Life was always going to be difficult for Alan McCormack as he was a replacement for Nicky Bailey and he just wasn't as good.
He played at the base of the midfield in the position that Semedo occupied and didn't really have enough pace to play further forward. When Chris Powell, he initially played him in the right midfield position and was OK in a tighter midfield formation. He definitely worked hard. In a more open midfield formation against the quicker league one players he was a bit exposed for pace.
As a holding midfielder or right sided midfielder he definitely could do a job in a league 2 outfit or a league one outfit in the right position.
Even Alan McCormack would probably admit that texting about a restaurant after a very poor home result was not the best of ideas, he paid for that big time.
Ultimately this thread means nowt. He'll never play another competitive game for us. Hopefully we'll shift his wages, if we cant so be it. Enjoy the stiffs Alan.
Bailey was twice the player of Semedo and ten of McCormack IMO. McCormack looked very nervous and made very silly schoolboy errors. Shame, because like with Francis, i had a feeling he'd be good.
Danny's right up to a point, that's why Bailey is in the Championship, Bailey and McCormack are though different kind of players. Given the number of midfielders we have, it would probably be in everyone's interest (Charlton, Alan McCormack and the club he moves to) if Alan McCormack moved on. McCormack will never be a favourite of Charlton fans but he is a league one player and could definitely make it in league 2.
A lot of these players play well at smaller clubs because there's no pressure. There's actually a lot to be said for playing stress free and knowing you've got backing. Testing yourself at a bigger club separates the wheat from the chaff.
A lot of these players play well at smaller clubs because there's no pressure. There's actually a lot to be said for playing stress free and knowing you've got backing. Testing yourself at a bigger club separates the wheat from the chaff.
That's a great point Danny that could well be applied to several signings since we dropped from Prem.
Mcoxo has to go, he was always going to be compared to bailey but he lacks the basics of football. he has a huge lack of control or awareness and i can't say if the financial situation wasn't as horrific as it was this time last year he would never played for us. im sure he and francis are good people but not footballers, both made to many basic errors over the season. i wish them both well but i don't think they'll be missed.
A lot of these players play well at smaller clubs because there's no pressure. There's actually a lot to be said for playing stress free and knowing you've got backing. Testing yourself at a bigger club separates the wheat from the chaff.
What Danny Addick said.
People forget that half of a players game is what goes on inside his head. Like a lot of people, some players just don't handle pressure so well.
A lot of these players play well at smaller clubs because there's no pressure. There's actually a lot to be said for playing stress free and knowing you've got backing. Testing yourself at a bigger club separates the wheat from the chaff.
What Danny Addick said.
People forget that half of a players game is what goes on inside his head. Like a lot of people, some players just don't handle pressure so well.
The above is all very well and could apply to some players, but we are all forgetting the bottom line, McOxo is a shit footballer, which ever way you care to paint it!
I think it worth remembering that whilst AM might well have not been good enough it was Charlton that sought to sign him. He didn't come begging to us for a game. don't understand the vitriol towards the man. As said up the thread it paints us in a really good light reading this.
Another thing, McCormack played very well alongside Bailey at Southend - that was their powerhouse central midfield combo in a side that was pushing for promotion for a couple of seasons. And McCormack scored goals playing alongside Bailey.
At Charlton, it seems that he was signed to replace Bailey.
Conclusion: he needs to play in tandem with a complimentary midfield partner to get the best of him. He might have been a symptom of the 'Semedo factor' in Charlton's midfield.
With hindsight, it was never going to work out for him at Charlton - and his confidence and performance suffered as a result.
I honestly don't believe that there are any "shit footballers" in Div 1. Of course some are better than others, sometimes by a long way. Some (maybe most, now that things are on the up) that we might not think of as good enough for Charlton. But "shit"? Absolutely not. The simple fact is that the selection process for playing in a professional league is just far too long and arduous for "shit footballers" not to be filtered out.
All players have a bad game at times. Some have a long string of bad games; mainly because, as others have said above, what is going on in their heads. McCormack has certainly had many bad games for us. I think the fact that he got off to a bad start combined with the fact that he came from from a relegated club has meant that he was an easy target for criticism. These factors combined and he lost confidence which led to worse performances, less opportunities and a spiral of decline.
To be honest I'm not sure how he can pull it around with us now. If he's strong enough mentally he might, and if he's still with us next season, I will give him every support. However, I suspect that at the first sign of weakness he'll be the whipping boy and things may get more difficult for him. Personally I think it would be better for him and us if he did go to the Daggers. That's not because I think he's shit or because I dislike him, I just think that a clean break would be beneficial to both parties.
I know it's bound to happen when tickets are only a fiver, but I brought some mates with me to the Exeter game to see if I could convince them that Charlton are worth sticking with. The game itself was pretty dire anyway, but we were surrounded by miserable, moaning doomsayers. Everyone around us was screaming at the players, including a lad no more than 7 or 8 who kept calling every Charlton player a c**t. Unsurprisingly no-one I brought along ever wants to go back, which is a shame because they were really impressed with the stadium and weren't as horrified by the performance as I was. Again, I know you'll get more idiots when tickets are so cheap, but it's a shame the sway the loud minority have, particularly when they drive away potential fans and ruin their good time
How long can this thread go without mentioning the Oxo Tower? He is a top bloke in person.
To be honest Joe, The whole oxo thing was a bit insensitive on his part. I don't think it was done intentionally and could have worded it better, but surely you can see why, at the time the fans (on here at least) turned against him? You can't deny that he failed here for whatever reason. For everyone's sake, especially his, he needs to move on.
As for being a top bloke, if that was the criteria for signing players, maybe we should get Tom Hanks in to play at the back?.....................................Hold on, is he tall enough?
Thought he had a really good first game on the opening day last year. Looked like a box to box midfielder - competitive, putting in tackles and getting forward.
Then at Orient he scored from a great cross from Francis. At that point he looked like a good signing for a team with no money and few options.
Clearly it went wrong somewhere. He completely disappeared from contention towards the end of the season, and I always assumed it was an attitude thing rather than an ability thing. And there were rumours of bad attitudes amongst certain squad members floating about. Or perhaps Powell just knew we'd be moving on from him in the summer, and it hadn't worked out.
I do remember an interview with AM a few months into the season where he was brutally honest that his form wasn't good enough, and about his desire to work his way back into the team.
Clearly there's no place for him now, but he's become a bit of a pantomime villain imo.
Poor Bradford fans, all they've been through and now McCormack may be joining them. According to the Dagger link someone reckons he was on £10k a week at Preston, ha!
I agree with Leroy on this, as long as he's gone I'll be pleased.
Comments
He played at the base of the midfield in the position that Semedo occupied and didn't really have enough pace to play further forward. When Chris Powell, he initially played him in the right midfield position and was OK in a tighter midfield formation. He definitely worked hard. In a more open midfield formation against the quicker league one players he was a bit exposed for pace.
As a holding midfielder or right sided midfielder he definitely could do a job in a league 2 outfit or a league one outfit in the right position.
Even Alan McCormack would probably admit that texting about a restaurant after a very poor home result was not the best of ideas, he paid for that big time.
Why? It actually suggests that most addicks know a thing or two about football and can spot a useless chancer a mile off.
One of the worst players I have ever seen in a Charlton shirt. No redeeming features.
everyone's interest (Charlton, Alan McCormack and the club he moves to)
if Alan McCormack moved on. McCormack will never be a favourite of Charlton fans but he is a league one player and could definitely make it in league 2.
That's a great point Danny that could well be applied to several signings since we dropped from Prem.
People forget that half of a players game is what goes on inside his head.
Like a lot of people, some players just don't handle pressure so well.
At Charlton, it seems that he was signed to replace Bailey.
Conclusion: he needs to play in tandem with a complimentary midfield partner to get the best of him.
He might have been a symptom of the 'Semedo factor' in Charlton's midfield.
With hindsight, it was never going to work out for him at Charlton - and his confidence and performance suffered as a result.
A section of the most vocal of our fans are clueless, spiteful, bitter, bullying inbreds.
It's the only thing that makes me ashamed to support CAFC, and ruins the matchday experience at The Valley for me.
As for being a top bloke, if that was the criteria for signing players, maybe we should get Tom Hanks in to play at the back?.....................................Hold on, is he tall enough?
Thought he had a really good first game on the opening day last year. Looked like a box to box midfielder - competitive, putting in tackles and getting forward.
Then at Orient he scored from a great cross from Francis. At that point he looked like a good signing for a team with no money and few options.
Clearly it went wrong somewhere. He completely disappeared from contention towards the end of the season, and I always assumed it was an attitude thing rather than an ability thing. And there were rumours of bad attitudes amongst certain squad members floating about. Or perhaps Powell just knew we'd be moving on from him in the summer, and it hadn't worked out.
I do remember an interview with AM a few months into the season where he was brutally honest that his form wasn't good enough, and about his desire to work his way back into the team.
Clearly there's no place for him now, but he's become a bit of a pantomime villain imo.
He's behind you , boooo
http://www.southlondon-today.co.uk/Sport.cfm?id=26411&headline=Walsall
I agree with Leroy on this, as long as he's gone I'll be pleased.