Yeah. I'm worried less that he'll disrupt the dressing room than I am that he might run face first into a wall and end up comatose.
I think Banega is worth the risk as well. I'm just saying this isn't a situation where you just bring him in and if he doesn't make the team you can count on him to fight for his place and serve as reliable depth. If he plays like he is capable of doing, there's no question he would grab a first team spot. If we get "bad Banega" we have to get rid. Remember that Boruc's transition wasn't that smooth. There was the bottle throwing incident. And he's made remarks that sort of insinuate he felt he was being kept off the team due to politics and not performance (though given how well he's done, perhaps he is right to feel aggrieved). When we signed him, he was out of contract and only on a one year deal. So he had powerful incentive to try and just keep his head down and deal with it for a year, as at least he was getting some training to stay in shape. We had leverage in that situation that we won't with Banega. I think we are in a situation though, where we no longer have the luxury we once did of benching players. The players we've had for the most part, Southampton was their best chance at Premier League Football. They've mostly been young and unestablished, or older but not seen as top notch players. It was better to fight for your place than to go back to Chamionship. The players we want now can all be starting in first division somewhere, so naturally they'll be more upset if they sit.
Shaw was asked if he had a lot to do with Nicola...he replied that he had to see him a couple of times about his poor school work. He added that everyone knew he struggled with his education (poor Luke). So if you have to see Nicola about poor school work, I think Banega had better get himself a nice cushion for time spent sitting on the bench outside Cortese's office.
I like players that show they are pissed off with being subbed, generally they come back stronger to prove the gaffer wrong. Our style of play will mean that he would potentially be subbed more often whether it be tactical or just to freshen things up, as long as he does not lump MP on the way off the pitch im sure there will be no problems
Quite incredible that a chairman would get involved with that I would have thought! Can't see Mike Ashley growing concerned about the literacy and numeracy of his academy, or his Director of Football's for that matter!
Suspect that it was to encourage Luke. A bit of a personal touch. The new rules for education of academy lads is quite strict I gather. Don't do school work and you are not supposed to play. Can just imagine Luke being withdrawn from a PL game because he hadn't handed an essay in
Term of his contract, likely; sign long-term and you'll never have to write another essay. No one told him that he wouldn't have to write essays for any other teams as a professional.
Ha! You can imagine the commentator just before KO: "Pochettino's men are without Gaston Ramirez after he fails a late fitness test for a chipped fingernail, Luke Shaw must also watch from the sidelines after only gaining an "F" in Home Economics, this is further to his 3 match ban earlier in the season for copying JWP's homework and giving Tadanari Lee an atomic wedgie."
Education is so important and pleased the club take it seriously and didn't tolerate people like Nile Ranger. Whilst we're not trying to get them to cure cancer between matches its vital that they become well rounded and independent young men. I know being in front of the official media probably makes you behave like you're at your grandparents(good as gold). They do all come across well and that includes famous graduates theo, oxo & worlds most expensive bloke.
No. He'll love it. Chasing wild ponies and riding bare back in the Forest, he'll think he's back home on his grandpa's Argentinian ranch.
I remember once that Luke tweeted that he wasn't allowed to celebrate a win because he had homework to do As for players behaviour, the most important thing is the influence of a good family. Makes life easier for the club. Sadly, some footballers have to overcome a bad background and some never do. I remember one football manager remarking that the best thing that could happen to a player (as far as the club was concerned) was an early marriage (keeps them away from nightclubs and the paperazzi). Those two things may be interrelated: lads from a nice family try and replicate it.
If we do sign Banega it'll at least go some way to evening out the attractiveness of our squad. They're mostly good-looking bastards as it stands (in particular Cork, Morgan, Gazza and Turnbull - phwoar!). We need a fearsome/mean-looking player or two to unnerve the opposition a little bit. Banega's a strange-looking little fellow, I'm sure he'd help to address that.
