Strange, a while back I posted a thread about loyalty (or rather the lack of it) in football today, if I remember correctly it may have been influenced by Racon joining Millwall, or else Semedo saying he'd sign a contract for life then sodding off to Sheffield Wednesday. Well anyway, today we have seen a player, (who dreamed of playing for this club, supported it for his whole life, with the club themselves being the only club he wrote to asking for a trial, accepting him for one) sign for a manager who three years ago didn't rate him above the appalling Nicky Weaver (and who will probably end up sleeping with his missus). So, in a day which has also seen occasional England international Owen Hargreaves set to sign for his old clubs fiercest rivals, I willingly accept that loyalty is nowhere to be seen in football, and that (****-Sherlock) money is the only motivator. I was naïve to think otherwise. P.S Franco, I didn't **** the bed, nor have I been up all night sobbing about Robbos departure
To be fair to Robbie it is a step up to the premier league and a 5 year contract there to go with it, granted he probably wont end up playing much but he's got to have the self belief that he can break into the team. Why anyone would work under Pardew though beats me, then again pay me a footballers salary and I'd happily do it. P.S as we seem to need to give a reason for being awake at this time; I've been up playing eve, a game not a girl unfortunately.
We're not talking a small step up for him though or to a rival. If this was a move to the championship I doubt he'd have done it. But he's jumping from a strong league one team to a midtable prem team. The money that goes with that is hard for anybody to refuse. It's simply life changing.
Robbie's on what? £12k per week now and it's a five year contract, so this is worth over £3,000,000 to him over those five years. Which of us wouldn't accept that? Plus I guess Robbie was one of the highest earners at the club (£4,000 pw?) so the Club gets £375,000ish for him plus saves @ £230,000 in wages/NI payments. So that's the club over £600,000 up this season on the deal. I wish him well.
I genuinley believe that if I was him I would have stayed. The £4k per week that he was quoted to be on would do me, starting week in week out for my local team, and living in my area would be too much. And in his heart of hearts he must know he won't be number1 up there. And I couldn't work for Super Pards either.
Exactly Kish, as a Charlton fan, surely he was living the dream playing for Charlton? I don't hold it against him, he will always be a legend in my mind, but I can't see the reasoning behind leaving the club you have supported for your whole life to join a manager who didn't rate you four years ago. If he wanted to play in the Premier League, then I'm sure he could have stayed here, the sole plan for the new ownership is to take us back to the Prem, and I'm pretty certain that had Robbo signed a new contract, he would have been our number 1 and remained so every step of the way (rather than benchwarming at best at Newcastle).
Unless he felt mistreated by the club over his contract and the Hamer situation?? But to me that would show no fight or spirit - our number 1 position had his name all over...
I think the signing of Hamer was supposedly a response by the club over Elliots reluctance to sign a contract, so had he done so, the only competition would have been from Sullivan. Did anyone else notice the interview with Hamer on the OS conveniently timed for a few hours before Elliot's departure was officially confirmed?
I think the signing of Hamer was supposedly a response by the club over Elliots reluctance to sign a contract, so had he done so, the only competition would have been from Sullivan. Did anyone else notice the interview with Hamer on the OS conveniently timed for a few hours before Elliot's departure was officially confirmed?
Sorry, guys, but I think all this stuff about players being fans of this or that club is wildly exaggerated. This is their careers we are talking about. I can see a player might not want to move if that would disrupt his family life, but being a fan might only influence his decision given the choice between two offers which are otherwise equal (and that can rarely happen). If a player is lucky his career might last 15 years. Most are briefer, and anyone's career could be ended at any time in any match they play. If a player retires at 35 and lives to 80 that gives him 45 years to be the most fanatical fan in the country and he would probably have plenty of money to spend in the club shop too. No doubt if Robby fails to push himself into the first, or at least second, choice spot he will move on to a Championship club in a couple of years time. It could even be Charlton since he is such a fan! Being a fan of our club is important to us. But anyone who puts it front of their family, their career, and (hopefully) continuing education or training, is not in my opinion a fully mature adult.
