My initial reaction to the little bits and pieces I've seen of him he looked decent, but he's a 30-year-old League One winger. It's a decent signing (and admittedly the type that could get us out of this division if we get it right), but I'm not quite as enthused as some on here.
That said, I've just seen this and it brought a big smile to my face. Seems like a very nice chap. Hope he rises to cult hero status. Love the fact that if he wasn't a footballer he'd want to be a psychologist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmdjYfB1l8k
Ricky Holmes was a 28 year old winger who'd never played above league 2.
My Bradford season ticket holding mate is devasted and has echoed how we have given him big wages as they offered him big £.
It is the way of the world.
It is also living somewhere that is not Bradford. I mean no offence, merely the cost of living is higher and wages are higher across all areas of the South.
It is also where he is from so that and moving to a bigger club would also be in the mix.
My initial reaction to the little bits and pieces I've seen of him he looked decent, but he's a 30-year-old League One winger. It's a decent signing (and admittedly the type that could get us out of this division if we get it right), but I'm not quite as enthused as some on here.
That said, I've just seen this and it brought a big smile to my face. Seems like a very nice chap. Hope he rises to cult hero status. Love the fact that if he wasn't a footballer he'd want to be a psychologist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmdjYfB1l8k
Ricky Holmes was a 28 year old winger who'd never played above league 2.
And I thought he was overrated when we signed him as well*! And damnit, that will come true one day as well!
Bradford fans on their forum are overwhelmingly disappointed to see him go. One of them says:
"Marshall was the major highlight of last season and I'll miss watching the twitchy little shit terrorise defenders. Great player to watch and a big loss. I make that 1-1 between us and Charlton now, since they did us a big favour by paying for Clarke, but they've just equalised by snaffling Marshall. Bastards."
Sounds like a good signing (great name as well Mark!) and good luck. Despite the doom and gloom, things seem to be trickling slowly towards the makings of a good team. We were what, 12 or 13 points off the plays offs last season? Too many draws under both managers, but convert four or five into wins and we'd be there (albeit a long way off 1st & 2nd place).
My only slight worry is that we should be constructing a team capable of promotion and then keeping us in the Championship in 18/19, and signing players like Mark doesn't necessarily tick all those boxes.
Still, we can live in hope that Meire & Roland have long since gone by then.
The fact their fans did not want Clarke and that KR never met with him and just chatted by phone, makes my blood boil. We have a manager with no work ethic to do due diligence because we have an ownership like that.
This seems like a nice addition and I know everyone wants Holmes back, but having our best two at the front aged 30 to start a season seems like very short-term thinking.
Especially given we could have David Ball, age 27, on a free. Ben Reeves, age 25, on a free. George Thomas, age 21, on a free, and without a single transfer fee add three good forwards, all of whom have years ahead, and all of whom scored 10-14 last season.
This seems like a nice addition and I know everyone wants Holmes back, but having our best two at the front aged 30 to start a season seems like very short-term thinking.
Especially given we could have David Ball, age 27, on a free. Ben Reeves, age 25, on a free. George Thomas, age 21, on a free, and without a single transfer fee add three good forwards, all of whom have years ahead, and all of whom scored 10-14 last season.
This seems like a nice addition and I know everyone wants Holmes back, but having our best two at the front aged 30 to start a season seems like very short-term thinking.
Especially given we could have David Ball, age 27, on a free. Ben Reeves, age 25, on a free. George Thomas, age 21, on a free, and without a single transfer fee add three good forwards, all of whom have years ahead, and all of whom scored 10-14 last season.
I really wish we were building for the long-term.
Have those 3 signed for anyone yet? Two older signings doesn't mean all signings will be old.
If the Bradford fan is right and we have Marshall good wages, then why not give that to Holmes and keep him as well?
It might not be about wages though. IF Holmes wants Championship football, we can't offer that. It's like Lukaku getting twitchy because he wants CL football...
I guess they have not signed yet, although Ball is rumored to be signing for Rotherham as soon as Monday.
Good wages competing against league 1 clubs is very different to competing against championship clubs. Guarentee Holmes will be demanding far more than Marshall will be on.
If Holmes goes, then we have Marshall as a replacement. If Holmes stays, they can both play in the same team. A number of those goals in Marshall's video, show him coming in from the right wing.
Now remember if he'd left us for more money he would be a greedy bastard but as he joined us it's to further his career at a bigger club : - )
Just to clarify I have no problem either way, it's how football works, but there is often a double standard from fans depending on which end of the deal they are on.
Now remember if he'd left us for more money he would be a greedy bastard but as he joined us it's to further his career at a bigger club : - )
Just to clarify I have no problem either way, it's how football works, but there is often a double standard from fans depending on which end of the deal they are on.
Now remember if he'd left us for more money he would be a greedy bastard but as he joined us it's to further his career at a bigger club : - )
Just to clarify I have no problem either way, it's how football works, but there is often a double standard from fans depending on which end of the deal they are on.
I thought he was out of contract, and because of Bosman Marshall can exercise choice. Bradford fans can ask questions about his contract running out, as we were doing with Poyet.
Now remember if he'd left us for more money he would be a greedy bastard but as he joined us it's to further his career at a bigger club : - )
Just to clarify I have no problem either way, it's how football works, but there is often a double standard from fans depending on which end of the deal they are on.
I thought he was out of contract, and because of Bosman Marshall can exercise choice. Bradford fans can ask questions about his contract running out, as we were doing with Poyet.
It's the nature of modern football, give someone a short 2 year contract and there's a real risk of getting nothing after 2 years. Give them a 5 years contract, and there's the risk you get stuck with highly paid rubbish that you can't move on...
The fact their fans did not want Clarke and that KR never met with him and just chatted by phone, makes my blood boil. We have a manager with no work ethic to do due diligence because we have an ownership like that.
Rubbish. KR knows all about Billy Clarke. It may have been better to have met him than not, but it wasn't necessary.
It's a totally different situation to 3 years ago, when we were signing foreign players no one knew much about.
Comments
"And let that be a good lesson to you young man."
It is also living somewhere that is not Bradford. I mean no offence, merely the cost of living is higher and wages are higher across all areas of the South.
It is also where he is from so that and moving to a bigger club would also be in the mix.
I fear that Holmes will leave but mainly because the clubs courting him can offer him something that we, clearly, cannot.
I actually didn't, but point taken.
"Marshall was the major highlight of last season and I'll miss watching the twitchy little shit terrorise defenders. Great player to watch and a big loss. I make that 1-1 between us and Charlton now, since they did us a big favour by paying for Clarke, but they've just equalised by snaffling Marshall. Bastards."
My only slight worry is that we should be constructing a team capable of promotion and then keeping us in the Championship in 18/19, and signing players like Mark doesn't necessarily tick all those boxes.
Still, we can live in hope that Meire & Roland have long since gone by then.
Especially given we could have David Ball, age 27, on a free. Ben Reeves, age 25, on a free. George Thomas, age 21, on a free, and without a single transfer fee add three good forwards, all of whom have years ahead, and all of whom scored 10-14 last season.
I really wish we were building for the long-term.
Now remember if he'd left us for more money he would be a greedy bastard but as he joined us it's to further his career at a bigger club : - )
Just to clarify I have no problem either way, it's how football works, but there is often a double standard from fans depending on which end of the deal they are on.
It's a totally different situation to 3 years ago, when we were signing foreign players no one knew much about.