Was captain and big part of a Lincoln side that finished 5th in the table a couple of seasons back, and has been getting very positive reviews since his loan move to Cambridge.
It’s weird how, even though we see time and time again players who have lean spells or poor starts to their careers then go on to excel, that we so easily want to dismiss someone based on on very limited minutes from an injury hit start.
Maybe he is not the right fit for Charlton and maybe we will sell him, but I am not quiet sure he is the dud people like to make out he is.
Out of all the loanees McGrandles is the only one I wouldn't mind seeing again. He only made 9 appearance in the league and most were sub appearances for the first half of the season so maybe we shouldn't write him off too soon
Has had a few injuries this season so never got going. He's played 176 minutes in League One for us, the most in one go was 59 minutes. He's had a good loan at Cambridge and could come back under a new manager and offer us something but no, 'they can keep him' comments pop up. Have we always been this shitty about our own players or is it an internet thing? Or a reaction to a run of bad seasons? Can't really moan that our good players can't wait to leave as soon as someone better shows an interest when they know they're a run of bad performances or an injury throwing them off away from people turning on them
I said when he went on loan he would do well at Cambridge for the obvious reason same reason Gilbey done well at MK and not here
Some players flourish at smaller clubs where they are the big player
At Lincoln McGrandles was the main midfielder, captain and most things went through him, he comes to Charlton and is suddenly a small fish in a big pond(not in terms of amount of players but in terms of the players we have compared to Lincoln) suddenly he isn't going to be the main guy who everything goes through and he struggles, then goes to Cambridge and he is back in that position again and back to flourishing.
As I said was the same with Gilbey and MK flourished their but struggled with us.
Some players need to be big fishes in smaller ponds to flourish
I said when he went on loan he would do well at Cambridge for the obvious reason same reason Gilbey done well at MK and not here
Some players flourish at smaller clubs where they are the big player
At Lincoln McGrandles was the main midfielder, captain and most things went through him, he comes to Charlton and is suddenly a small fish in a big pond(not in terms of amount of players but in terms of the players we have compared to Lincoln) suddenly he isn't going to be the main guy who everything goes through and he struggles, then goes to Cambridge and he is back in that position again and back to flourishing.
As I said was the same with Gilbey and MK flourished their but struggled with us.
Some players need to be big fishes in smaller ponds to flourish
I get the logic Paulie, and there is 100% players who are not good fits for certain clubs, but in this case I just don’t think that’s the issue.
Firstly although we are a ‘big’ club for this level, I don’t think he’s come into a team full of players or with a coaching set up with a huge reputation and outstanding skill level (as proven by our recent league positions).
Secondly he’s not the sort of player where he is the focal point for a team and it’s built around him. He’s a box to box/defensive midfielder by trade.
I said when he went on loan he would do well at Cambridge for the obvious reason same reason Gilbey done well at MK and not here
Some players flourish at smaller clubs where they are the big player
At Lincoln McGrandles was the main midfielder, captain and most things went through him, he comes to Charlton and is suddenly a small fish in a big pond(not in terms of amount of players but in terms of the players we have compared to Lincoln) suddenly he isn't going to be the main guy who everything goes through and he struggles, then goes to Cambridge and he is back in that position again and back to flourishing.
As I said was the same with Gilbey and MK flourished their but struggled with us.
Some players need to be big fishes in smaller ponds to flourish
Last bit is very true, but all players need to be match fit and get a decent run of games to properly show what they’re about.
With Morgan out of contract and Kilkenny’s loan ending keeping McGrandles as cover is an option. What we don’t want is to keep both Morgan and McGrandles only to find it limits who we can bring in as a first choice CM.
The position that McGrandles and Albie challenge for would be considered up for grabs in my opinion, is McGrandles a poor player? is Albie inconsistent ? We know the answer to the second question, can't see how we can have an opinion on the first question, when we haven't seen him play.
I said when he went on loan he would do well at Cambridge for the obvious reason same reason Gilbey done well at MK and not here
Some players flourish at smaller clubs where they are the big player
At Lincoln McGrandles was the main midfielder, captain and most things went through him, he comes to Charlton and is suddenly a small fish in a big pond(not in terms of amount of players but in terms of the players we have compared to Lincoln) suddenly he isn't going to be the main guy who everything goes through and he struggles, then goes to Cambridge and he is back in that position again and back to flourishing.
As I said was the same with Gilbey and MK flourished their but struggled with us.
Some players need to be big fishes in smaller ponds to flourish
but we are no longer a big pond, we are a middling third division team!
Bonner has had a good look at a McGrandles who has managed to have a run of games without any niggles or injures and has called him a ‘top, top league one player’.
Be interesting to see what happens with him, especially with a full pre season behind him. But if he’s on decent wages, sounds like he is either likely going to a potential rival or staying with us.
Good. Complete scapegoat on here like many others. Saw moments of class from him when in the limited time I saw him play. He's come here with a decent rep and gone out on loan and done well. Was playing catch up with fitness with us. Hopefully he can now show us what he can do and be a decent squad player at least.
We not seen him at Charlton yet .. he was Lincoln best player and now Cambridge fans are raving about him .. if he comes back fit it will be like a new signing to us …like to see him come back and play the way we know he can
Bonner has had a good look at a McGrandles who has managed to have a run of games without any niggles or injures and has called him a ‘top, top league one player’.
Which is what a lot of Lincoln fans said about him.
I kind of wish he stayed and got his game time here instead of Albie, but then again, we weren't in the best of league positions at the time, and he wasn't fit.
We’re very light in midfield, given that we unloaded JFC and Gilbey and incoming players like Payne and Kilkenny have shown that they are just not up to it. There are also question marks as to whether Morgan and Henry will be here next season, given that their contracts are expiring.
In the circumstances, I think McGrandles will be back for pre-season and have the opportunity to make a fresh start. He’s probably on a reasonably good wage and it’s unlikely another League 1 side would be prepared to match that in order to facilitate a move.
Apparently on £4400 a week £228800 pa @Blucher according to the salaries of players posted in the Ipswich Post Match thread. Fraser on the other hand is earning nearly twice as much at £395000 pa .
From the same website, the highest paid players across the league (includes loan players like Cosgrove and Mumba at Plymouth on loan from Birmingham and Norwich respectively).
First CAFC player to appear on the list (from non-loans) is Fraser in 19th.
Of the 18 players above him in earnings, 8 play for Sheffield Wednesday, 5 play for Derby County, 3 play for Ipswich Town, with 1 each for Oxford United and Portsmouth.
Comments
It’s weird how, even though we see time and time again players who have lean spells or poor starts to their careers then go on to excel, that we so easily want to dismiss someone based on on very limited minutes from an injury hit start.
Maybe he is not the right fit for Charlton and maybe we will sell him, but I am not quiet sure he is the dud people like to make out he is.
I think the likes of Gilbey, DJ and Kirk had enough first team opportunities and didn’t produce so be happy for them to move on.
McGrandles hardly kicked a ball ( albeit he done nothing when he did ) but maybe worth another opportunity before being written off.
Some players flourish at smaller clubs where they are the big player
At Lincoln McGrandles was the main midfielder, captain and most things went through him, he comes to Charlton and is suddenly a small fish in a big pond(not in terms of amount of players but in terms of the players we have compared to Lincoln) suddenly he isn't going to be the main guy who everything goes through and he struggles, then goes to Cambridge and he is back in that position again and back to flourishing.
As I said was the same with Gilbey and MK flourished their but struggled with us.
Some players need to be big fishes in smaller ponds to flourish
Firstly although we are a ‘big’ club for this level, I don’t think he’s come into a team full of players or with a coaching set up with a huge reputation and outstanding skill level (as proven by our recent league positions).
Secondly he’s not the sort of player where he is the focal point for a team and it’s built around him. He’s a box to box/defensive midfielder by trade.
With Morgan out of contract and Kilkenny’s loan ending keeping McGrandles as cover is an option. What we don’t want is to keep both Morgan and McGrandles only to find it limits who we can bring in as a first choice CM.
Looks like he will be back for pre season.
Cambridge United do not have financial power to sign Charlton Athletic midfielder Conor McGrandles on permanent basis (cambridgeindependent.co.uk)
Be interesting to see what happens with him, especially with a full pre season behind him. But if he’s on decent wages, sounds like he is either likely going to a potential rival or staying with us.
I kind of wish he stayed and got his game time here instead of Albie, but then again, we weren't in the best of league positions at the time, and he wasn't fit.
In the circumstances, I think McGrandles will be back for pre-season and have the opportunity to make a fresh start. He’s probably on a reasonably good wage and it’s unlikely another League 1 side would be prepared to match that in order to facilitate a move.
https://salarysport.com/football/sky-bet-league-one/highest-paid/
2. Windass 12k p/w (SWFC)
3. Hourihane 12k p/w (DCFC)
4. Palmer 12k p/w (SWFC)
5. Paterson 12k p/w (SWFC)
6. Walton 12k p/w (ITFC)
7. Brannagan 12k p/w (OUFC)
8. Knight 10k p/w (DCFC)
9. Morsy 10k p/w (ITFC)
10. Iorfa 9.4k p/w (SWFC)
11. Davis 9k p/w (ITFC)
12. Collins 8.1k p/w (DCFC)
13. Pigott 8.1k p/w (PFC)
14. Gregory 8k p/w (SWFC)
15. Sibley 8k p/w (DCFC)
16. Wilks 7.9k p/w (SWFC)
17. Bird 7.9k p/w (DCFC)
18. Ihiekwe 7.9k p/w (SWFC)
19. Fraser 7.6k p/w (CAFC)
First CAFC player to appear on the list (from non-loans) is Fraser in 19th.
Of the 18 players above him in earnings, 8 play for Sheffield Wednesday, 5 play for Derby County, 3 play for Ipswich Town, with 1 each for Oxford United and Portsmouth.
Accuracy of these numbers TBD.
The Cambridge loan came immediately afterwards.