John Ruddy

[Motherwell Football Club]

Signing on fee is normaly part of the transfer fee.

 

He's already been injured while here and played through the pain barrier.

 

Of course it would be a gamble, everything in football is a gamble, although it is clear to see that the big man has potential. my biggest fear is that this is him hitting his peak. It has happened with many a player/keeper before.

[Fal_Dosser]

And, barring any sort of wonder save, John Ruddy will win that this season for his treble save at Tannadice without question!

 

I liked Buzz, thought he was an excellent keeper, but John's world class! The proof will be in the pudding though and whereas Graeme went to Brighton, struggled, and had to come back up the road to Hibs - Ruds, in my opinion, will go on to great things!

 

Also worth mentioning that he's a big level-headed guy who (along with his family), loves it here!

 

Agree there Flow - I thought Buzz was a very good keeper, but one who had still a bit to do which would have made him top drawer - Ruddy however, has shown already that he's a more rounded keeper for his age, and there's no doubt the guy has a big future ahead of him, if he chooses the right moves.

 

Any chance of signing him on a 5 year deal that would include schooling at Knowetop Craig Gordon's too injury prone.

 

And back on topic, I was only a nipper, and memory may be clouding the judgement, But Keith McCrae still takes some beating

 

 

MON RA DOSSERS

[Gaag]

I disagree with the statement he's world class. Far too OTT in my opinion. If he was world class he'd be England goalie. I highly doubt he'd even be the top 25 choices for Fabio. Oh aye, and also, if he was world class he wouldn't be at Motherwell... or Everton for that matter.

 

Good keeper aye, but he's still prone to the odd blonde flapping about moment, and until he sorts that aspect of his game, he'll never be a top top keeper. He has the potential, no doubt, but as Frazza said... if this is him hitting his peak now, he'll never go any further than 1st choice SPL/championship.

[weeyin]

I disagree with the statement he's world class. Far too OTT in my opinion. If he was world class he'd be England goalie.

Very true. For all his touting as a future England goalie, he has yet to represent his country at any level and obviously ranks somewhere behind Calamity James in the pecking order.

[Finlay]

How's about someone like Reynolds, Forbes or Hutchy in a swap deal if they'd be interested?

 

Hutch is one of the last players I would be wanting to leave. Lad shows great potential if he can stay injury free.

 

Encouraged by the news of us looking at keeping Ruddy past this season.

[Wellfan1984]

Good keeper aye, but he's still prone to the odd blonde flapping about moment, and until he sorts that aspect of his game, he'll never be a top top keeper.

 

Don't agree with that. The top 5 keepers IMHO are Casillas, Cesar, Buffon, Reina and Cech, and they are all known at times to do something very stupid - for example Cech has many a Chelsea fan hiding their eyes every time a cross comes into the box. Casillas can go wondering at times, same as Cesar.

 

Although I do agree with the jist of your post, but the world class keepers are known to do some stupid stuff at times although Ruddy is not in the same league as those keepers, and I'll be shocked if he ever is.

[Guest 'Flow]

For all his touting as a future England goalie, he has yet to represent his country at any level

Did he not get a gig at England U19's when Ray Clemence was their GK coach a few years ago!

 

And it was it not him, and David Moyes, who tipped him as a future England stopper?

 

More over, I hope he makes it to the very top. As I've said a few posts ago, not only is he an outstanding 'keeper but he's a top bloke who likes being here at this club!

[Yabba's Turd]

I liked Buzz, thought he was an excellent keeper, but John's world class! The proof will be in the pudding though and whereas Graeme went to Brighton, struggled, and had to come back up the road to Hibs - Ruds, in my opinion, will go on to great things!

We're fortunate to have such a fine young goalie in Ruddy right now, his career will almost certainly map out at a higher level than Buzz's, no disrespect to Buzz, John Ruddy is a more complete 'keeper than him.

[Ya Bezzer!]

Better than the last one - definitely.

 

Best one this decade - maybe.

 

Best one in my time as a supporter - no.

 

Best ever - obviously not.

[nethertonwellfan]

Don't agree with that. The top 5 keepers IMHO are Casillas, Cesar, Buffon, Reina and Cech, and they are all known at times to do something very stupid - for example Cech has many a Chelsea fan hiding their eyes every time a cross comes into the box. Casillas can go wondering at times, same as Cesar.

Not to mention any of the England keepers who will go to the World Cup.

[Yir Elder]

He is definitely up there in terms of the best Well goalies I've seen, and if we can somehow sign him on a permanent deal then he'll make us a fortune some day.

 

That said, the form he's shown this year will surely alert other clubs down south who can offer him a much higher wage and platform to display his talents than we can. Hope Not though!

[Ya Bezzer!]

Better than the last one - definitely.

 

Best one in the last 10 years - probably.

 

Best one in my time as a supporter - no.

 

Best ever - obviously not.

 

Sorry, I didn't mean to do this! Delete if you want.

[steelman1991]

Agree there Flow - I thought Buzz was a very good keeper, but one who had still a bit to do which would have made him top drawer - Ruddy however, has shown already that he's a more rounded keeper for his age, and there's no doubt the guy has a big future ahead of him, if he chooses the right moves.

 

Any chance of signing him on a 5 year deal that would include schooling at Knowetop Craig Gordon's too injury prone.

 

And back on topic, I was only a nipper, and memory may be clouding the judgement, But Keith McCrae still takes some beating

 

 

MON RA DOSSERS

 

From an ex-Dumbarton, Dalziel HSFP, eh sure there were others, custodian of the sticks, I concur with the right honourable genetleman for Falkirk South.

[Auldyin]

HASTIE WEIR before goalkeepers were given protection FEARLESS

 

I also concur with Fal Dosser Keith McRae was class.

[john_M_F_C]

Ruddy could be Englands number 1 at some stage I reckon. He's 22 just now? with keepers reaching their peaks later and later it's not ridiculous to think he could do it.

[Motherwell Seagull]

HASTIE WEIR before goalkeepers were given protection FEARLESS

 

I also concur with Fal Dosser Keith McRae was class.

 

Out of interest, how would McRae compare to McCloy?

[Shotts Well Fan]

Out of interest, how would McRae compare to McCloy?

 

 

IMHO McRae was the better of the two. McRae also played oufield on a number of occassions and was no half bad.

[Frazzie]

Better than the last one - definitely.

 

Best one this decade - maybe.

 

Best one in my time as a supporter - no.

 

Best ever - obviously not.

 

Think he wins that one by default surely...?

[nethertonwellfan]

Better than any Arsenal keeper!

[Ya Bezzer!]

Think he wins that one by default surely...?

 

I keep forgetting it's the 2010's! I'm getting old now and I'm it's convenient to think it's still a past decade! What I really meant was 'in the last 10 years' rather than THIS decade.

 

In the end I wasn't a fan of Graeme Smith and was glad to see the back of him but even I would have to admit he had an excellent first season before tailing off in this second.

 

Gordon Marshall also had an excellent first season, in fact I'd go as far as to say he was the instrumental signing that turned us from a bottom of the league side to a Top Six side. He became a bit of a liability at the end which is perhaps what people remember but for most of his time at Motherwell he was an excellent keeper. To my mind his performance at the League Cup semi final is perhaps the best one I've ever seen from a Motherwell goalkeeper. Marshall got us to the final just as much as Fitzpatrick's goal and he also oversaw a huge improvement in team league form to which he contributed 22 clean sheets in two seasons.

 

And Ruddy isn't infallible like some people will tell you. We could easily have lost on Saturday due to a couple of howlers from Ruddy at NDP. I also think he was partially to blame for the goal against Rangers. I think Ruddy is a bit of a lucky keeper actually in that his big mistakes have generally gone unpunished - think the McLaughlin chance on Saturday or the Deuchar incident on the first day of the season. There have been others but he's got away with them so people tend to forget about them.

 

If Ruddy came back next season and played as well as he has this season I'd definitely rate him as the best in the last 10 years but since that hasn't happened yet I can only say 'maybe'. Overall I'd perhaps just go for Marshall over Ruddy because he was good over a longer period and had a more dramatic effect on the team in that he got us to a final and saw the team leap 6 places in the league.

[ONeils40yarder]

Easily the best goalkeeper we've had in my time as a 'well fan (early 80's). Would love to be able to keep him but dont see it happening unfortunately.

 

Seib was prone to the odd howler, while Ruddy never seems to give us any 'heart-attack' moments.

[weeyin]

Better than any Arsenal keeper!

He's not as good as Pat Jennings.

[nethertonwellfan]

He's not as good as Pat Jennings.

 

Ok smart arse any present Arsenal Keeper!!

[Rickoza]

From the BBC.....

 

 

 

John Ruddy admits he would seriously consider any offer that comes his way from Motherwell when his loan spell finishes at the end of the season. The Everton goalkeeper has been outstanding since joining in the summer, and Fir Park boss Craig Brown wants to keep him in the long term.

 

Brown said: "We'll ask Davie Moyes if we can extend the loan or if he could be bought at a reasonable price.

 

"He's a very good goalkeeper - outwith the budget of Motherwell, I'd guess."

 

And the manager of the Steelmen added: "But we want John Ruddy, the fans want John Ruddy and funnily enough I suspect he would be very happy to stay."

 

The player himself admits, should the situation arise, it will not only be football that will make up his mind whether to continue at the Lanarkshire club - the Ruddy family is based in Cambridge.

 

"I'd consider it, without a doubt," Ruddy confirmed.

 

"I've always said my first option is to go back down to England, for my family's sake as well.

 

"Being three hours away from my family when in Liverpool is quite tough. Being here in Scotland I'm six hours away, which is even tougher.

 

"If Motherwell made me an offer, I'd give it serious thought because I've enjoyed my time so much up here."

 

Ruddy is aware, although he has not been told, should he return to Everton in the summer his chances of making in-roads to the first team seem limited.

 

The English Premier League club have already signed Polish goalkeeper Jan Mucha on a pre-contract and he will join from Legia Warsaw in the summer.

 

"I don't know what's going to happen with Everton. They've signed a new keeper who comes in the summer," said the 23-year-old goalie.

 

"So they are going to have two keepers who are going to be at the World Cup.

 

"So where that puts me and the rest of the keepers at Everton - I haven't a clue.

 

"It was disappointing for myself to see they'd signed someone because I thought I was doing well."

 

Ruddy has revelled in Scottish football since former manager Jim Gannon brought him to Motherwell.

 

He has kept 12 clean sheets and under the reign of Brown has lost only one goal in the past 11 hours and 19 minutes of league football.

 

"The key has been a consistent team selection," he claimed.

 

"We've had the same back four in place in every game and we've kept six clean sheets in seven games - that's more than coincidence.

 

"The lads have just got back to enjoying playing. They enjoy playing for Craig and Archie Knox and I think that shows on the pitch now.

 

"Jim had his ways, but I'm not going to bad-mouth him because without him I wouldn't be here. I owe him for that."

 

Ruddy began his career at Cambridge United before moving to Everton in 2005. However, the Goodison Park club have sent him out on loan to eight clubs in a three-year spell.

 

"This is my first full season since I was at Cambridge five years ago, which is quite frightening!" Ruddy joked.

 

"I've always said I'm never happy just sitting there picking up a wage. I always want to go and earn it.

 

"The numerous loan spells were purely because I wanted to go and play and those were the opportunities that arose at the time.

 

"In hindsight, a couple of them I shouldn't have done, but you learn from that.

 

"Motherwell, though, has paid off."

[TheLip69]

McRae for me, the best I've seen by a long way.

Disappoints me that most people write off McCloy, he was terrific with us and I think he was allowed to go to Rangers because we had McRae in the wings. Nicky Walker impressed me the few times I saw him at Fir Park, and Stewart Rennie, until the idiot took too many steps in the semi-final against Airdrie. I went right off him after that.

Sproat was far too haphazard for my liking.

McRae ranks as the best closely followed by McCloy, Ruddy, Dykstra, Maxwell and Smith.