How do people feel about the recent transfer of Rory Patterson to Linfield?
On the face of it we have a reasonably well established current NI international transferring to an Irish League club. A rather unusual occurrence.
I watched Rory quite a lot last season and I must say I was very impressed. I remember one particular match at Cliftonville. Everyone went to see Boyce who was poised on the verge of his move to Bremen. However, all I could see was Patterson. He was strong; had good technical skills; had pace; could finish; was determined . He looked very good and put poor Boycie right into the shade. I must admit, I thought this guy can go right into the Championship, maybe even EPL. Sadly I have been proved wrong and I still cant understand it! The opinion that you get from Plymouth supporters is that Rory showed potential, but needed polishing.
All of the above, makes it rather difficult to assess his potential impact at Windsor, but unfortunately I feel it can only strengthen an already strong Blues set up. I say "unfortunately", not cos Im anti Linfield, but simply cos I like to see the honours passing around between the different clubs rather than having a sort of monopoly.
As for the player himself, it looks like a backward step, though Im not sure if its transfer or on loan. Is he missing NI on a personal level, I wonder? Heaven forbid! I cant help but feel this man is wasting his potential in the IPL. However, these sort of seemingly backward moves can often work out. The great Celtic Lisbon Lions team was largely made up of journeymen and let gos from other clubs. Johnny Giles didnt really reach his peak until he left Man Utd for unfashionable Leeds. Anyway, cant wait to go and see Rory again at the local grounds. He has become an enigma and I always find them interesting!
Rory Patterson & Linfield
posted on 21/7/11
So it is loan rather than outright transfer. Rory probably sees it as a way of advertisiong himself more. An insider told me recently than English/Scots clubs have really expanded their scouting operations throughout Ireland which is seen as a pretty fertile area for good, young players who can be picked up on the cheap in these times of financial hardship.
Im desperately trying to convince my sprogs to take up the game seriously, but unfortunately they're more interested in another sport where the physical risks are higher and the odds are much more against you! Even a reasonable Division one player can earn a decent living, but in other sports you have to get right to the top to get any real money -- not easy!
From what RONAN says above about the disintegration of Plymouth, looks like Rory is getting out at the right time. Could become a Linfield all time great a la Bambrick! Im sure GODFATHER and the fellas in Strabane will be tickled pink, ha, ha! I heard his opting for the Blues over the Glens was simply a question of money. However, lets face it, if hes interested in furthering his career its natural to go to the dominant club in the area.
posted on 21/7/11
Do the Blues ever sign any prods these days?
posted on 21/7/11
Where you get the idea that the lisbon lions were a team of journymen and let go's? 9 of the team came through the youth system and the 2 players signed were great players in there own right before joining celtic.
posted on 21/7/11
NOMAR:
I may have been a bit hard on them. What I meant to say is that before they won the European Cup so many of them were not regarded as front rank international players.
Although most if not all of them played for Scotland at one time or another, none of them could be described as regular internationals except for McNeil, Johnstone and possibly Gemmell. Ive often heard it said, though I dont agree, that the Lions had only one really World Class player, Johnstone.
I stand by my "Let Go" statement. I think you'll find that three of them had been LET GOS from other clubs: 1] Simpson(Hibernian -- too old); 2] Auld (Birmingham -- temperament?) 3]Wallace (Hearts -- lost scoring touch).
Lets face it, guys like Craig, Clark, Wallace, Chalmers, Auld would have been regarded as "journeymen" when it came to high level international football.
The fact that nine of them came through the youth system is surely irrelevant to my claim that they were largely journeymen or Let Gos.
posted on 21/7/11
NOMAR:
By "journeyman" I mean the dictionary definition of "any experienced, competent but basically routine worker or performer".
posted on 21/7/11
there is a reason they didn't get many caps for scotland,it was because they were playing for celtic and perceived to be catholic so they got booed when they played. Chalmers and wallace each scored more than 300 goals in there time,hardly journeyman status. the players you call journeymen is harsh in the extreme,maybe not world class but danm fine footballers.auld was a tremodous player who wasn,t far of world class.
posted on 22/7/11
NOMAR:
"Chalmers and Wallace each scored more than 300 goals" >>>>>>>>>> Yeah, but in Scotland cos of the Old Firm monopoly, they would have been mostly against greatly inferior teams, eg Morton, St Johnstone, Cowdenbeath, Q of the S, etc.
"They didnt get many caps for Scotland because they were playing for Celtic and perceived to be Catholic so they got booed" >>>>>>>>>> Is this really true? I mean McNeil and Johnstone played many times for Scotland and I never remember them being booed!
posted on 22/7/11
Yeah, but in Scotland cos of the Old Firm monopoly, they would have been mostly against greatly inferior teams, eg Morton, St Johnstone, Cowdenbeath, Q of the S, etc.
i don't think many of they teams you mention were in the league at that time.heart's won the league before celtic started 9 in a row.celtic played in 4 european cup semi finals in a 6 year period and played in 2 finals.if thats not world class i don't know what is.of course if you listen to the english media you would believe leed's from the 70's were world class and celtic made them look like amateur's.
posted on 22/7/11
"They didnt get many caps for Scotland because they were playing for Celtic and perceived to be Catholic so they got booed"
look at the history book's and you will see the ranger's counterpart from that era all got more cap's than the celtic player's.kenny dalgliesh was on verge of making the most consecutive apperance's for scotland and he got dropped on the day of the game because he was breaking a ranger's players record.
posted on 22/7/11
NOMAR:
Is it really that bad. Sounds even worse than here!