Had no intention of letting McAtee come to Barnsley according to this https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/s...stance-clear-after-barnsley-john-mcatee-saga/
I have it on very good authority that he was at Oakwell most of the day sat on his phone waiting for an agreement to be reached. Not claiming to be ITK but the guy that told me has been 100% spot on with his information in the passed so not going to doubt him now
Great bit of messing us around without any intention to let him go is what I reckon happened and with it being our last hope they probably tried to pull our pants down on the deal that we didn’t want to pay, but that’s what happens when you leave it till the end of the window when all the best transfers happen apparently.
Yeah I certainly got the impression that was the case. Reading between the lines perhaps Bolton were hoping we were going to throw a lot of money at it, which was only likely if we had sold one of ours.
I suspect they wanted a sale and so it fell through. He doesn't explicitly say they wouldn't have sold him. Obviously, Schumacher has to build bridges, otherwise they have a player depreciating and kicking their heels til January.
I think there was the interest and this phrase is key “what are Barnsley going to offer us that we’re really going to benefit from? If the answer is nothing, then he stays”. That suggests to me there was interest but because we wouldn’t commit to buying they walked away (as said on here).
I don't believe it to be honest. If they messed us around, it's to their detriment as now they've got an unhappy player on their books.
It sounds to me that he is fed up with his place in the queue at Bolton and wants regular first team football. I wouldn't be surprised if we look the better option for him. I would have had him back, especially if it is he, the player, who wants to come. Maybe he was forcing an issue over his lack of selection at Bolton. Either way, Schumacher can't have it both ways and, unless he starts to choose Macca for match-day squads, he is going to continue to have a disaffected player on his hands. Disaffection can be infectious. I would have loved him back, but he is contracted to Bolton and isn't Izak. Maybe January, especially if we are flying y then.
Load of rubbish. I heard he was definitely at Oakwell on deadline day. If we’re doing well in January I hope we try again for him.
Question is. Who would you drop to play him if his reason for leaving Bolton is more first team football? When I answer that then I am not sure I want him.
He would have been an alternative to Didzy particularly when the midweek games start coming thick and fast.
Maybe one on Conors christmas list for the next window. If he's unhappy now they aren't gonna get the best out of him which I guess is good for us as on his day he's certainly a solid L1 player.
Looking at the way we play under Conor and the players we already have, I think McAtee would have seamlessly fitted in, and it would have been a huge own goal on Boltons part to let him come on loan.
