conclusions. 

 

It works the other way, too. Remember us all being chuffed to bits when we signed Adam Rooney? He was going to boot us into the promised land and we know how that ended. I'll repeat what I said earlier about the #frenchlads, who were instantly regarded as bobbins by some before anyone had seen them. Opinions have changed since they've featured in pre-season.

 

So let's give Miller a chance. He just might come good and bag a panful. He might also turn out to be dog shit, but until he's played a few, we simply don't know.

 

I've tried to make a reasoned argument for giving everyone a chance and trusting Bunn's and Rhodes' decisions. That's what I believe we should do, rather than resort to:

I'm all for reasoned arguments and discussions, often with some banter thrown in, and some of us will just have to agree to disagree (to quote Kenny Everett "in the best possible taste, of course").

I think there’s a misconception here between having an opinion and seeing someone play. 

 

Surridge- played 50 games in this league last season and scored 10. For a kid on his first loan I think that’s a very decent return. He’s at a good parent club, with a great manger. His form, pedigree, and wiillingness to learn bodes well. 

 

However- he might be shit for us. 

 

On the other hand Miller has played 3 senior games in 18 months. Why couldn’t he get fixed up last year? What footballer just decides to have a year away from the game?? Especially at his age?? In addition he doesn’t score many (even in his heyday) 

 

However- He might be class for us. 

 

The point is, we are allowed to look at the history of players and be positive or dubious without being labelled. 

 

I could be right or wrong, won’t stop me wanting both to do well. 

 

 

[Smiler13]

I believe Miller has been at the club a good few weeks now and has done a full preseason training. He was at City with Bunn and at Huddersfield with Bunn. So our manager must know a fare amount about the guy. I trust Bunns judgement on this until proven wrong . Obviously he would not have given him a contract if he didn’t think he could do a decent job for us and I’m damned sure he would not have signed him if he thought he was a bad egg. Bunn has had enough of those to sort out this preseason without adding more to his list.

[leeslover]

1 hour ago, astottie said:

Bristol you come on here and talk sense and are not antagonistic in your posts. i always respect your views and usually agree with them. Tonight however Archiecat has a valid point in my opinion. Just because i have never seen a player play doesnt mean my view is invalid if it is based on evidence. Miller has played around 200 games and scored around 40 goals in the last 12 years roughly. So 18 games and 4 goals a year , again roughly. In my opinion he started off at the top as a youngster and didnt live up to his potential and has dropped through the leagues living on this potential ever since.

BP1960 who knows far more about these things than me has compared him to the unit that is Ade Akinfenwa. In the last 18 years roughly , he has played  around 650 games and scored about 190 goals. More pertinently in the last 3 seasons has has played  160 games and scored nearly 50  goals.  My comparison with Miller is that Akinfenwa has succeeded knocking around the bottom division that we are in because of learned street craft and using his skill. I am not convinced Miller has shown evidence that he is able to do either, but i would love to be proved wrong.

Apologies if the 'stats ' aren't bang on but i couldnt be arsed to add up accurately :}

How many of Akinfenwa's were penalties though?

[the_mighty_bosh]

I'm happy another striker in the squad and Miller has shown in the past that, at his best, he's a powerful and talented striker.

 

That said, the jury's out for me about how useful he'll be for us.  While O'Grady is coming off the back of an awful season at Chesterfield, I'd trust him to be more reliable for the team than Miller is.

 

Fingers crossed that he turns out to be great and I'll be delighted if he does, but like a lot of the squad he has a lot to prove.

[League one forever]

Just now, Smiler13 said:

I believe Miller has been at the club a good few weeks now and has done a full preseason training. He was at City with Bunn and at Huddersfield with Bunn. So our manager must know a fare amount about the guy. I trust Bunns judgement on this until proven wrong . Obviously he would not have given him a contract if he didn’t think he could do a decent job for us and I’m damned sure he would not have signed him if he thought he was a bad egg. Bunn has had enough of those to sort out this preseason without adding more to his list.

Wellens knew all about Byrne’s character before he signed him. . . 

 

Lots of managers take risks with players that they think they can change.

 

Plus it’s easy to look hungry when your on trial and after a contract- that’s not aimed at Miller that’s every pro looking to impress. 

[League one forever]

2 minutes ago, the_mighty_bosh said:

I'm happy another striker in the squad and Miller has shown in the past that, at his best, he's a powerful and talented striker.

 

That said, the jury's out for me about how useful he'll be for us.  While O'Grady is coming off the back of an awful season at Chesterfield, I'd trust him to be more reliable for the team than Miller is.

 

Fingers crossed that he turns out to be great and I'll be delighted if he does, but like a lot of the squad he has a lot to prove.

Agreed. 

 

Id have o’grady in every day of the week before Miller. 

 

 

[Smiler13]

Just now, League one forever said:

Wellens knew all about Byrne’s character before he signed him. . . 

 

Lots of managers take risks with players that they think they can change.

 

Plus it’s easy to look hungry when your on trial and after a contract- that’s not aimed at Miller that’s every pro looking to impress. 

The Wellens and Byrne situation is not the same you cannot compare it. Bunn coached Miller at City and many years later at Huddersfield. He knows his character better than Wellens ever knew about Jack Byrne. Also Miller has had to prove to Bunn in preseason that he’s worked hard on his fitness. I think he’s worth a try. 

[Kusunga_Is_God]

christ, this thread.

 

Seems to me he became disillusioned with football and took some time off. Bunn and Rhodes (especially Bunn) seem to know him well and I think that is why he’s come back because he wants to play for them. He’s been here for about a month now so obviously he’s got to know the team and the staff so the fact that they signed him speaks volumes in itself.

 

Hope he does well, seemed a handful when he played Preston. He’s never played at this level before and has vast experience in the Championship.

 

We know our options are limited and in the whole he seems a good signing in my eyes and I hope he does well. 

 

 

[League one forever]

That’s so naive. 

 

Do you think wellens thought he was he was getting an angel who was just unlucky at city, blackburn, and Wigan? The only reason we got anywhere near Byrne is because his attitude is poor. 

 

Also, do you realise how small the football world is? Everybody knows everybody. 

 

Bunn will know exactly why Miller couldn’t catch at bury, he know exactly why he ‘took a year off’ and he’ll know exactly why his career has nosedived. He’ll also know with all that in mind that he’s a risk.

 

BUT- He still thinks he’s a worth a try. Fair enough.

 

You live and die by them decisions so good luck to him.

 

 

[Monty Burns]

Akinfenwa is a small, shit, right footed division four gym merchant.

The comparison to a tall, skillful left footed player who has never played a single game this low down the leagues is a terrible, terrible one.

[yarddog73]

2 hours ago, Monty Burns said:

Akinfenwa is a small, shit, right footed division four gym merchant.

The comparison to a tall, skillful left footed player who has never played a single game this low down the leagues is a terrible, terrible one.

100%, comparing goal returns for the two is frivolous, Akinfenwa has been a solid League 2 player throughout his career and Miller has operated in the Premier League and Championship at clubs like West Bromwich where they played one up front and had to compete with the likes of Kevin Phillips for the one place up front.

 

His record for the past two seasons does appear rather patchy but he touches on the reason for this in his interview and it's obvious to me that there may have been some motivational issues prior to his move to Bury, I can forgive any player having a shocker at Gigg Lane as it's as big a circus as BP at times and who says the lad won't be as hungry as ever? The drop from Championship to League 2 is huge for a player with his attributes and I think if he can give us a good 60 -70 minutes a week similar to his spell against Preston he could have a massive impact.

 

Of course it could all go pear shaped and he could lose interest but for now I'm certainly in the glass half full camp.

[ghostofcecere]

6 hours ago, Kusunga_Is_God said:

christ, this thread.

 

Seems to me he became disillusioned with football and took some time off. Bunn and Rhodes (especially Bunn) seem to know him well and I think that is why he’s come back because he wants to play for them. He’s been here for about a month now so obviously he’s got to know the team and the staff so the fact that they signed him speaks volumes in itself.

 

Hope he does well, seemed a handful when he played Preston. He’s never played at this level before and has vast experience in the Championship.

 

We know our options are limited and in the whole he seems a good signing in my eyes and I hope he does well. 

 

 

I actually agree with all of this

[Dave_Og]

9 hours ago, bigfatjoe1 said:

Are we now looking at 3-5-2? The balance of the squad might suggest it.

 

                                                     Iverson/Placide/Zeus

 

                          Edmundson/Hamer  Clarke/Graham  Taylor/Stott

 

              Dummy/Cotterill   Gardner/Coke   Missile/Branger   Nepo/Hunt

 

                                                               Baxter/Mao

 

                                              Windy/O'Grady     Surridge/Benteke

 

 

We've also got the two kids, Fane and Doofus. Hmm. Doesn't seem to be shaping at all badly, at least for Division Four. It might take a few weeks before they settle ( i think MK will be a tricky one), but with a bit of patience we might be able to make more of a fist of it this time.

 

 

 

 

Who is Mao? Another new chairman?

[leeslover]

8 hours ago, League one forever said:

Wellens knew all about Byrne’s character before he signed him. . . 

 

Lots of managers take risks with players that they think they can change.

 

Plus it’s easy to look hungry when your on trial and after a contract- that’s not aimed at Miller that’s every pro looking to impress. 

Wellens knew about Wellens' character when he became our manager, and even afterwards he still rates Wellens 

[deyres42]

8 hours ago, League one forever said:

Wellens knew all about Byrne’s character before he signed him. . . 

 

Lots of managers take risks with players that they think they can change.

 

Plus it’s easy to look hungry when your on trial and after a contract- that’s not aimed at Miller that’s every pro looking to impress. 

Lemsagam signed him though...

[deyres42]

Miller sounds very positive in his interview which is good.

 

On the other hand it is a long time since he has done anything and it is unlikely that many, if any, of the other L2 clubs would have taken him.

[aaronoafc]

I didn't see the Preston game but heard first half we was a real handful

 

[rosa]

Four pages in and no one has made the obvious Bohemian Rhapsody pun.

 

Fuck this forum.

[League one forever]

22 minutes ago, leeslover said:

Wellens knew about Wellens' character when he became our manager, and even afterwards he still rates Wellens 

I’m not sure what your saying,

 

Wellens thought he was better than everyone? 

 

 

[League one forever]

18 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

Lemsagam signed him though...

All the best. 

[leeslover]

6 minutes ago, League one forever said:

I’m not sure what your saying,

 

Wellens thought he was better than everyone? 

 

 

Not sure myself really. I just don't like Wellens