I've been checking out a few ex-Saints footballers, who are still of playing age, like Beatts, Fernandes, etc.., and I came across Wayne Bridge. What is happening to him..? This is a player who held the consecutive games played record for Saints, in the early part of his career. He never once played a bad game; was a cracking and reliable defender with great pace going forward or back tracking, for 90+ minutes, with a speedy, disguised and accurate cross, from the left wing. Understandably, Bridgey was ambitious, and Saints were in the era of needing money [thank goodness that's over], and so we had to sell. OK, we got Graham Le Saux in return, plus £7M, but it wasn't the same. Le Saux was in his last year or so of playing, and he couldn't make the bombing runs down the left, or mix it up with CMFG, as Bridgey had. When Bridge went to Chelsea he was reasonably successful, but after a while became less than ever-present, and went out on loan to Fulham. And when he went to Manchester City, it was just a matter of time before he was overtaken again. He spent a long time on loan to West Ham and apparently didn't distinguish himself too much. Now he is back at Man City and unable to get into the team. At 31, it isn't going to happen for him. But, then again, why should it..? It isn't a free ride. I've recently read, in the Manchester Guardian, that Bridge trains alone; is out of both Champions League and Premier League squads [although he was in the squad for the match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, a week ago], and pockets a, frankly immoral, £90K, before tax, per week. Basically, he's a tax paid cash millionaire after 20 or so weeks, providing he doesn't go spending it. Not bad at all if you want the luxury lifestyle, which he certainly has. OK, he has to spend some of it, but you'd have to be pretty stupid to outpace around £50K incoming every 7 days. Mr McCawber would have had to have gone far to obtain a result of misery, with that..! Here's the article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/sep/09/manchester-city-wayne-bridge I suppose what I'm asking is, how did his priorities change..? Footballers live with a pretty good lifestyle, even lower league footballers do reasonably well. I bet the current Saints players, for instance, aren't exactly lacking in finances. Wayne went elsewhere because he wanted a consistent England career and to win a few trophies. He got one, and some, for a while, but he never hit the consistent heights many thought he was capable of. It doesn't help that Ashley Cole stood in his way, but then it seems that several players have been in his way, during his career, and they seem to stay there, while to the observer, Bridge seems content to let them. I can't say I admire his attitude. He is a professional footballer after all, and surely he wants to play competitive football while he still has time. Also, someone surely needs to take him aside and ask him what it's all about, before it's too late. Or has he always been in it for the money, really..? Or did it just grow on him gradually, and change his mind state..? With that kind of money, can anyone blame him for getting his head turned..?
Hopefully it started last week, or you may have news to tell the good people at CERN of their theoretical Higgs-Boson particle.
Not got a clue what you're on about aha! Started maybe 10 days ago and was going to do one every night but work got in the way! Will continue tonight
Bridgey got some nasty injuries at Chelsea and didn't really come back as the same player. He had the choice of moving down the ladder, earning less money and trying to rebuild his career or exploiting his reputation to milk as much money out of the game as possible. Can't say I admire his choice, but I'm sure he enjoys driving fast cars, nailing supermodels and strutting around his mansion.
The saddest part of that story is that he trains alone..he must miss the camaraderie of the team. However, he is 31...probably won't get another decent move...I can't really criticize him for seeing out that contract. I suppose by most standards he's had a good career at big clubs, but shame to miss out on playing the game he loved. Just read article in full...Wayne doesn't come out of it well. However rich I was I wouldn't do anything as trashy as asking a shop to stay open for me...just vulgar.
Money can't buy you [insert word]. Sure it's nice to have the material things but once your wealth gets to a certain level, if you rate accruing more cash as more important than achieving goals which are time sensitive then it says a great deal about the individual. I'm not so sure that Bridgey is one of these true mercenaries though. I think there was a very long period at both Chelsea and City where, despite being second choice, he was an elite one, or was only just second. In other words, I don't think that either club was keen to get rid of him or that he ever thought he was far away from getting a place. That length of time playing second fiddle combined with the Terry fiasco must have had an impact though. Maybe he's had enough already. If so, he'd be daft not to turn up and go for a jog on his own every day for £12k though eh ;-) ? Mind you, don't we need another LB?
according to scott bevans mum, wayne is smitten with frankie sandford and is close to proposing so i wouldnt be surprised if he left city to go to a club a little closer to london.
Yes, as hotbovril implies, if we didn't have such an abundance of left backs, we could have him back at SMS on loan (as long as City keep paying his wages).
Not being funny, but I would prefer to have Danny Fox starting at left-back than Wayne Bridge. I just think a player like Bridge would unsettle the balance of the squad and I really don't think he'd give us anything more than Fox currently does.
I agree, it wasn't a serious suggestion! Similar argument to the one about James Beattie really, they were both great servants of the club, but the club has moved on from those days.
Wayne comes from my neck of the woods in Winchester. Sister went to school with him and he regularly returns being very generous with his money as you can imagine. Money has corrupted the young man. In a way I dont blame him really if you start having 5K (guessing here) thrown at you 18 like he had at saints then Chelsea start paying you 40K a week its bound to disrupt if not fully disturb your life forever. Priorities go out of whack. Spending time with knobbers like John Terry, Frank Lampard and Cashley Cole cant have dont him any favours either. I am not totally defending him as for me he should move as he will regret it in 5 years time. There is only so much money you need to be happy/comfortable. 12M earned at city so far is staggering. Lets hope he gets real and we see him playing with passion again though I do hope its not at St Mary's.
I wouldn't describe Lampard as a knobber. He is coming toward the twilight years of his career and i'd say maturity has turned him into a seasoned pro. The other two though...
I do though I see what you are saying, in that he is less of a villain than the other two, but I think he has a certain arrogance which turns my stomach. As a footballer he has proven he is quality over the years though. When Frank signs for us I will no doubt be torn ;-)
Danny Wallace did much the same at Man Utd, I recall. It's just a job to a professional footballer, and we forget that at times. There are very few Adam Lallanas in this world. His statement when he signed an extension that he wanted to show loyalty to the club that had given him his chance was like a beacon in a very bleak world.
I am not sure how some of the footballers seem to take it in their stride when it comes to having decent money in their pockets. It is also true though that having the kind of money thrown at them for the last 30 odd years has taken its toll too. The young George Best comes to mind as does Paul Gascoigne and a few others over the years where the good life has taken it's toll. On the playing side Bridge has not been the same since the episode with Terry and Bridges partner/wife allied to that were his injuries happening around the same time. You will recall his England career finished around the same time so the lad had more than enough to cope with. So perhaps it is understandable in a way and nice to hear he might be starting to rebuild his life.
As with several ex-Saints players, he's never been quite the same really since he left. It's a bit sad really. I still have a poster of him on my bedroom wall at my parents' place!
Who knows, maybe those neutrinos at CERN which appeared to contradict Einstein's Theory of Relativity really DID go faster than the speed of light and weren't just human error or an instrument glitch... I was gutted when Saints parted company with Bridge and he never lived up to his potential, he was unlucky with injury but it seems that he's been corrupted by money.
