Came across this piece about Yannick Bolasie on the BBC website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24285417 Mentions of City are minimal, but what is said is a little disheartening to hear: "Where I doubted ever becoming a Premier League player the most was when I was at Bristol City," "I was in and out of the team. It was hard because the way I like to play wasn't the way I was playing when I was getting the chance. The more cynical would simply say 'that's a case of sour grapes because he wasn't good enough when he was here', but it did get me thinking of the number of players that were deemed to be not good enough by a large number of City fans, that have turned out to be successes at other clubs. I'd suggest that the following players received varying levels of stick at City, and varying levels of success without us: Yannick Bolasie Brett Pitman Martyn Woolford Liam Fontaine Lee Johnson (Really don't want to reopen the debate on this, all I'll say is that he earned rave reviews from Derby fans during his loan spell with them.) Richard Keogh Jamie McCombe I'm sure you'll find similar scenarios at lots of clubs, though to me it does seem as though City can be an especially toxic environment for certain players that have the capabilities to prosper under certain conditions. Fans have the right to voice their opinions, but every so often, certain players in particular get made the centre of attention for the majority of criticism, most notably in recent times, Lee Johnson, Liam Fontaine and now Neil Kilkenny. If a player is subjected to continual booing, then as much as the perpetrators may like to think it'll spur the player in question to 'prove them wrong', more often than not it's just going to have a detrimental effect on a player, who's usually only doing exactly what his manager has told him to do. Of course, the fans aren't entirely to blame, so maybe there's a strong case to say that training methods and tactics have been less than desireable in recent times, meaning that many players are actually regressing, rather than improving. Do you agree/disagree, or can you think of any other examples?
City were supportive of him. Gave him a chance. Fans were supportive, very supportive. He was up against somebody arguably better for the shirt. The way he was asked to play would still allow him the opportunity to get forward and affect the game. He did not grab the opportunity by the short and curlies.
I always find it frustrating when you look at the days results and see how many players have scored on a Saturday that USED to play for us.
'Lee Johnson (Really don't want to reopen the debate on this, all I'll say is that he earned rave reviews from Derby fans during his loan spell with them.)' They thought so much of Junior, they sent him back Then it was Chesterfields turn - was there on a 3 month loan - they dropped him. Then we paid up his contract (thanks Dad). Then he went to a Pub side in Scotland and was yet again dropped. Then he retired at 31. Yeh 31. Why ? He was unemployable as a player other than Dad. The record proves it.
This would suggest otherwise: http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Bris...tory-11307404-detail/story.html#axzz2glbhCMvx But, like I said before, let's not re-open that especially tedious can of worms. The point still stands that there seem to be plenty of other examples of players that have flourished elsewhere after being branded a failure (or just not very good) by fans here. Even though they're paid good money to do something that a lot of people dream to do, players are still people, and if they have their own supporters booing them and telling them they're s**t, then 99% aren't going to appreciate that and that rarely transforms itself into improved performances.
Doesnt 'suggest otherwise' at all. The EP reporter reckons they wanted him for the rest of the season - Rubbish. WHO said FFS. And don't you believe a word GJ ever said about Junior. Sent back from Derby, dropped at Chesterfield, dropped by a Pub side and retired at 31. All facts, not hearsay. Ps -Tell me another fit player who retired at 31. You won't.
I'm sure Ipswich fans could say the same about their club regarding Emmanuel Thomas and John Stead. Millwall fans could about Marvin Elliott, Cardiff and West Ham fans about Maynard, and Coventry fans about Louis Carey. Fact is every club is a different environment, and that suits some and not others.
I think it's all subjective The club has been very good for some and very bad for others, and there are hundreds of players in between the two ends of the spectrum I suspect we are just like every other club in reality
