Craig Mackail-Smith - Brown wants him on Trial according to Echo

Spaceman Spiff said:

Thought he looked good to be honest. Well worth Phil considering - if he looks good in training, does ok in a match or two and can pass a medical the I can't see why we wouldn't be interested. Wages and that medical are the two big problems really (that's assuming he would even choose us ulimately)

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Yes, I do think that may be the rub. It possibly says nothing but in that short clip, he does look at home with the Luton players and, of course, there is Daggers history with him and Still. With some players there can be things more important than the league they play in and even salary

I think he would have a much better chance of shedding a few pounds if he signs for Luton.
I can't see McNulty giving up first spot at the 'all you can eat' buffet !

Barry.C said:

Not for me thanks. Possibly another well past best , similar event to Barnard . Maybe costly + medical issues. Happy to be proved wrong, but I said Barnard and Coulthirst wouldn't do anything for us before a ball was kicked last year. Will eat some humble if wrong.

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Thats a nice easy statement to make about any player, and with our budgets many players dont work out so you would have a reasonable chance of being correct on any striker we sign.

As you say possibly well past his best, which is exactly why Brown says if he can get back to he player he was he would be a good signing.

Until we get a sugar daddy we have to take chances on any player we bring in.

DTS said:

Can see another Julian Bennett type situation.

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Barely similar. Mackail-Smith could well play the same amount of games this week that Bennett managed in the entire season before he joined us.

DTS said:

Can see another Julian Bennett type situation.

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I think it should be play as you play/ goal bonus..... Sorry how much in wages did Dougie Freedman cost us, how well did he really do... Harris, he got a few, then what? How much per goal?

Personally I like players that really try, remember Revell? No he did not score many, but he ran, and ran...he did a lot for his team.....

It's quite clear that Mackail-Smith will end up at a club, if not Luton or us then someone will go for him - that means there isn't a snowball's chance in hell that he's going to accept a low wage/goal bonus-type deal.

In fact, I'd guess that those deals hardly ever exist in football. Would you sign up for a work contract which sees your wage very heavily influenced by the ability of your colleagues, which you have no say over, and influenced by the fact that one bad tackle can see you without work?

He's worth a trial to see if he's still fit and healthy, and if so he's worth a decent wage because he's a good player.

No harm in a trial but I suspect his legs are gone...

Kev29 said:

I think it should be play as you play/ goal bonus..... Sorry how much in wages did Dougie Freedman cost us, how well did he really do... Harris, he got a few, then what? How much per goal?

Personally I like players that really try, remember Revell? No he did not score many, but he ran, and ran...he did a lot for his team.....

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Some cracking recipes too

I'd love to see him sign and it work out, always liked Mackail-Smith.

flangejackrabbit said:

No harm in a trial but I suspect his legs are gone...

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Blimey, he's 31 not 41!

CMS is someone who actually came into the pro game quite late. Players like that, i.e. Paul Benson usually have more in the tank and can play until they're a bit older.

londonblue said:

The last two seasons he was in League one he scored 23 and 27 goals. That's a pretty good return. However, just because he has done it before doesn't mean he'll be able to do it again.

It is promising though.

How would people feel about the grandfather of his child attending?

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I would think that granddad will be with us at the Hall on 5th Sep when Peterborough step up to the plate.

Ayrshire Blue said:

Blimey, he's 31 not 41!

CMS is someone who actually came into the pro game quite late. Players like that, i.e. Paul Benson usually have more in the tank and can play until they're a bit older.

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His game was very acceleration-dependent and the sorts of injuries he's been having are the kind that are likely to impact explosive speed in the long term IMO.

Ricey said:

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Ah! So his agent said to PB, "Don't call us, we'll call you!" :winking:

Kev29 said:

I think it should be play as you play/ goal bonus..... Sorry how much in wages did Dougie Freedman cost us, how well did he really do... Harris, he got a few, then what? How much per goal?

Personally I like players that really try, remember Revell? No he did not score many, but he ran, and ran...he did a lot for his team.....

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CMS does exactly that, he works his nuts off on the pitch. But crucially he also scores goals. Would be a terrific signing, although it doesn't sound promising if his agent is yet to get back to PB.

John Still was his Manager at Dagenham wasn't he? Think Luton are in the box seat for this one

Its nothing unusual
90% of footballers will always want to play at the highest level they can- we saw it with the likes of Egan and Sokolik, Mooney came to us to stay in L1 if we were in L2 and offered the same or more even he would have gone elsewhere. Those that are the 10% are usually it seems to me a. nearing the end and want the biggest cheque/contract length they can get b. nearing the end have made enough money and want to play regularly whilst they still can (if a applies as well a bonus) c. nearing the end and want to finish playing at their home town club (e.g Tubbs, Barrett- and again if a applies to a big bonus)

Ref CMS Luton is not that club so the question is does he fall into the 10%- if so c. doesn't apply and unless there are real fitness issues a and b can still be achieved in L1.

So my best guess is he will stay at Luton unless a L1 side come in and offer him a good contract in size and length (2 years)- and judging by reports on his fitness so far the most likely outcome is he will end up somewhere in L1.

His agent hasn't phoned us back. Well CMS has just played 90 mins last night apparently- his agent will call and say look Southend are interested can you play tonight or tomorrow verses WH? He will say I have just done 90 mins, I could do 45 mins on Sat but will I do myself justice? Is it worth my while - is there likely to be an offer I'm likely to like? I can't go around the country playing speculative trials- I'm at Luton to show i'm fit and my record speaks for itself.

So I will be stunned if he does anything until he meets PB sometime next week, get a feel for the mutual interest and then he may say ok I will come and train with you for a couple of days and maybe play a friendly

Kev29 said:

I think it should be play as you play/ goal bonus..... Sorry how much in wages did Dougie Freedman cost us, how well did he really do... Harris, he got a few, then what? How much per goal?

Personally I like players that really try, remember Revell? No he did not score many, but he ran, and ran...he did a lot for his team.....

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What about DREW he would run threw walls ,, never stopped running :smile:

Angell Delight said:

CMS does exactly that, he works his nuts off on the pitch. But crucially he also scores goals. Would be a terrific signing, although it doesn't sound promising if his agent is yet to get back to PB.

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really? When have you seen this workrate/pace... Not for some years and some bad injurys, he looks like a pay as you play person to me now.

Kev29 said:

really? When have you seen this workrate/pace... Not for some years and some bad injurys, he looks like a pay as you play person to me now.

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I never said pace, I said CMS works his nuts off as I've seen him play many, many times. CMS is a finisher, he was certainly never slow but he was also never lightning quick either. Play decent creative players around him and he's the sort of striker who will thrive if fully fit. Luton are very happy with him, he's been working hard (as he has done all his career) and has impressed in his time there recently. He also made 37 appearances in total during 2014/15 according to Soccerbase so asking a high-profile player like that to accept a pay-as-you-play deal would never happen - I'm quite sure CMS wouldn't even entertain the idea. Looks unlikely he'll come here but if he did end up at Roots Hall he'd be a fantastic signing for this football club.

EDIT: This should go some way to allaying your personal fears:

http://www.luton-dunstable.co.uk/Ma...n-0-trialist/story-26918242-detail/story.html