can we not recall him in jan or is it a full season loan? #sillyrodgers ps i was never a fan of balotelli, not at city and was annoyed as **** when we got him #wasteoftimeandmoney
No still don't get it. How many English players were going abroad then? It's not like now - even though it was only 11 years ago - where players names are being floated about as going to Real, Barca, the minute they top the lead scorer board, there would be no expectation for Owen or any other top striker going abroad so how were the club supposed to know they needed to tie him down or he'd be off - it was totally different. There was no warning that he was leaving, none, what do you call that?
Nationality doesn't matter. What other players do or don't do is irrelevant too. His contract was running out. that is the only thing that matters. the club knew that, the player knew that, yet both sat there doing ****all. It was in Owen's interest not to renew; he wanted to test himself abroad, he said this when he was around 19-21 years old. It wasn't in the club's interest, therefore the club needed to make a decision. The club decided to keep him and risk losing him for free or next to nothing in return for one (or two had it got to the Bosman stage) more season. Overall, it actually paid off for the club because Owen helped us get fourth and they brought more money into the club (including the £8m we got for him) than we'd have got selling him when he had two years left (around £20m-£30m at a guess). Do you think I'm defending Owen's actions? If so, I'm not. I'm saying the club made decisions too that contributed to that situation. So you think the club just thought he'd volunteer once his contract ran out?
Then that would make him more of a turd. He was idolised by many fans. Was Owen a narcassist like that Gerrez chap?
Contracts are running out from the minute they're signed. If it was common practice to re-sign with one year left, why would they somehow have thought 2 years before it ran out 'we'd better get this one done early or he'll be off' - doesn't make sense. The time came around to renegotiate they set up a meeting [presumably] and Owen informs them he's not ready to re-sign, How is any of that the club's fault? You talk about Owen wanting to test himself abroad as if he'd always said that, I can't remember there ever being talk like that from him or rumours about it, it wasn't common for players to go abroad, the ones who had weren't very successful. No I don't think you're defending Owen I just don't see your view that the club should have acted sooner as I don't think that makes sense. I really can't see how his decision to go was anything other than a huge surprise for everyone. He even said himself the call from Madrid came out of the blue. Just to add I think nationality does matter because English players were [and still are] very reticent to moving abroad. A move to another English club for Owen at the time would have been where?
It was and continues to be common practice to try and get players to re-sign when there are just two years left because their value drastically decreases from that point with clubs knowing they could potentially get a player for free should they wait. I don't know what else to say, I don't understand why you;re not getting it. It happens all the time. As for the highlighted bit... IF they wanted more money. The club chose to take the risk rather than sell him.
It must be me ... ... Just one question for you, does the player's agent approach the club or the club approach the player over renegotiating?
No idea, I guess it could be either or neither depending on the circumstances Both parties would have to want to, that's the main thing.
Sometimes you get stories like 'the club don't want me or they'd have renewed my contract by now' [Skrtel, Lucas] and it all turns out okay. I just wonder what drives it.
Clubs and agents do. Its all part of getting the best deal. We all moan about agents but clubs are just as bad for using the media. Same goes for when a club says they want to keep someone that's said they want to leave. In reality they've probably accepted that the player wants to leave but need to drive a hard bargain so won't admit it.
Exactly - which is why I won't boo Sterling. He and his agent got a lot of stick (rightfully in most cases) but the club acted poorly as well.
My issue with Sterling would be not so much that he wanted a move, but that he played half-heartedly in the last 6 months of his last season with us. Whether he was angling for a move or just didn't give a toss any more doesn't matter- he's a highly paid professional, and should play like one.
But other than Ibe we don't really have many wide options. Guess depends what formation Klopp wants to use. If it's 4231 then ideally you need a couple of wide players for options there. We don't have the personnel to play that at the moment
From what I've seen and read about Klopp he very much likes width to come from the full backs, he's not going to use wingers often if at all as it stretches us and makes it difficult to press.
There are two side of a story but there is also the right way to act and behave. the club didn't handle it very well but Sterling and his agent didn't do themselves any favours either. Two wrongs don't make a right.
Moreno could play wide once Flanno is back. However, if we played Ibe and Moreno wide, we've then got Studge, Benteke, Firmino, Lallana and Coutinho all vying for the last two spots; No.10 and CF. Good to have options but...
Too busy getting his new agency business set up so he'd get a bigger share of the (not about the) money tax-free, then going on hippy crack benders
