About Mr Whittaker

[BCLoyal9 53]

We'll see how it pans out. Its good to have constructive debate - I'm just confident about Whittaker will prove me correct like I was about Thomson , who I feel eventually vindicated me with my mates after a so-so start.

[Stardog 11]

Kirk Broadfoot and Sasa Papac are much better players!

I'd rather have Whittaker than Broadfoot in the team any day. Whittaker has far more natural ability and will come good.

[DonaldC 0]

Correct, Whittaker had lost his place in the team towards the end of the season after causing the loss of goals for Hibs against Hearts and Celtic. I have never rated him and with his dire posititioning and decision making realise that he is far worse than I thought. We will have to take a loss on him at some time and for the sake of the team it should be sooner rather than later. Broadfoot is obviously trusted more and he is, in my opinion, a very poor player and a bombscare defensively.

Are these not things that can be improved with time and experience? He has a lot of natural ability and he's still young. I reckon, given a bit of luck and experience, he could become a very effective full-back for us.

[chris_glasgow 2]

i think we will se best o0f whitty next season remeber it took thommo awhile to fit in

[Muff 245]

I'd also question his fitness level. He look's f*kd after about 30 minutes. When he came on in Bremen, he was f*kd after 8 minutes.

[Craigy 0]

I'd sell him if an offer of £1million was bid in the Summer.

[BCLoyal9 53]

All tit for tat at the present time , but as I said before I'm confident I'll be proven correct.

[WaltersGotStyle 160]

Definitely better than broadfoot in terms of ability, I feel Broadfoot is a disaster waiting to happen (hopefully not on saturday tho!). I would like to see Whittaker given the chance in the last few games of the season (if they are meaningless obviously :bouncy: ). If he fails at RB then we need to get shopping because Kirk although he's done well is not a long term candidate for this position.

[FlippinEck 3,705]

people questioned Thomsons ability to make the step up and after 6-12 months he finally started putting in the performances, Whittaker was the second best right back in the SPL and probably one of the best before hutton hit his top peak, £2Million for him was a great price when you see the prices being bundled around down south and with him coming into the side and starting in right midfield (a position he had rarely played) he was hitting indifferent form. He HAS chipped in this season with goals and assists yet has yet to have a prolonged run in his favoured right back position, wether that be down to WS thinking he isnt good enough or rather that he just doesnt want to drop Kirk for the time being, admitedly he has to step up his game if he wants to get back into the team and I am confident enough that he can prove doubters wrong just like Thomson has.

[jbm26896 995]

he has struggled big time since he joined us , i saw him at hibs and thought we were signing a very good full back - i have not seen that this season from him

it may be next year before we see him play at his best

[Davy 68]

He's been incredibly inconsistent since joining, but he does have ability and has youth on his side. I'm confident that, given time, he will be a good player for us.

[p3asa 0]

I wouldn't worry about our supporters calling Whittaker a donkey. It will be the same fickle lot that used to boo when Hutton's name was read out on the team sheet!! Our supporters are far too quick to judge and not give our players enough time to settle in.

McCoist and Hateley were prime examples of the boo boy culture!!!

Steven.

[trueblue1872 2]

I think he's pish tbh, broadfoots keeping him outa the team...

God how i wish hutton was here

Need a fikin quality RB this summer.

[KingOfTheWing 0]

He's been incredibly inconsistent since joining, but he does have ability and has youth on his side. I'm confident that, given time, he will be a good player for us.

He's 24 in a couple of months, I would be expecting a player to be a fully developed player but that time.

[blueben_d 40]

I wouldn't worry about our supporters calling Whittaker a donkey. It will be the same fickle lot that used to boo when Hutton's name was read out on the team sheet!! Our supporters are far too quick to judge and not give our players enough time to settle in.

McCoist and Hateley were prime examples of the boo boy culture!!!

Steven.

great first post mate, welcome to the board

[demise 3,517]

Since Stevie came to the Club , we haven't seen the kind of form displayed on his best days with Hibs. This has led to many within our support expressing doubt over his signing - even a moronic minority within this grouping refer to him as a 'donkey' and other such put-downs.

I'm not doubting for a second that we have yet to see the best of Steven and have been witness to the worst.

But I cannot help but feel we have a highly talented player on our hands at the moment who is not being put to best use. Surely , his performances in the middle of the park when first signed were sub-par. But can we not remember that SW is a natural right back? Player will say they will play anywhere on the park , aslong as they are selected. But don't tell me they don't have preferences and knowledge of where they are most 'at home'.

I have watched SW many times as a Hibs and Gers player and I feel that this is a player with much to offer the team. Mobile , balanced and unusually for a fullback , an eye for goal , we could do so much worse than give him a little run at RB. Kirk has applied himself admirably in that role but is clearly toiling and out of his comfort zone. I just think it might work wonders to pitch Whittaker in there.

Agree

[BlueSuedeSambas 53,792]

He's been incredibly inconsistent since joining, but he does have ability and has youth on his side. I'm confident that, given time, he will be a good player for us.

He's 24 in a couple of months, I would be expecting a player to be a fully developed player but that time.

Players like Burke, Broadfoot, Adam, Whittaker, Hutton and Boyd are still reffered to as being young by sections of our support, but not being young by others.

Generally it seems that people who are a fan of a certain player who is around 22/23/24 will say youth is on his side, but people who aren't a fan will say that a player should be fully developed by then.

The youth arguement is certainly an odd one.

[docspiderman 1,228]

He's been incredibly inconsistent since joining, but he does have ability and has youth on his side. I'm confident that, given time, he will be a good player for us.

He's 24 in a couple of months, I would be expecting a player to be a fully developed player but that time.

Players like Burke, Broadfoot, Adam, Whittaker, Hutton and Boyd are still reffered to as being young by sections of our support, but not being young by others.

Generally it seems that people who are a fan of a certain player who is around 22/23/24 will say youth is on his side, but people who aren't a fan will say that a player should be fully developed by then.

The youth arguement is certainly an odd one.

I think it is only in Scotland that 22 year olds are youngsters in football terms because it is rare for 17/18 year players to get a first team start in a Scottish team unlike the likes of Barcelona etc in Spain, the Portuguese teams, Arsenal , Man Utd etc. I remember a youth team coach at Rangers saying to me that if a player had not made it into the first team reckoning by 18 he would never make it for us.

[papaguy51 912]

I remember Hutton getting similar abuse 18 months ago.

I'd watch this space...

[bigmarvloyal 0]

I remember Hutton getting similar abuse 18 months ago.

I'd watch this space...

The thing is, Hutton was a good player before he got his injury. He came back from injury and the Bears weren't exactly patient in him getting back up to speed.

Whittaker is never a Rangers player and those trying to convince themselves he is need a cold shower.

[BlueSuedeSambas 53,792]

I remember Hutton getting similar abuse 18 months ago.

I'd watch this space...

The thing is, Hutton was a good player before he got his injury. He came back from injury and the Bears weren't exactly patient in him getting back up to speed.

Whittaker is never a Rangers player and those trying to convince themselves he is need a cold shower.

Talk about fickle

To use similar words to yourself "Bears aren't exactly patient in letting him get up to speed"

That could easily be applied to Whittaker too, especially if you consider that it takes time to settle at the OF. We have already seem Thomson, aswell as Hutton, recieve pelters from the majority and now they are both cult figures at the club.

We are now seeing Whittaker unfairly getting the same abuse. He has been asked to play out of position pretty much since day one, he has made errors that he himself will know are basic and as a result his confidence is well and truly shattered.

Before Huttons unexpected rise to prominance Whittaker was easily the best RB in Scotland, not only for one season, it was for about 4 years straight.

The simple truth is that we have wasted him ever since we signed him and until he gets a good run in his best position then we can't judge him fairly.

[clydebankranger 0]

Looking forward to seeing him play in his proper position, think its a little unfair on the lad playing him out of position so often

[jbm26896 995]

he is a right back and should be given his chance to play in that position , not a mifield player , thats for sure

[bigmarvloyal 0]

I remember Hutton getting similar abuse 18 months ago.

I'd watch this space...

The thing is, Hutton was a good player before he got his injury. He came back from injury and the Bears weren't exactly patient in him getting back up to speed.

Whittaker is never a Rangers player and those trying to convince themselves he is need a cold shower.

Talk about fickle

To use similar words to yourself "Bears aren't exactly patient in letting him get up to speed"

That could easily be applied to Whittaker too, especially if you consider that it takes time to settle at the OF. We have already seem Thomson, aswell as Hutton, recieve pelters from the majority and now they are both cult figures at the club.

We are now seeing Whittaker unfairly getting the same abuse. He has been asked to play out of position pretty much since day one, he has made errors that he himself will know are basic and as a result his confidence is well and truly shattered.

Before Huttons unexpected rise to prominance Whittaker was easily the best RB in Scotland, not only for one season, it was for about 4 years straight.

The simple truth is that we have wasted him ever since we signed him and until he gets a good run in his best position then we can't judge him fairly.

Away and bile your heid man. Whittaker was the best right back in Scotland for 4 years?

The man can't control a ball with one touch, can't beat a player and is hopeless in the tackle.

[papaguy51 912]

I remember Hutton getting similar abuse 18 months ago.

I'd watch this space...

The thing is, Hutton was a good player before he got his injury. He came back from injury and the Bears weren't exactly patient in him getting back up to speed.

Whittaker is never a Rangers player and those trying to convince themselves he is need a cold shower.

Talk about fickle

To use similar words to yourself "Bears aren't exactly patient in letting him get up to speed"

That could easily be applied to Whittaker too, especially if you consider that it takes time to settle at the OF. We have already seem Thomson, aswell as Hutton, recieve pelters from the majority and now they are both cult figures at the club.

We are now seeing Whittaker unfairly getting the same abuse. He has been asked to play out of position pretty much since day one, he has made errors that he himself will know are basic and as a result his confidence is well and truly shattered.

Before Huttons unexpected rise to prominance Whittaker was easily the best RB in Scotland, not only for one season, it was for about 4 years straight.

The simple truth is that we have wasted him ever since we signed him and until he gets a good run in his best position then we can't judge him fairly.

Away and bile your heid man. Whittaker was the best right back in Scotland for 4 years?

The man can't control a ball with one touch, can't beat a player and is hopeless in the tackle.

That's just not right, he can control a ball first time, I've seen it loads. I'll count how many times he does it next time he plays.

Hutton wasn't good at defending until his meteoric rise, where everything improved rapidly. Something convinced Smith to pay £2mil for Whittaker, I'm going to trust his judgement on this one for now.

He is a better player than Broadfoot though (Muff's gonna boot my stones for that).