gazza1988 wrote:broomo wrote:bigalstag1 wrote:So if we'we'd signed Naylor, we would now be in the top 3?
The other players mentioned are just somebody's flights of fantasy with no proof that we were ever in the market.
Mind you if we had have signed him, Clough would have probably played him at centre forward, right wing and goalkeeper by now.
Wouldn't say you've got it wrong as such, just he played central defence more often than you think, he even played there for Pompey on occasions and was also brilliant.
Naylor would have been top drawer at this level and despite Gazza saying he'd once played centre half as a youth. He played his best football and got his move to Portsmouth off the back of playing as the ball playing central defender at Burton as well as playing midfield (and right back at Derby in the championship)
Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink confirmed he pulled the plug on Brayford and Akins and Sam Hughes changing his mind was discussed on the video posting on here on deadline day.
The only possible "flight of fantasy is Broadhead, but I was told we had an attacking wide player who could play up front lined up in case the Akins deal fell through, but he got injured in training. Broadhead had been on loan at Burton under NC, he's now at Sunderland on loan.
Oddily enough once a player leaves I don't take a huge interest in his career.
Here's a quote from the article on Naylor signing for Wigan "Despite the Brewers suffering relegation from the Championship in the 2017-18 campaign, Naylor was one of the standout performers for Nigel Clough’s side as he netted three times in 33 league games, operating predominately in the engine room" isn't the engine room the midfield? Or have they got their facts wrong? Genuine question, like I said I've not followed his career.
All I know is he played CB for us and he looked set to come back having played mainly as a midfielder.
I wouldn't say you've it wrong as such, just that he played in central defence more often than you realise and was absolutely brilliant there. He also filled in as a central defender at Portsmouth when needed.
One of the advantages (or disadvantages, depending on your point of view) of following the manager rather than a club, and being totally obsessed by football means I can and do follow players careers closely when they leave.
Tom quickly became one of my favourite players, despite NC not always trusting him at the start, and the injury time winner he got against Gillingham which pretty much secured promotion for Burton put him into hero status.
I followed him, Jake Buxton, John Brayford, Jamie Murphy and Marcus Harness long after they left Burton or Sheff Utd and watched most of their games on the Sunday after watching whoever Nige managed.
Naylor is and would have been a brilliant centre half, I strongly believe he'll finish his career playing there.