Kyle Cameron. Should he have stayed?

[Robbie]

The news that Kyle Cameron had been loaned out to St Johnstone of the Scottish Premier League came as a bit of a shock to me.

Of course, Kyle will have to fight for a place, & prove himself worthy of a place in the St Johnstone team.

But what an opportunity for Kyle to be part of a team that will be mixing with the big boys such as Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen & Dundee United.

Celtic & Rangers will be mixing with the big boys of Europe too, so on paper it looks to be a dream move for Kyle and I wish him well.

Kyle moving on loan to a higher standard of football does raise a question from me.

If Kyle wasn't deemed good enough to fight for his place in a league 2 team in England, how does it work that he is let go to play for a team in a higher standard league?

For me it's surprising because if Cameron had been able to play in a Notts side with better standard defenders as it appears this season, wouldn't Kyle have been able to fit comfortably into that defensive unit too?

I think he could easily have done, and I think it is a big loss to Notts, his going up north this season. I think it was a strange decision by Notts to let him go.

[menzinho]

I don’t think it was about him not being good enough, although some fans might say he wasn’t. He made it known that he wanted to leave after the changes to the captaincy. Maybe the board and coaches could’ve sat down with Kyle and cleared the air so to speak to get him back on board, but then again maybe they saw his reaction as someone who wasn’t committed to the team next season and agreed moving him on was for the best.

I was happy enough with him as part of our squad for next season, he was desperately crying out for some competition in his position and he was going to get that next season. It’s a shame but given his statement I feel like Notts did the right thing. If he doesn’t want to be here it’s for the best he’s playing elsewhere.

Oh and Derek Adams will want a word with you about Scottish Football being a better standard, this was his post-match interview last season

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67667758

[Robbie]

@menzinho I've always thought that the Scottish premier league top 4/5 teams are English Championship standard, the rest are league 1 at best, the Scottish Championship league 1/ 2 standard and the rest of the Scottish league structure equivalent to National league North and South.

So I would say Kyle is going to a league 1 standard club, who has a chance to get into Europe. That's the difference.

[BromPie]

I comprehend his choice to depart. He’s been with us for a considerable time and things are evolving. To improve oneself, it’s necessary to embrace new experiences. Part of avoiding complacency is challenging oneself instead of merely accepting the status quo. There’s also a lack of assurance regarding playing time. He’s made the correct decision. The question remains, should Notts have sold him instead?

[Joshua]

No, it’s clear he wanted to move on. With some fans now revealing their true colours on social media by criticising Kyle Cameron, it makes you wonder what he had to deal with last season as the captain. The manager [head coach] and the skipper are often the easy targets when form dips. All these fans now claiming he was never good enough for League Two, I find it somewhat disrespectful because one season doesn’t define a player. It’s typical of football fans, I’m not referring to those who provide reasoning behind their thoughts, but more to those who verge on making abusive comments.

[True Magpie]

It was his choice, and I believe he made the correct decision. At times, it’s important to recognise when to move on and not overstay your welcome. I don’t consider Kyle Cameron to be a poor player. He’s accomplished significant feats for us, and I think he contributed more than some fans would ever acknowledge. Concentrating on his performances and the frequency of his errors only provides a partial view of a player’s value. Despite the occasional mistake, I felt our team always looked stronger with him. Therefore, I believe his decision to leave was the right one.

[Robbie]

@True Magpie @BromPie

@Joshua

I'd just like to point out that Kyle has gone to Saint Johnstone on loan so it has to be a Notts decision, with the agreement of Kyle to become a loan player temporarily.

He's not permanently gone, he's out on loan.

Surely he would have asked for a permanent transfer if he wanted to leave.

[True Magpie]

He has stated his wish to seek new opportunities beyond the club. For Notts, it’s more about his choice to depart rather than the club’s desire to retain or let him go.

His contract is due to end in May 2025, so he won’t be with us for much longer. At that time, St Johnstone might negotiate a modest fee with Notts to secure his services, or they could wait to transfer him for free.

[Simon Clark]

For me, his statement that he asked for a move after losing the captaincy shows exactly what many of us thought - he isn't a leader. JOB didn't need an armband to be a leader. Neither did many others.

It's a good move for him and I wish him well, I'd have been ok with him staying but with the current personnel, can't see how he'd have started.

Having watched some SPL and Championship last season, I don't think it is particularly a step up. The spread across the division is huge - people were suggesting we should look at Riley Harbottle as a central defender - Mansfield to Hibs to Colchester. And Hibs are one of the better teams.

Of course, the chance of playing away top Celtic and Rangers will be incredible.

[liampie]

i think saying he is not a leader is harsh, he led us well but he clearly wanted the role.

did it make him a good leader? i think so at times but i do understand where @Simon Clark is coming from. it does look like a poor attitude to request a move asking losing the captaincy. yet we dont know what has been said behind the scenes. notts has moved to sign centre backs, we speculated that he might have to fight for his place. being replaced as the captain, then to potentially lose your space in the first team i can imagine hurts. ideally we would see him stay and fight for his place, prove to us that he is a leader on the pitch.

its the right move though, as it gives us a chance to fully move away from the issues our previous centre backs presented in their mistakes and having a more defensive minded back three should fix that.

kyle cameron has been a good player for us, he deserves to be remembered for all he has done but we have to accept it and move on. in comparison to potenially lose macaulay langstaff, it does not compare. i think that says a lot.

[Simon Clark]

I saw very little leadership from him.

Having said that, he way he played in the final games of last season, I'd have been more than happy to have him as part of the squad for this season and fight for a place. With the signings we've made, I can't see any way he'd have started, but he'd have been useful on the bench as we could have slotted him into several positions as needed.

In terms of him going, though, no sleep lost, he's not a special player who takes some real effort to replace and I'd expect us to replace him without too much difficulty.

[Chris]

I understand his decision to move, I'm not all that disappointed. I had made comments that I felt he would be moving on after the captaincy change. I am saddened to be right.

Kyle Cameron has been a good player for us. He featured heavily in the team which gained us promotion.

His leadership skills extended beyond the pitch, by having all the players backs and giving them someone who they could communicate with when needed. I personally believe some fans who can't behave have played a part in unsettling him. He's a nice guy and never deserved much of the abuse I personally witnessed last season.

He is a player we can replace, but his personality and passion might be harder than his ability on the pitch.

[RetroPie]

Notts requires players who are dedicated and prepared to compete for their spot. This season could have been a significant challenge for Kyle Cameron. It might have given him the chance to prove some of our fans wrong. However, I think he’s opted for the easier route, which is to leave the club. I’m disappointed about that.

[JIMBO]

I’m sad to see him leave. He communicated well and had a good rapport with the fans. His skills weren’t as poor as some people made out, and he always performed better when the rest of the team was in form. I believe he’s made the right decision. We can’t hold him back, especially when some suggest he’s not even up to the mark.

[ExiledPie]

If a player wishes to leave, we should respect their decision and do all we can to facilitate it. Notts requires players who are committed and give their all in every match. Kyle Cameron appears to be upset about losing the captaincy. Whether it’s right or wrong, he’s moved on and it won’t be our issue when his contract expires.

[thommo]

Indeed, he has already played for and captained St Johnstone. Was it a wrong decision? Should he have stayed? I think these questions will be answered in due course. My initial impression is that he knows what he wants, and it’s difficult to begrudge him that. I do wonder if he was aware that the club might sell Macaulay Langstaff, and if this is what upset him about losing the captaincy.

[NottsLoyal]

Now that it’s happened, it’s irrelevant. It was his decision, and Notts isn’t in a position to retain players who are unhappy. Once a player indicates that they’re considering or want to move on, the club can either offer a new deal and hope that makes a difference, or they can try to accommodate the player’s wishes and attempt to transfer them.

[NottsCountyKev]

He had the option to stay and potentially continue as captain or be demoted to vice-captain. The vice-captain doesn’t necessarily have to start games, but the club’s decision to let him go suggests they were content to part ways. I had a liking for Kyle Cameron and believed he could have performed better with a stable back three. I had similar feelings about Aden Baldwin.

[TheSkipper]

It’s clear that I had hoped Kyle Cameron would stay with us, but I can see why he might feel the need to move on. After giving his all for Notts, he might not be guaranteed a place in the squad due to new signings, and then he had the captaincy taken from him. It must have been especially hard for him to be sold before even wearing our new shirt. This would disappoint me, but I don’t think it takes anything away from Cameron’s character or person. It must have reinforced his belief that it was time to move on. St Johnstone is as good an opportunity for him as Millwall is for Macaulay Langstaff. Being a Geordie lad and available to play for Scotland, he could get more attention from the national side. Cameron doesn’t deserve any bitterness or resentment, this side of our fan base is unattractive and unwarranted.

[NiftyNick]

If he wanted to leave, as it seemed, then it's his choice. When a player's time at a club ends, it can be sad, but he has to do what's best for himself. Careers are short, even if you avoid injuries.

[BromPie]

On 07/07/2024 at 23:17, Robbie said:

@True Magpie @BromPie

@Joshua

I'd just like to point out that Kyle has gone to Saint Johnstone on loan so it has to be a Notts decision, with the agreement of Kyle to become a loan player temporarily.

He's not permanently gone, he's out on loan.

Surely he would have asked for a permanent transfer if he wanted to leave.

I believe they will sign him once his contract ends. I would be surprised if there's a recall option in his loan deal. I think the club has agreed to part ways. Notts wouldn't get much for him, and unhappy players can cause problems in the team.

[CliftonMagpie]

I don’t believe he should have stayed, but I concur with others that it would have been nice to see him compete for his spot. I get the impression that Kyle Cameron might sense his days are numbered and wanted to move before he became redundant. We have been somewhat more ruthless in phasing out players from the team and listing them for transfer, which is the preferred way for the club to manage player transitions.

[Jake]

I too am saddened by the loss of Kyle. I feel like he got the short-end of the stick when it came to the fans. Even if he was offered a new deal I think he would've turned it down. 

I think he made the right choice. It seemed as though he was slowly fading into non-existance. He's got a real leader in him and I think he'll be able to show it at St. Johnstone.

But now we are in the big leagues, we need powerful players who can show up when most needed. The replenishment of our backline is refreshing indeed.

 

[TheSkipper]

It appears that the transfer has sparked and revived Kyle’s passion for football. Fans who previously posted negative comments on Twitter, urging him to leave the club during last season’s poor form, might now be having second thoughts. While I’m delighted to see him thriving, I believe there’s no possibility that Notts will reap any benefits from this move.