It is hard to take but I really don't understand the blame culture evident in the comments section of the article. Sportsmen get injured, no two injuries are the same, people recover at different rates and the slightest of knocks can set back recovery - knocks totally unrelated to playing or training. It's just a fact of life & I find it silly to hear people saying things such as 'heads must roll and now' as though they were medical experts. I did appreciate one comment though - "Are Carillion running our sick bay?"
It is impossible for us supporters to judge the competence of our medical staff and /or training methods but we have certainly suffered a much higher than average loss of players through injury. Is it just bad luck or inferior staff / methods? Duncan Wellbourne would have played with a broken leg without any hesitation.!!!
He probably suffered a set back - it has been very cold and not the best time to be suffering from muscle injuries. I think it's the lack of communication people get frustrated about. Britos has been out since November with a "bruised foot"
http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co....news/revealed-how-many-watford-ticket-1076668 An interesting point regarding season ticket holders who don't attend matches - over 3000+ per game. So our average attendance of 20,000 or so is actually only 17,000 or so.
I have a theory, but without any technical foundation I may get laughed at!! I think the high number of injuries are possibly caused by the training surfaces we have..I am pretty sure they were "upgraded" to match quality some time ago. I wonder if they take their toll on players with the artificial weave, meaning the players are subjected to impacts and forces that normal grass does not inflict. Anyway, just a theory
http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/15849588.Sources_give_update_on_Richarlison_future/ Richarlison not moving until the summer. Not surprising that he intends leaving I suppose, but I think he'd better regain some form if he wants bigger clubs to come a-knocking - his game has been somewhat ordinary for a while now.
Yes - they do appear to surround him with 2-3 players. Mind you, that's all the more reason to play 2 or even 3 up front & exploit the gaps. But he does need to develop another strategy, rather than simply falling over and scowling/feeling the back of his head whilst halfheartedly appealing for a free kick.
I think that might just be part of the problem - 'It has been very cold'. 6 of our squad had never played north of the Alps before coming to us and it is a good guess that Richarlison (who had never played outside of Brazil) had never seen snow before. Is it just coincidence that our bad runs normally begin around mid winter ?
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/...he-was-sacked-because-he-is-english-7kv82d9sx Club being sued by Richard Collinge...
Among the many reasons for one's team of professional footballers not playing very well, being cold would not carry much conviction with me! What next? The new shirt itches? My boots are a bit tight? The manager sighed when I missed a tackle? The pre-match pasta was very slightly too al dente for my taste?
All very likely Theo,dont think any of us want to go back to the days when us on the terraces could have been earning more than those on the pitch and they got little respect generally,but now once the players got a contract he's the boss-with the considerable help of an agent.With a club like Watford with such a large turnover you're unlikely to get much allegiance though are you
Not a lot, Nick. No desire to go back to the days of Woodbines, rattles and cloth caps...though the rattles were fun! Good to hear from you!
A lot of season ticket holders seem to be missing games? http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co....news/revealed-how-many-watford-ticket-1076668 Do we have a lot who pick and choose there games ?
It would be interesting to see how many are consistent 'offenders'. You do have the over-75 group who will miss a set amount of games, but the club have tried to combat that with asking them to inform when they can't make the game so they can resell their ticket. They have now done the same with any season ticket holder, where they will get a credit for next seasons ticket Every game you will get some people who can't make it but seems there is a lot every game rather than just unfashionable games or seasonal ones
Would you play your best on a bone hard pitch at over 90 degrees Theo ? If not then why expect a Brazilian to play his best in an English winter - especially if he's never experienced one before. They are humans, and I know from experience that living in another country is interesting but also strenuous. Couple all this with home sickness, not being able to use their native language with other than a few people, if that, not having their families with them etc.etc. all leads up to not performing at maximum ability. How long would it take an average (and the players we get from the south are only average) English league player to adapt and play his best in Italy, Spain or Brazil ?
