Guest Knightrider Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 With all the doom and gloom I thought I'd start a thread discussing players who actually did something for this club under Kevin Keegan first time around, starting off with Steve Watson who was a fave of mine back in the day. Maybe I'm looking at things with rose tinted specs but my recollection of him as a player was that he could have been a similar player to Steven Gerrard for us had he not been deployed in a number of different positions throughout his early career and suffered with niggly injuries. He certainly had the engine, frame and technique. He was a superb prospect and that goal against Liverpool in the League Cup was sublime. What we'd give for such a young talented player like him today. Could play anywhere and against Liverpool in the LC he was used as a striker IIRC. I actually spoke to someone who used to coach him a few weeks back when he was a kid and he was excellent in every position, including goal, apparently. Anyway my general opinion of Watson is that despite his talent, he never quite fulfilled it. Should have been an England regular and a Toon legend. Still, he was a good player for us and I was sad to see him leave when he did. Since those days there will be many fans who never experienced that era or saw players like Watson come through and play for us so I'm hoping we end up covering every player, good and bad, who played for us back then under KK first time around (as manager). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belfast Boy Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 How can you write all that on Watson and not mention the sommersault throw-in! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest float one in Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Aye good player. Would never have been as good as Gerard, but suppose he might have been able to develop into that kind of player if given the chance - Rob Lee was our equivalent to Gerrard while Watson was here though and I don't think Watson would ever have been as good as Lee even if they'd let him start every game in centre-mid. I thought full-back, which is where he played most, was his best position. He was confident on the ball and always had his head up looking for a pass before knocking it long. Preferred Venison as a full back mind, but as you say he might have benifitted from playing in a settled position. Canny lad from all accounts, used to see him occasionally in the Briar Dene in Whitley, even after he'd gone to Everton. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
relámpago blanco Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Aye good player. Would never have been as good as Gerard, but suppose he might have been able to develop into that kind of player if given the chance - Rob Lee was our equivalent to Gerrard while Watson was here though and I don't think Watson would ever have been as good as Lee even if they'd let him start every game in centre-mid. I thought full-back, which is where he played most, was his best position. He was confident on the ball and always had his head up looking for a pass before knocking it long. Preferred Venison as a full back mind, but as you say he might have benifitted from playing in a settled position. Canny lad from all accounts, used to see him occasionally in the Briar Dene in Whitley, even after he'd gone to Everton. I I used to see him inthere. Still sometimes see him going to that Chinese on Ilfracombe in Whitley now when he's back up. He's odd like because its the worst Chinese I've ever been to and the best one I've ever been to is about 5 mins up the road. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Watson could have been as good as Gerrard. Have a word man. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Imagine what pre-Phil Neville Gillespie could give to this team now btw. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChezGiven Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Watson could have been as good as Gerrard. Have a word man. He was an ok right back when he played for us, got a bit better at everton and thats about it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geordie Boot Boy Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I'm still recovering from the brevity of the OP. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TPIB Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Can't really look any further than Peter Beardsley or Bobby Lee. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Watson was an unfulfilled talent. He did have a bit of everything, but what he lacked is what IMO Milner lacks. The burning desire and ambition of a Gerrard to be the best. I don't think he lacked the tools, he was reasonably quick, a good athlete and pretty good on the ball. But what Gerrard does is exactly what Milner doesn't and Watson should have done more. Make or score crucial goals. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Think Watson would have made a good centre-half. Too versatile for his own good though. I think he lost interest when we peddled him too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 And I know he played there for us on occasion btw. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Think Watson would have made a good centre-half. Too versatile for his own good though. I think he lost interest when we peddled him too. There's a case he could have made a decent holding midfielder in the Carrick role as well. But like you said, it was probably a case of being a jack of all trades and becoming a master of none. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Think Watson would have made a good centre-half. Too versatile for his own good though. I think he lost interest when we peddled him too. There's a case he could have made a decent holding midfielder in the Carrick role as well. But like you said, it was probably a case of being a jack of all trades and becoming a master of none. Yes, I think he definitely could have played there too. He was played there occasionally - I remember seeing him playing there away to Villa in 95/96 in place of Clark (he actually was replaced by Clark at HT - Clark was coming bad from a knock that had kept him out). Doubt he ever played there (on centre-half) two games in a row. I think he was a bit hard done to re: the RB spot too under KK first time round. I think KK wanted a more attacking RB but I don't think Barton or Hottiger were any better than him. He didn't have Carrick's range of passing btw but he'd have done a good, if different, job in the midfield holding role. Better than Clark or Batty though? And there was no way KK would play two defensive midfielders Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest elbee909 Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Other KK players. How about Johnny Europe? I mean John Beresford. He scored those two goals in that one match against, I dunno, Kiev or Zagreb and I heard him being called Johnny Europe afterwards. And Warron Barton. He was the most expensive defender in the galaxy for a little while, wasn't he? Keegan seemed to have a thing for defenders with big hair. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Li3nZ Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Roase tinted specs are on. Watson was a good player, but like the rest of our boys who played in the back four was mistake prone defensively. Good player going forward. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest elbee909 Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Roase tinted specs are on. Watson was a good player, but like the rest of our boys who played in the back four was mistake prone defensively. Good player going forward. Defenders who played for other clubs never made mistakes, apparently. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beren Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I'm still recovering from the brevity of the OP. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Knightrider Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Watson could have been as good as Gerrard. Have a word man. Aye, that's exactly what I said... I actually said "similar for us" or words to that effect and by that I mean his role in midfield as the driving force and someone who could do a bit of everything which is a position I thought he would have been better suited to rather than in defence. He was a far better footballer than his time here suggested or the career he had out of his talent anyway, much better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shak Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Yeah but you don't believe he could have been as good as Gerrard, surely? Or, more to the point, a better midfielder than Rob Lee? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Knightrider Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Yeah but you don't believe he could have been as good as Gerrard, surely? Or, more to the point, a better midfielder than Rob Lee? Again, aye, because I actually said that... RE Rob Lee I believe he was a better footballer with more attributes to his game so he could have been a better all-rounder in midfield than Lee, aye, but of course they would have then been two completely different players and it's not always about what they can or can't do but what they do do and Lee did what he did better than most. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cronky Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Strong lad but lacked pace. That's what held him back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colos Short and Curlies Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Rob Lee > Gerrard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Knightrider Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Rob Lee > Gerrard. Nah. Rob Lee's game was suited to that era where there were less tactical battles in midfield and play was more open and more significantly that team, where as Gerrard is a genuine world-class midfielder at all levels who would get into most sides the world over. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Rob Lee > Gerrard. Nah. Rob Lee's game was suited to that era where there were less tactical battles in midfield and play was more open and more significantly that team, where as Gerrard is a genuine world-class midfielder at all levels who would get into most sides the world over. Apart from international level. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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