Thoughts on 33 year old players?

Surely it's a balance? Somewhere in the team you have to have age and experience. The majority of the team will be built on youth and pace though.
 
He’s exactly what we need he’ll probably get a 1+1 deal.
Probably a centre back in a similar mould, a back up keeper and we re pretty much there.
 
It’s not so much the age for me it’s the fact he’s from Swindon again. Nixon’s just tweeted again that Swindon want to keep Fryers (left back) but you can imagine who else is in for him, meaning us. Don’t know what it says about the way we go about transfers if we end up with 4 from Swindon.

Although saying that Grant was their player of the year last season and probably a direct replacement for Spearing in terms of position, quality and experience.
 
Has any other club ever gone out and signed 3 players from another team all within a matter of 2 or 3 weeks?

This is either genius or we should maybe be casting our scouting net a little further afield than the County Ground.
 
20togo said:
I look forward to Robbies take on this potential signing.
Had a lot of lower league clubs and barely stays for long at any of them.
Adam or Grant, Robbie?
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Beat me to it! And I'd add the signings made from lower leagues who haven't played at this level recently, if at all.
 
BlackpoolsFinest said:
Has any other club ever gone out and signed 3 players from another team all within a matter of 2 or 3 weeks?

This is either genius or we should maybe be casting our scouting net a little further afield than the County Ground.
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He’s hinted that we’re after Zeki Fryers too, pacey left back.
 
Jaffa_The_Hut said:
Ronaldo, Milner, Fuchs, Billy Dharp, AshleyYoung, the list is endless.
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My point is your talking about top class pro’s, more players at that age are going downhill than not. If we get a good season out of him and he helps us with where we need to be it works for both parties.

But you can’t just say ‘look at Messi’. 😆
 
NewburyOne said:
Some players improve with age. When assessing a player it could be he is rarely injured, has attriubutes that don't fade with time and in some cases get better. Simmo, Philips, Ferguson and Dickov weren't Spring chickens but were very successful here.
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All the players you are quoting had pedigree
They hadn't spent entire career as journeymen who change clubs every 2 years
 
NewburyOne said:
Some players improve with age. When assessing a player it could be he is rarely injured, has attriubutes that don't fade with time and in some cases get better. Simmo, Philips, Ferguson and Dickov weren't Spring chickens but were very successful here.
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All of those had played at higher level and brought additional quality. Spearing was the same. Grant hasn't
 
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CalmDown said:
Only foolish types would write off footballers based on age. If they are good enough to be effective at whatever level chosen for - What’s the problem?

However, it’s not unusual for Clubs to be blessed with ignorant supporters.
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Nothing ignorant about it. We are replacing a guy who’s played champions league, played above league 1 his whole career with potentially a guy who’s played below league 1 his whole career and had a worldie season last year. I’m not writing him off, but as mentioned by others he hasn’t played at the same level as some players we have had at that age, so you can’t really use that logic.
 
Grant's alright. Hope we're looking for better. We do need at least a couple of midfielders.
 
Lanc_seasider said:
Nothing ignorant about it. We are replacing a guy who’s played champions league, played above league 1 his whole career with potentially a guy who’s played below league 1 his whole career and had a worldie season last year. I’m not writing him off, but as mentioned by others he hasn’t played at the same level as some players we have had at that age, so you can’t really use that logic.
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I haven’t used that logic?

I think your confusing me with someone else.

My view is that regardless of age, if someone is still effective at whatever level they are performing at. Age isn’t such a problem.
 
CalmDown said:
I haven’t used that logic?

I think your confusing me with someone else.

My view is that regardless of age, if someone is still effective at whatever level they are performing at. Age isn’t such a problem.
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Apologies then.

I’m not for a second writing him off I wouldn’t do that for any signing I’ve full trust in them to bring the right people in. Just saying a 34 year old league 2 player on paper doesn’t fill me with confidence.
 
His career seems to be all about joining clubs, playing well and then falling out with the management ... not too sure about this ... maybe agent talk to get a better deal at Swindle?
 
TKL_Seasider said:
His career seems to be all about joining clubs, playing well and then falling out with the management ... not too sure about this ... maybe agent talk to get a better deal at Swindle?
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If he is the player of the year there, then maybe better than Anderson and we do have a gaping hole for this position
 
Lanc_seasider said:
Apologies then.

I’m not for a second writing him off I wouldn’t do that for any signing I’ve full trust in them to bring the right people in. Just saying a 34 year old league 2 player on paper doesn’t fill me with confidence.
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He's only just 33. He's a pure ball-winner really, which we could do with. Once again, Swindon fans love him.
 
NewburyOne said:
Some players improve with age. When assessing a player it could be he is rarely injured, has attriubutes that don't fade with time and in some cases get better. Simmo, Philips, Ferguson and Dickov weren't Spring chickens but were very successful here.
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Simmo is a great shout, one of my all time favourites.
 
We’ve been linked with this guy previously. If we do sign him it’s obviously only a stop gap - and I’d fully expect the club to have another similar younger player coming in to learn and develop in the position too.

The thing with developing younger players is you either have to accept they’re not at the required level just yet and that your immediate prospects are taking a hit (not ideal) or you have to have other players in place who are of the required standard - of which though need to be accepting that they are going to ultimately be replaced in the longer term.

No player in their 20’s or even early 30’s (generally considered in the prime of their career) is going to sign for a club and accept their days are numbered from day 1 - which is why I can imagine a handful of players in their mid to late 30’s are going to be brought in and those players are going to be brought in on the basis they’re signing 1 year contracts with maybe a year option and maybe be given the opportunity to work towards developing post playing careers - whether that’s coaching, media or whatever else.

All of the above is why I think Spearing departed - it’s too soon for him to accept ‘the end’ of his career and why we’re looking at older players for that same position.
 
I'm not for one second saying he is in their class, jusy merely pointing out you can be 33 and be a very good player. Swindon did very well last season and he was the best player, in a team that play a style similar to that which Critchley favours. As I pointed out, what is his injury record, he could have less miles on the clock than some players who are a few years younger.
 
NewburyOne said:
Some players improve with age. When assessing a player it could be he is rarely injured, has attriubutes that don't fade with time and in some cases get better. Simmo, Philips, Ferguson and Dickov weren't Spring chickens but were very successful here.
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Simmo was fantastic. Quality over age as most players nowadays don't do more than 3 years at a club.

Just checked, Simpson was 34/35 in the season he came to us. And he was playing I a position where he may have been exposed with his age.
 
Stu99 said:
He’s hinted that we’re after Zeki Fryers too, pacey left back.
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I saw Fryers in the first game of the season, last season, when he played left back for Swindon at Exeter City. He is tall, approx 6 foot, and was ultra rapid. A lot of Swindon's attacks came down his wing where Exeter could not live with his pace!
 
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