He's 21 so won't affect the squad limit

Osadebe has signed for walsall.

McKirdy is a quality player but as said it is how he would fit in with the squad we have.

Askey wouldn't tolerate it and assume neither would the likes of Pope and Leggey.

If he can come in and perform for the team I would be delighted but its a gamble certainly.

10 minutes ago, Doha said:

Relatively easy to bulk someone up if you're a professional football club with physios, a nutritionist, a gym and badged coaching staff. If he's a technically gifted player then definitely worth looking at it as he'll be cheap to take on. Better good enough and lightweight instead of not good enough but strong. 

I agree that strength is something that can be worked on if they're good enough, but it still wouldn't be that quick a process to get themselves up to speed with pros that have been doing their gym work for years too. Its a great chance for him though.

 

Its hard for players from that level to make that step up, they're coming in to train with players who have been pro for a number of years learning their position, the game, drills, patterns of play and all the nuances that go to being a winger, a fullback, a striker or whatever. As well as all the regular strength and conditioning work they do. Plus they've doing it for years as kids in the academies before turning pro too. So some lads who come in from that level may have missed so much football and coaching that they are just relying on their raw talent to get them through. Unless of course they themselves are academy rejects and have some training behind them.

22 minutes ago, dishydave said:

He's 21 so won't affect the squad limit

He might the cut-off date they decided to use is 30 June. So if he was 21 on 1 July he's fine. If he was 21 on 30th June he does.

44 minutes ago, sandyford_valiant said:

This is the lad who I said was coming in few weeks back. He’s had a good trial at a league one club and done well and there’s us and another couple of league clubs interested. He’s very quick and beats players for fun but the only downside is the fact he’s lightweight. So I’m not sure he will make the step up. It’s worth having a look though and who knows what Askey and Dave will think. Good luck. 

Didn't Stoke have him on trial?

If he’s under the salary cap I’d sign him up. Sounds like he has real promise and sounds like he has the attributes a winger needs. Bulking up wouldn’t be much an issue. 

If he impresses whilst on trial 100% sign him up. 

I think (no knowledge just opinion) that we will sign mckirdy. Just with askeys comments I can see him signing a one year deal. Mentioned previously he is a very very good league 2 player but is known to be a <ovf censored> in the dressing room. If we can change that we have a good player. 

McKirdy would be a gamble but it's not like he's coming in and being able to walk into the first team. If he doesn't knuckle down/adjust there's still Worrall, Amoo, Montano, Rodney, Hurst who can play wide so I would imagine he will know he's got to put his head down and work hard to get into the starting XI (especially as he will be down on fitness). 

I think the main issue would be whether he disrupts the squad spirit. I believe Askey has put a big emphasis on players who are the right character and I guess that may be the key decision for the manager to make. 

I do think if he did sign, he could be a Pope/Hughes type figure - despised by the opposition fans but an asset if he is on your team. 

4 minutes ago, robf said:

McKirdy would be a gamble but it's not like he's coming in and being able to walk into the first team. If he doesn't knuckle down/adjust there's still Worrall, Amoo, Montano, Rodney, Hurst who can play wide so I would imagine he will know he's got to put his head down and work hard to get into the starting XI (especially as he will be down on fitness). 

I think the main issue would be whether he disrupts the squad spirit. I believe Askey has put a big emphasis on players who are the right character and I guess that may be the key decision for the manager to make. 

I do think if he did sign, he could be a Pope/Hughes type figure - despised by the opposition fans but an asset if he is on your team. 

McKirdy plays with his socks down like Grealish - it's the "look at me" attitude I hate in players.  He also has serious balance issues - falls down at the drop of a hat.

19 minutes ago, JRC said:

Didn't Stoke have him on trial?

Yeah. He was at stoke the back end of last season. Apparently been on trial and impressed at burton as well

 

McKirdy has the talent. All Askey has to do is sit him down and tell him that he needs to be on the same wave length as the rest of the dressing room and that any nonsense simply won’t be tolerated. Does he want to go on and play at a higher level or piss some of his potential away and stay stuck down in League Two and perhaps out of the football league altogether? If he can sort out his attitude, which seems questionable, then he’s potentially an upgrade on Browne without question.

Edited September 3, 20205 yr by TylerB

Who was the League One club that had Ryan McLean on trial?

16 minutes ago, Jacko51 said:

McKirdy plays with his socks down like Grealish - it's the "look at me" attitude I hate in players.  He also has serious balance issues - falls down at the drop of a hat.

@Jacko51 - for me it's still more about whether he upsets the dressing room.  At least his Twitter account is empty with no tweets 👍

5 minutes ago, TylerB said:

 

McKirdy has the talent. All Askey has to do is sit him down and tell him that he needs to be on the same wave length as the rest of the dressing room and that any nonsense simply won’t be tolerated. Does he want to go on and play at a higher level or piss some of his potential away and stay stuck down in League Two and perhaps out of the football league altogether? If he can sort out his attitude, which seems questionable, then he’s potentially an upgrade on Browne without question.

All very true and I wonder if the fact he hasn't got a club on the eve of the new season may have had an affect too. Eleven goals last season and still no-one came in for him. If he wants a L2 career he may have to accept a reduced offer from Vale and be prepared to knuckle down to it.

4 minutes ago, valeparklife said:

Who was the League One club that had Ryan McLean on trial?

Maybe Burton.