The Godlike Genius of Charlie Mulgrew

[tomphil]

22 hours ago, Rogerb said:

Interesting to see the comments on this thread only 3-4 months ago. According to BBC Charlie has withdrawn from the Scotland squad for the weekend

It's been an up and down season so far so don't be too despondent they might all be great again by the end of the season with the manager resuming his god like status.

All in time for the summer excuses of no need for major changes..... ?

[Bigdoggsteel]

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17668432.rovers-captain-charlie-mulgrew-handed-scotland-call-up/ 

Personally I think ,at this point, it would be best if Mulgrew retired to focus on captaining us to promotion. His body isn't up to playing all of these games. Last season showed that. Now this article says we may have to give him time off from pre-season again this summer. 

Just give Lenihan the mathday armband and make Mulgrew "club captain" or some token title like that. 

[tomphil]

I'd be telling him straight club or country now if you seriously want to be in contention to start here every week it's as simple as that.

Sadly we are over a barrel on this one he's on a big contract so he won't move and they won't replace or make him back up because it'll take another big wage to replace him. He's got a comfortable Corry Evans style scenario here for the next few years if he wants it.

[rigger]

Just now, tomphil said:

I'd be telling him straight club or country now if you seriously want to be in contention to start here every week it's as simple as that.

Sadly we are over a barrel on this one he's on a big contract so he won't move and they won't replace or make him back up because it'll take another big wage to replace him. He's got a comfortable Corry Evans style scenario here for the next few years if he wants it.

I would be telling him you will only be back up next season used off the bench. Bye the way if you want to play for Scotland , go ahead.

Personally I would not worry too much about his wages, as there is nothing to be done about that. But what can be altered is the amount of goals we shipped last season. 

Edited May 28, 2019 by rigger

[philipl]

A promotion squad needs four if not five central defenders in it.

Mulgrew easily good enough to be in the squad. 

So Lenihan, New big gobbed big beast, Williams 1st reserve, Mulgrew 2nd reserve, Magliore 3rd reserve.... 

[joey_big_nose]

1 hour ago, philipl said:

A promotion squad needs four if not five central defenders in it.

Mulgrew easily good enough to be in the squad. 

So Lenihan, New big gobbed big beast, Williams 1st reserve, Mulgrew 2nd reserve, Magliore 3rd reserve.... 

Not sure about that. He was unbelievably bad in the second half of the season, and not much better in the first half. 

I would say when he starts he is our number one weakness. We can't afford to rely on him.

[philipl]

Here's hoping for a glorious Indian Summer from the big man.

[Bigdoggsteel]

36 minutes ago, philipl said:

Here's hoping for a glorious Indian Summer from the big man.

I would imagine he will be going all out for that. He knows his standards dropped last season. I would imagine his personal pride will mean he gives it a right go. He's not just some journeyman. He is a guy who was won many trophies and is former international captain. I wouldn't write the big man off. Signing another centre half to take some pressure off could do him the world of good. 

We will know early doors anyway 

Edited July 31, 2019 by Bigdoggsteel

[DE.]

Problem is I'm not sure it's so much desire with Mulgrew as ability. He's never been a convincing CB and with age catching up it will only make things more difficult. I'd prefer him to be brought on as DM in games we're trying to run down in a Tugay-esque role at this point, as he has some excellent passing ability, but it doesn't look like that is on the cards. 

[m1st]

5 minutes ago, DE. said:

Problem is I'm not sure it's so much desire with Mulgrew as ability. He's never been a convincing CB and with age catching up it will only make things more difficult. I'd prefer him to be brought on as DM in games we're trying to run down in a Tugay-esque role at this point, as he has some excellent passing ability, but it doesn't look like that is on the cards. 

Isn't that because he started out as a midfielder? We - and his country - have used him as a centre-back.

I agree that, if we'd had a stronger back four, he'd have been ideal as a latter-day Tugay but now that we've got Johnson, 

[Roverthechimp]

TM has stated that having Mulgrew meant we played deeper - now with Johnson and Travis in midfield it might not be quite so easy for teams to walk through our midfield meaning Mulgrew is not as vulnerable. Downing on left suggests that we might play out on the left or longer ball from CM to Gallagher on right to mix it Up...

(Yes my glass is half full and Specs are blue...) ?

[philipl]

Great shame his last game for us included an awful defensive header, all his corners were poor, his free kick failed to take flight and he was part of a total shambles at the back.

Far better memories of his games in previous seasons.

Thanks for all the great memories and for turning corners into shooting practise!

[K-Hod]

That header he notched away at Donny is one of my favourite memories as a Rover. 

I will never forget it.

[Silas]

Anyone know where those stats are for Rovers with and without Charlie in defence?

Need to bring my Wigan brother-in-law back down to earth, as he appears to believe they've pulled off a major coup. 

[DE.]

1 hour ago, Silas said:

Anyone know where those stats are for Rovers with and without Charlie in defence?

Need to bring my Wigan brother-in-law back down to earth, as he appears to believe they've pulled off a major coup. 

There was a lot of talk about Mulgrew's goals and set pieces last year, but he had no assists to his name and we either won very few or none of the games he scored in. I believe our win % was a lot higher without him in the team, also, but I don't have those exact stats to hand.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Nothing is for forever in life, that's especially true in football. When you hit the wall fitness wise you hit the wall and Charlie hit that wall last season.

Edited August 8, 2019 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[DE.]

Interestingly Mulgrew only registered one assist in 57 Championship appearances for us. He scored 13 which is obviously impressive for a centre back, but there is an argument to be made that his set pieces are only worthwhile if they're a direct shot on goal.

[Ewood Ace]

Just now, DE. said:

Interestingly Mulgrew only registered one assist in 57 Championship appearances for us. He scored 13 which is obviously impressive for a centre back, but there is an argument to be made that his set pieces are only worthwhile if they're a direct shot on goal.

Also says a lot about our lack of ability in the air.

[Silas]

It's not the assists/goals that worried me DE.

Was the goals conceded, clean sheets, win % etc.

Think someone on here put up some stats and the difference was huge.

Yes, stats can be misleading, and one man doesn't make a team win or lose, but the figures didn't look good for him at all. 

[DE.]

Just now, Silas said:

It's not the assists/goals that worried me DE.

Was the goals conceded, clean sheets, win % etc.

Think someone on here put up some stats and the difference was huge.

Yes, stats can be misleading, and one man doesn't make a team win or lose, but the figures didn't look good for him at all. 

Yeah the stats are here somewhere... but I do think it's interesting that for all the talk of Mulgrew's set piece prowess he has very few assists at Championship level.

Just now, Ewood Ace said:

Also says a lot about our lack of ability in the air.

Also a fair point. Calls into question how we set up for set pieces in general really.

[Mattyblue]

If he’s actually gone or not, yesterday just proves what absolute folly it was to give him a new 2 and a half year deal a few months ago.

An 18 month deal would’ve been bad enough, but at least after a season’s loan he would be off. Now even after that he’d be back, as one of our big earners and egos with a year left. Then this circus starts again. Another loan? Paid off?

Last season’s liberal allocating of new deals has come back to haunt us... just like we said it would.

 

[FGS5635]

As he even gone? Nothing confirmed by rovers or wigan yet.

Would be a nightmare for team moral if he has to come back becasue it didnt get finalised

[Don Said]

Great memories from the promotion season in particular, his header at Donny and the carnage that followed will always be fondly spoken of.

Phenomenal left foot, probably the best set piece taker in the league as shown by his return from free kicks, penalties and even corners.

But at the end of the day his main duty is to be a defender and he's simply not up to it anymore. We've seen it with a lot of players over the years, seems time caught up with him quickly, he's looked very slow and fragile under pressure defensively since returning to the Championship. That said he was arguably always cut to be a midfielder but that debate doesn't matter now. Thought he would've gone back to Scotland where the game is a bit slower but fair play for giving it a crack down here for another year if he can get the game time.

Shake his hand and thank him, but the time is definitely right for us.

[Mattyblue]

Scottish clubs just can’t pay the wages (Celtic and perhaps Rangers aside - and he wouldn’t ever go to Ibrox!). 

[Husky]

Darn. A guy that scored 10 times as many goals last season as our seven billion dollar man.?