Steve Claridge scouting reports

[flynnfan]

The Welsh collection:

www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2008/oct/21/walesfootballteam-championship

www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/feb/03/king-claridge-scouting-report

www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/aug/26/bournemouth.leaguetwofootball

www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/may/06/cardiffcity.championship

www.guardian.co.uk/football/2007/dec/18/swansea

www.guardian.co.uk/football/2007/feb/06/oldham

www.guardian.co.uk/football/2007/jan/30/wycombe

www.guardian.co.uk/football/2006/oct/24/cardiffcity

www.guardian.co.uk/football/2006/oct/17/southampton

If you find any others, please post them up here. The thing that suprises me most looking at these again is how highly he rates Neil Eardley (who's done OK, but hasn't particularly stood out for the seniors or U21s for me) and how reserved he is in his opinion of Gareth Bale (one of the best players in the premiership over the past few months) His valuations seems a bit strange too (only 2 mil for Rambo?!) but other than that I think these are great.

[walrus]

Well to be fair, Bale was rubbish at Spurs before Arry's headology worked a treat in toughening the kid up. And Bale is a bit of an athletic freak rather than classically good footballer. Conversely Rambo and Allen are as you say on another thread different to the big physical prem type players.
What are the prospects for Mc Donald at swansea? What does he need to do to progress? Is he capable of progressing?

[Deleted]

It was interesting reading his appraisal of Church. I thought Church was the stand out player from either side in BOTH legs of the play-off against England, great finishing and always in the right place at the right time giving Englands defence real problems. Watching him since for Reading and for Wales he just doesnt seem the same player.

[Deleted]

Thought Ramsay was the stand out player in both of those legs against England - Church does have a good understanding with him though. Hopefully over the next few years the fact that all of these players have developed together through the system will reap dividends.

[bale-droed]

i liked the andy king one. I think he is really underated "andy "insurance" king should be his middle name because everytime one of his team mates are in trouble he helps them" I hope andy will be lining up in a premiership squad very soon.

also didnt know that allen got laughed at in his first game. Nice to know though that he shut them up by out playing them.

[flynnfan]

Ramsey was absolutely the standout player in both legs for me too, although it's interesting that you are asking about Shaun Mcdonald walrus because I thought he was excellent at Ninian park. I also thought he was superb in that campaign against France (when we won) and Romania (when we lost) which led me to say to my mates who I travelled to Villa Park with that they should watch out for him (as well as Rambo) because he looks a really good player. Anyway, he was a real disappointment in the 2nd leg after the bulid up I gave him, so it turned into a bit of a running joke with my mates every time he gave the ball away or fluffed a shot... (it seemed a lot) He's certainly got some talent, although he's obviously not consistant enough. Reports suggest that he did well when he got a run of games on loan at Yeovil. Hopefully he'll respond well if he gets a run of games under Brendan Rodgers.

[squatter1]

Interesting - Cladger gets Bale completely wrong for me ("will be a great defender, not a great attacker"), but even four years ago has pretty much nailed Ledley as essentially a water carrier. The way he writes about Andy King makes him out to be a perfect candidate for our holding midfielder - why has Tosh been so reluctant to try him there?