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Will the person or persons responsible for bringing this guy to our club please take a bow. Absolutely superb performance today, capped off with a well deserved goal.
Yep just checked. That’s the first time Willock has completed a full match for us. He did 88 mins a few weeks ago and 82 a while back other than that he was either subbed or a sub. He looked like he could keep playing for a week yesterday.
[Post edited 11 Apr 2021 15:21]
Looks a lot stronger too, was a bit of a chicken stick when he first got here, now he’s doing that plant and turn thing that Eze and Chair are so good with.
Where did you get your info, that it was N “Andy Belk (head of recruitment) pick, based on analysis”?
Can you share that article then?
Obviously I can't tell you that. You don't get many people telling you stuff as a journo if you start blabbing their ID all over the place, it's kind of a thing.
I will tell you it's not somebody who works with or at the club, it was somebody involved in another transfer that didn't go through, who told me that was Andy Belk led and who else he'd been involved in getting in. I actually hadn't heard of Andy Belk to that point. Given he also told me his man was almost certainly coming to QPR, and I wrote the piece up, and he didn't, leaving me nursing 2,000 unused words, maybe he's full of sht. So it might not be true. But he's not a QPR employee in any way shape or form, so your gotcha about me either making it up or being fed it from the club is wrong.
I've been doing this site for 20 years, the only time the club has ever fed me anything about anything was during the paladini era when I was a kid at uni and they started telling me about transfer info, Camp, Cullip, Bolder etc, Teemu Taino one that didn't happen, which I thought was great and put on the message board and felt like a right big bolox. Then, after a few months, they said there was a story going around that they wanted to rebuke but couldn't do via the official website, and could I basically do it for them. I think I fudged that a bit, through memory. Then on the pre-season in Sorrento I was given access to the players for interviews - Cook, Ward, Milanese - but at the same time got fed some stuff about the players who'd been left at home from the trip, of which Birch was one of them, being a problem and trying to injure the new players. Again, I put that on the board feeling like a big man, and Bircham saw it, called it out, and woke me up. I backed away from it at that point, WATRBs started up immediately afterwards doing exactly that job for them. Since then, other than the odd bit of news under embargo where they get all the fan sites and supporter groups in and say 'this is being announced on Tuesday, tell us what you think...' I've never had a single thing from the club or anybody who works there.
Paul Morrissey, in particular, is very professional and cautious about these things. Matt Webb I talk to a bit because he edits the programme and I have a piece in there. Both great fellas, very good at their jobs, have seen them on a few away trips in hotels or on trains, but honestly the idea that either of them, or anybody else at the club, would ever tell me anything about anything ever is so laughable it's beyond ridiculous. If anybody ever did they'd be fired, no doubt. They'd also tell you that on occasions where we have been in the same Premier Inn on a midweeker, or on the same train back from a n awayer, and they've offered to buy me a drink, I've always refused it because of how it could be perceived.
Obviously I can't tell you that. You don't get many people telling you stuff as a journo if you start blabbing their ID all over the place, it's kind of a thing.
I will tell you it's not somebody who works with or at the club, it was somebody involved in another transfer that didn't go through, who told me that was Andy Belk led and who else he'd been involved in getting in. I actually hadn't heard of Andy Belk to that point. Given he also told me his man was almost certainly coming to QPR, and I wrote the piece up, and he didn't, leaving me nursing 2,000 unused words, maybe he's full of sht. So it might not be true. But he's not a QPR employee in any way shape or form, so your gotcha about me either making it up or being fed it from the club is wrong.
I've been doing this site for 20 years, the only time the club has ever fed me anything about anything was during the paladini era when I was a kid at uni and they started telling me about transfer info, Camp, Cullip, Bolder etc, Teemu Taino one that didn't happen, which I thought was great and put on the message board and felt like a right big bolox. Then, after a few months, they said there was a story going around that they wanted to rebuke but couldn't do via the official website, and could I basically do it for them. I think I fudged that a bit, through memory. Then on the pre-season in Sorrento I was given access to the players for interviews - Cook, Ward, Milanese - but at the same time got fed some stuff about the players who'd been left at home from the trip, of which Birch was one of them, being a problem and trying to injure the new players. Again, I put that on the board feeling like a big man, and Bircham saw it, called it out, and woke me up. I backed away from it at that point, WATRBs started up immediately afterwards doing exactly that job for them. Since then, other than the odd bit of news under embargo where they get all the fan sites and supporter groups in and say 'this is being announced on Tuesday, tell us what you think...' I've never had a single thing from the club or anybody who works there.
Paul Morrissey, in particular, is very professional and cautious about these things. Matt Webb I talk to a bit because he edits the programme and I have a piece in there. Both great fellas, very good at their jobs, have seen them on a few away trips in hotels or on trains, but honestly the idea that either of them, or anybody else at the club, would ever tell me anything about anything ever is so laughable it's beyond ridiculous. If anybody ever did they'd be fired, no doubt. They'd also tell you that on occasions where we have been in the same Premier Inn on a midweeker, or on the same train back from a n awayer, and they've offered to buy me a drink, I've always refused it because of how it could be perceived.
This post has been edited by an administrator
Northern,
just speaks volumes about you that you should even bother with such an extensive and honest rebuttal to such a ridiculous set of nonsense.
Even the briefest look at the relatively new poster who started this off should give you all that you need to know that they appear to be a WUM on any and every issue.
just speaks volumes about you that you should even bother with such an extensive and honest rebuttal to such a ridiculous set of nonsense.
Even the briefest look at the relatively new poster who started this off should give you all that you need to know that they appear to be a WUM on any and every issue.
I'm aware mate, danger of being dragged down to a level and then beaten with experience, but I care what the rest of you think of me though so thought it was worth at least having a go at explaining.
He deserves his place now, just, but he was very inconsistent in my book Norf. I think I have been pretty fair tbh.......always am . Continues his improvements and I will be happy.
Lol - he’s deserved his place for weeks. He had a good game yesterday - one goal, one assist, hit the post, great on the ball, beautiful back pass that should have led to a goal. But only “just” deserves place? Good one!! A number of players in the team have been inconsistent. Willock is no different. Chair has blown hot and cold, Dykes has only just shown some consistency, Wallace, Kane, Kakay, even Dieng over the past 2 or 3 games. Do they not deserve their places either? By your reckoning we would only be starting with 5 players every week.
The only reason not to play Willock would be if we played 2 up front and it would be a choice between him or Chair.
Lol - he’s deserved his place for weeks. He had a good game yesterday - one goal, one assist, hit the post, great on the ball, beautiful back pass that should have led to a goal. But only “just” deserves place? Good one!! A number of players in the team have been inconsistent. Willock is no different. Chair has blown hot and cold, Dykes has only just shown some consistency, Wallace, Kane, Kakay, even Dieng over the past 2 or 3 games. Do they not deserve their places either? By your reckoning we would only be starting with 5 players every week.
The only reason not to play Willock would be if we played 2 up front and it would be a choice between him or Chair.
So you agree that he has been inconsistent.....he has improved over the past few weeks, we have all seen that including MW, and hence he is playing. He has always shown good skills and a nice touch but was not as often as recent games. Hopefully that will continue.
So you agree that he has been inconsistent.....he has improved over the past few weeks, we have all seen that including MW, and hence he is playing. He has always shown good skills and a nice touch but was not as often as recent games. Hopefully that will continue.
Not sure what the issue is.
Willock has been an incredibly consistent contributer for us, if you went back and measured his contributions to goals vs his minutes played, I would say he's been one of the most consistent performers in our team this season, possibly in the whole league.
I'm fine with how Warburton manages his game time, but he's been unlucky not to have played more given how well he's performed.
Willock has been an incredibly consistent contributer for us, if you went back and measured his contributions to goals vs his minutes played, I would say he's been one of the most consistent performers in our team this season, possibly in the whole league.
I'm fine with how Warburton manages his game time, but he's been unlucky not to have played more given how well he's performed.
My feeling is that he impressed off the bench regularly enough that he could have been brought in to the first eleven earlier. That he wasn't might have been tactical or it might have been held back until he built himself up a bit. But I agree that he's been consistently good for us.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
I'm aware mate, danger of being dragged down to a level and then beaten with experience, but I care what the rest of you think of me though so thought it was worth at least having a go at explaining.
Very good of you but I would imagine most of us don't see a conspiracy everywhere and understand that journalists have many sources of information. To make out that you're some kind of club mouthpiece is so absurd as to be laughable. MW would have a sardonic chuckle at the thought!
Not that it should matter for this discussion on his role, but I’ve met Andy Belk. I went to uni with his brother years ago. We kept in touch for a while and I brought him to a game and his brother came for a beer afterwards down the Shepherd & Flock. I can’t remember when it was but I’d guess somewhere between 2010-2014. He’s been at the club for a while in a Data Analyst type role. He seemed a really sound guy and it sounded from him that almost clubs had these teams.
Guess he’s just done well, progressed and now leads the broader department. If he’s good at his job, which I’m sure he is, nowt wrong with that IMO.
Like most corporates, I would imagine he is given a set of criteria to meet in player recruitment from “the manager” and or “the director”. And, once he finds someone, I’m sure he needs Hoos approval on the Finances above a certain level already granted.
Seems a sound approach and moves us away from signing managers’ mates and those only they know of. It also can act as a validation for anyone they want to bring in due to a personal connection.
And given who we’ve brought in, he seems to be doing a good job and the department improving.
Not that it should matter for this discussion on his role, but I’ve met Andy Belk. I went to uni with his brother years ago. We kept in touch for a while and I brought him to a game and his brother came for a beer afterwards down the Shepherd & Flock. I can’t remember when it was but I’d guess somewhere between 2010-2014. He’s been at the club for a while in a Data Analyst type role. He seemed a really sound guy and it sounded from him that almost clubs had these teams.
Guess he’s just done well, progressed and now leads the broader department. If he’s good at his job, which I’m sure he is, nowt wrong with that IMO.
Like most corporates, I would imagine he is given a set of criteria to meet in player recruitment from “the manager” and or “the director”. And, once he finds someone, I’m sure he needs Hoos approval on the Finances above a certain level already granted.
Seems a sound approach and moves us away from signing managers’ mates and those only they know of. It also can act as a validation for anyone they want to bring in due to a personal connection.
And given who we’ve brought in, he seems to be doing a good job and the department improving.
Agree with all that. Even if he now has increased responsibility for spotting players through analysis) I would imagine the player would still be given the eye test, his character would have to be checked out, likely availability assessed, and Warburton, Ferdinand and Hoos would ultimately sign off.
I'm sure there is still space for players to be spotted by traditional scouts giving the eye test as well.
It can only be good news to incorporate analysis as part of the process.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
Obviously I can't tell you that. You don't get many people telling you stuff as a journo if you start blabbing their ID all over the place, it's kind of a thing.
I will tell you it's not somebody who works with or at the club, it was somebody involved in another transfer that didn't go through, who told me that was Andy Belk led and who else he'd been involved in getting in. I actually hadn't heard of Andy Belk to that point. Given he also told me his man was almost certainly coming to QPR, and I wrote the piece up, and he didn't, leaving me nursing 2,000 unused words, maybe he's full of sht. So it might not be true. But he's not a QPR employee in any way shape or form, so your gotcha about me either making it up or being fed it from the club is wrong.
I've been doing this site for 20 years, the only time the club has ever fed me anything about anything was during the paladini era when I was a kid at uni and they started telling me about transfer info, Camp, Cullip, Bolder etc, Teemu Taino one that didn't happen, which I thought was great and put on the message board and felt like a right big bolox. Then, after a few months, they said there was a story going around that they wanted to rebuke but couldn't do via the official website, and could I basically do it for them. I think I fudged that a bit, through memory. Then on the pre-season in Sorrento I was given access to the players for interviews - Cook, Ward, Milanese - but at the same time got fed some stuff about the players who'd been left at home from the trip, of which Birch was one of them, being a problem and trying to injure the new players. Again, I put that on the board feeling like a big man, and Bircham saw it, called it out, and woke me up. I backed away from it at that point, WATRBs started up immediately afterwards doing exactly that job for them. Since then, other than the odd bit of news under embargo where they get all the fan sites and supporter groups in and say 'this is being announced on Tuesday, tell us what you think...' I've never had a single thing from the club or anybody who works there.
Paul Morrissey, in particular, is very professional and cautious about these things. Matt Webb I talk to a bit because he edits the programme and I have a piece in there. Both great fellas, very good at their jobs, have seen them on a few away trips in hotels or on trains, but honestly the idea that either of them, or anybody else at the club, would ever tell me anything about anything ever is so laughable it's beyond ridiculous. If anybody ever did they'd be fired, no doubt. They'd also tell you that on occasions where we have been in the same Premier Inn on a midweeker, or on the same train back from a n awayer, and they've offered to buy me a drink, I've always refused it because of how it could be perceived.
This post has been edited by an administrator
Whether it’s one step removed you’re still being fed that information
Over the years I've found certain things out early
I remember telling a mate who I think posted on here or one of the other message boards about Bobby Zamora signing well before he did. I was in the C Club that day and Eric Walters was in there talking to Phil Beard with his gift in front of him. It was a bottle of champagne with his name on the label which summed the club up at that time
I hope to be convinced by Thomas - haven't quite been so yet. But Dickie, Field and, of course, Willock have been superb. This season's crop of signings has been the best for many years.
In fairness to the guy, he's only played 198 minutes this season. A bit harsh
So you agree that he has been inconsistent.....he has improved over the past few weeks, we have all seen that including MW, and hence he is playing. He has always shown good skills and a nice touch but was not as often as recent games. Hopefully that will continue.
Not sure what the issue is.
Well when he wasn’t in the starting 11 you were very black and white in your view that he wasn’t good enough to start, which was obviously wrong. Now he is starting he is only “just” good enough, to use your own word. Surely he’s either good enough to start or not. He can’t be “just” good enough.
Out of curiosity, as he is only “just” good enough, you must have someone else in mind that is challenging him for his place in the team. Who would that be?
In fairness to the guy, he's only played 198 minutes this season. A bit harsh
I like the look of Thomas. Think he just needs to get match sharp. Think there is definitely something there to work with and would hope/expect him to be playing a lot more next season.
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. Continues his improvements and I will be happy. 
