Losing Scott and Guppy were huge blows but we were able to cope and thrive afterwards so long as we held onto the manager. Everything was reliant on him, he made the club work at that time.
I'd suggest we're in a very similar situation now.
Agreed. I went to secondary school and was playfully ridiculed for my light and dark blue colours. I didn't want to be Spurs or Chelsea. I wanted to be different. I identified with my local club after the 1975 FA Cup heroics. I'm so glad I did so many memories and more to come
There is some upside when players leave for bigger and better things - it creates the impression WWFC is a good shop window. Stewart has been superb for us for years and has more than earned a shot at silverware and European football with Aberdeen. The likes of Chris Forino should be looking at this and aspiring to a similar move, earned through good performances for us. The same goes for anyone we’re trying to bring in.
In some ways it would be a good thing if Mehmeti started next season strongly and moved for ££ in Jan. That then exemplifies a pathway for other development squad recruits.
I agree with most of your post, but I’d feel that I’d be in danger of losing my hard-won Gasroom Pedantry Card if I didn’t question the bit about a lot of interest when the WW manager’s job comes up being a distinctive factor.
Given the excess of available managerial candidates at any one time vs the number of jobs, I would say pretty much any league (or higher non-league) managerial role is going to generate a fair bit of interest.
Right, I’ll stop generating tangents now - back to Stewart.
Not sure I usually go in for half-baked conspiracy theories, but I thought it was odd that Stewart didn't call out Ainsworth in his social media post the other day. Seems even weirder that he doesn't get a mention in the goodbye interview just posted on Twitter. Seems to me to add a lot of weight to the speculation they had a falling out last season.
Yes for Gaz to identify his distribution as the weakest of the three centre backs seems out of character. Perhaps he only protects his players if they in turn show loyalty to him?
Very interesting indeed to say that. I hadn't seen that.
It's true though. Some on this site seemed to regard him as some sort of ball player, but a lot of his distribution was fairly percentage chipped punts.
I’m in the Martin O’Neill camp on this one really.
The overriding attribute I want to see from my defenders is an ability to defend. Anthony Stewart ticks every possible box on that one and then some.
if they’re also cultured ball players then that’s also very nice to have, and you’d like one of your two to be reasonably comfortable, but first and foremost it’s about defending and keeping the ball out of your goal.
Too right, he's a quality defender, and his game seemed to go to another level when big matches came along like the playoffs "he's here, he's there, he's every f**king where"
For me Anthony was up there with the best of our last 20 years of defenders. On top of that chipped in with a few important goals as well. Distribution did indeed leave a bit to be desired. I was always a bit nervous when he wasn't on the team sheet. Sorry to see him go, but we have to evolve & adapt.
Comments
True. Let's all appreciate what we have brought to the game. Our Wycombe. It's an astonishing story
Losing Scott and Guppy were huge blows but we were able to cope and thrive afterwards so long as we held onto the manager. Everything was reliant on him, he made the club work at that time.
I'd suggest we're in a very similar situation now.
There's something very special about the club.
The rise into the league, semi finals of both cups within a 6 year spell, managers who have graced the premier league in O Neill, Sanchez, Lambert.
Always a heck of a lot of interest when our job comes up etc.
Numerous players like Eze, Guppy, Williamson, Johnson and others moving up to the Prem.
Great stuff, roll on the start of some new memories with tomorrow's fixture list.
Agreed. I went to secondary school and was playfully ridiculed for my light and dark blue colours. I didn't want to be Spurs or Chelsea. I wanted to be different. I identified with my local club after the 1975 FA Cup heroics. I'm so glad I did so many memories and more to come
There is some upside when players leave for bigger and better things - it creates the impression WWFC is a good shop window. Stewart has been superb for us for years and has more than earned a shot at silverware and European football with Aberdeen. The likes of Chris Forino should be looking at this and aspiring to a similar move, earned through good performances for us. The same goes for anyone we’re trying to bring in.
In some ways it would be a good thing if Mehmeti started next season strongly and moved for ££ in Jan. That then exemplifies a pathway for other development squad recruits.
I know European qualification is a possibility, but Aberdeen did only finish 10th (out of 12) last season
with arguably only Beckham better on the other side.
I remember an article in (I think) FourFourTwo back then that had Guppy's crossing accuracy significantly ahead of Beckham's.
Edit: Oh, and also significantly more crosses per game too.
I agree with most of your post, but I’d feel that I’d be in danger of losing my hard-won Gasroom Pedantry Card if I didn’t question the bit about a lot of interest when the WW manager’s job comes up being a distinctive factor.
Given the excess of available managerial candidates at any one time vs the number of jobs, I would say pretty much any league (or higher non-league) managerial role is going to generate a fair bit of interest.
Right, I’ll stop generating tangents now - back to Stewart.
Sorry if someone said this already but it won't fucking matter when we sign central defender Anthony Stewart from Aberdeen in late January
To some extent you are right, but I can't believe the likes of Carlisle Oldham etc get the same sort of interest.
you mean, it’s just Keith Curle...? 😂
I said I thought he would be back at some point but did not put it in quite those terms.😁
Not sure I usually go in for half-baked conspiracy theories, but I thought it was odd that Stewart didn't call out Ainsworth in his social media post the other day. Seems even weirder that he doesn't get a mention in the goodbye interview just posted on Twitter. Seems to me to add a lot of weight to the speculation they had a falling out last season.
Yes for Gaz to identify his distribution as the weakest of the three centre backs seems out of character. Perhaps he only protects his players if they in turn show loyalty to him?
Where did Gaz say that?
Very interesting indeed to say that. I hadn't seen that.
It's true though. Some on this site seemed to regard him as some sort of ball player, but a lot of his distribution was fairly percentage chipped punts.
I'm at a loss to understand why some people are determined to create a cloud for such a loyal and talented player to depart under. Very sad.
I’m in the Martin O’Neill camp on this one really.
The overriding attribute I want to see from my defenders is an ability to defend. Anthony Stewart ticks every possible box on that one and then some.
if they’re also cultured ball players then that’s also very nice to have, and you’d like one of your two to be reasonably comfortable, but first and foremost it’s about defending and keeping the ball out of your goal.
I'll second that.
Anthony has had over 10 full seasons as a Wycombe player and quite frankly has been outstanding at times, especially in the last three years.
Him and Taf were perfect foils for each other and seemed to be turning in to the finest pair of CB’s in Lge1.
I will miss him and I bet Taf will too.
Thanks Anthony 🐐
Your general sentiments apply. But I'm afraid some classic gasroom pedantry must be applied.
9 full seasons and a few games in his first season. There was a year of limbo / Crewe in there too.
The game has moved on a bit since then - even at our level!
My understand it was at the fixture release breakfast. Wasn’t there myself so may have been miss reported / exaggerated / misinterpreted etc
Too right, he's a quality defender, and his game seemed to go to another level when big matches came along like the playoffs "he's here, he's there, he's every f**king where"
Those great big Rotherham centre backs last year. I certainly remember them defending but could they play pass the ball? I don’t remember.
Equally I do remember Stewart saving us on numerous occasions defensively. Maybe I just remember defenders defending?
Oh no. Just remembered Alfie Manson versus Luton. Is that the current benchmark?
My overriding memory of the two Rotherham games is that they were just like us!
What’s with this Manson thing?
Unfortunate spellz if ever there was one 😀
For me Anthony was up there with the best of our last 20 years of defenders. On top of that chipped in with a few important goals as well. Distribution did indeed leave a bit to be desired. I was always a bit nervous when he wasn't on the team sheet. Sorry to see him go, but we have to evolve & adapt.
Sorry, forgot I asked this on a different thread yesterday. But cheers (x2)!
While the game has moved on, it's surely still a priority requirement that your defenders be able to defend?