McCulloch's Future?

[Cumbria_blue 51]

Everybody knows that he was brought in to help us steady the ship. After all Walter seen him as a hard working player who supports the club and knows what it is all about.

However I think everybody would agree when I say that we should always be looking for steady progression.

In Lafferty we have signed a player who not only offers similar traits to McCulloch but he also offers better pace, better technique and if we use him correctly the chance of better potential over say, a three year period.

That to me is a step forward and, although I like McCulloch, I think we should be on the phone begging Stoke to put in another offer for him.

After spending 4 million on a younger, more agile player who plays a similar role we should be focusing our attention on helping him become a better player while, without wanting to sound harsh, looking to ease the older guy out.

We should never be turning down 2 million for a 30 year old who faded badly in the latter stages of the season and a player who seems to have injuries creeping up on him now.

Knowing that we would be making 2 million would also help to ease the blow when it comes to how much we had to spend to land Lafferty.

However it's more likely that we will see Lafferty's progress stiffled as McCulloch will still be Walter's preffered choice seeing as he has been branded as "NOT FOR SALE" by our manager.

I'm sorry but regardless of his standing with certain members of staff or his love for the club there sould be no room for sentiment and 2 million is too good to turn down when we have a similar yet younger and more talented player waiting in the wings.

I agree with your comments on McCulloch, £2m would be good business ( we seem to be using that phrase a lot these days?)

Just worried that £4m seems a lot to spend on a boy with a poor scoring record.

People will say he has potential.

But surely some of our own boys coming through have the potential to make the step up, given the chance?

Word is that Lafferty is a supporting striker with a penchant for the left wing, which would explain his relatively meagre scoring return.

He has 6 in 16 at international level where he is played as a striker/target man with David Healy. That isnt a bad return and if used in this way he could be a vital player for us in the next few years. Though he will probably be used on the left wing so we can launch balls aimlessly in his general direction, hoping that he can get something on it, and head the ball to an empty space in behind the defence that no one has a chance of reaching. In Walter we trust