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+----- Thread: GMac (/showthread.php?tid=7397)
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GMac - BaggieSteve - 25-08-2018
Not sure if anyone has read the interview with GMac regarding why he left the club. He was told he wouldn’t be selected after January as Evans and Heghazi were the preferred choices due to market value and length of contract for the latter. I have no reason to doubt Gareth’s version although accept it might have been embellished. However for a guy who gave his all on every occasion he pulled on a Baggies shirt in his 7 years, I find it astonishing shiny we would not have played him ahead of Evans, who had all the enthusiasm of a man going to the gallows. Also really disappointing he was not offered the contract he wanted; I’m damn sure we wouldn’t have conceded last night’s goal if he’d been defending it. The guy was a great hero at the Hawthorns, I feel we have not treated him well
RE: GMac - talkSAFT - 25-08-2018
Spot on, Steve. Until his injury a year ago he was one of the most effective Central Defenders in the League, at the age of 37. Age is just a number, and we had been waiting for a decline in his mobility for a couple of years.....and it didn't happen. Whatever he put into his Bovril seemed to work well. I'd honestly pick him now if he was still with us. Why didn't the Club just cut his salary in half - he might have said 'ok'.
RE: GMac - drewks - 26-08-2018
Loved him as an absolutely 100% committed centre back; maybe a CB from a past era but still really effective in the air.... would honestly say though that his speed and mobility was becoming a weakness, which at 37 is no surprise.
I agree that it would've been worth keeping him on as a squad player - there's a few teams in this league that play an old fashioned game which would've been food and drink for GMac.
I'm sure he would've been great to just have around the place too as an example to the other younger players.
An opportunity missed I think
RE: GMac - Salopbaggie - 28-08-2018
And now we bring in a 35 year old who has not played in the UK for 3 years to replace him
RE: GMac - WBA-Josh - 03-09-2018
Gareth has joined Rangers.
https://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/gers-sign-gareth-mcauley/
RE: GMac - drewks - 03-09-2018
Big fan of GMac..... good on him, really hope he does well.
As said above, a chance missed by us, I feel.
RE: GMac - 4evaabaggie - 03-09-2018
Good luck gmac ... enough said.
RE: GMac - BaggieSteve - 03-09-2018
As a childhood fan of the Gers, I reckon this is a really good move for GMac. I also think it’s a great signing by Gerrard. I believe Rangers have the core of a decent young team, youth that Gerrard seems keen to develop. Having someone as experienced and respected as Gareth will be good for all parties.
RE: GMac - Alouion - 04-09-2018
One of the greatest players we have ever had. Bought on a free from Norwich as a 30 year old he blossomed into a wonderful goal-scoring centre-back for more years than we had a right to expect. He faced the great and the good during our most recent PL period and was never found wanting. From what I hear he was never any where near the best paid at the club but still performed stentorian service.
I did not know Rangers were interested but Steven Gerrard who will have played against Gareth a good many times, clearly thinks he still has much to offer.
RE: GMac - Slick_Footwork - 04-09-2018
Big Gareth is the best central defender I remember in my lifetime at the club, a fantastic professional.
It's no shock that when he was phased out last season that we suffered massively. IMO, the failure to replace him was key to our relegation. But having said that, it's difficult to replace someone who was probably the best header of the ball in the division. Hegazi is tall, but was nowhere near as dominant.
I remember the 2-2 draws at home to Watford and Newcastle. 2-0 up on both occasions and conceding late headed goals from set plays to make it 2-2. I couldn't help thinking that if big Gaz was playing, they would've been wins.
Not only that, but we also lost potency at the other end of the pitch, which was key to Pulis' success. Gareth could not only score goals with his head, but also won lots of balls in the air which caused mayhem in the opposition box. We lost this last season.
Hence we scored less and conceded more.
That said, all good things come to an end and I understand why the club had to phase him out at 38. Realistically, he simply didn't have the flexibility to compete with Premier League strikers on the deck anymore. When he featured against Chelsea for us, it was difficult seeing him have to deal with the likes of Hazard, at his age, and it looked like his timing had gone. I remember watching Northern Ireland against Switzerland in the World Cup playoffs and Seferovic gave him a very tough game - and I knew a couple of years ago, McAuley would've bossed him.
That said, SPL doesn't have the quality of striker that the Premier League and even Championship has, so if he's kept himself fit over the summer I'm sure he will be a revelation. His experience will be massive for Rangers in Europe and it's a really good move for him.
Good luck to a great professional.