Craig Mackail- Smith

[Miami Seagull]

I was at my daughter's house in Leicester the weekend before we signed CMS, and in the Leicester Mercury on the Saturday there was an article of an interview with Sven Goran Eriksson (their manager at the time) about this Craig Mackail-Smith they were on the point of signing and how much he was looking forward to working with him. So we did beat Leicester at least.

And I still think he is worth an extended contract, but I know plenty of others will disagree.

I agree, if we are going to play to his strengths.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Perhaps not Gus's signing so much then?

Gus liked patient, slow, considered, intelligent, disciplined, composed, passing football. CMS is the exact opposite of pretty much every single one of those words.

You're welcome to your position as Gus' chief cheerleader, but don't try to re-write history. CMS was ABSOLUTELY Gus' (poor) signing. Gus was EVERYWHERE making sure we all knew that it was HIS charm that had won the day and persuaded him to join HIM at the Albion.

 

[Marshy]

You're welcome to your position as Gus' chief cheerleader, but don't try to re-write history. CMS was ABSOLUTELY Gus' (poor) signing. Gus was EVERYWHERE making sure we all knew that it was HIS charm that had won the day and persuaded him to join HIM at the Albion.

Yep, I remember Gus banging on about the signing at the time etc Most definately his signing.

 

[Icy Gull]

We have Baldock, we don't need CMS imo. We have made two massive mistakes with these two signings and we should look to offload one of them and get in a striker who offers something different rather than a younger clone of one we already have.

 

[Mellotron]

You're welcome to your position as Gus' chief cheerleader, but don't try to re-write history. CMS was ABSOLUTELY Gus' (poor) signing. Gus was EVERYWHERE making sure we all knew that it was HIS charm that had won the day and persuaded him to join HIM at the Albion.

Yeah I get that. It's just utterly BAFFLING. Isn't it? Think about it. It makes no sense whatsoever to his ethos.

Gus's chief cheerleader = recognising that one of the best managers in our history was one of the best managers in our history, and doesn't act like a hysterically insecure 12 year old who's been dumped (not aimed at you, but many hilarious re-writings on here over the past few years).

 

[Marshy]

I agree, if we are going to play to his strengths.

Even if we play to his strengths there is now little point extending his deal, we have Baldock to perform exactly the same role, on a 4 year deal and a few years younger.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Yeah I get that. It's just utterly BAFFLING. Isn't it? Think about it. It makes no sense whatsoever to his ethos.

It's as baffling as Gus not insisting TB keep Murray - which he undoubtedly would have done had Gus said the word. It was a ridiculous piece of business both letting go and bringing in that still sticks in my craw to this day!

 

[Mellotron]

It's as baffling as Gus not insisting TB keep Murray - which he undoubtedly would have done had Gus said the word. It was a ridiculous piece of business both letting go and bringing in that still sticks in my craw to this day!

Agreed.

 

[Marshy]

Yeah I get that. It's just utterly BAFFLING. Isn't it? Think about it. It makes no sense whatsoever to his ethos.

I can only assume at the time that Gus did not truly appreciate the step up from L1 to the Championship, and that CMS would be a better option than Murray.

Lets not forget Murray had a pretty awful goal return for Palace in his first season there, however its his all round game not just his goals that we are missing.
Like Ulloa he still knitted our play together even when he wasnt in a rich vein of goal scoring form.

 

[Mellotron]

I can only assume at the time that Gus did not truly appreciate the step up from L1 to the Championship, and that CMS would be a better option than Murray.

Lets not forget Murray had a pretty awful goal return for Palace in his first season there, however its his all round game not just his goals that we are missing.
Like Ulloa he still knitted our play together even when he wasnt in a rich vein of goal scoring form.

I'm talking about the style of play Gus liked. CMS couldn't be less of a Gus player if he tried.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Yeah I get that. It's just utterly BAFFLING. Isn't it? Think about it. It makes no sense whatsoever to his ethos.

Gus's chief cheerleader = recognising that one of the best managers in our history was one of the best managers in our history, and doesn't act like a hysterically insecure 12 year old who's been dumped (not aimed at you, but many hilarious re-writings on here over the past few years).

The cheerleader reference wasn't strictly a criticism - we all have amazing memories to be thankful to Gus for. If you want to continually defend his legacy though, you have to be balanced and also consider the mistakes he made - your quote 'not so much Gus' signing' looked like you were trying to absolve him of the biggest mistake of his career - choosing to spend a fortune to downgrade from Murray to CMS.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Even if we play to his strengths there is now little point extending his deal, we have Baldock to perform exactly the same role, on a 4 year deal and a few years younger.

Absolutely this.

 

[symyjym]

Perhaps not Gus's signing so much then?

Gus liked patient, slow, considered, intelligent, disciplined, composed, passing football. CMS is the exact opposite of pretty much every single one of those words.

I came to the conclusion that because Michael Owen rated CMS highly, and is known to be close to Tony Bloom, that the signing was not instigated by Gus. He may have been happy to sign him, but I don’t think he put his name on the table.

Not fact, just my personal deduction on a possible chain of events.

 

[Marshy]

I'm talking about the style of play Gus liked. CMS couldn't be less of a Gus player if he tried.

I totally agree with you. It was a definate change of policy it seemed at the time, one that i was totally behind, at that time you simply could not question his decision making.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I came to the conclusion that because Michael Owen rated CMS highly, and is known to be close to Tony Bloom, that the signing was not instigated by Gus. He may have been happy to sign him, but I don’t think he put his name on the table.

Not fact, just my personal deduction on a possible chain of events.

Hahahaha

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Cannot see any club wanting to pay more than £50k when they can sign him for free in July , interest would only come from L1 and L2 clubs.

 

[Mellotron]

The cheerleader reference wasn't strictly a criticism - we all have amazing memories to be thankful to Gus for. If you want to continually defend his legacy though, you have to be balanced and also consider the mistakes he made - your quote 'not so much Gus' signing' looked like you were trying to absolve him of the biggest mistake of his career - choosing to spend a fortune to downgrade from Murray to CMS.

It was guess based on the fact I'm still so confused by it. It doesn't fit logically with Gus's character at all, to spend so much on a player so clearly the opposite of his football philosophy.

 

[Marshy]

Cannot see any club wanting to pay more than £50k when they can sign him for free in July , interest would only come from L1 and L2 clubs.

Burnley paid 500k for Barnes in January.... therefore its reasonable to think a similar fee for CMS is obtainable.
He is on considerably more money though, I would be suprised if there were not several Championship sides interested in CMS come January

 

[leigull]

Edit: ........and no leigull. Gus said he was going to build his side round Macca (if only). He was definitely his signing.

Ta, I thought so, but couldn't remember whether he'd talked about him in the build up to trying to sign him, or just post-signing.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

If we had planned to get rid of him in Jan shouldn't we have loaned him out to a lower club, let him bang some goals in and up his value?