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The Mail Bag

The Juke's Fitness level

Came across this earlier, which came as a bit of a shock to me considering how we are constantly told by the players and club about teamwork and fitness levels. If the Juke is that unfit, then are we doing something wrong that clubs in the SPL find our players in this bad a condition?

Motherwell boss Jim Gannon admits he's shocked by how underdone on-loan Everton striker Lukas Jutkiewicz was upon arrival.

Jutkiewicz hit the winner against Falkirk yesterday and the Well boss said: "I've been surprised by his poor level of fitness and his match practice because he hasn't been injured in pre-season, he has just been under-used and under-trained.

"He has been unfortunate that we've been using him wide, which isn't his strength.

"So before we can make a judgement on him I felt we had to play him down the middle in his natural position where he can use his strength and mobility a little bit more.

"I think he did really well, that was probably his best performance so far.

"He will be delighted with the goal because that's where centre-forwards get more confidence."
Gerry Quinn, Houston, TX, USA Posted 04/10/2009 at 11:19:45

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Matt Bone
1 Posted 04/10/2009 at 17:56:41

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Think the clue is in the quote: Well boss said: "I’ve been surprised by his poor level of fitness and his match practice because he hasn’t been injured in pre-season, HE HAS JUST BEEN UNDER-USED and under-trained."

He was nowhere near the first team squad and so wouldn't have been in the same condition as the 1st team squad (which he is now playing in — albeit in an inferior league).

He is not good enough, will never eb a premier leaqgue player and Moyes isnt keen on him so to be honest who gives a fuck if we lent them a dud?

Dick Anderson
2 Posted 04/10/2009 at 18:01:57

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To be honest I hardly think the fitness of Lukas Jutkiewicz says anything about the fitness of the squad.

More likely Lukas Jutkiewicz is out of shape because he’s spent too much time not being involved with the first team squad.

Also Lukas Jutkiewicz strikes me as a player who is naturally lazy and that could be why Moyes doesn’t fancy him all that much.

Let's hope Motherwell make him into a better player. If he came back a half decent player, we could send Jo back to Man City.

Mark Stone
3 Posted 04/10/2009 at 18:09:36

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I know a lad who plays for Huddersfield (where Lukas was last season) and he said the same thing. He was brilliant for half an hour and then he was blowing out of his arse and had to be subbed. I posted about this a few weeks ago.

Brian Waring
4 Posted 04/10/2009 at 19:51:08

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Matt, so why did Moyes buy him?

Lynn Thorne
5 Posted 04/10/2009 at 20:11:28

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When he first signed, his previous manager said that he had problems with fitness and could never play 90 minutes. Strange for a young lad, but I remember him playing a pre-season friendly up at Preston and Moyes left him on the pitch. But he was shattered after 50 minutes! Don’t think it has anything to do with Everton — just him.

Gerry Quinn
6 Posted 04/10/2009 at 21:22:05

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The reason I find it hard to believe is that I heard someone explaining quite clearly that Moyes is nit-picky and a hard-liner with respect to knowing, and doing his homework on, his potential signings with regards to training, keenness and fitness. However Juke’s fitness assessment now seems to go against that statement — so why did he buy him?

I am sure that the fitness levels are monitored in the reserves — admittedly it is not the 1st team, but it should still be a high level.

Matt Bone
7 Posted 04/10/2009 at 21:38:10

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Brian Waring:
Matt, so why did Moyes buy him?

Moyes bought him because he saw potential in what was just a young lad. He never lived up to that potential and Moyes doesn't think he’ll make the grade.

As for Moyes and his homework: Krøldrup? Fellaini (still working out what his best position is)?? Scott Spencer???

Don't get me wrong, I am a massive Moyes fan... but let's not pretend Lukas Jutkiewicz was his only transfer mistake. Also, I would prefer him to make mistakes when paying nominal fees for youngsters rather than millions for so-called stars.

Michael Kenrick
Editorial Team
8 Posted 04/10/2009 at 21:39:06

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Fitness should be something you can work on and build up in any player, if you get him to work hard enough at it, I would have thought... If Moyes recognized it as a weakness in him at buy-time, I can imagine him saying that the lad has enough other things going for him that fitness would be something he could ’work on’.

With the Juke, though, I’m ever reminded of that comment Moyes let slip last season sometime regarding players who were simply never going to make it. He was talking about the Juke... and perhaps the realization had set in. But the lad’s on a contract with us through June of 2011... so needs must.

The incredible thing to my mind is that he was given a four-year deal at the age of 17, having made just eight starts for a League Two team. He must have looked really, really good for Moyes to have gambled nearly half a million on him at that age.

Rob Fox
9 Posted 04/10/2009 at 23:57:50

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I was told a few years ago that the Academy actually has a transfer budget of their own and that in fact both Spencer and Jutkiewwicz were Academy signings chosen by the Academy staff.

This seemed strange but would expain some of the points made here. I am sceptical but the person who told me this had close links with the club and was adamant that it was the case.

Andrew Ellams
10 Posted 05/10/2009 at 08:44:26

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Maybe he is a lazy sod with a crap attitide to training and this is why he is being sent out on loan to the depths of the SPL and being overtaken in the pecking order by the likes of Agard and Baxter.

Duncan McDine
11 Posted 05/10/2009 at 15:20:13

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It was a very strange one when we signed him... my uncle has sponsored Swindon Town at some level for the past 10 years, and goes to all the home matches (and even used to do some scouting for the YTS age group). He could never understand why Everton snapped him up in the first place — he never stood out as being anything special when he broke into the Swindon team (albeit on the bench mostly).

Whenever I’ve seen him play (ok, mainly in pre-season matches), he’s been well off the pace, and barring a couple of good finishes, has shown very little quality.

Gerry Quinn
12 Posted 06/10/2009 at 02:18:30

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Maybe we should have signed Alan Wiley - he seems to be fitter!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1218332/EXCLUSIVE-ProZone-analysis-proves-Manchester-United-Sir-Alex-Ferguson-got-wrong-ref-Alan-Wiley.html?ITO=1490

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