24-01-2019, 12:40 AM
(This post was last modified: 24-01-2019, 12:42 AM by PsychoStooge.)
Supporters of our club tend to put ex-players or players who are out on loan on a pedestal (I'm sure we're not the only fan base that does this), especially when we go through a rough patch like the one we've been in for the last 6-7 weeks. I like Joe, think he'll be a fine no nonsense CB and play at a decent level, mid-low end Premier League, through his prime (hopefully with us) but I don't see that he'd have made a huge difference to us through this current rough spell. I've seen people say he should never have gone on loan because he's the best CB at the club, in my opinion had everyone stayed fit he would have struggled to get in ahead of Figueiredo and Dawson. I understand Karanka didn't like him for whatever reason but if it was purely from a football POV I could understand sending Joe out and getting Hefele in, in hindsight it hasn't worked out but Hefele was/is in his prime and has promotion experience from the Championship, while Joe is still learning and benefits more from being on the pitch as much as possible.