Oh yeah. He'd have been gone by the time we played in the FA Cup too For some reason I had it in my head that he played left back.
It's hard to tell, SC. Whenever he's used as an out-and-out winger down the left, he looks like a very dangerous player. His goal against Shamrock Rovers was exceptional, even taking into account the opposition. Not sure that he'll ever get an opportunity, though.
My daughter knows his family and by all accounts he hates life in Leeds (the place), he loves playing football but would prefer to be playing closer to home. Some people do get homesick and prefer to be closer to home and no matter how big the pay packet home comforts are more important.
No, I don't. He seems a decent prospect and I think he'll make it as Premier League standard but I don't think he'll break past the fringes in our squad with the quality we have now. I'd expect that we'll be picking up a new winger in the summer too. He reminds me of O'Hara, Etherington and Kelly in terms of his prospects, sooner or later either we'll take the money for him or he'll ask to leave to get more football. Although if some of my previous predictions about Spurs players are anything to go by, I think we can expect him to be our best player next season
You're right PNP, his goal was class against Shamrock, and about a year ago, he was outstanding in the FAC game with Charlton. But as you well know, young fringe players need to step up every season, and I am not convinced Townsend has done that this season, hence my disappointment with his apparant choice to quit Leeds. I think he has got enough to still stand a reasonable chance of making it at Spurs, but only if played in his best and preferred position. It will depend on him ghetting more regular chances, which again brings me back to my original point, which is should he be turning down regular football just because of where in the coiuntry, you are based. Spurf - . I think my response to PNP also answers your question.
Just in case anyone missed it: [video=youtube;gQ0U8W6U8E0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ0U8W6U8E0[/video] Apologies for the gratuitous use of Jim Beglin.
My original take on this was the mature way Warnock dealt with it "Good riddance",is that the way to endear yourself- mind you he never had any charisma did he? If Townsend is genuinely unhappy,he possibly thought what's the point being there if I don't get game time. Wouldn't he need permission from the parent club to end the loan agreement anyway?
I think it lays more with Warnock, perhaps he just didn't fancy Townsend (no dreary double entendre please!), the lad sensed it and thats one of the diplomatic (but lame) answers used instead of Warnocks unfavourable opinion. Working with Hughton again will help him put that bad experience away. He may well have experienced what it can be like, to be a casualty of a managers new ideas, it happens.
My feelings exactly Notso, Warnock could have said the lad wasn't getting games and was unhappy so we decided to let him go. Those lovely Leeds fans finally have the manager they deserve
Spurf, didn't Nick Barmby (the then married and settled, not a kid) leave us for the same reason? To be fair, moving from Leeds to London must be a tough one for a youngster, but at least there are tons of distractions here. Leeds is a small place in comparison. No friends, no family around you in a small city, when you are used to living here? Not my idea of a great time. Townsend far from being a big time Charley seems to be a hard working young man who rarely disappoints when he gets his chance. Being a grumpy old git myself, I have to inform you have wandered well in GOG territory!
There was more to Barmby's move away from Spurs than was ever made public. It was officially given as "homesickness", but was in the main due to his wife being the club "bicycle"
Unfortunately since his first game with us he has been disappointing, runs with his head down rarely looks for a team mate and shoots from everywhere, Final ball was awful!! I had high hopes for him after his first game when he ran Burnley ragged but he definately seems to have a massive chip on his shoulder on and off the pitch, slagging off ex leeds united players on twitter whilst he was at the club didn't go down too well, and slagging off the fans once he left makes him seem like a real spoilt brat. Thanks to tottenham for giving him a go and Leeds United do appreciate it but unfortunately he was never going to live up to the expectation left by Max Gradel
Thanks for an interesting post You-Will-Beat-Kisnorbo. We do have one or two prima donnas amongst our young fringe players, but I must say, I didn't have Andros down as one of them. Given time and the opportunity, I think Warnock would get a player like Townsend moving onwards and upwards in the game, he certainly seemed to relish taking on Adel Taarabt at QPR who is known for having bit of an ego. But I guess Warnock is in a hurry and with talks of him retiring in 18 months time, just hasn't got the time or inclination to sort a player like Townsend out.
I understand that Townsend has been on loan to championship clubs over the last few seasons and he would be used to getting bigged up and probably being the best player in the team, This may have come as a shock to him when he came to Leeds, we have seen a lot better in the past and he didn't do anything spectacular to make us think he was amazing, also he wasnt the best in the team and Warnock made a point of telling everyone that Snodgrass was our best player. Myabe he didnt like not being the best?
Chirpy Listen when I was 18 I moved from London to Newport,South Wales to 'further' my career. Compared to Newport, Leeds is Hollywood I just got on with it. Mind you I didn't have the press following my every move. For every pro footballer there are a million of us who would love to have had the talent, so it's hard to be sympathetic when we see them apparently having tantrums. Not comparing, but it's so sad to have seen Gazza and Best implode because of personal issues when they had so much going for them.
Everone is different - and some people can't cope with some things that others take in their stride and vice versa. I remember a certain Graeme Souness leaving us as a youth for exactly this reason - who'd have thought it now....
Having just read it, I think he was only slagging off the fans that talked him up when he was there and then called him **** once he'd decided to leave. He did go on to clarify it a bit, in my opinion: "I had a very tough decision to make and I made a decision that I THINK will be best for my career but only time will tell......." "But I want to thank the club and fans for the support they gave me during my time at leeds an wish them all the best in the future!"
I'm sure we had a Mexican player who can fill in on thew wing, but I might be mistaken... Assuming we ship out Bentley and Pienaar (and that imaginary Mexican fella) in the summer, he'll be direct back-up for Lennon and Bale. Unless we sign someone in that position, anyway.
