The Godlike Genius of Charlie Mulgrew

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, Husky said:

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

helps when you actually get to play 

[Admiral Nelsen]

Emotionally, I'm sad to see him go. He was one of a few players who obviously cared in our relegation season, had he managed to get on the park a bit more we might very easily have stayed up. In League One, he was so much better than almost everyone else in the league it was embarrassing at times. Oozed quality on the ball.

Fact remains, as others have said, that he has been found wanting as a centre half in this league. Not as often as some have made out, but enough to make this - head over heart - the right call.

Even so I'm going to remember very fondly his time in a Rovers shirt. 

[Husky]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

helps when you actually get to play 

Best not to mention the scoring stats of our 5 zillion dollar man then.

[benhben]

Does anyone know if Wigan are paying his wages or will we still be footing the bill?

[JacknOry]

They are clouded by his goals over at the Wigan boards. Saying he has scored more in three seasons than any striker they have had in that time.

Being pen taker, freekick taker and having a skill of scoring direct from corners will do that. When you consider we lost more games than we won with him in the team, those goals really counted for nothing last season.

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, JacknOry said:

They are clouded by his goals over at the Wigan boards. Saying he has scored more in three seasons than any striker they have had in that time.

Being pen taker, freekick taker and having a skill of scoring direct from corners will do that. When you consider we lost more games than we won with him in the team, those goals really counted for nothing last season.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him featuring in midfield for them 

[FGS5635]

Mowbray saying it was down to gametime. He told charlie his game time would be limited and charlie wanted to play so it suited both parties

[JacknOry]

Just now, FGS5635 said:

Mowbray saying it was down to gametime. He told charlie his game time would be limited and charlie wanted to play so it suited both parties

Where did you get this from? If so, have to applaud TM for making that decision of putting him down the pecking order.  

[FGS5635]

Just now, JacknOry said:

Where did you get this from? If so, have to applaud TM for making that decision of putting him down the pecking order.  

Rovers twitter. A breif interview with TM

[DE.]

Just now, JacknOry said:

Where did you get this from? If so, have to applaud TM for making that decision of putting him down the pecking order.  

Can't really trust what he says is the truth at this point. If this was really the case it begs the question of why they decided to have this conversation on the day the transfer window was closing. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, DE. said:

Can't really trust what he says is the truth at this point. If this was really the case it begs the question of why they decided to have this conversation on the day the transfer window was closing. 

Maybe Mowbray told him he isn't even in the bench at the weekend, or even that he wasn't in the starting 11. 

In the interview Mowbray definitely makes it all sound very amicable, but the rushed nature suggests it wasn't. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

Or maybe the players know more about a potential free agent incoming... 

[DE.]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Maybe Mowbray told him he isn't even in the bench at the weekend, or even that he wasn't in the starting 11. 

In the interview Mowbray definitely makes it all sound very amicable, but the rushed nature suggests it wasn't. 

I just don't buy that it was in any way amicable, and the idea they decided to have this chat on the day the transfer window closes is preposterous.

"By the way Charlie, you do know I'm not planning to play you much this season?"

"Wait, what? No, I thought I was in the first team?"

"Oh right, should have said sooner... no, you're not. I know I made you our club captain, charity ambassador, and so on... but was thinking of playing that Tosin fella instead of you."

"Bit of a problem that boss, I'd like first team football and now I've only got a few hours to find a new club."

"Fancy Wigan?"

"Do I!"

 

Not convinced. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, DE. said:

I just don't buy that it was in any way amicable, and the idea they decided to have this chat on the day the transfer window closes is preposterous.

"By the way Charlie, you do know I'm not planning to play you much this season?"

"Wait, what? No, I thought I was in the first team?"

"Oh right, should have said sooner... no, you're not. I know I made you our club captain, charity ambassador, and so on... but was thinking of playing that Tosin fella instead of you."

"Bit of a problem that boss, I'd like first team football and now I've only got a few hours to find a new club."

"Fancy Wigan?"

"Do I!"

 

Not convinced. 

Personally I think it reflects poorly on Mulgrew. It's apparent either way that he left becuase he wouldn't be first choice. Grant Hanley was club captain at Norwich last season and barely featured. Mulgrew obviously wasn't prepared to do that or to try and win his place back. He had to be dropped.

[DE.]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Personally I think it reflects poorly on Mulgrew. It's apparent either way that he left becuase he wouldn't be first choice. Grant Hanley was club captain at Norwich last season and barely featured. Mulgrew obviously wasn't prepared to do that or to try and win his place back. He had to be dropped.

Perhaps, but IF it was Mulgrew pushing for the move because he wasn't going to be first choice, why did Mowbray wait until deadline day to tell him? Does that really make sense? We're essentially saying one game at the start of the season totally changed Mowbray's mind from having Charlie as a first teamer to dropping him to the bench permanently. Doesn't add up to me I'm afraid. 

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, DE. said:

Perhaps, but IF it was Mulgrew pushing for the move because he wasn't going to be first choice, why did Mowbray wait until deadline day to tell him? Does that really make sense? We're essentially saying one game at the start of the season totally changed Mowbray's mind from having Charlie as a first teamer to dropping him to the bench permanently. Doesn't add up to me I'm afraid. 

Maybe Tosin has been ripping it up so much at training that Mulgrew knew the gane was up

Mowbray said in the interview he didn't tell him anything, but Mulgrew guessed where things were going. 

Ah ya, certainly more going on here than meets the eye. I'm sure it will come out eventually 

[Silas]

19 minutes ago, FGS5635 said:

Mowbray saying it was down to gametime. He told charlie his game time would be limited and charlie wanted to play so it suited both parties

The Wigan fans I've seen online are pretty adamant he will be their 4th in line back up CB.

Which kind of smashes that theory. 

They may be wrong,  but at this point I've got to take their word. They know the Wigan team better than me.

Will be interesting to see over the next month or two how much game time he gets. 

[DE.]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Maybe Tosin has been ripping it up so much at training that Mulgrew knew the gane was up

Mowbray said in the interview he didn't tell him anything, but Mulgrew guessed where things were going. 

Ah ya, certainly more going on here than meets the eye. I'm sure it will come out eventually 

As you say, unless Tosin is an absolute beast in training and Mowbray has been bowing at his feet and promising him first team action every week, I can't see how Mulgrew would have come to the conclusion he won't be a first teamer this season unless the manager has said something. I could understand if we'd brought in another CB alongside Tosin, but we didn't, so... very odd. 

[Miller11]

33 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him featuring in midfield for them 

I wouldn’t either. Sat deep in a 5 man midfield he’d do a good job. Doesn’t fit our system, but I think his attributes suit that role far better than centre half. Think he found his to centre back for us due to our 9 year neglect of the defence. Nobody really knew where he played when we signed him.

[Ewood Ace]

45 minutes ago, FGS5635 said:

Mowbray saying it was down to gametime. He told charlie his game time would be limited and charlie wanted to play so it suited both parties

Yet he started him and made him captain at the weekend. I wouldn't believe a word that Mowbray says, I think he makes it up as he goes along much like how he does his dealings in the transfer market. We have just 3 centre backs, which are were Lenihan who is injury prone, Tosin who has only been here a week and we all know how long Mowbray takes before he trusts someone to start regularly and Williams who is a left back and injury prone. Wigan already have 3 centre backs so he faces similar competition there. It seems that whenever a player leaves or decides not to sign for us the same old excuse of game time is citied as the reason.

Edited August 9, 2019 by Ewood Ace

[Exiled in Toronto]

Just now, Ewood Ace said:

Yet he started him and made him captain at the weekend. I wouldn't believe a word that Mowbray says, I think he makes it up as he goes along much like how he does his dealings in the transfer market. We have just 3 centre backs, which are were Lenihan who is injury prone, Tosin who has only been here a week and we all know how long Mowbray takes before he trusts someone to start regularly and Williams who is a left back and injury prone. Wigan already have 3 centre backs so he faces similar competition there. It seems that whenever a player leaves or decides not to sign for us the same old excuse of game time is citied as the reason.

Who would you have picked in his place on Saturday?

Mulgrew ended last season on the bench, late recruiting and Williams injury meant he played Saturday, he was as bad as ever. Seems a normal reaction to me of a manager to think sod this, I can’t play him much this season.

[Ewood Ace]

Just now, Exiled in Toronto said:

Who would you have picked in his place on Saturday?

Mulgrew ended last season on the bench, late recruiting and Williams injury meant he played Saturday, he was as bad as ever. Seems a normal reaction to me of a manager to think sod this, I can’t play him much this season.

I would have started Tosin in his place on Saturday. But the fact that the season hadn't even started and he was playing shows just how light we are. We didn't even have a centre back on the bench yet we let a starting centre back go and bring no one into replace him. As for Williams he is injured as much as he is fit these days anyway, so that leaves us with Tosin (who is unproven) and Lenihan (who is no stranger to injuries himself).

Edited August 9, 2019 by Ewood Ace

[Oldgregg86]

Charlie has been an excellent player for rovers over the years.

it was the right time to go but he deserves full respect for everything he has done at rovers.

i will never forget that goal against Doncaster and I hope he gets the reception he deserves upon his return

once a blue, always a blue

 

[joey_big_nose]

I would say to get Tosin over the line we had to commit that we would play him to City. Obviously Lenihan has to start. Ergo Mulgrew gets dropped, Mowbray tells him and Charlie says he would like to leave to get games. So we shop him around over last week. Wigan come in with loan deal last day of window.

Speculative, but it's quite easy to see how it could have all unfolded quite  amicably.

I'm just glad it's worked out as he is a disastrous defender.

[DE.]

Just now, joey_big_nose said:

I would say to get Tosin over the line we had to commit that we would play him to City. Obviously Lenihan has to start. Ergo Mulgrew gets dropped, Mowbray tells him and Charlie says he would like to leave to get games. So we shop him around over last week. Wigan come in with loan deal last day of window.

Speculative, but it's quite easy to see how it could have all unfolded quite  amicably.

I'm just glad it's worked out as he is a disastrous defender.

I'd believe that if anything had come out to suggest Mulgrew was being shopped around, but there was literally no suggestion from anywhere that Mulgrew was leaving until 4.45pm when the news broke, so I'm pretty sure it was a last minute decision.