Whittaker: The Agony and The Agony

[andy steel 0]

I love Stevie Whittaker.

 

I love any baldy who can overcome their natural disablity and make a go of life, and not only that but actually play pro football and not only THAT, actually do it for The Rangers.

 

I love the way that despite being (at a guess - I can't be bothered looking up wiki) about 15 years younger than me, my natural, manly, hairyness means I actually look younger. Wider, I grant you, but younger.

 

I love the way he can bang in goals with an elan not seen in a Rangers full back for a long time. I was going to say since Gary Stevens but I don't recall him scoring that often, in truth. Great player though he was.

 

I love Stevie Whittaker.

 

So it is with a heavy heart that I have watched the object of my desire this year, lurching around the pitch, a pale shadow of the player I know he is. In an ironic twist of fate, the light from the floodlights, glancing off his reflective dome, have mirrored his passing and decision making: all over the place.

 

The return of Kirk Broadfoot has certainly aided the team, but what about Stevie?

 

It was agony to read posters advocating playing Andrew Little in ahead of the one they call 'Lombardo of the North.' Understandable given his form, but put yourself in Walter Smith's shoes: you have a player chronically out of form, what's the best way to deal with it? Keep him in there, encourage, cajole, hope it turns around while waiting for a first team alternative (Broadfoot) with whom to replace him? Or to drop him for an untried reservist, sending a signal to a man you paid several millions for not long ago that you rate him lower than Paul Robeson's voice?

 

Well done, Uncle Walter, for getting the close cropped full back out the team ASAP but without fatally crippling his confidence.

 

There's a key to Whittaker, I think. Like some footballing vampire, he seems to feast on goals, taking enough positive energy from each one to see him through another 2 or 3 games. No goals, though, and the confidence seems to seep away, the touch become less certain, the skin become paler. I don't know if he avoids the daylight or refuses any meals with garlic included, but this reliance of goalscoring to believe in yourself can come to no good end.

 

Especially as there's no need for it! All Stevie Whittaker has to do is look up his goals on youtube to be reminded of what he can do, especially of course a famous night in Lisbon, and one this millenium too, I might add. He may never be the greatest defender in the world but at Rangers he doesn't have to be: adequate will do, as long as you can deliver the goods at the other end of the pitch. It doesn't have to be goals every week: no-one expects him to match Boydy, except perhaps in the premature male pattern baldness stakes. Effective and solid 3 out of 4 games, with a belter of a goal in the 4th. A long and prosperous career awaits you!

 

In this festive season of goodwill to all men, I send a message of hope to the man untroubled by dandruff: in the words of Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush, Don't Give Up!

[gisabeer 409]

I persaonally hope the duffer never wears a Rangers jersey again. Never have been and never will be a fan . No player will ever ship as many goals in so few games as he did. Hes right up there with Karl svensenin my book.

 

note to walter: GET RID!

[pete 2,499]

The duty of a left back is foremost to defend. Unfortunately that is Whittakers weak point. Broadfoot is proving himself a better all round player at the moment, so he should be first choice.

 

I will say Andy your writing is a great addition to the Gersnet. I take my hat off to you.

[elderslieblue 0]

Whittaker was left to cover the whole of the right wing on his own too many times. I've a lot of time for the boy but no doubt, he was begining to take a beating out there on his own. It can be no coincidence that the matches he took the worst slatings for also saw our entire midfield fail to turn up at all.

 

Hopefully, a few matches out will give him a chance to get his confidence back.

 

btw.............he ain't a full back.

[Totti 0]

He got too long a run in the team with this form. If a player plays poorly for a string of games you get him out and try something else. His mistakes have cost us points and points cost leagues. I don't understand how some players put in 1 bad performance and are never seen again yet Wattie's favourites can put in half a season worth of terrible performances before they're binned.

 

On his day he's a creative looking player going forward but the main thing you want from a fullback is the ability to defend and then to also overlap and put in crosses. Is he good at either of those things? I think if he's to have any future its as a wide midfielder. In big games where we need 3 midfielders we could maybe have Whittaker wide right, tucking in when need be. He can at least control a ball, look up and try to play a bit (when on form) which often few of our players can do.

 

I wouldn't have him anywhere near right back again though because defensively he's a bombshell.

Edited December 24, 2009 by Totti

[alexscottislegend 2,325]

He got too long a run in the team with this form. If a player plays poorly for a string of games you get him out and try something else. His mistakes have cost us points and points cost leagues. I don't understand how some players put in 1 bad performance and are never seen again yet Wattie's favourites can put in half a season worth of terrible performances before they're binned.

 

On his day he's a creative looking player going forward but the main thing you want from a fullback is the ability to defend and then to also overlap and put in crosses. Is he good at either of those things? I think if he's to have any future its as a wide midfielder. In big games where we need 3 midfielders wide right, tucking iwe could maybe have Whittaker n when need be. He can at least control a ball, look up and try to play a bit (when on form) which often few of our players can do.

 

I wouldn't have him anywhere near right back again though because defensively he's a bombshell.

 

If I remember rightly, he was signed when we still had Hutton. Was not the plan that he would play wide right with Hutton at RB rather than a like-for-like replacement?

 

Like Andy, I would hate to see his career take a nosedive after all the great goals he's given us (and not just the Lisbon one either).

[stewarty 2,025]

He got too long a run in the team with this form. If a player plays poorly for a string of games you get him out and try something else. His mistakes have cost us points and points cost leagues. I don't understand how some players put in 1 bad performance and are never seen again yet Wattie's favourites can put in half a season worth of terrible performances before they're binned.

 

On his day he's a creative looking player going forward but the main thing you want from a fullback is the ability to defend and then to also overlap and put in crosses. Is he good at either of those things? I think if he's to have any future its as a wide midfielder. In big games where we need 3 midfielders we could maybe have Whittaker wide right, tucking in when need be. He can at least control a ball, look up and try to play a bit (when on form) which often few of our players can do.

 

I wouldn't have him anywhere near right back again though because defensively he's a bombshell.

 

 

Is this the kind of thing you mean? Not sure he's quite page 3 material!:fish:

[Totti 0]

I think I was looking for 'bombscare' .

[Danny 0]

I was the biggest advocate of him being given his chance. 'far better than the worst player for years, Broadfoot'.

 

I stood by that. I was horrified last season to see Broadfoot in ahead of him.

 

But this season Whittaker has probably been our worst player - he looks like he is scared to do pretty much anything now, and has absolutely no confidence. I'm not sure about him feeding off goals, but I do know he's a shadow of the player who featured for us in the run to Manchester.

 

The only theory I have is his confidence dipped because he knew no matter how he played, Broadfoot would be given his place when fit. And knowing you're fairly disposable isn't really the best material for a player to 'feed' off.

[redford 0]

There's no denying he has ability but, when he does play again he should be tried at right-mid.