Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Collins backed to regain Wolves place
Tuesday 4th November 2008, 1:35PM GMT.
Axed Neill Collins has been assured he has a future as a Wolves centre-half – by the man who rates him as “awesome.”
Collins was dropped to make way for on-loan Chelsea defender Michael Mancienne in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Cardiff.
Mancienne went on to produce a man of the match performance against the Bluebirds, justifying boss Mick McCarthy’s bold decision in changing both centre-halves for the Ninian Park clash.
While Jason Shackell was nursing a groin injury, Collins is understandably disappointed to be the odd man out after starting 12 out of the previous 14 League outings.
But big striker Chris Iwelumo, who has played against and alongside Collins, has assured his fellow Scot he has a role to play.
Iwelumo said: “It was a hard one for Neill to take, but he came on as a substitiute and I thought he showed the desire and the hunger.
“We’re all in it together and there are going to be a few decisions people are disappointed with, but that’s part of football. He’s the sort of character we need and he can bounce back from these disappointments.
“Neill Collins is a hard, hard centre-back. I hated playing against him before I came here and he showed that quality when he came on on Saturday.
“He was awesome on Saturday and he was awesome against Swansea. He was unlucky not to play but that’s part and parcel of football.
“He knows that and he has to move on from that. It’s up to him to get himself back in.”
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Hmmmmm.
Up The Wolves
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Awesome on Saturday? What exactly did he do?
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LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
No…. Just NO.
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No lack of effort or determination on Collin’s part but a serious lack of talent and speed means he should only be a squad player this season.
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Neill Collins will go down as a Wolves legend – mark my words. A legend as a formidable centre half or a legendry joke figure is yet to be decided.
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Awesome in training maybe! I’ve got nothing angainst Collins – he’s never short of effort. I just feel uneasy when he plays. Steadman and Mancienne looking a lot more convincing.
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i agree with big chris he is a good defender but he lacks pace and in this division you need that as the game moves that fast he gets caught out by speed merchants who turn him inside out having said that you cannot doubt his heading ability he is great in the air but we have to move on and stears and manc did well and could build a good partnership together so lets see how it goes from game to game,WE ARE WOLVES
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Stearman looked a better player next to Collins and it would be interesting to see how Mancienne looks next to Collins.
For all the critisism he gets, I always look at Collins and think, has he really done that much wrong this game??
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Collins gives his all week in week out he will come good just needs to erase the silly errors whicj=h im sure he can.
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Bit of unfair subliminal propaganda at the top there. Using a picture of him ‘defending’ during our 5-2 defeat at Norwich…
LOL
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Im sure hes a model pro, and he gives his all, but hes simply not good enough. No pace, clumsy tackles, appalling control, distribution is bad. The only thing he can do is head the ball.
The fact is that while he was playing we shipped a shed load of goals.
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Desire and hunger are one thing, but surely ability, pace and skill rank far above those??
The man is a clown, and a liability at the back.
Awesome on Saturday? You mean playing for 5 minutes and almost giving a goal away??
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Is this the best story you could run?
Hands up any wolves fans that want him back in the team!!
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Am I the only one who really rates him as a player????? He is strong in the air, got a bit of pace about him, and makes great tackles…………..I cant keep it up any longer HA HA HA. HE is a donkey and always will be a donkey, ship him out to Watford with the other donkey!!!!!!!
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4 points clear!!!!
Well done Cov last nite!!
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Putting to one side Neill’s ability as a footballer what disappoints me is the number of contributors who are all too quick to jump in and criticise our players. No doubt most of you think of yourselves as Wolves ‘supporters’. Try looking up the meaning of ‘support’ in a dictionary. Get behind the team on and off the pitch – we might just achieve something special this season!
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Why is everyone getting on Collins back last Tuesday against Swansea he was man of the match by a mile never gave Jason Scotland a kick and he managed to turn up on time we are a team and we stick together thats how you get promoted by being a team on and off the pitch so come on the lads lets stuff Burnley Saturday
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Awesome!! You should have gone to Specsavers Chris.
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Colins makes to many errors for me im afraid. I will support him though, and I love players who prove the critics wrong, but his future a Mol is in question for me despite his 4 year deal. Its not just about the team now its the team in the future and maybe in the Prem….well you just wouldnt play him against Chelsea would you!
Stearman ans Mancienne everytime.
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i feel uneasy when he plays,i just want him to kick it out the box quick,and try not to tackle for the ball at all,shame,however he is not good enough…
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He is a clown & belongs in the Circus !
Collins has no talent and is the reason we are letting in so many goals!
Mick: You go this one horribly wrong, accept it, get rid of him! However, Well done for Mancienne – Different Class which the team thrives on.
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16. I AM a true supporter and have been for over 20 years.
However I cannot support a player that loses us games and is consitently useless !
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Mick wouldn’t have signed so many defenders if he was happy with Collins. He gives everything so I can’t knock him but we have to play the strongest team. I’ve been critical of Mick’s tactics but he seems to be getting it right and the team are stronger and tougher than last year. I think Kites looks a bit jaded although he made a super pass for Seb to score. Let’s push on Saturday. B’Ham seem to have problems and we are still some way ahead of Reading. C’mon you Wolves.
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On the subject of Mancienne, why did Chelski allow him to come here?
The Russians like to place Fifth Columnists in the enemy camp to agitate and cause unrest.
So..
Should we watch Mancienne 24hrs a day and place a security blanket around ISMAEL ZELI ? ?
Or could it be that the Russians will offer to extend the loan to the end of the season and, (if we get promoted), offer him on a full season loan for 2008/9 in exchange for Zeli ?
Or am I just paranoid through watching Spooks?
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The man is useless mick you muppet and so are you,how can anyone put him on the transfer list and then give him a new four year contract only you can mick why dont you both sod off and let us get a real manager.
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Collins should do a star turn at the grand theatre. Its going to be panto season soon and as always we will shout at Collins and say “HE’S BEHIND YOU!”
Collins is nothing more a squad player, and has for awesome… I dont think so Big Chris!
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Shack is the man we need. No nonsense, no messing and ability as well as a tough core at the back.
Stearman was poor against Swansea, i think Jas has more in his locker at the current stage in his career than Stearman
he should be given an mbe for calling Jordi Gomez ” a f’ing wop!” during the game against swansea that was legendary!
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Jesus Grumpy! get yourself down NewCross Hospital and get some Paranoia pills.
End of the day why buy so many defenders if ur happy with them. Fair play to Iwel, he just making Collins feel wanted like anyone would for a teammate… But if i could read Iwel’s mind, bet he is thanking MM for bringing in some reinforcements.
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Lets put this all in perspective…….
Yes, Collins is no world beater and he is never going to be a john terry, but…on the other hand he is neither rubbish or a “clown” as some on here have commented.
Probably closer to the truth is that…he is a decent centre back/left back at championship level, a good pro who gives 100% and on that merit alone he deserves to be in the squad.
I agree fully that we have atleast 2 better centre backs at the club and he shouldnt be in the starting eleven if others are fit to play etc.
Labelling him as a clown, a waste of space or useless is nothing more than disrespectful, the man always tries his best when he plays for our team, and i for one will always support him if and when he is wearing the old gold n black, as i would any other player.
Lets support all our players and staff people, we just might need to rely on every one of them at some stage through the season and in the future.
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Been playing the new Football Manager demo over the last couple of days.
Terry Connor’s coaching report on Collins says he has “no apparent weaknesses”
Hahaha!
Neill’s favoured personnel – Mick McCarthy.
Spot on!
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I see the armchair mafia is picking on Neill again give the bloke a break he is a good defender he just lacks concentration at times
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He may not be our best defender overall but is nowhere near as bad as those on the scapegoat train would lead you to believe imo. He is by far the best defender in the air, totally awesome. If he ever manages to get his feet to work properly he may yet avoid giving nervy `fans` kittens. He’s unfortunate to be a scapegoat as every little mistake is highlighted and exaggerated unlike the more numerous of some of our so called stars.
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25: Sackthemuppett.
That useless manager you refer to has Wolves at the top of the league by 4 clear points, 7 points clear of automatics.
He really is doing a uselss job isnt he???!!!!!???
Your personal hatred of Mick McCarthy is specific to you now. All Wolves fans have surely seen the light and except that the team that Mick has built is superb and look really strong for promotion.,
Better than all of us thought. Including me.
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WolvesTowner; I can’t help it. That’s what comes from being a cold war kid. I still see reds under the bed!
Or is it me who is the Fifth Columnist on Wolves pages?
I’m off to agitate on the WBA page.
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I feel sorry for Neil because he puts in 110 per cent every game but he makes too many mistakes and he is partly responsible for our poor defensive record.I understand MM selecting him because of his attitude but he would completely out of his depth in the Prem which is where we are heading
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25
When was Neill put on the transfer list ?
Stupid armchair cretin stop Wumming and get a life
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who remebers when collins and edwards played at center half just after he arrived and he looked good? his confidence is shot ,i wonder why
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sackthemuppet is a fifth columnist! Anyone with a shred of common sense will see that he’s out to antagonise, but I think most genuine Wolves fans can see through the facade. He’s probably a WBA fan.
It’s clear that McCarthy is putting together an excellent squad, the spirit is good, and being in top spot is testament to that.
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25: Sackthemuppett.
You can’t seriously call yourself a true wolves fan with comments based on vindictiveness and hatred that does our cause no good whatsoever. I may not agree with everything MM’s done but surely the position we’re in now means we should put aside those things and get behind him for the sake of the team. It surely can’t be coincidence that we’re 4 points clear at the top, give some credit where it’s due. (sure you’re not a baggie in disguise, if not sod off up to Sanwell and do us all a favour)
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25. Are you for real????? With what MM has done this season, you are the only muppet!!!!!!!!!!!
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All this bashing of Collins… Don’t get me wrong… I’d play the partnership that played on Saturday next game… but is Collins that much worse than Stearman? As it’s been said a million times – there’s possibly a reason why ‘relegated’ Leicester played Stearman at full back? He’ll be a star i’m sure… but right now, he’s not made me stand up and think he’s a great player.
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Seriously, Collins can’t even be mentioned in the same breath as Mancienne. My best Christmas present would be us in the top two and keeping Mancienne for good but somehow I think Chelsea have just let him go to keep him hungry.
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Was it only two years ago that we all used to moan about players that didnt put in the effort and Hoddle for buying wasters and then deserting us. In stepped Mick, buying some cracking players at bargain prices. Young and keen as mustard. The after match radio was bubbling with praise for players who bust a gut for the club. How soon we forget. We now have a young hungry team with several young internationals and are top of the league. Please, if you dont like Mick, or feel our players are not good enough, take your ‘support’ elsewhere.
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As soon as i saw somebody put “Collins is a decent left back/centre back…” i stopped reading.
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Neill doesn’t have the pace although i do rate him as a defender,
doubt he will start with stearman and mancienne though!
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25 – Agree with 36 – bugger off
Collins is a useful squad player, so back him and every other player that pulls on the old gold ‘n black.
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Debenhamwolf, i agree tht when our stars make mistakes they are quickly overlooked. The cardiff game is an obvious example. Manc’ left way to much space for Ross McCormack, and even before tht kightly gave no help or cover to foley, which for an away game at cardiff goes to show how good foley really is. But both star players have had little or no negative reviews on here.
BUT as we all know a mistake by a central defender usually leads to a goal so its highlighted more, and i just dont see collins getting anybetter with the ball at his feet or his speed increasing which is so needed at the level we are at and the level we want to be at.
Personally, and this isnt a heavy dig at MM because he has put wolves where they are now, but he must take some of the responcibility for the c$£p tht collins gets from fans. If fans see a player make a couple of mistakes,a player who was close to being transfered, then the manager goes and buys a few more players for tht same position, he is telling everyone “i dont believe in this persons ability and im getting some cover or replacement for when he £$%&! up”. And us fans are naturally gonna want to see those new players play. Just imagine the uproar if collins had been playing from the start and he left McCormack so much space for tht cardiff goal, but because its the new chelsea star with the silky moves its looked over…
Grumpy i was just playing with, didnt mean to sound so serious mate.
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25. Hear hear, well said mate
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Thank you 15 hopefully wolves fans will now give city credit for being a better team than most people realise.They could quiet easily have beaten wolves [who up to now have prooved they are the best team in the division].Blues fans conveniently forget that morrison hit the bar and should have had a penalty befor the so called over the line ball But then if you have a centre half like Elliot Ward and the two lads from Walsall plus Westwood you you have the basis of a really sound defence Bill Coventry
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Collins as done wll this season thats one of the reasons why wolves are top, would agree that he looked much improved in the recent games,id have him back in the team no problem.
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ok, he has his moments, but too prone to giving away free kicks and penaltys.he would be a serious liability in the prem so now is the time to blood better talent
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collins is awesome…….at what exactly? ….mick ur doin a great job but surely stearman mancienne and shackell are the 3 to battle it out…bring on the brummies
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dibble i agree get behind the team on and off the pitch lets see we are come christmas and beyond cmon u wolves and mm
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