View Full Version : Time to sell Mullins
I am not one for spending recklessly on the team with no thought for the future however I feel we need a minimum of three players this season:
A defender
A commanding midfielder
A traditional centre forward
Now I know that Jordan says there is money left for players but I suspect the pot is nearly empty so ...
If we could get 3m for Mullins shouldn't we take it? if the three million was spent on 3 players @ around 1m each we could buy quality and strengthen the squad in several areas without sppending what we don't have.
The only fly in my ointment is the fact that no-one would pay three million for him the way he is playing at the moment
What do others think?
Stellavista
15-08-2000, 03:41 AM
Excellent call, Dave. Mullins has been pants for a while now.
I don't think we can afford to have a central midfielder as lazy as Mullins is.
If his strike rate or passing were better, there might be an argument to keep him, but I don't think he's pulled his weight for us for some time.
Who knows, he may begin to sparkle in another team, but I see no evidence that he's gonna do it for us in the long run.
Cash in, and buy some more nutters!
Essexeagle
15-08-2000, 11:47 AM
Personally I think he has never really been a decent midfielder anyway - Mullins has always been better suited to playing in defence in a sweeper type role.
Tony Humphreys
15-08-2000, 01:12 PM
[quote]Originally posted by Stellavista on 08-14-2000 11:41 PM
If his strike rate or passing were better, there might be an argument to keep him,
/quote]
I don't entirely disagree with the tenor of this thread but it seems a bit harsh to criticise his strike rate. 10 goals from midfield last year is pretty good by any standards, isn't it? Rather better than any of our other midfielders, anyway.
Personally, I wouldn't sell him yet, at least not until the new coaching/management team have got to work on him. I don't think he's lazy, so much as casual and if they can coach a bit of urgency into his game, he could yet make a very good, if not great, player.
James Simmo
15-08-2000, 01:17 PM
I'm with Tony on this because he is only going to get better and better. Maybe he needs bit of a kick but I'm sure that he is going to get it.
Baloo
15-08-2000, 01:30 PM
Mullins has bags of talent, but so often can't be arsed to make the most of it. It would not be unreasonable to suggest that he'll grow into a top-class midfielder of Gascoigne or Le Tissier proportions. Those players also have the "lazy" tag hanging heavily around their necks.
So the question for us is whether we perservere with Mullins and await his maturity and higher commitment, or whether we off-load him to be someone else's gamble?
If we desparately need new players to compete in this division, then we should off-load him. However, I think the only NECESSARY signing still needed is a top-class cetnre-forward who knows how to put the ball away. If Jordan has money ready to spend on such a player, I would say let's keep Mullins and nurture him into what we know he is capable of.
Scoot
15-08-2000, 02:06 PM
He got 10 goals becasue he takes the pens (although we didn;t get given that many I'll admit).
I think he can only get better, he does look uninterested at times but has Smithy not already mentioned this problem.
I think he will address it.
Probably tell him to become an Estate Agent like Southgate!
winners
15-08-2000, 02:11 PM
I think we might see an improvement in Mullins this season, as Smithy has already pin-pointed his casual approach as something to work on, and with a player like ruddock behind him, if he doesnt pull he's weight, he is gonna get told about it. It would be too early to sell him, as he is only twenty, and is still a novice really on the first team front. He is still learning, give him time!
Fat Andy
15-08-2000, 02:17 PM
Mullins was our second top scorer last year, what the hell do you want him to do, score 20 goals a season?
He's one of our 'senior' players yet is still very young, people seem to forget that he's been around a lot less time than Leon, and I know which one I think has improved the most.
wedgetail
15-08-2000, 03:55 PM
A 21 year old holding midfielder who scores 10 per season is a rarity in any division, so lets give a bit longer.
No-one is denying his quality- I just think cashing in now is the right time
Fat Andy
15-08-2000, 06:01 PM
Dave, I know at the end of the day it's just opinions but I'm not sure that when you're trying to build up a team selling,arguably, your best player is the way forward.
I think that we'd find it hard to replace him, you could argue we should sell Clinton for 3mill and then buy 3 players!
arussell
15-08-2000, 06:32 PM
Have to say Dave, there is a lot of logic in your argument at the moment and we do have enough midfield players of the same type right now.
If it were me I would sell him and use the three million to buy Darren Caskey and Neil Shipperley (or Andy Booth).
Not to say that Mullins is a bad player of course - but like Roberts I feel he is wasted in midfield.
1f62
Baloo
15-08-2000, 06:37 PM
If he's wasted in midfield, don't play him there. We do now have a few more midfielders to choose from.
Everyone seems to think that he plays better as a defender/sweeper. I remember at the Crawley game, he spent a lot of time on the right, overlapping with Jamie Smith. It occurs to me that he might make a pretty good right back? Probably better than Jamie Smith, anyway.
Alan Smith, are you reading this?
anti-addick
15-08-2000, 06:38 PM
I can't agree Dave. If he doesn't please Smith then he'll be replaced - THAT is the kick up the arse he would need. He obviously has bags of talent and is just what we'll need if/when we go up. Don't be so impatient, he's been invaluable for the last 2 seasons.
RDSdaEAGLE
15-08-2000, 06:50 PM
As I remember, only a while ago, a certain Mr Mullins was one of Palace's favourites. What we have to consider is the fact that Mullins was in form last season, he had few injuries, and played many games for the club, when he could have just asked for a transfer and played for a bigger club. His commitment to the cause was inspirational, as it was for most of the players. Give this man some respect, he just needs some luck, and then things will come together again.
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I am not being impatient http://cpfc.org/ubb/smile.gif
As I said before I am not denying he is quality however I think I would rather have three average players on other areas of the park at the moment rather than him
Even if he playes a blinder every match of the season it won't matter if we don't have better personnel on the rest of the pitch.
Gooders
15-08-2000, 07:16 PM
I think we could perhaps give him a bit longer to see if he can snap out of the doldrums first.
His goals are a rare commodity for a midfielder.
And we wouldn't get 3 million for him now anyway.
Dillenger
15-08-2000, 08:55 PM
Time to sell mullins ?
No.
E-GUL
15-08-2000, 10:06 PM
Mullins should go, Morrison is still an asset, but we should flog him while people still think he's worth £3Million plus we've got pollock and other cover for him now!
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Sky Sports, w@ank, w@nk, w@nk!
Fat Andy
15-08-2000, 10:48 PM
Sorry,but selling Mullins and buying 3 average players doesn't make sense. I'd prefer Mullins to 3 Craig Fosters !
He's only 21 (I think) and surely we should be building a team around him for the future.
Laurie
15-08-2000, 10:59 PM
How can you even think about selling Mullins. He has been OUR BEST PLAYER for 2 seasons now, and who would Smith get to replace him? That thought is frightening with his buying record (Patterson, Preece,Dowie, Pitcher, Pollock). For christs sakes, the guys still a kid and a bloody good one at that. We have too many "workhorses" as it is, at least Casual tries to pass it around, chips in with a healthy goal ratio and looks a bit special. All you who want him out......WHY?????
ckaupang
15-08-2000, 11:17 PM
keep him.
i havent seen him play for a few months but based on the past couple of years' effort and his age, he's probably due some crap games(not an excuse- it happens).
play him in the position he most wants to play and have ruddock and pollock raise him.
and we probably dont need any more average players...
Chester 76
16-08-2000, 12:00 AM
Keep Mullins, if you want to progress in the long term you have to keep your better players. Average players would have to be replaced by players with Mullins ability.
Strathclyde Eagle
16-08-2000, 12:03 AM
Interesting, but I think a problem we could have is that once we sell him people will know we have money to spend and start pushing up prices. Thus we might spend too much, a bit like the start of 1998 when we spent too much on players like Ismael.
I almost wonder if we've made a few purchases ahead of his sale. Of course then you're taking the chance on him getting injured.
Either way is a risky way to go. Personally I think we should keep him for a while, as he could become even more valuable if Ray Houghton takes him under his wing a bit.
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Originally posted by Dave on 08-15-2000 01:47 PM
No-one is denying his quality- I just think cashing in now is the right time
ITS AMAZING !!
one match into the season, and the knives have already been sharpened.
the same thing happened last year - mullins had a slow start, but look how he performed from xmas onwards !!!
if you want to cash-in on a player, then sell morrison - 3 million would be about right for him, and buy an old fashioned centre forward alongside forssell, and mr jordan's play-off wish might be a possibility......
the_next_matt_jansen
16-08-2000, 12:21 AM
The problem is mullins position. i thought he was much better last season as a sweeper. Anyway, we have pollock, black and gray to fill his boots in midfeild.
SEVENOAKS EAGLE
16-08-2000, 12:35 AM
Originally posted by winners on 08-15-2000 10:11 AM
I think we might see an improvement in Mullins this season, as Smithy has already pin-pointed his casual approach as something to work on, and with a player like ruddock behind him, if he doesnt pull he's weight, he is gonna get told about it. It would be too early to sell him, as he is only twenty, and is still a novice really on the first team front. He is still learning, give him time!SPOT ON WINNERS SMITH WILL KICK HIS ARSE
edf
John 24
16-08-2000, 02:51 AM
Originally posted by RDSdaEAGLE on 08-15-2000 02:50 PM
As I remember, only a while ago, a certain Mr Mullins was one of Palace's favourites. What we have to consider is the fact that Mullins was in form last season, he had few injuries, and played many games for the club, when he could have just asked for a transfer and played for a bigger club. His commitment to the cause was inspirational, as it was for most of the players. Give this man some respect, he just needs some luck, and then things will come together again.
Well said. Give the man a break, he's been one of our best players over the last two seasons and just because he's had a few bad games you want to cash him in. He is a player with undoubted quality and if we are building for the future we must keep him. Jordan has already said there is money left to spend so generating cash in this way is not necessary. We have a whole squad of average players why buy more? lets just keep the ones with the real ability. Don't forget he's still very young and only came through the youth system a couple of seasons ago!
Eagle
16-08-2000, 03:02 AM
I personally wouldn't sell Mullins as he is a crucial part of the team and good player when he's on form but he has got to buck up his ideas.
All pre-season and Saturday for that he has been ineffective and just hasn't looked interested and Smith won't stand for that.
I think he will get better in the next couple of games when he's got used to having Rodger and Pollock alongside him and we will see more goals coming from him as he will be allowed to get forward more i feel.
But, he had better be careful as there are players battling for places in midfield and now no-one is certain of a starting place anymore.
Also Jordan seems to think both Mullins and Morrison will soon sign new long term contracts if they haven't already done so but hopefully with Coppell gone they don't decide not to renew, i think they will as they have both stated they want to stay at Palace
Crate
17-08-2000, 01:45 AM
Smith said the other day he thought there were 7 or so of the players who had a 40% increase in their fitness still to offer. I'm sure Mullins is one of these.
I think it's too soon to think of selling him just yet(if we need to get rid of someone who is never quite going to hack it at the level we want to pay in in a few years, my money would be on McKenzie). But if he hasn't got his act together by the end of November and at least shown real commitment, I'd consider it. Players all have to be allowed a spell when, for all their effort, it just isn't coming together. But the least we're entitled to expect of someone with Mullins' natural ability is that he should do all he can to use that ability to best effect.
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Can't see us scoring, can you, Al?
Samo*
17-08-2000, 09:20 PM
HAVE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SLATING MULLINS BEEN WATCHING THE SAME GAMES I HAVE COZ I THINK THEY SHOULD GO BACK TO LAST SEASON AND WATCH SOME OF HIS SUPERB EFFORTS,PLAYS A GOOD GAME DOES OUR HAYDEN
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