Chris Cadden

[bazzer9461]

I think that is massively unfair. He's here on a 6 month contract and is giving everything for the team at the moment. He could go through the motions, or sit in the under 23's if he just wanted to stay fit.

And if he goes in January, as expected, it won't be because he wants a bigger and better club, it'll be because he wants to experience of living and playing in another country.

As long as he is performing then he deserves our full support, no matter how this may sit with you!

It tbf Scotchers the American League isn’t any better than our EFL as @Mad dog87 says he is here to keep fit, I would have gone for a season long with no recall because if he goes we do lose a player of his ilk, I would be happy for Sam Long to step in and have no qualms about it but there is a pairing in Cadden and Henry that is working really well.

 

[Scotchegg]

It tbf Scotchers the American League isn’t any better than our EFL as @Mad dog87 says he is here to keep fit, I would have gone for a season long with no recall because if he goes we do lose a Cali ref if his ilk, I would be happy for Sam Long to step in and have no qualms about it but there is a pairing in Cadden and Henry that is working really well.

If we were given the option of 6 months or nothing, then I'm glad we took the 6 months. Whilst not impossible, it looks more and more likely that a season long loan, or a permanent deal were never on the cards. So do we take a chance and see where we are come January, or let another team come in for him?

And the standard of the American league is irrelevant. Cadden wanted to go their for the opportunity to leave and play in a different country and I certainly wouldn't begrudge him that opportunity. Worse case scenario is that we have Sam Long as right back for the second half of the season, but if he contributes the way he did at the end of last season then I think we'll all be happy!

 

[MarkG]

I still think the American league is an odd choice at this stage in his career although if his agent managed to get him the 200K saved in compensation added on to his wages it makes sense.

 

[Marked Ox]

It gives us the 1st half of the season to scout potential replacements, either permanently or loan. And young players who aren't making the grade at top clubs may become available in January*.

*As long as they are better than the likes of Ashley Smith-Brown (or whatever he was called)!

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

It gives us the 1st half of the season to scout potential replacements, either permanently or loan. And young players who aren't making the grade at top clubs may become available in January*.

*As long as they are better than the likes of Ashley Smith-Brown (or whatever he was called)!

Wasn’t he a left-back - I think Todd Kane was the right back, and I’d definitely take him again any day!

 

[Marked Ox]

Wasn’t he a left-back - I think Todd Kane was the right back, and I’d definitely take him again any day!

He was but I was more thinking in terms of the quality level!

 

[RyanioBirdio]

I still think the American league is an odd choice at this stage in his career although if his agent managed to get him the 200K saved in compensation added on to his wages it makes sense.

I think you underestimate just how much a lot of people really, really want to live in America. And to be fair to him as a yearly visitor myself, Columbus is an excellent city. He probably sees it as an opportunity to live in possibly the most desirable country in the world, and if he likes it he may never return. Worst case scenario it isn’t for him, he earns a good wage and he comes back to a club exactly like the one he’s at now before he’s even 25.

 

[Mad Dog]

I think that is massively unfair. He's here on a 6 month contract and is giving everything for the team at the moment. He could go through the motions, or sit in the under 23's if he just wanted to stay fit.

And if he goes in January, as expected, it won't be because he wants a bigger and better club, it'll be because he wants to experience of living and playing in another country.

As long as he is performing then he deserves our full support, no matter how this may sit with you!

I’ve said right from the off that this deal didn’t sit well with me, as we were due to buy him, then lost out to CC, but then had him loaned to us until their own season starts in March, so yes he is clearly here to keep fit, not to do us any favours, the fact he’s taken the opportunity with both hands and clearly committed himself to our cause speaks volumes of the guy, and for that I applaud him.

However, I’ve supported him like he was one of our own since he’s been here, and will continue to do so, and will enjoy watching him play, until he leaves, but that doesn’t mean to say I like the way the whole thing has planned out, as yet again, we’ll be the ones scrabbling around in January trying to replace a key player, which could really derail our season.

 

[Scotchegg]

I’ve said right from the off that this deal didn’t sit well with me, as we were due to buy him, then lost out to CC, but then had him loaned to us until their own season starts in March, so yes he is clearly here to keep fit, not to do us any favours, the fact he’s taken the opportunity with both hands and clearly committed himself to our cause speaks volumes of the guy, and for that I applaud him.

However, I’ve supported him like he was one of our own since he’s been here, and will continue to do so, and will enjoy watching him play, until he leaves, but that doesn’t mean to say I like the way the whole thing has planned out, as yet again, we’ll be the ones scrabbling around in January trying to replace a key player, which could really derail our season.

Or we play Sam Long who performed very well last season! Derail our season is a bit much!!

 

[ZeroTheHero]

That's a bit disingenuous of you SE. Cadden is a very different player to Long even though they are nominally both right backs in our set up. It's one of the reasons why I'd favour an experiment where we played Long at right back and Cadden in front of him. Then (when Cadden leaves in January) we have a settled back four and will find it easier to get hold of a right sided attacking midfield player rather than a Cadden type defender/midfielder/attacker(!!). I also think it would work really well, making us more solid and perhaps giving Cadden even more license to get forward (which is where he is best IMO).

Whether our season will be derailed when Cadden leaves is another discussion, and depends on how much we rely on him up until then, how well we prepare for him leaving and whether we can get some sort of replacement early in the window.

 

[Oufcrealist]

Or we play Sam Long who performed very well last season! Derail our season is a bit much!!

Very different types of full back.

 

[AbbeyOx]

exactly. you would hope KR and team have a replacement lined up or one in mind if Long isn’t used

 

[Teddydee1980]

I’ve said right from the off that this deal didn’t sit well with me, as we were due to buy him, then lost out to CC, but then had him loaned to us until their own season starts in March, so yes he is clearly here to keep fit, not to do us any favours, the fact he’s taken the opportunity with both hands and clearly committed himself to our cause speaks volumes of the guy, and for that I applaud him.

However, I’ve supported him like he was one of our own since he’s been here, and will continue to do so, and will enjoy watching him play, until he leaves, but that doesn’t mean to say I like the way the whole thing has planned out, as yet again, we’ll be the ones scrabbling around in January trying to replace a key player, which could really derail our season.

Have to agree. To focus our energies so heavily on him during the Transfer window, and then, to clearly build a big chunk of our attacking play around him.....for 6 months of football. Seems foolish to me.

The better he gets, the better he plays, the more that impact is felt come January. The short-termism is a concern and, I'd hazard a guess, this wasn't our ideal deal...it's what we got lumped with (a symptom of Transfer policy under KR, but that's for another post)

I hope that we've done the sensible thing, and have a able replacement or two ready to approach in January. We shall see.

 

[bazzer9461]

If we were given the option of 6 months or nothing, then I'm glad we took the 6 months. Whilst not impossible, it looks more and more likely that a season long loan, or a permanent deal were never on the cards. So do we take a chance and see where we are come January, or let another team come in for him?

And the standard of the American league is irrelevant. Cadden wanted to go their for the opportunity to leave and play in a different country and I certainly wouldn't begrudge him that opportunity. Worse case scenario is that we have Sam Long as right back for the second half of the season, but if he contributes the way he did at the end of last season then I think we'll all be happy!

I’m not knocking what your saying scotchers but as you say you would be happy with Sam Long if he was like he was at the a**e end of last season, but then in which case why didn’t we start with him with all this hassle in getting Cadden oh and it’s a season long loan mate whether there is a recall I don’t know.

 

[werthersoriginal]

I think you underestimate just how much a lot of people really, really want to live in America. And to be fair to him as a yearly visitor myself, Columbus is an excellent city. He probably sees it as an opportunity to live in possibly the most desirable country in the world, and if he likes it he may never return. Worst case scenario it isn’t for him, he earns a good wage and he comes back to a club exactly like the one he’s at now before he’s even 25.

Not sure why you think America is so desirable, the Americans I know want to get out! Also their league is a bit of a backwater so I’m not sure it would be great for his career.

 

[Mad Dog]

Or we play Sam Long who performed very well last season! Derail our season is a bit much!!

I like Sam long, and I’m sure he will do a good job when called upon, but we’ll need someone of Caddens ilk, which I’m afraid Long is not.
Cadden is playing out of his skin, and has a great understanding with Henry, and is one of our main attacking outlets, and it will leave a huge gaping hole in our side when he goes.
Long will do his bit, but will it yield the same results as Cadden playing there, i doubt it, and I think we’ll need to find a more suitable long term replacement.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

Our squad is made up of the following:

Players who are here because we offered them more money than anyone else.
Players who are at the end of their career, it's close to their home and we gave them the best deal of the few potential clubs they had.
Players who are here on loan to kick start their career in order to get a bigger move further down the line.
Players who know Robinson, know he is excellent at developing players who then get big moves to bigger teams.
Players who have come through the youth system and are finding their way in the game.
Players to get game time/keep fitness up ready for their next move in the new year.
Players who have been here years and have got a good deal that suits them which hasn't been bettered by any other club.
Players who play for Oxford United because they support the club and it's a dream come true.

I think I could name possibly just 2 that fall in the last one.

Footballers join a club to suit their personal needs and because they got the best deal that was on offer to them.

 

[Whingit]

People really amaze me. How dare those pesky Americans use us like this without us getting anything out of it. ?

 

[Marked Ox]

I’ve said right from the off that this deal didn’t sit well with me, as we were due to buy him, then lost out to CC, but then had him loaned to us until their own season starts in March, so yes he is clearly here to keep fit, not to do us any favours, the fact he’s taken the opportunity with both hands and clearly committed himself to our cause speaks volumes of the guy, and for that I applaud him.

However, I’ve supported him like he was one of our own since he’s been here, and will continue to do so, and will enjoy watching him play, until he leaves, but that doesn’t mean to say I like the way the whole thing has planned out, as yet again, we’ll be the ones scrabbling around in January trying to replace a key player, which could really derail our season.

Tbf when we lost Gorgeous George, we got Jonjoe Kenny in as his replacement, it didn't derail our season.

 

[Mad Dog]

Just for the record, I'm not criticising Cadden, and I don't blame him for wanting to move to America and play in the MLS, and when he goes, I hope it works out for him.
Since he's been here, he's been 100% committed and professional, and I've been really impressed with him.

The issue I've had, (and stated before he even signed) is the fact that it clearly looks like he's gonna be leaving in January, and that may have always been the plan, which has always meant that if he becomes a key player between now and then (which he has) then we are gonna have a big hole to fill when he leaves, which will be difficult, and could cost us one of our best, if not THE best attacking outlets if we don't replace him.

But I'm enjoying having him here, and I'm gutted we'll be losing him, I just hope we can find an adequate replacement, as like I've said, as much as I like Long, and think he's a very dependable player, capable of doing a job when called upon, he isn't going to offer us what Cadden does.

However, if it turns out that he does stay for the whole season, then I'll be chuffed to bits, and I'll consider it an excellent bit of business.