Fowler, McManaman and Jones

[RobbieOR]

I read his book and think what he said seemed perfectly logical.

 

He thought Benitez didn't want him to stay as he wasn't offered a new deal and wouldn't talk to him.  When Benitez said that wasn't the case, he signed a new deal.

 

Fucking hell, you really are gullible. 

 

Clubs dont bid for players unless they've been given indications by the player or their agent that they want to sign. Otherwise they won't waste their time.

[Barrington Womble]

I know he grew up supporting the shite, I can see why he was bitter (excuse the pun) about nearly being sold. But doesn't accept him running down his contract for me, the club that developed him, he supposedly likes / loves and made him the player he was.

 

I like loyalty, especially from home grown players.

 

I want to clarify, I don't hate Mcmanaman - I just don't love him either after him leaving on a free. He's just another player for me, which is a shame as he could have been a legend.

Mcmanaman wanted to sign a new contract. The club didn't talk to him. They then did the barca thing and once he was back here shit themselves and realised they needed to offer him a contract in order to preserve his value and not because they wanted him. He took his right to refuse that contract - he doesn't need excusing for what is his right, that's why it's called a right. I've had enough if this discussion now, it's like arguing with my bird when she's on.

[Trumo]

The point has already been made above, and it's a point I've made before, but I'm not sure what Fowler in particular can bring in a coaching sense precisely because he was so instinctive as a player. 

[Bobby Hundreds]

I read that interview with ferguson he made a point that many very good players don't become top managers because they can't quite understand why some players can't do what they are asking as though the assumption is there that this was easy for me so why can't you replicate it. I don't know but its food for thought, to be fair the scruffy twat did mention there are exception to the rule as always such as cruyf and beckenbaur

[Jairzinho]

If we could even partially sort out his back and knee I'd be tempted to start Jones against Crystal Palace.

[Gym Beglin]

Maybe they are trying to create what they do at Ajax, where they have a day a week where ex-players come in and help during practice games. Each time a player makes a poor choice, they stop the game while the ex-pro shod owing him tells him what he should have done differently. I am sure fowler can teach players about movement, about hitting a shot early before the keeper is set, jones can help with positional stuff etc, mcmanaman on how to have shit hair. I can't see how it hinders and if it helps just 1 player per year group progress to the next level, it's worth it.

I'm not saying DONT DO IT! I'm all for it if it helps just one player develop, but I don't follow the logic is all.

 

I'd like the youth teams to go on the piss together a few times, become a unit, so perhaps we should get Don Hutchinson and Didi Hamann in as well! BOOM TOWN.

[Gym Beglin]

The point has already been made above, and it's a point I've made before, but I'm not sure what Fowler in particular can bring in a coaching sense precisely because he was so instinctive as a player.

I made that point, ergo, you owe my some rep for casting a shadow over my intellectual property, sir.

[Kevin D]

I like Macca. He was a very good player for us. My understanding of the way in which he left is that we accepted an offer from Barcelona, the move fell through (Rivaldo) and Macca decided to wind his contract down and leave on a Bosman. At the time I was gutted about it, but the lad made a lot of money and won two European Cups with Real Madrid. Much as it is not quite the done thing to point it out, he improved himself financially and also played at one of the very few clubs who were actually bigger than us at the time.He experienced another culture, and all that comes with that, and passed the test with flying colours. 

 

As for whether all of that translates into him being a good coach, then I'm not so sure. However, at the very least, if he is able to pass on some of what he knows to a group of younger players who would all snatch your hand off if they could achieve what Macca did (Fowler too for that matter) then all well and good. Jones was an excellent player too, but he never had the profile of the other two, and his career was curtailed by injury.

 

I don't know the nature of coaching arrangement, but I would imagine all three would have a supplemental role, rather than being the main coach for the under 18/21.

 

It's good news.

 

Nobody is bigger than the club.

[Kevin D]

Even if he did love the club, we weren't exactly going places then and the biggest club in the world came in for him. Even if he hadnt of been fucked over, its pretty hard to turn down Real Madrid. It doesnt make you less of a fan to admit that you would leave to experience something different.

 

Gerrard would have went to Chelsea in 2004 given the chance. Doesnt mean he doesnt 'love the club'. Footballers, like most jobs think of things professionally and there is nothing wrong with it.

Nobody

 

Is

 

Bigger

 

Than

 

The

 

Club.

[Guest LFD]

Fucking hell, you really are gullible. 

 

Clubs dont bid for players unless they've been given indications by the player or their agent that they want to sign. Otherwise they won't waste their time.

 

If you read what I put, I think he was tempted to join Chelsea and nearly did, but only because he thought he wasn't wanted by Benitez.  When he heard that wasn't the case he quickly did a U turn, thankfully.  

 

But whatever people want to believe about Gerarrd, he ultimately stayed, that's the be all and end all!  He wouldn't have run his contract down, like Owen and Mcmanaman did.

 

Mcmanaman wanted to sign a new contract. The club didn't talk to him. They then did the barca thing and once he was back here shit themselves and realised they needed to offer him a contract in order to preserve his value and not because they wanted him. He took his right to refuse that contract - he doesn't need excusing for what is his right, that's why it's called a right. I've had enough if this discussion now, it's like arguing with my bird when she's on.

 

As I said I can see why he did it, I just don't agree with what he did, it left us in the shit and he went down in my estimation as a result.

 

We don't have to agree Barry.

 

If we could even partially sort out his back and knee I'd be tempted to start Jones against Crystal Palace.

 

Haha.

[Barrington Womble]

I'm not saying DONT DO IT! I'm all for it if it helps just one player develop, but I don't follow the logic is all.

 

I'd like the youth teams to go on the piss together a few times, become a unit, so perhaps we should get Don Hutchinson and Didi Hamann in as well! BOOM TOWN.

Sounds like a plan!

[kalasoma]

Speaking of returning reds, the King is back in a non-exec role. There's supposed to be a story in the Guardian tomorrow, but just have twitter news:

 

John Henry: "We're delighted Kenny has accepted our offer. He has a unique relationship with the club & embodies everything about the club."

[polymerpunkah]

BBC reporting it now.

 

(Though he never left, and couldn't leave, as far as I'm concerned.)

[RedRazor]

The club can't force the players to sign the contract.

 

Owen totally used the club, every week he was saying a deal was close, he'd probably sign it in the next few weeks and he didn't and left on a free.  He didn;t care about the club, he cared about Michael Owen.  Mcmanaman was obviously similar.

My memory is broadly similar but that McManaman was the trail blazer. He kept saying that he was going to sign and I think the club fell for it. He deliberately let the clock run down and seriously mis-led the club as to his intentions. He is the first player that I can recall ever doing it to us and we got badly burnt.

 

Owen tried to do the same but the club sold him with a year left on his contract. We got a fraction of his worth plus Nunez (?).

 

It was poor by the club to get done twice. They should have waved the contract at him a year earlier and told him to sign or he would be sold. At least we would have got enough for a decent replacement.

 

Not impressed with the behaviour of either but I definitely see McMananman as the biggest shit of the two of them.

[stringvest]

Bloody hell, another one.

 

[Tony Moanero]

He was, but I thought he was converted?  

I posted this link on the first page. Did you not bother to read the interview?

 

McManaman was still an Evertonian in 2004.

 

 http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/steve-mcmanaman-one-one

[xerxes]

And digger fancies a slice of the action too now i see.