McNamee's Argyle future in doubt
PLYMOUTH Argyle manager Paul Sturrock has admitted defender David McNamee's footballing future could lie away from Home Park.
McNamee, who joined the Pilgrims in the summer of 2008 after being released by Coventry City, has endured a stop-start Home Park career.
His first season with the club was blighted by injuries, restricting the Scotsman to just 10 appearances.
This term, McNamee started six of Argyle's first eight league and cup matches.
But he has not featured since the 1-0 Championship home defeat to Watford on September 15.
Sturrock
(pictured above)
confirmed that McNamee, currently out with an ankle injury, could have played his last game for the club.
Fellow Scotsman Steve MacLean, Argyle's record signing, has already been told he has no future at Home Park.
"David (McNamee) is still recovering from the wee niggle he got in the reserve game the other week," said Sturrock.
"MacLean is available for transfer. We have had no interest so far, but I am putting out another circular for him.
"McNamee's name has not yet been circulated, but it is under discussion.
"David and I will have to talk about that another day."
While both McNamee and MacLean could be on their way out of Home Park, another Scotsman who could be set for a key role at Argyle is striker Alan Gow.
Gow has made 10 appearances this season, including seven starts, the latest of which came in last Saturday's 2-1 home win against Doncaster Rovers.
The summer signing from Scottish champions Rangers has scored two goals this term.
But it is his ability to create chances for others – he set up Argyle's opener against Doncaster – which Sturrock believes could be key for the club.
"Alan is very much an acquired taste," said Sturrock.
"He is, at this minute in time, finding his feet with the rest of the players.
"The only way that Alan Gow is going to be a real top player for us is if we get him the ball.
"That is something we have been working very hard on in training and I have been emphasising as much as I can about it.
"His benefit to us is when he has the football.
"If you ask Alan Gow, then he will be the player that Paul Gallagher was (last season) – he is a confident lad.
"I think he will be a great benefit to this football club but it is a two-way road.
"One, we are going to have to sway for him, but he has to sway for us.
"He has to become more of a team player although he could be an individual and win us football games."
Sturrock added: "He has already influenced some games with a certain pass or a certain cross for goals.
"Goalscoring, if you look at his record, he has not been prolific.
"But he is very much a maker of goals.
"I think Alan will be a 10, 12, 15 goal man a season. He could be that type.
"But I think he could be a maker of an awful lot of goals for us, especially with (Jamie) Mackie as the type of striker ahead of him.
"He knows the kind of pass that sends Mackie through."
14 Comments
View all
by marge, work
Saturday, November 14 2009, 1:18PM
“GOOD! He's not very good, he's always injured or banned. More wages saved in january.”
by Imcluelesss, Dundee
Friday, November 13 2009, 8:54PM
“Another wee nuggett, lets face Im clueless, BWP, Mpenza, Mcnamee, injuries dont matter because I have Maxie, oh hang on, he hates me !!! I
Better sign a Simon Walton !!!
Sturrock your a pillock get loss”
by paul, plymouth
Friday, November 13 2009, 8:05PM
“Definately a ' wee nugget ' who shows class going forward. If he was'nt injury prone he would be too good for Argyle and could well play at a higher level . I for one would be sad to see him go as players of his footballing quality do not come cheap.”
by Paul, Plymstock
Friday, November 13 2009, 5:33PM
“john'sturrockcandonowrong'inblack, you should here yourself, Coventry tested McNamee's fitness again and again and always he failed to show any consistancy.....the alarm bells could not have rang more loudly but no....Sturrock must be tone deaf!
Another in a long disaterous line of poor signings!”
by JohnInBlack, Peverell
Friday, November 13 2009, 1:21PM
“Sturrock rolled the dice with this signing but unfortunately for both club and player it has not worked. There is always a risk when signing a player and the risk increases when you have to gamble on free transfers due to lack of resources.”
by Barry, Plymouth
Friday, November 13 2009, 11:44AM
“We need to be very careful in future about bringing in players who have the tag 'Scottish international' attached to them. A generation or two ago this would have guaranteed a fairly decent player, but not these days. Outside of Celtic and Rangers the standard of even the bigger teams up there is round about League Two level at best. Luggy was right when he said any team from the Championship would be guaranteed a third place finish at least in the SPL. A sad state of affairs but beware any more 'wee nuggets' from north of the border, Argyle.”
by argyleultra, derby
Friday, November 13 2009, 11:39AM
“he could be the first of many to leave in january, does look a half decent player but is too injury prone, shame.”
by Eddie T., Heathrow
Friday, November 13 2009, 11:12AM
“It is a shame, but McNamee is just part of the forest of dead wood brought in by Luggy, over the past 2 years. We may have lots of players on the books, but not a balanced squad with all round cover.
Once PM has had time to evaluate the current squad and recommended those we keep, then any new acquisitions can be made. They (PM & PS) must not gamble or let sentiment rule their heads on new signings. We need quality that are definitely better than what we already have; fitness and ability must be paramount, the prem beckons.”
by Paul, Wilts
Friday, November 13 2009, 10:36AM
“Do you what bugs me most about this. Sturrock knew the man was injury prone from his time at Wednesday. So why bloody sign him in the first place. I've only ever seen him play once at a pre-season against Swindon this season and he looked very good going forward but if you cant stay fit for more than 3 games at a time; all the ability in the world means nothing if your in the physio room for 3/4 of each season.”
by Greenbank Green, Brizzol
Friday, November 13 2009, 10:18AM
“Another one of Sturrocks "Wee Gems" bites the dust.
Good riddance”