Anthony Gerrard..

[J R Hartley]

I know a lot thanks , I have been following cardiff for years . The reason why he blew his chance was because he had a drinking problem and paid little attention to diet .

That night, away at West brom ......were you there ? .......he ran the midfield and several of us said on the way home he looks a useful player this lad .

Sadly he couldn't get on top of his demons

A real shame , had the makings of a very good player

Im talking about Anthony Gerrard you clown

[Eric the Half a Bee]

I honestly cannot remember the source - it was a few years ago - but was talking to someone closely connected to the players at the time. He said Dave Jones brought in the players, selected the team, and went to the golf course. Hardly any tactics discussed, his reasoning the squad was strong enough and experienced to know what to do..

Well, we know that he rarely made allowances for how opponents would play against us, I think Jay Bothroyd confirmed that in a radio interview once. We also know he rarely got involved with training.

Years ago I remember TLG posting the question of what Jones actually did, raising several questions while backing those up with a number of appropriate and accurate references. I recall he had quite some abuse over it

[Rjk]

Loved Gerrard

Great centre back partnership with Darcy Blake

Arguably two of our worst centre backs in recent years individually, but they did seem to work well together

[Punxsutawney Phil]

I honestly cannot remember the source - it was a few years ago - but was talking to someone closely connected to the players at the time. He said Dave Jones brought in the players, selected the team, and went to the golf course. Hardly any tactics discussed, his reasoning the squad was strong enough and experienced to know what to do..

Not sure he picked the team all the time! Unbelievable when Gerrard talks about Jones wanting to switch to 4-3-3 and Chopra and Bothroyd vetoed it. Also sheds some light on why McCormack wasn't used more in tandem with those two, a real shame as that would have been some forward line.

[J R Hartley]

Arguably two of our worst centre backs in recent years individually, but they did seem to work well together

Darcy Blake would have been the next Franco Baresi if he didnt have a drink problem according to Sludge.

I preferred him at full back myself.

[Rjk]

Darcy Blake would have been the next Franco Baresi if he didnt have a drink problem according to Sludge.

I preferred him at full back myself.

I think he maybe could have been a poor man's Gary medel, but we didn't really play with someone in that role.
he was fairly quick and good in the tackle. just a bit short for a CB in the British game (at that time) and passing wasn't really good enough for other positions.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Blake had the makings of a very good player

And gerrard was easily good enough for the championship

[J R Hartley]

I think he maybe could have been a poor man's Gary medel, but we didn't really play with someone in that role.
he was fairly quick and good in the tackle. just a bit short for a CB in the British game (at that time) and passing wasn't really good enough for other positions.

As Chris Wilder said the other day, theres all these ex-players who end up on the scrap heap at a young age in the pub saying "that could have been me" but it isnt you. Youre sat in the pub boring people with your sob story for a reason. Not good enough.

[J R Hartley]

Blake had the makings of a very good player

And gerrard was easily good enough for the championship

No he wasnt, hence he made the step up and then had to make the step back down. Couldnt cut the mustard.

[Rjk]

Blake had the makings of a very good player

And gerrard was easily good enough for the championship

if you did a list of all of our centre backs to have played more than say 10 times since the start of the Dave Jones era they'd probably be near the bottom of that list.

[MacAdder]

As Chris Wilder said the other day, theres all these ex-players who end up on the scrap heap at a young age in the pub saying "that could have been me" but it isnt you. Youre sat in the pub boring people with your sob story for a reason. Not good enough.

They say that the cream usually rises to the top.
However, there are many reasons why some good players end up on the scrap heap and not always because they aren't good enough.
Much of it is to do with mental attitude.

[Tuerto]

They say that the cream usually rises to the top.
However, there are many reasons why some good players end up on the scrap heap and not always because they aren't good enough.
Much of it is to do with mental attitude.

It's loads to do with attitude and character, how things effect a player etc. Ability is probably only 60% of what is required to make it. Hard work, dedication and discipline will see most players with average ability at that level, to a decent career.

[MacAdder]

BTW re the OP thought Gerrard was okay, til that pelanty!

[BLUETIT]

Who are the other people in the video.

fast forwarded it to the last 35 minutes, so missed any introductions

[MacAdder]

It's loads to do with attitude and character, how things effect a player etc. Ability is probably only 60% of what is required to make it. Hard work, dedication and discipline will see most players with average ability at that level, to a decent career.

Absolutely.
Dealing with setbacks. Injury, dip in performance, being dropped...

[J R Hartley]

They say that the cream usually rises to the top.
However, there are many reasons why some good players end up on the scrap heap and not always because they aren't good enough.
Much of it is to do with mental attitude.

But doesnt that mean they are not good enough? You need to have attitude as well as ability. Some lucky breaks are involved for sure, right place at the right time but if you counted up the number of players in South Wales who could have been a proffesional footballer or was good enough to play for the Welsh rugby team it would outnumber the number of Cardiff City fans who went to Rochdale on a cold, wet Tuesday night in the dungeon.

In Darcy Blakes case if he didnt choose the lifestyle he choose ie drink and drugs then maybe he could have forged a career in League 1 or 2. He certainly didnt have the kind of stand out ability that Sludge is implying. He couldnt pass water.

[J R Hartley]

It's loads to do with attitude and character, how things effect a player etc. Ability is probably only 60% of what is required to make it. Hard work, dedication and discipline will see most players with average ability at that level, to a decent career.

Im going to go off on a Blue Matt style tangent here but outside the Gurnos Social Club they have 30 foot banners of Merthyrs favourite sporting sons. The chap from out of the area who bought the club thought it would be a nice touch. Jonny Owen, Howard Winstone, Kerry Hope (Boxers who won World or European titles), Rob Sidoli (Welsh rugby international) and....Darcy ****ing Blake . Its bizarre.

Blake wasnt anything special compared to many footballers from Merthyr whove had decent pro careers, isnt even from Merthyr and yet Jason Bowen and Mark Pembridge are actually from the Gurnos Estate and in Pembridge case had a terrific career and actually lived 50 yards from the club!?!? Most insulting.

Talking of Pembridge and ability and attitude, he got every drop out of the ability he had because he had the right attitude. There are many players in Merthyr around the same age who reckoned they were better junior players than Pembridge and still say he wasnt anything special They could have made it if they didnt hit the booze, chasing women.etc if you listen to them but they havent had 50+ caps for Wales and had a career playing for the likes of Everton and Benfica.

When Chris Wilder come out with his comments a couple of weeks ago I chuckled to myself and thought of Pembridge.

[Rjk]

Im going to go off on a Blue Matt style tangent here but outside the Gurnos Social Club they have 30 foot banners of Merthyrs favourite sporting sons. The chap from out of the area who bought the club thought it would be a nice touch. Jonny Owen, Howard Winstone, Kerry Hope (Boxers who won World or European titles), Rob Sidoli (Welsh rugby international) and....Darcy ****ing Blake . Its bizarre.

Blake wasnt anything special compared to many footballers from Merthyr whove had decent pro careers, isnt even from Merthyr and yet Jason Bowen and Mark Pembridge are actually from the Gurnos Estate and in Pembridge case had a terrific career and actually lived 50 yards from the club!?!? Most insulting.

Talking of Pembridge and ability and attitude, he got every drop out of the ability he had because he had the right attitude. There are many players in Merthyr around the same age who reckoned they were better junior players than Pembridge and still say he wasnt anything special They could have made it if they didnt hit the booze, chasing women.etc if you listen to them but they havent had 50+ caps for Wales and had a career playing for the likes of Everton and Benfica.

When Chris Wilder come out with his comments a couple of weeks ago I chuckled to myself and thought of Pembridge.

They must be getting the Declan John one ready

[cardiff55]

Gerrard is 34 now and only played 10 games for Chesterfield last season. I can see why.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

But doesnt that mean they are not good enough? You need to have attitude as well as ability. Some lucky breaks are involved for sure, right place at the right time but if you counted up the number of players in South Wales who could have been a proffesional footballer or was good enough to play for the Welsh rugby team it would outnumber the number of Cardiff City fans who went to Rochdale on a cold, wet Tuesday night in the dungeon.

In Darcy Blakes case if he didnt choose the lifestyle he choose ie drink and drugs then maybe he could have forged a career in League 1 or 2. He certainly didnt have the kind of stand out ability that Sludge is implying. He couldnt pass water.

Blake was a very talented utility player and he could certainly pass, could have been a decent championship player .....in fact .....he was !

Another merthyr boy whose name escapes me wound up the North Bank by doing the ayatollah in front of them after scoring a goal ......from pentrebach

Wonder what happened to him ....went to Yeovil I think ........ask your spurs mates

[Tuerto]

Im going to go off on a Blue Matt style tangent here but outside the Gurnos Social Club they have 30 foot banners of Merthyrs favourite sporting sons. The chap from out of the area who bought the club thought it would be a nice touch. Jonny Owen, Howard Winstone, Kerry Hope (Boxers who won World or European titles), Rob Sidoli (Welsh rugby international) and....Darcy ****ing Blake . Its bizarre.

Blake wasnt anything special compared to many footballers from Merthyr whove had decent pro careers, isnt even from Merthyr and yet Jason Bowen and Mark Pembridge are actually from the Gurnos Estate and in Pembridge case had a terrific career and actually lived 50 yards from the club!?!? Most insulting.

Talking of Pembridge and ability and attitude, he got every drop out of the ability he had because he had the right attitude. There are many players in Merthyr around the same age who reckoned they were better junior players than Pembridge and still say he wasnt anything special They could have made it if they didnt hit the booze, chasing women.etc if you listen to them but they havent had 50+ caps for Wales and had a career playing for the likes of Everton and Benfica.

When Chris Wilder come out with his comments a couple of weeks ago I chuckled to myself and thought of Pembridge.

Darcy Blake? That's bizzare! Ithought he was from the Blackwood area. I'm with you completely, attitude and discipline are as important as being able to control the ball or make a pass, if a players discipline isn't in order then they're not good enough. A case in point, Leon jeanne simply wasn't good enough.

[Rjk]

Im going to go off on a Blue Matt style tangent here but outside the Gurnos Social Club they have 30 foot banners of Merthyrs favourite sporting sons. The chap from out of the area who bought the club thought it would be a nice touch. Jonny Owen, Howard Winstone, Kerry Hope (Boxers who won World or European titles), Rob Sidoli (Welsh rugby international) and....Darcy ****ing Blake . Its bizarre.

Blake wasnt anything special compared to many footballers from Merthyr whove had decent pro careers, isnt even from Merthyr and yet Jason Bowen and Mark Pembridge are actually from the Gurnos Estate and in Pembridge case had a terrific career and actually lived 50 yards from the club!?!? Most insulting.

Talking of Pembridge and ability and attitude, he got every drop out of the ability he had because he had the right attitude. There are many players in Merthyr around the same age who reckoned they were better junior players than Pembridge and still say he wasnt anything special They could have made it if they didnt hit the booze, chasing women.etc if you listen to them but they havent had 50+ caps for Wales and had a career playing for the likes of Everton and Benfica.

When Chris Wilder come out with his comments a couple of weeks ago I chuckled to myself and thought of Pembridge.

pembridge was pretty talented as well, hell of a left foot on him.
https://youtu.be/2VvQTLJyywQ

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Darcy Blake? That's bizzare! Ithought he was from the Blackwood area. I'm with you completely, attitude and discipline are as important as being able to control the ball or make a pass, if a players discipline isn't in order then they're not good enough. A case in point, Leon jeanne simply wasn't good enough.

Tredegar I think

[MacAdder]

Im going to go off on a Blue Matt style tangent here but outside the Gurnos Social Club they have 30 foot banners of Merthyrs favourite sporting sons. The chap from out of the area who bought the club thought it would be a nice touch. Jonny Owen, Howard Winstone, Kerry Hope (Boxers who won World or European titles), Rob Sidoli (Welsh rugby international) and....Darcy ****ing Blake . Its bizarre.

Blake wasnt anything special compared to many footballers from Merthyr whove had decent pro careers, isnt even from Merthyr and yet Jason Bowen and Mark Pembridge are actually from the Gurnos Estate and in Pembridge case had a terrific career and actually lived 50 yards from the club!?!? Most insulting.

Talking of Pembridge and ability and attitude, he got every drop out of the ability he had because he had the right attitude. There are many players in Merthyr around the same age who reckoned they were better junior players than Pembridge and still say he wasnt anything special They could have made it if they didnt hit the booze, chasing women.etc if you listen to them but they havent had 50+ caps for Wales and had a career playing for the likes of Everton and Benfica.

When Chris Wilder come out with his comments a couple of weeks ago I chuckled to myself and thought of Pembridge.

What, no Derek Showers?

[delmbox]

Gerrard said 10 games during the podcast, although i believe you over him. how do you remember this stuff, it's great!

I'm pretty sure he makes every single word of it up, he knows no one's going to check