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Last chance saloon for Greg Halford
Tuesday 27th July 2010, 10:57AM BST.
Greg Halford has been warned he has entered the ‘last chance saloon’ at Wolves by manager Mick McCarthy.
The £2million signing from Sunderland last summer returns to another of his former clubs, Reading, tonight aiming to prove he is no misfit.
Playing at right-back, versatile Halford created both goals in Saturday’s 2-1 win against Charleroi with his trademark missile throws.
That was a rare highlight for the 25-year-old, who was banished from senior duty by McCarthy last season’s following several below-par performances.
Halford is understood to be one of the players McCarthy saw as surplus to requirements this summer along with Andy Keogh, Stefan Maierhofer and Matt Hill.
The former Colchester star made the last of his 12 League starts in the 3-0 defeat at Manchester United last December, making only brief cameos against Chelsea and West Ham.
But like Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Halford has returned to pre-season looking like he wants to prove a point and McCarthy admitted he has shown the right approach.
He said: “Greg’s doing well, but if he doesn’t take the chance then he’ll move on – and he knows that because I’ve told him.
“But fair play to him, he’s trained well and he wants to be here, which is a great attitude for me.”
McCarthy has also promised he will give the club’s youngsters a chance- if they are good enough.
The Molineux chief hands academy graduates Danny Batth, a Brierley Hill-born centre-back, and forward Ashley Hemmings starts tonight at Reading after they impressed in the 4-0 win at Walsall last week.
He said: “Players might say ‘the gaffer doesn’t pick me.’
“Well, the gaffer doesn’t pick them because they’re not playing well or their attitude isn’t right.”
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halford looks very lazy! when someone was running at him and then went past him he didnt think oh lets start running i might put pressure of the other player or may even keep up with the other player he just stopped and watched what happend it was like he was thinking oh im never going to catch him whats the point in running he is a bit lazy how jay boothroyd was unless the ball is coming direct to there feet they dont put any effort in to win it but his throws are amazing as seen on saturday won both goals for us so yes i would give him another chance start him tonight at reading then start him in another couple pre season matches and see how he gets on then if he is still the same then fair enough mick has warned him but i hope he does come out all guns blazing cause he wouldnt be a bad lad if he put the effort in and he learnt how to defend a bit more! come on halford show all the wolves fans how you can do it we seen u do it at sunderland well if u start tonight good luck to ya mate
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Wow Tom, have you ever heard of punctuation?
I like Halford, I think he has lots of offer us all over the park, and would keep him.
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1. Wow….that was painful to read.
Ever considered a job in journalism? You’d fit right in at some papers i know.
As for Greg, i think he is a useful squad member, but only for the throw-ins unfortunatley. As such, i don’t think he can warrant a place in the 25.
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Tom (No 1) – I think what you’re trying to say makes a lot of sense but, I have to confess, that’s the longest sentence I’ve ever seen. I looked in vain for a full-stop and a capital letter!
As for Halford, as others have said on here, we can’t play him just for his long thtows. He has to be good enough to pull his weight in the team. As far as right-back is concerned, we have Zubar, Foley and Stearman(my preference is Foley with Zubar perhaps in central defence, although I do quite like Stearman). And I don’t like full backs in midfield, so I think it’s best to let Halford go – if we can find a buyer!
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Surplus to requirements
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I tought he did well at right back, but midfield was too much for him. As stated the 25 man squad is the problem, maybe we should loan him if possible if MM thinks hes improving??
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He is rubbish – get rid of him and Hoff, Ward, Keogh and Fletcher.
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Micks plan was to copy stoke with his signings of Halford and the Hoff and narrowing the pitch. However it backfired but that’s how football goes. We change our tacktics and did it another way.
To be honest I am glad. Yes it brought Stoke some security but boy is it boring. Id rather be playing in the championship than watch that style of football week in week out.
They are not needed any more and no longer fit in our team. I am sure they can be successful elsewhere and good luck to them.
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Bob Wolf, why don’t you go and post somewhere else?!!!
Get rid of Fletcher? He hasn’t even played a competitive game for us and you are already chastising him! I thought all the pessimistic idiots like yourself had been silenced…I guess I was wrong.
I would love Halford to prove his doubters wrong, but unfortuantely I can’t see it happening.
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1 – thats a record breaking sentence!
7 – WTF – Fletcher!? Scored on debut, season hasnt even started yet & you want rid, get real!
As for Halford, i dont see a place in the 25. Loan deal is his best option & a sell to follow
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Send him to Stoke where he can throw his missiles with that bunch of clowns.
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fo be fair bob wolf, he could walk into the Albion squad first team, and the rest of them could too.
£18m front line is what the tesco team can only dream of, but Halford might fit in well there, as they only seem to be looking at last chancer and people who have failed in the prem before
utw
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Well said BCUWolf[No.9]. With Bobwolf you are not supposed to have an opinion unless it agrees with him.He once slated me for daring to air my opinion but doesn`t have the intelligence to know when you are winding him up.Sad Case.
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Spanish Ray – you really are a muppet. As if the great Bob Wolf would have any reason to comment on your feable opinion, get real!!!
You couldn’t wind up a clock pal – do one.
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Bob wolf. You got rid of koren your best player.
You bring George botang in on loan, your main summer signin you want to be a goalkeeper. Your after djemba djemba.
While we av another record signin
Jelle van damme pick us over you
Stephen hunt does the same
The summer can’t really get any better for wolves fans.
One RDM there is only one RDM
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You’ll all feel bad if Tom’s fullstop button has broken.
You’ll all feel bad if Bob Wolf is clinically insane.
You’ll all be happy if Halford sets up 10 goals this year… but I would pick Foley ahead of him at right back.
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If you only have 25 to choose from, Halford must be excluded, Foley, Ebanks-blake, Craddock ( appoint him in the back up training staff ) Henry, ( really only one more season in him, if that ) Hill, Hough,Jones and as long as we can get Manseanie, let George Elocobi go. Milijas while has shown some potential also really has 0only one season left in him
I really believe we must retain, Edwards, keogh, two ( real team players, clever backup for the strikers )
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Fletcher should go just for the hair :s
just keep it short mate its less obv that u have none
he could be another doyle we need to see more of him in pre season
Halford has to go he’s not good enough
But would we get any buyers i doubt it
we have no options from the bench, no one to change the game! seb can’t do it it in the prem hes a championship striker only
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Bob Wolf…are you becoming a secret Mick McCarthy fan…you don’t list him in your get rid of list.
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Please leave Bobwolf alone. I like a laugh, now and again, and he supplies the funnies.!!
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Don’t worry about Bob Wolf, he is obviously an Albion fan, or concussed.
He’s not even a household name in his own house, so he comes here to make a name for himself.
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The article quotes McCarthy saying that he has trained well. Who knows, maybe we will see an improved player this season. But to me he seems to have only one asset, which is his long throw-ins. Is that enough to pick him to play?
If we only have 25 players to choose from, I don’t think Halford will be included.
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Good luck Halford – don’t think you’re good enough.
As for Fletcher-if he’s rubbish which I don’t think he will be it could the difference between survival and relegation.
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You guys really are all a bunch of wasters, get yourselves jobs and stop claiming my tax payments!
Most of you can’t spel and some of you actually write personal messages to the Wolves players expecting them to; a, read them, and b, even take note of your advice, simpleton’s!
Some of you are also funny, but not many of you…
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Dear Embarrassed Wolf,
The irony of you mis-spelling the word “spell” is killing me :)
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24 Embarrased Wolf
I think you will find there are two “L’s” in spell.
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I do wish people wouldn’t bang on about “last chance saloons”… Enough with the clichés already.
Anyway, I think Halford’s a half-useful squad player and a genuine asset when he’s on his game, so hopefully he’ll drink up in the last chance saloon and then go and drink in First Team Occasional Saloon instead.
I’d also like to reiterate the hilarity of someone spelling the word “spell” wrong when having a pop at the spelling of others. Arf!
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Come on Bob its time for your medication.
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Unfortunately I don’t think Halford is quite good enough, He’s not really shone since he was at Colchester and was tipped to be a rising star at the time.
I can’t see how he will take Foley or Zubar’s spot at right back though could be employed as a DM as he is very versatile.
You can’t deny that his throw is an effective tool but I do agree he looks lazy most of the time he’s on the pitch.
I say give him till January then move him on if he doesn’t pull his socks up.
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I am getting a little fed up with people already slating Steve Fletcher, hes not even kicked a ball in anger in a competetive match yet and still everyday some people want to get shot of him (mostly bob wolf though).
May I remind all of the anti-fletcher breed of morons that he scored more goals in the premier league than our latest cult hero, Doyler, last season.
I wish you would all give these players a half chance when they join, you never know, they may actually be GOOD.
I personally think 2 of the 3 Steve’s will set our season alight!!
Rant over…..
And on a lighter note, did anybody look at the sandwell town message board yesterday???
Some of them are insanely jealous of the amount of money we have spent on decent footballers, they are already bracing themselves for relegation if Djemba-Djemba and George Boateng are the best that they can get! LOVE IT!!
UTW!
Roll on 14th August!!!
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I think that Halfords long throw was a good weapon while we were getting into the flow of the prem last season, afterwards there was no room for it. So unless he has greatly improved, he should be moved on, i’d sooner have Jarvo’s crosses, Guedioura’s build up play and Kightly’s pace over a long throw.
Quite optimistic about this season.
UTW!
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After buying Halford, Mick had the pitch narrowed to take advantage of those long throw-ins.
Does anybody have any idea if the pitch has been widened for this next season? With so many flying wingers on the books we could do with the space down the channels.
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We could always sell him to the baggies it seems they in to buying failed prem players
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To be fair, 30, only one person was slating Fletcher and he’s well known on these message boards for being someone who takes pleasure out of deliberately posting the thoughts and notions of an utter plank.
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No last chance salloon just GET RID!! Halford is not even close to being good enough! he looks dis-interested, lazy & seriously lacking any sort of quality! he is just a throw-in on legs. the only reason he is still at club is that no one wants him ….. & who can blame em! MM has to praise him or there is no way he will get rid! he knows he’s not upto it! & so do another 30k plus wolves fans! anyone who doesnt agree with that has really REALLY got to take of the gold tinted glasses!!
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Embarrassed Wolf
No wonder you are embarrassed. Apart from misspelling spell why did you put an apostrophe in simpletons?
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The 3 Steve’s (30)
I don’t remember people slating Steve Fletcher apart from that imbecile who keeps reeling the gullible in. Most Wolves posters seem to be more than happy with his transfer. Yes, there’s a few Albion posters desperately grasping at straws (Djemba-Djemba… if they sign him, can they really go out in public in their paint ball shirts?)
Halford ? Apparently he’s played well in the friendlies, but, he did absolutely nothing to impress me last season, in fact he was a liability. One thing that does worry me is the two goals we scored in Belgium from his long throws. Spare us that Mick, surely time must be running out for Stoke and that excruciating tactic. (27 Delap throws at around 1 min 30 secs each at Molineux last season….aaaargh !)
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30 who exactly is slating steve fletcher?
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to think we have the problem in the first place, trying to choose which players to keep, where as the Albion cant even get players to go there, well apart from past it’s and failures.
still deluded enough to think that the golden signings will come.
also what loans do you think would be good for us, santa cruze maybe?
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If the young players play well tonight i’d like to see some of them get given a chance this season, recently some good young players have been discovered in the prem, i’d like to think that they could make the grade, hopefully in a few seasons the wonderkid will make the step up.
Would love to see Doyler bag a few tonight!!
UTW.
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Wolves are 9/4 to get relegated with William Hill…. shorter odds are the tesco lads and Blackpool
Last year we played a number of championship players who didnt make the grade in this division and it would make sense to move them on now.
The positive early signings made by 3m s obviously have not detered the odds makers and players making an impression in warm up games against lowly opposition will not make them premiership quality.
Halford was a good player one division below for sheffield according to a mate(blade fan) and that probably is the lads level
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Let him carry the water with Ward and The Hoff
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Halford good for throw ins And for flicking on our keepers kicks . Not worried about Mancienne already got a decent defensive midfielder in Henry
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I think a lot of people are missing the point here and that Mick (like most managers) now have their hands tied, with the introduction of the 25 player squad rule, we can not keep players above and beyond that number and trim the squad to the best players worth keeping, it levels the playing field with the rich clubs who could afford to have as many as they wanted, now all have only the 25 too choose from thus eliminating (as we experience last against Man Utd.) “fielding a weaken side”
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Never mind Halford,see Stearman was up to his usual tricks last night at Reading.
Whens he ever going to learn,you cant rugby tackle in the penalty area.
Sorry guys,this blokes just to error prone for the Prem.
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45. Couldn’t agree more. Useless and error prone at CB and not close to being a right back, cannot understand the love in some fans have with him. Get rid..
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Tbh I think that Stearman should never play for Wolves after the Wigan match at Molineux.
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