The Roland Harris Column

Wednesday 28 November, 2001

Joining the Jim

I'm not a big Lee Makel, fan. Not man city fans are.

It's not the Townness of his that's the problem, although it does not help. It's not the Heart's import a bit lke John Doc and Wes Reidness about him, although that does worry me a bit.

No my problem with Lee Makel is that he has never done enough to convince me he offers any more than Gareth Whalley or Lee Sharpe. He is one dimensional. A very good passer but with little else in his arsenal. Typical first division player in other words. Good at one thing.

But I am glad that Lee Makel has signed up for the next three months.

Makel joins Jaunjo and Gary Locke in the list of City players who worked with Jim Jefferies at Hearts. Andy Tod knew JJ by reputation and that impressed him enough. Loyalty, it would seem, is pulling these guys to City.

That might not that important. After all there were no Premiership clubs trying to steal Juanjo or Makel from City, but what it does mean is that Jim Jefferies is the sort of manager that a player wants to come back to. Look at the number of City players who have linked with Paul Jewell and/or Chris Hutchings since they left. One. Ashley Westwood.

PJ's dressing room, the room of the sulker blast, was not the place that Jamie Lawrence wanted to rejoin when Sheffield Wednesday came in for him. None of the City men have headed to Wigan to meet up with former bosses.

But JJ has got his men to follow him. There must be something to tempt them to come to VP, something that JJ engenders in players.

We know JJ is a tough manager and does not let slackers get away with it in his team. City fans appreciate that, never found of slackers ourselves. Gary Locke knew Jim and his methods, he jumped at a chance to rejoin him. That's enough to say to me that he is going to pull his weight.

Lee Makel for three more months? OK, but only cause I know that if Jim wants him he will be the sort of player I want to see in Claret and Amber, a 100%er, and if he wants to stay with Jim it shows that he is not a slacker.

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