Not making the starting 11 for a team 17th in league 1.

What went wrong for the lad? 

Confidence shot?

He might have he injured as he didn't make the bench last two games and went off in the one before that after half an hour

Scored against bury in the checkatrade cup though

Saw wilbraham scored for them today too

Whilst a cheaper Rob Holding started for Arsenal today

A friend of mine (Dale ST holder for last 60--odd yrs) reckons Clough is poor, too lightweight and has a chip on his shoulder thinking he's better than where he's at.

Feel gutted for the lad, but it’s looking like good business for Ken, when he sold when he did.

I also see Holding started for Arsenal yesterday.  Good luck to the lad.

edit-sorry didn’t see Zicos post

Edited September 30, 20187 yr by Matt

For all the kicking off at the time, people never going again etc.  It seems Ken has played yet another absolute blinder.

10 hours ago, Traf said:

A friend of mine (Dale ST holder for last 60--odd yrs) reckons Clough is poor, too lightweight and has a chip on his shoulder thinking he's better than where he's at.

Got told the same last weekend. 

Weren't some zoons on here suggesting he was a £10m player at one point?

the millionaire zach clough

2 hours ago, barryk32 said:

For all the kicking off at the time, people never going again etc.  It seems Ken has played yet another absolute blinder.

Excellent business and he earned us 3 points coming back on loan

Funny seeing this topic. Was with the family in Housing Units just now and looked up to see ZC and his misses looking at wall clocks. That’s enough excitement for one day!

Never met the lad but never struck me as the unruly type.

Massive shame for all involved.

he is a nice lad , very level headed, just needs some one to give him a chance in his best position

As lightweight and frustrating as Clough could be, he has rare quality. Those finishes against Wigan, Wolves etc and the majestic free kicks weren't flukey 1 offs, they were evidence of a class finisher. Similar to Oztumer, if it was a none contact sport and the ball didn't go above head height they would walk into our team. Unfortunately it's also about pace, strength, height and tackling.

Doesn't really matter how downhill he's gone since, he was quality for us playing through the middle, anyone who thinks otherwise is on crack

Then he was stuck on the wing and told to hug the touchline

Then sold 

And for some reason never recovered

Clearly a confidence player who was a bit injury prone

13 hours ago, ZicoKelly said:

Doesn't really matter how downhill he's gone since, he was quality for us playing through the middle, anyone who thinks otherwise is on crack

Then he was stuck on the wing and told to hug the touchline

Then sold 

And for some reason never recovered

Clearly a confidence player who was a bit injury prone

This.

Near end of last season, him and a turkish looking bloke stormed out of the training ground, Clough especially though, he was fuming.

Feel sorry for Zach he was clearly BWFC through and through and sadly he was a sacrficial lamb slaughtered to save the club.  To be marketed and sold when you did not want to leave at such a tender age is mentally demoralising. I just hope he can rediscover his love of the game and show his true quality. Good luck ZC. 

22 hours ago, Sweep said:

Weren't some zoons on here suggesting he was a £10m player at one point?

Maybe allowed to develop where he was happy with 3-4 years experience he’d of been that 10 million player. See Danny ward and Mooy both probably in that bracket now and would not have though that when they were at Bolton. 

1 hour ago, Mounts Kipper said:

Feel sorry for Zach he was clearly BWFC through and through and sadly he was a sacrficial lamb slaughtered to save the club.  To be marketed and sold when you did not want to leave at such a tender age is mentally demoralising. I just hope he can rediscover his love of the game and show his true quality. Good luck ZC. 

Sums up my thoughts well.

1 hour ago, Mounts Kipper said:

Maybe allowed to develop where he was happy with 3-4 years experience he’d of been that 10 million player. See Danny ward and Mooy both probably in that bracket now and would not have though that when they were at Bolton. 

I get that, but people were suggesting he was up at that value at the time we sold him.

Obviously her didn't want to go, but unfortunately he was just about the only thing that we had of any value, and his fee kept the club afloat - at the minute, it's looking like very good busienss for Bolton Wanderers, as no way was he going to be playing in his preferred position on a regular basis under PP.

Hopefully he can rediscover some form and go on to have a decent career  - he's 23 years old now, so it's certainly not too late for him, if he can't make an impression at Rochdale, then I fear for his future. The injuries he's picked up over the years certainly haven't helped his cause

'Making it' in football is a lot more than just having ability. There are many other things that you need no matter what position on the field you play - heart, strength, desire etc.

For whatever reason Zach is just not up to the physical side of the game and perhaps the injuries haven't helped.

Still time yet though but I suspect it may be a mental thing at the moment. 

He never was anywhere near as good as our fans made him out to be. He had promise, lots of ability. But had to find a way to make it count week in week out. His lack of physicality had to be compensated for, you have to be twice as good when you are that size and sadly he probably wasn't good enough.

I think he's a good league one player and that is his level. 

is he really any worse than oz?

or to put another way, is oz really any better?

 

Yes clough was poor when he came back, but he barely had a chance in a struggling team... 

He needed to be the focal point of the team when he played as Ozzie (have we settled on that yet?) plays off Magennis who knows Magennis is so much a better target man than Madine...