Our clubs identity is all about being small,an underdog,a family club,close knit and in with the fans. Our style of play is also our trade mark, I think it's a slightly bit xenophobic to think the Spanish lads don't understand it or be willing to buy into it, Rangel,bauza,serran,orlandi,pintado and Roberto didn't have much problems here, there was as big a Spanish presence then as there is now, and I hold the Spanish and Dutch influence as part of the main ingredient of our identity. The Spanish and Dutch have created the ethos of the club actually, the unique thing has always been the British players buying into their style and culture not the other way round,ash learning Spanish is a classic example! And he did that before laudrup rolled into town
Cant help think that Lita and Moore are all part of the same ethos with DG. Can you say any of them are consumate professionals who would give 100%? Donnelly needs to learn from great professionals not primadonnas who love the lifestyle more than hard graft. Unfortunately each of those ex-strikers had big bucks without much success early on. It is the problem with the British game, ML knows what it takes to become elite and he has seen things fiest hand that we deep down all suspected. Tate unfortunately has become a victim of our success..but at least he can always say he was an integral part of that success. Can the others really say that with any conviction? No Incidentally Tate has been rewarded. He had a contract extension last year on money that he has never seen before. It will take a rich Championship club to take him off us,. I wont be surprised if he is with us beyond the transfer window for that reason. Also, dont forget, the club made their initial rise from the basement with (at the time) journeymen from all over the shop. It wasnt so long back that everyone was on a rolling year contract, and how many of those ex players actually renewed or were loyal to us? Some are looking at things with rose tinted specs I think. No room for passengers and sentimentality if we are to push on...but Tatey will get his testimonial regardless.
norway you are showing lack of respect towards Tate imo....He has worked hard for the club for over 10 years and if we cant recognize his commitment and loyalty to the club then we are going down a dodgy path and the club wont be seen by other players as a club that rewards loyalty. I think he deserves what he has worked for and i hope the club and fans think like i do that Tate, leon and Monk will get a testimonial of all testimonials regardless if they are at another club before it can be arranged...
Don't be daft dai. I happen to respect all the players that pull on the shirt but I draw the line at blowing sunshine up the arse of those who were mediocre . Tate always has been a steady eddy pro, no frills just average, and he spent years being in and out of favor with us. Anyway it has nothing to do with respect, it has more to do with calling a spade a spade! People will start putting on the rose tinted specs RE Tate but just so you know, he was actually getting paid to do a job y'know! He did things to the best of his ability but his ability is limited, nothing wrong with that dai it's just how it goes. He has been gifted a crazy 4 year contract out off sympathy really, I think most of us knew Tate wouldn't hack the prem league so he should be thankful for saying he played there as opposed to thinking he still can. I think he played his best football 3 seasons ago but a player that gets out jumped out run and concedes far too many free kicks in his own half was never going to hack prem league. He has made a million by playing for the swans so he should really be thanking us not the other way around! Just because he held up a flag that said "**** off Cardiff" people think he is above an honest appraisal
Exactly, the testimonials will happen.....along with hall of fame entries. I dont think NJ is disrespecting Tate though..you are taking it out of context PS if a hard work ethic was the sole aspect for a new contract, why were you sacked?
I have no problem with Tate,monk and Brits getting a testimonial ,they deserve it, but let me tell you this. If Tate and monk were world class they would have left the club years ago ! They were loyal because nobody else wanted them, I was happy they remained part of the club but don't be fooled into thinking they would still be here if arsenal,liverpool,utd,spurs or city wanted to sign them in their younger days! Britton didn't think about loyalty when he was going to wigan, we offered the biggest deal in the clubs history for him to stay,did he stay out of loyalty? No, he joined sheff utd when Bobby let him down because he went keen on Sousa ..and sheff utd payed more too. People forget that these are pro's and they think with the head not the heart. Britton could have stayed here, if he was really loyal he would have,people knew Sousa was on borrowed time so it's not like he had to wait years for him to leave! Don't be mistaken, I love all these players,briton is my fav player but let's be realistic as well please
NJ - not worried about players leaving or any such thing - worried that little ole Swans will be gone forever - remember the clique of Liverpool players versus the rest - and look where we ended up when the bubble burst - and I think/hope we'll have amuch bigger bubble this time. I don't think we have much of an option TBH just commenting on what I see as a very distinct possible future. One of the things that allows me to feel so proud of where we are today is that I was at the Vetch on rainy Tuesday nights with a couple of thousand others and, rightly or wrongly, feel that I am entitled to feel proud because of my investment. Maybe just sentimental but when I think back to standing behind the goals on the East terrace as a 10 year old and rushing around to the player's entrance to get Harry and Flicka to sign my book - what else am I supposed to be.
Lets look at this openly and subjectively and is there any real surprise that the 4 released have been. Tate, although has done well in the past, is not a PL player and was sent out on loan last year. An early indication that he would be on his way this season. Imo. Lita, was sent out on loan last season, no games for us last season again another clear indication that he was not in ML plans. Augustien, although I think he is a good player, to many injuries and never really took his chance when given it, A few subsitute appearances, with al the quality we have signed in midfield, there was never going to be a place for him. Moore, has always flattered to decieve, one good game every now and then. But even without a recognised striker his appearences were very limited. With a new striker signed and a possibility of another there is no place for him here. So I thank them all for their time here, Enjoy your new challenges.
Lumber - if we stand still we will be little ole Swansea , you can't achieve success and stay the same can you? Personally, I'm no big fan of prem football,far too much money splashing around with no long term plan, I do feel though that the swans are priding themselves on prudent management off the field and I hope clubs will follow our way of doing things and not the pompey,Cardiff or QPR way of doing things
Glad we are getting rid of the dead wood, and not before time, wish them all the best but it needs doing, we are not a charity, though I would like to see Taty getting a testimonial in due time, and maybe a coaching role if he comes up to scratch, when he hangs up his boots. I consider Martinez, Britton, Tate, and Monk to be special and intrinsic of Swansea City, and while Martinez has gone on to greater things, the other three need consideration for their loyalty, though I take on board Norway's point that if Taty or Monk had been anything special they would have perhaps gone to other clubs, but in reality they didn't and they are Swansea City!.....................
We are also worlds apart from the Liverpool players v the rest 30 years ago. These boys all train ,traval and socialize together ,that didn't happen back then, what got the swans relegated that season was a bad injury list really not a mutany
Lumber remembering the past is great it's the same for loads of us, I'm sure if you asked many on here they would prefer us to be still at the vetch! But times move on and we are in uncharted territory now, I get over the worry by knowing that every member of the board is a massive swans fan and will only do what is best for the club,they may **** up from time to time but their intentions are always honorable and the swans are priority. There arnt many clubs in the pyramid with directors as fans so we must be thankful that they will always look out for the club and try to never return it back to the dark days! We have to embrase the future though,we could be securing the club on a global level for many years to come if we play our cards right, the good far out weighs the bad and we should enjoy it not worry about it,though I get your sentiments 100% In our board we can place our trust
Let's put down the rose tinted glasses for a moment and get a dose of reality. Back in the day, Tate didn't leave United and drop to a **** storm in L2 because he really wanted to, he did so because there was no where else he could go, no better club knocked on his door. Pretty much the same with Monk a year or so later. Also the same for Britton. If any of those had received offers from clubs in a higher league they wouldn't have joined us. This should not be held against them; but it is a fact of life. Since they have been here they have contributed immensely to the club and grown professionally and that commands respect and admiration - it's not easy to do. Britton the most. Monk has done well as has Tate. But, we are now in the top half of the best league in the world, managed by one of the best players the world has known, and challenging to continue our upward trajectory and committed to being better not to tread water and be thankful for where we are. The latter will only see us going back down, and once you drop out of the Prem the odds are you don't stop dropping. Britton is going to be replaced - if not this coming season, probably the season thereafter - he will be eased out, he is over 30, he cannot go on forever. It's not a disrespect. It's the natural course of things in professional sport. Monk is past is sell by date - he just is - if Bartley hadn't tarnished his image so badly then Monk would be on the exit list now too. Tate has been told he is not going to be considered for the 25 man senior roster. There are plenty of players a head of him - 4 center backs; 4 full backs; 4 goal keepers. It is a mark of respect that he has been told early and honestly so that he can chose what he wants to do next. He has a choice - he can retire; he can find another club; or, he can stick around, collect good money for nothing and watch the grass grow. He has a choice and he can look after his best interests and motivations. He hasn't been strung along and cut in the last week of August with minimal to no options left. Laudrup has handled the situation as it should be handled. There once was a player - a world famous player - played 68 times for Wales, 691 league games (at the time 3rd all time behind the legends Matthews and Mortensen), and scored 249 goals. He retired not because he really wanted to but because the club didn't want to pay an extra few pounds a week for somebody who could still go out at 38 and make the international center backs of Arsenal retreat faster than Tate. He was given a testimonial against the then mighty Leeds Utd and ciao baby - nothing. He loved the game, was so much fitter than any around him and ended up playing for Worcester, then Haverfordwest and finally for Pontardawe. Tate has done very well for himself considering the drop he made all those years ago; he has lived a bit of a dream really. He is going to get his testimonial - I hope - and that is fair reward.
An honest and fair appraisal, liked his attitude, will always be a Jack Bastard through and through BUT has limitations and we must move on and improve to survive we cannot support players who are not pushing for a starting position , sorry but there it is.
If Canas turn out to be a stronger player than Britton, then ML will use Canas. For example. It's how professional football is and it goes for all players. Now if we want the players to accept this, then we also must accept, that they shift according to their concept of progression. Stop telling players they don't have a heart, when you yourself is cold as ice when the better player takes a spot another player has held. If we don't it will all turn into some affable form of heartfelt hypocrisi. Damn hippies!
Hi Norfolk, thanks for the info I now vaguely remember hearing about his injury now. How old is he now?
The manager recognises the impact on bringing in 'foreign" players ,although I'm sure if he could then he would fill the team with them By Phil Cadden Comments Swansea's Spanish transfers have "reached a limit" admits manager Michael Laudrup 12 Jul 2013 22:29 Swans now have seven Spaniards in their first-team squad and boss is wary of undermining their identity as a Welsh team A Liga of their own: But Laudrup and Swansea are now backing off the Spanish market Michael Laudrup is saying adios to the Spanish market as far as Swansea are concerned. The Capital One Cup winners have seven Spaniards in their first-team squad with new signings Jose Canas, Jordi Amat, Alejandro Pozuelo joining Michu, Chico Flores, Angel Rangel and Pablo Hernandez. But Laudrup claims he will not be returning to Spain for any further recruits this summer. The Swans' boss said: “We have seven Spanish players now and we have more or less reached a limit. They are all very nice guys but this is still a Welsh team – a British team.” Laudrup this week unveiled Vitesse Arnhem striker Wilfried Bony as the club’s latest signing. The £12million fee Swansea paid for the Ivory Coast international doubled the club record handed to Valencia for Hernandez. Laurup added: “The Premier League and La Liga are the top two leagues but there is an economic difference because of the financial crisis. “We can have two players at the same level and one will cost £4m and the other £8m – which would you choose? “The problem is one player is Spanish and the other is British. But you can’t choose the £4m man every time or you will have 11 Spanish players. “That’s why I am very pleased we have a player like Jonjo Shelvey. He has quality, he’s young but experienced and I hear the value for money is good. When you have the possibility to get a talent like that, it’s good.”
