It's also from an era when subs weren't allowed [unless there was a bad injury] and also names weren't on shirts. You were given the shirt number of the position you played so for example if you were 9 and out injured, a sub played in 'your' shirt, you got it back when you returned to the team. So nowadays with all the injuries and squad rotations and players playing out of position, and named shirts, it just wouldn't work.
Which is how it tends to work with youth players but you usually want to please potential signings rather than piss them off
please the ****ers... c'mon... only ronaldo would demand a shirt etc. If a guy comes and you hand him oh 5mil signing on and 150k per week and he whines about a shirt number you better start worrying.
You're forgetting that he could get £5m signing-on fee and £150k per week elsewhere as well as the shirt of his choice! Its quite ironic that you (generally) dismiss the shirt number mattering but also claim our whole sales package is wrong because we don't do enough to encourage players to join etc
I think with some of them it must be written into the contract. Would Torres have gone to Chelsea if the 9 wasn't available??
He'd not get enough games at either club. He should go somewhere he'll be a starter every week, but I think he's had his head turned and he's about to do a "Sinclair" and sign somewhere that's a step too far for him at this point in his career and he'll end up an underused sub and rot, until he ends up going out on loan. #prediction
Henderson will take the 8, same as he's taken the dead balls, the penalties and the armband. Mad that he's going to try and fill his boots, as he's not fit to lace them.
I think he is an option similar to Naismith, someone who grafts and works hard for the team....chips in with goals but can play up top a little better than Naismith who is more suited to playing a little deeper.
Thought I'd take a look at retired numbers in the PL - most high profile: Chelsea 25 Zola, City 23 Foé, WHU 6 Moore, 38 Tombides, Aston Villa 19 Petrov
In their side he'd surely only get the chance to play as the lone striker though? As they've got a number of options @ No.10. I also quite like the lad from what little I've seen of him, but he'll need game time to progress. Swansea or Stoke would be a good shout for him I reckon.
fans still put store in 1-11.. so i think do players. beckham had to hand over his utd shirt and had to make do at real madrid he took 23 after 7. funnily ronaldo has no trouble there is a lot of ego at stake
