I wouldn’t let Dodds coach my 7 year old
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Why not? You might wind up with another Jude Bellingham or Luke O’Nein on your hands.
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It does appear that having been a player and probably a winner helps.Not to say you have to have been because of the excellent coaches/managers who have not been,but it must help in understanding player psycology and how to get the best out of them.
Luke O’Nien?
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Whoops, yes, I slipped into the German spelling. My reference to Luke was only obliquely relevant in the context of @Bigred87’s comment insofar as it was based on the fact that he (Luke) expressed disappointment at the time that we had lured Mike Dodds away because he admired him and had learnt a lot from him.
A very good coach seemingly but a very poor Head Coach/manager.
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Speaking of Luke I looked at his match stats for the season and can only see he’s been on the bench 7 times so far and not come on, compared to starting almost every match last season. He could be up for a loan move at this rate.
For some reason I thought you was on about Leahy
But you was on about O’Nien
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I’m sure I’ve seen somewhere that he signed a new contract in the summer and has been recovering from injury.
Also he mostly played as a CB rather than in midfield and I’m not sure that’s a position where we need another option.
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I thought O‘Nien was a product of the Watford Academy?
Started there as an under 9!
He was indeed but he credited Mike Dodds with having helped a great deal with his ongoing development at the Stadium of Light.
I expect Luke will have a new Championship club by next summer - Sunderland have beefed up across the board and are understandably flying.
Came on here to read about Micheal Duff only to find it’s a LUKE Onien appreciation forum.
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Moving swiftly away from reminders of Mike Dodds I think it is timely to mention a match which was as much a turning point for Michael Duff as the dramatic victory over Stockport at Edgeley Park on 5 November 2024 was for Matt Bloomfield. I refer to the moment against AFC Wimbledon (after we’d naively conceded two early goals) when Michael Duff called Jack Grimmer over to give instructions about defensive changes. The transformation was dramatic, especially in the second half when, but for the refereeing fiasco that chalked off our equaliser, we would now be unbeaten in normal time for the whole of Michael Duff’s brief reign.
The turning point following the famous Stockport victory, of course, was for each and every opposing side thereafter to park the proverbial bus. Scoring suddenly became a whole lot more difficult. At Plough Lane in the second half and in subsequent matches we’ve not parked the proverbial bus, thank goodness, but we are considerably better organised. I still can’t forget the sight of our three central defenders pushing up to the halfway line, inviting a very physical and pacey Wimbledon side to hit the ball over them and enjoy a clear route to goal - very much as we were able to do against Leyton Orient.
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Spent nearly £200M in the last year on transfers alone, no wonder Luke is no longer playing.
This looks a handy side!!
you on about us?
Sorry for sounding like a square
Certainly was but they’ve slipped back a bit over the last ten minutes.
Whoops! Thought I was on the match thread.
Sorry.
Shame we didn’t have him last season instead of that loser dodd we would of gone up for sure.
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