Post by Gas Go Marching In on May 17, 2017 7:08:34 GMT
www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/five-strikers-who-bristol-rovers-62662
I was fairly encouraged by some of Jack Vittles work since being employed at Bristol Post but this is a shocking article...
Marcus Tudgay
Jack Vittles View
The 34-year-old forward has been released from Coventry City following their relegation to League Two. Tudgay spent three seasons at the Ricoh, scoring 13 times in 75 apperances. He is best remembered for his spell at Sheffield Wednesday when he helped the Owls with 48 goals in 195 matches.
While he has certainly lost a yard of pace as he enters the twilight of his career, Tudgay still possesses great movement and vision and is capable of a tidy finish.
He would suit Rovers' preferred 4-4-2 formation with his ability to bring another striker into the game. Tudgay brings with him a host of Championship and League One experience and would rarely give opposition defenders an easy 90 minutes.
GGMI's View
On the decline and couldn't get in the team at relegated Coventry City, no thanks
Nicky Maynard
Jack Vittles View
This would obviously be a tough one for Rovers fans to swallow. Maynard's Bristol City connections are well known, having spent four seasons at Ashton Gate producing the finest form of his career. He notched up 46 goals in 130 appearances for the Robins but his career has tailed off somewhat since.
After two seasons with MK Dons, Maynard now finds himself a free agent at the still relatively young age of 30. While his form has been poor of late, he has proved in the past he has the ability to score goals at this level. He would also add some much needed experience to what will become a youthful front line if Clarke snaps up a couple of youngsters.
GGMI's View
On the decline, 2 goals in his last 31 games and likely to want much more wages than the likes of Luke James who could just as easily make up the numbers
Sylvan Ebanks-Blake
Jack Vittles View
The former Manchester United forward has an impressive scoring record in the lower leagues but failed to score once last season. But then released players have all been released for a reason, and if Rovers want to capitalise on free agents they will need to take a bit of a risk.
Ebanks-Blake finished this season on loan at Shrewsbury and has now been released by his parent club Chesterfield. The forward is not the most mobile of front men but he is still capable of bullying defences at this level. With some willing runners around him, he could be used as an option to hold up the ball and bring the wide men into play.
GGMI's view
On the decline, overweight, can be a handful at times but again why would we want a player released by a team that finished bottom of the pile in our division?
Kyle Lafferty
Jack Vittles View
The Republic of Ireland international would certainly be a long shot given his wage demands and a rumoured return to Rangers. But if Rovers could somehow coax Lafferty down to the Memorial Stadium he could well single handedly fire them into the top six.
Sheffield United showed the benefit of having a goal machine up front this season as Billy Sharp's 30 goals fired them to the League One title. Lafferty has never scored more than 11 in a season before, but the drop down in level could suit him.
While signing Lafferty would be a coup for Rovers, he is not a player afraid to make surprising choices. Lafferty has played in Switzerland, Italy and Turkey during his varied career.
GGMI's View
This one would actually be a good signing but highely unlikely. A regular at international level and a handful upfront with a very good scoring record. But are we really going to spend so much on wages on one striker especially when we already have Gaffney and (probably) Ellis for this role.
Jake Charles
Jack Vittles View
If none of those more experienced free striking options take Darrell Clarke's fancy, perhaps a younger forward could be more to his liking.
21-year-old Jake Charles would certainly be easier on the purse strings with his wage demands and would fit into Clarke's hope of investing in potential. The striker has just been released by Barnsley but has played nine times for Wales U21's, netting twice.
His pedigree is certainly not in question, he is the grandson of Wales and Juventus legend John Charles. While he has spoken in the past about how he doesn't feel the pressure to live up to his grandfather, he will surely be looking for a move that secures him first team football next season.
GGMI's View
Admittedly I have never heard of him and this seems more of a DC type signing but based on the other names on this list, I am guessing Jack has signed him on football manager and he's scored a few goals on there for him.
I was fairly encouraged by some of Jack Vittles work since being employed at Bristol Post but this is a shocking article...
Marcus Tudgay
Jack Vittles View
The 34-year-old forward has been released from Coventry City following their relegation to League Two. Tudgay spent three seasons at the Ricoh, scoring 13 times in 75 apperances. He is best remembered for his spell at Sheffield Wednesday when he helped the Owls with 48 goals in 195 matches.
While he has certainly lost a yard of pace as he enters the twilight of his career, Tudgay still possesses great movement and vision and is capable of a tidy finish.
He would suit Rovers' preferred 4-4-2 formation with his ability to bring another striker into the game. Tudgay brings with him a host of Championship and League One experience and would rarely give opposition defenders an easy 90 minutes.
GGMI's View
On the decline and couldn't get in the team at relegated Coventry City, no thanks
Nicky Maynard
Jack Vittles View
This would obviously be a tough one for Rovers fans to swallow. Maynard's Bristol City connections are well known, having spent four seasons at Ashton Gate producing the finest form of his career. He notched up 46 goals in 130 appearances for the Robins but his career has tailed off somewhat since.
After two seasons with MK Dons, Maynard now finds himself a free agent at the still relatively young age of 30. While his form has been poor of late, he has proved in the past he has the ability to score goals at this level. He would also add some much needed experience to what will become a youthful front line if Clarke snaps up a couple of youngsters.
GGMI's View
On the decline, 2 goals in his last 31 games and likely to want much more wages than the likes of Luke James who could just as easily make up the numbers
Sylvan Ebanks-Blake
Jack Vittles View
The former Manchester United forward has an impressive scoring record in the lower leagues but failed to score once last season. But then released players have all been released for a reason, and if Rovers want to capitalise on free agents they will need to take a bit of a risk.
Ebanks-Blake finished this season on loan at Shrewsbury and has now been released by his parent club Chesterfield. The forward is not the most mobile of front men but he is still capable of bullying defences at this level. With some willing runners around him, he could be used as an option to hold up the ball and bring the wide men into play.
GGMI's view
On the decline, overweight, can be a handful at times but again why would we want a player released by a team that finished bottom of the pile in our division?
Kyle Lafferty
Jack Vittles View
The Republic of Ireland international would certainly be a long shot given his wage demands and a rumoured return to Rangers. But if Rovers could somehow coax Lafferty down to the Memorial Stadium he could well single handedly fire them into the top six.
Sheffield United showed the benefit of having a goal machine up front this season as Billy Sharp's 30 goals fired them to the League One title. Lafferty has never scored more than 11 in a season before, but the drop down in level could suit him.
While signing Lafferty would be a coup for Rovers, he is not a player afraid to make surprising choices. Lafferty has played in Switzerland, Italy and Turkey during his varied career.
GGMI's View
This one would actually be a good signing but highely unlikely. A regular at international level and a handful upfront with a very good scoring record. But are we really going to spend so much on wages on one striker especially when we already have Gaffney and (probably) Ellis for this role.
Jake Charles
Jack Vittles View
If none of those more experienced free striking options take Darrell Clarke's fancy, perhaps a younger forward could be more to his liking.
21-year-old Jake Charles would certainly be easier on the purse strings with his wage demands and would fit into Clarke's hope of investing in potential. The striker has just been released by Barnsley but has played nine times for Wales U21's, netting twice.
His pedigree is certainly not in question, he is the grandson of Wales and Juventus legend John Charles. While he has spoken in the past about how he doesn't feel the pressure to live up to his grandfather, he will surely be looking for a move that secures him first team football next season.
GGMI's View
Admittedly I have never heard of him and this seems more of a DC type signing but based on the other names on this list, I am guessing Jack has signed him on football manager and he's scored a few goals on there for him.
