I just spotted this, I have not listened to it, but what do people think? http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13038274.stm
i don't think it's surprising that although we've had to shoulder him all this time, he manages to squeeze in the tiniest of mentions about Watford, and even then, not positively. Sounds like he's blaming his failing career on injuries...hey ho. i feel for him really, there was so much potential..shame it was us that had to pay the price of it not being realised.
I hold my hands up and say, I thought we had gotten someone with a real chance of pushing us onwards. Mind you now we have super duper Danny Graham!!!
Well said Hornette, I struggle to believe it has been 4 years with Ellington. To think he spent a season at Derby, then a season in Greece and now half a season at Preston. So in the 4 years Watford have been underwriting his wages, he has spent more than half his time away from the club! It has to be remembered that he was signed to replace Marlon King when it became obvious he had to leave because of his ego. As supporters we were told the club could afford these players and that stadium monies were "ring fenced". We now know the truth and it hurts. If it wasn't for the brilliance of Malky we would have lost the fight to stay afloat. As it is we prepare for next season knowing that it will be tougher than this season.
For that sort of outlay, for a club like Watford, and his reputation you would certainly have hoped for a better return. Bring back Trevor Senior.
Perhaps his 'career' could be made into a tv show. Title? - Have Pie Will Travel springs to mind. For me, he symbolises everything that went wrong during AB's tenure.
As someone else wrote on another thread - as much as we like to and it is easy to blame him for the stupid wages he received. But would any of us do the same? If some silly git came along and offered you silly wages, would you turn them down? We should point out angst to the then board and Betty - they did the stupid deal and brought a stupid player....they were playing at the "Lets run a Big Club" game and believed their own ****e..... Yes, we are well shot of him from our wages bill, but the root causes sat in the Upper Rous...
w-y I actually feel good if I have had a productive day at work and earnt my money ,I also feel bad if I feel I havent earnt my money! Not that I`d give it back!!!So working on that premise he must have felt awful for years ,no wonder he turned to religion!!!
I agree with w_y. And hornetal. I too thought it could be a good signing. But it was a stinker. Most managers make the occasional bad signing, the trouble with Nathan was he epitomises the expression 'all your eggs in one basket'. I don't blame him, I'm sure he would've tried his best, it was in his interests to. But he was always off the pace, with poor finishing touch. I wish him well, though, and wouldn't begrudge him future success with someone else.
I don't think it was his fault. We signed a contract with him, we had to honour it. The contract should've made up his huge wages in the form of bonuses, but it was all (or 'mostly' I should say) straight wages. I would think that Simpson paying himself ã600K p.a. whilst employing a Chief Executive, i.e. he had presumably nothing to do, was more of a problem.
At the same time, Sheff Utd (a much bigger club) paid their Chairman ã25K p.a. Simpson was paid > 24 times what he was due. That can't be said of Ellington.
Sorry SLB still doesnt cut it with me ,He was still one of the many problems that nearly took us out of existence, that cannot be forgiven!! If JE could take a pay cut then NE should have as well!!
JE's was negotiated so he still had a place in the future of Watford. If he had not accepted that cut, he would have to have gone elsewhere, and given his injury record, he wouldn't have got more. NE had no reason to negotiate. He was never going to be part of our future, he would never command that sort of money again, why would he want to negotiate? Don't get me wrong, JE is heading towards legendary Hornet status. NE was a blight. I just think the blame lay elsewhere. We probably won't agree on this ;-).
Dont forget JE coud`ve been a leeds player!!! by now ,but stayed with us effalump was just a major drain on resources! think how many academy places could have been paid for with that money! wouldnt have minded so much if elly had at least pretended to be a football player!
Yes the board chairman ,manager of the time all have to shoulder blame for that one , but the player has to take some as well , If I had performed as badly as him at work ,I would have been sacked! long ago!I also would have given money back because of my poor showing!, I have pride in my standards , effalump obviously does not!
Lets not forget we could have been shot of him three years ago if they had simply sold him to derby instead of using a dodgy loan free transfer arangement to avoid paying a few hundred k to west brom. Plus he clouldnt do a je style deal as he was never going to play as we would have to pay west brom more money
