Experience

[Fez of Mahrez]

Experience. It's a funny old word. It can mean something thrilling and life-affirming, i.e. The Jimi Hendrix Experience. It can also mean something that has contributed to the destruction of football's soul, i.e. the Walkers Matchday Experience.

I've seen various people using this word over the last couple of days, either to describe some of our players who have 100+ league appearances or as a criticism of players over the age of 30.

Surely the most important element of experience is the nature of it, not just a career appearance statistic. What experience do any of our players have of being an important member of a successful team? I would say hardly any. In fact, thinking about it, I can't even think of a single one.

It's easy to dismiss signing a player over the age of 30 as a backward step but we will only achieve Mandaric's ambitions if we bring in players who are comfortable with the pressure of being expected to win games on a consistent basis.

[filbertway]

Experience. It's a funny old word. It can mean something thrilling and life-affirming, i.e. The Jimi Hendrix Experience. It can also mean something that has contributed to the destruction of football's soul, i.e. the Walkers Matchday Experience.

I've seen various people using this word over the last couple of days, either to describe some of our players who have 100+ league appearances or as a criticism of players over the age of 30.

Surely the most important element of experience is the nature of it, not just a career appearance statistic. What experience do any of our players have of being an important member of a successful team? I would say hardly any. In fact, thinking about it, I can't even think of a single one.

It's easy to dismiss signing a player over the age of 30 as a backward step but we will only achieve Mandaric's ambitions if we bring in players who are comfortable with the pressure of being expected to win games on a consistent basis.

Exactly right, just because someone's over 30 a lot of people immediately dismiss them and bring out the "well they're not, young, hungry nor do they have a point to prove" card. One of the longest cards in the world infact.

Like you say, if a player has had a good career and played for succesfull teams then that can only be a good thing, as long as they can still run move. People seem to think as soon as footballers get past 30 they become cripples and can't run and lose all the footballing ability they used to have.

Just for reference, the word people doesn't always have to = Thracian.

[Fatbloke]

Would`nt argue with that, very few teams achieve success with a team full of youngsters, I reckon getting the right blend of battle hardened and experienced players together with energetic and enthusiastic young ones is the right way to go, good luck Martin !

[dandannieldanok]

Experience is overrated, I cannot see why people constantly go on about our need for it. We need talent whether experience comes with this or not it shouldn't matter. I know this isn't a topic about De Zeeuw but to say we need him because our current defenders our inexperienced is total codswallop:

McCarthy 72 appearances

Kisnorbo 67 appearances

McAuley 26 appearances

Is that enough for you???

[Fez of Mahrez]

Experience is overrated, I cannot see why people constantly go on about our need for it. We need talent whether experience comes with this or not it shouldn't matter. I know this isn't a topic about De Zeeuw but to say we need him because our current defenders our inexperienced is total codswallop:

McCarthy 72 appearances

Kisnorbo 67 appearances

McAuley 26 appearances

Is that enough for you???

Did you even read what I put?! What the hell have McCarthy, Kisnorbo and McAuley got experience of?! Playing for this bag-of-shite, as-bad-as-we've-ever-been-in-our-history football club!

Regardless of age, let's bring in some players who have actually demonstrated they are capable of playing for a promotion-winning team. They don't have to be over 30. They don't even have to be over 25.

[davieG]

Fair enough but there also a need to recognise when any experience is out weighed by the ability to still perform as we saw with Johnson, Tiatto.

The only person I've had doubts about at this time is this De Weeze (sp) guy. Not for his age as such, which is pushing it at 37 well over this 30 that gets bandied around as the norm but his ability to contribute fully over a full season. He was injured and unavailable for half of last season, he's now going to be another year on and I see no evidence that he's up to more than 20 games. He wont be cheap therefore I think on balance that's a potentially poor return.

The other thing with experience that gets assumed is that 'he will be able to coach the younger players' again this doesn't add up experience of the game does not automatically mean they have the ability to pass on the benefits of their experience.

Furthermore experience/age can lead in many cases to weariness and a lack of enthusiasm for the game especially when moving to a new club where the player has no affinity and knows they'll be gone at the end of a one year contract.

Like all signings young or old it's down to getting the right character, this is one of the attributes of a good/successful manager. MON used to take ages to suss out a potential signing, nowadays we just seem to dive in and take who ever is offered by some shitty agent.

[Fatbloke]

You do need it Dan, it`s times when you`re 1 nil up, under the cosh and defending for your lives, an experienced midfielder will close the game out, put a foot on the ball, go down injured, anything to kill the tempo of the game, these are tactics that are vital for winning difficult matches, remember Birmingham at our place ? bluddy frustrating for us but successful for them.

[Webbo]

Like all signings young or old it's down to getting the right character, this is one of the attributes of a good/successful manager. MON used to take ages to suss out a potential signing, nowadays we just seem to dive in and take who ever is offered by some shitty agent.

Agreed, not just in football but in work generally.

Unfortunately, unless you know the player personally it can be hard to judge from a few meetings.

Let's hope MA is a good judge of character.

[dandannieldanok]

Did you even read what I put?! What the hell have McCarthy, Kisnorbo and McAuley got experience of?! Playing for this bag-of-shite, as-bad-as-we've-ever-been-in-our-history football club!

Regardless of age, let's bring in some players who have actually demonstrated they are capable of playing for a promotion-winning team. They don't have to be over 30. They don't even have to be over 25.

Yes I did read and I know what I put totally contradicted your view. I'm sorry if this is wrong. Just because I believe our defenders are experienced enough it doesn't mean I am a total fool it's just I have a totally different view. I'm just expressing my opinion, which is that although pretty unsuccessful I have seen enough of them to suggest they possess the right amount and type of experience for us.

[davieG]

Agreed, not just in football but in work generally.

Unfortunately, unless you know the player personally it can be hard to judge from a few meetings.

Let's hope MA is a good judge of character.

And MM although his track record on managers is very poor, I don't know how much influence he had on the Portsmouth signings.

[Daggers]

There's a marked difference between getting someone for their experience and getting someone who, within minutes of joining, is going to be bleating on about how 'coppers look so young these days' and 'oooh I do like a nice cup of tea and slippers'.

I'd prefer our signings to be able to draw the opposition and counter than go to the counter and draw their pension.

[Daggers]

I would just like to point out that I have nothing against slippers, tea, pensions or retirement.

I do have something against smelling of wee in the Post Office.

I hope that anyone we sign doesn't smell of wee either.

[Thracian]

Experience. It's a funny old word. It can mean something thrilling and life-affirming, i.e. The Jimi Hendrix Experience. It can also mean something that has contributed to the destruction of football's soul, i.e. the Walkers Matchday Experience.

I've seen various people using this word over the last couple of days, either to describe some of our players who have 100+ league appearances or as a criticism of players over the age of 30.

Surely the most important element of experience is the nature of it, not just a career appearance statistic. What experience do any of our players have of being an important member of a successful team? I would say hardly any. In fact, thinking about it, I can't even think of a single one.

It's easy to dismiss signing a player over the age of 30 as a backward step but we will only achieve Mandaric's ambitions if we bring in players who are comfortable with the pressure of being expected to win games on a consistent basis.

I've named a good few experienced players I'd be more than happy with: Lee Hendrie and Patrick Berger for a start but I've seen no signs of any such players arriving at Leicester.

Even they are not immune to injuries but thirty-seven-year-old defenders, who are demonstably injury-prone as it is - don't light my fire, good players though they may be.

Tiatto couldn't stay injury at 32 or 33 and it would be even harder for someone of 37.

Furthermore, players of that age have no sell on value and look at the financial mess we got into through having no assets in recent years.

Yes, I know we've got our fairy godfather. But that's no reason to waste his money.

I've not seen signs of younger players being less comfortable with pressure. Logan was one of our matchwinners at Preston, Wesolowski finished the season with several good performances, Porter had a satisfactory first season and Kisnorbo was one of our more outstanding players.

Success won't be about who handles pressure. It will be about putting together a properly integrated side which has speed, mobility, good passing, real creativity and shooting potential right through the side.

Success will come when everyone in the team must compliment the system, not just three or four.

[Fez of Mahrez]

I think the inclusion of the last paragraph in my initial post has warped my intention for this topic.

Regardless of age, we have no players who have experienced success. Players like Logan, Wesolowski and Porter should be learning from players (of whatever age) who have achieved something and are still able to offer something to the team as well.

[Thracian]

You do need it Dan, it`s times when you`re 1 nil up, under the cosh and defending for your lives, an experienced midfielder will close the game out, put a foot on the ball, go down injured, anything to kill the tempo of the game, these are tactics that are vital for winning difficult matches, remember Birmingham at our place ? bluddy frustrating for us but successful for them.

Yes, like England tried to close the game out last night!. I understand Terry going off with tight hamstrings but why take Beckham off and effectively turn off our attacking outlet?. After all we'd done we voluntarily gave the initiative to Brazil and paid the price.

Leicester lost to Birmingham because we gave them a two-goal start and only Birmingham's nievity in thinking that was enough and trying to sit on it gave us just the chance of a comeback.

And it wasn't their brilliance that staved us off it was our lack of genuine creators and finishers.

The way to defend a lead is to defend high, close space down quicker and to attack with even more vigour.

A fighter who wounds or hurts his opponent doesn't back off and concede the initiative. So why would a footbball team?. The tactics should be like a fighter's. They should seek to inflict further damage and perhaps put the contest completely beyond reach.

Conceding anything in sporting competition is a mugs game and players who start to piss about with the ball in the closing minutes cost their own team shape, rhythm, impetus and undertanding.

That often results in unnecessary late equalisers or even worse and perhaps helps explain why there are so many dramatic late comebacks when there's no need.

[davieG]

Yes, like England tried to close the game out last night!. I understand Terry going off with tight hamstrings but why take Beckham off and effectively turn off our attacking outlet?. After all we'd done we voluntarily gave the initiative to Brazil and paid the price.

Because it was fixed A draw suited everyone. Whoever went ahead had to weaken their team in the last ten minutes.

Me cynical , naaaaaah.

[Thracian]

Because it was fixed A draw suited everyone. Whoever went ahead had to weaken their team in the last ten minutes.

Me cynical , naaaaaah.

I must say that did cross my mind too.

[city1993]

Yh I definetely agree with that, we need some younguns in the team, but some experience and a mixture is needed aswell !!

[Daggers]

I think coffee needs some milk in it - but as for sugar? Absolutely not.

I think that sums up my position more than adequately.

[Fez of Mahrez]

I think coffee needs some milk in it - but as for sugar? Absolutely not.

I think that sums up my position more than adequately.

Bit racial.

[Daggers]

Bit sexual actually.