Patches O Houlihan Posted August 30 Share Posted August 30 1 minute ago, Wiggles31 said: Well hard to complain this window. Strengthened in most areas minus a CF but Archer could play that role. Our midfield is as stone (on paper) as I can remember. You're right. Big Les, Aribo & Flynn > three lads who aren't easily knocked off the ball. We usually have one, sometimes two, but it's been a good while since we had three. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSFC Posted August 30 Share Posted August 30 Ramsdale- brilliant KWP - brilliant he's still here THB - great we got the deal done last year Downes - great Fernades - very excited by him Cornet - excited BBD - think he'll be great Fraser - very pleased he's back Archer - very excited Suga - looks awesome Lesley - excited Edwards - I expect he will be good in a year or so Wood - still young. Let's see!! Lallana - very astute Stewart - think he'll come good despite popular belief!! A great window. Well done Saints!!! 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopper Posted August 30 Share Posted August 30 (edited) I think the business done is incredible and we need to give credit to the whole team at the club for that. We've got ample cover in every area of the pitch now. A top drawer keeper and some exciting prospects. The worst case scenario is that we go down swinging. But It's going to be a fun ride and I think we have enough quality to really fight for saftey. Russ is building a project here. Last season felt like the foundations being laid (THB, Flynn etc.) This season feels like we've built on that. If we can survive I believe we've got a great chance to establish ourselves. If we do go down, most all of the players brought in seem prepared for that and have been brought in with one eye on that being a distinct possibility. Bring on Brentford, and bring on the season. COYS Edited August 30 by Hopper 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint lard Posted August 30 Share Posted August 30 Great window really.Still could do with shipping out the usual suspects. And who knows Stewart may eventually comeback after another ’2 week’ sabbatical and prove his worth as a number 9. 🤷🏻♂️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patches O Houlihan Posted August 30 Share Posted August 30 It's the full version discussing the transfer deadline day as of 08:30 this morning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint lard Posted August 30 Share Posted August 30 4 minutes ago, MarkSFC said: Ramsdale- brilliant KWP - brilliant he's still here THB - great we got the deal done last year Downes - great Fernades - very excited by him Cornet - excited BBD - think he'll be great Fraser - very pleased he's back Archer - very excited Suga - looks awesome Lesley - excited Edwards - I expect he will be good in a year or so Wood - still young. Let's see!! Lallana - very astute Stewart - think he'll come good despite popular belief!! A great window. Well done Saints!!! Taylor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy_D Posted August 30 Share Posted August 30 Whether it’ll ultimately be enough remains to be seen, the Premier League is nuts these days, but difficult to see how we could have done much better this window. Now to make use of those players! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSFC Posted August 30 Share Posted August 30 Just now, saint lard said: Taylor? Oh yeah!!! Knew I'd forgotten one. I like him too. Great experience, solid pro. And can play CB. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNSUN Posted August 30 Share Posted August 30 GK: Ramsdale, Macca, Lumley, Bazunu RB: KWP, Sugawara, Bree LB: Taylor, Manning, Larios CB: THB, Bednarek, Stephens, Wood, Edwards, ABK CM: Ugochukwu, Downes, Smallbone, Aribo, Fernandes, Dibling, Lallana AM/Wing: Fraser, Cornet, BBD, Edozie, Sulemana, SAA Str: AA, Archer, Stewart, Onuachu As the squad is, obviously with a few positions covered by the same people like KWP that can play LB, AA can play RW or Str, Stephens can play anywhere across the pitch including up front and in goal etc etc... As good as I think our business has been, we definitely needed to shed a few and I think either that will happen with the clubs whose windows haven't closed over the next couple of weeks or they'll be shipped out in January. Good transfer business from us - as I've been saying for a few weeks, we've not only given ourselves a fighting chance of staying up this season, but we've strengthened the team for if we go back down again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintJackoInHurworth Posted August 30 Share Posted August 30 (edited) Here is our squad now (with new signings in red) plus details of ages of under-21 players: Name Position Other Aaron Ramsdale GK Gavin Bazunu GK Alex McCarthy GK Joe Lumley GK Jan Bednarek CB Taylor Harwood-Bellis CB Armel Bella-Kotchap CB Ronnie Edwards CB Age 21 but counts as under-21 Nathan Wood CB Jack Stephens CB/FB Charlie Taylor CB/FB Kyle Walker-Peters FB Yukinari Sagawara FB James Bree FB Ryan Manning FB Juan Larios FB Age 20 Flynn Downes DM/CM Lesley Ugochukwu DM/CM Age 20 Will Smallbone CM/DM Mateus Fernandes CM/AM Age 20 Adam Lallana AM/Wing Tyler Dibling AM/RM Age 18 Joe Aribo AM Maxwel Cornet Winger Sam Amo-Ameyaw Winger Age 18 Kamaldeen Sulemana Winger Ryan Fraser Winger Sam Edozie Winger Age 21 but counts as under-21 Adam Armstrong Winger/Striker Ben Brereton-Diaz Winger/Striker Ross Stewart Striker Cameron Archer Striker Paul Onuachu Striker Probable/possible incomings not yet announced Noel Buck CM/DM Age 19 Rory MacLeod Striker Age 18 Obviously, the last two are probably under-21 squad players at this stage. This is a maximum size squad in terms of over-21 players with a squad of exactly 25 over-21s (assuming that Bazunu will be excluded from the squad until January). There is still potential for some players to leave to go to leagues where the transfer window remains open, e.g. Onuachu to Turkey Edited August 30 by SaintJackoInHurworth Extra details plus a couple of corrections. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suhari Posted August 30 Share Posted August 30 Right then. I'm just back from a night of drinking with old work colleagues in Ghent. Need to catch up. What happened? We signed Fraser and Cornet. KWP still here? ABK and TP? Seems so. No CF? No other departures? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNSUN Posted August 30 Share Posted August 30 Keeping KWP is one of the deals of the window for me. Yes his contract is running out but to have him for potentially another 6 months if not longer boosts our chances of staying up this season. Yes we appear to be overstocked with full/wing backs now with him, Sugawara, Bree, Larios, Manning, Taylor and now Cornet and even Fraser able to do a job there (oh, and Stephens) but I think without KWP you get a noticeable drop in quality. There'll be a selection headache for sure - I'm glad it's Russ's and not mine to make. (Well, until FM25 hits the shops) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambsaint Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Agree - KWP the free signing of the century if we don't lose him, Ramsdale as the best signing we will ever make. Very, very pleased with free signing Fraser too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HKsaint Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 JWP, does he choose Forest over us, or we choose Cornet over him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNSUN Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Team made up of new signings: Ramsdale Sugawara THB Edwards Taylor Ugochukwu Downes Fernandes Cornet Archer BBD subs: Wood, Lallana, Fraser (and all the youngsters we signed) Cracking work Saints. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopper Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 11 minutes ago, HKsaint said: JWP, does he choose Forest over us, or we choose Cornet over him? I think we've both just moved on, and that's how it should be. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarvSFC Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 (edited) Wow. I was scared for a good while after that joke man from the Guardian's Tweet and Edozie's deal falling through. Can never complain about a proven Premier League attacker coming in and another goal scorer. Of course the hope is that he rediscovers his Burnley form. I could perhaps see him taking Adam Armstrong's position on the right if Armstrong continues to struggle up here. Again it has added competition. Armstrong's place in the team isn't so certain now and he needs to fight for it, which is never a bad thing. Overall, I think it has been a successful window. Bringing in a striker with a similar play style to Adams would have made it a 10/10. But, that also feels greedy, especially after today. It's the only thing the squad is missing and it's very rare for a Southampton squad to just be missing one thing at the end of a transfer window. Maybe there has been a miracle and we have had some positive news on Stewart. It was said this time last year when he signed that he would be ready after the international break, maybe they meant 2024? And, obviously the key thing is that we kept KWP until January at the very least. I like that the club retains the key players and doesn't sell them for a pittance due to their contract situations. I know it doesn't really help us financially, but as a fan I don't get to see that money anyway, we all get to see the talented players though and if we do survive the Premier League money will make up for any losses we may make. On the actual outgoings: Perraud, Lyanco and Caleta-Car all going was good. They're all crap. Sekou Mara, I always wanted him to come good, but he was just a let down every time he played. Not suited to the English game, wish him well and allowed us to get Archer. Lis, don't know who he is. Alcaraz, I was and am a big Alcaraz fan. I'm glad we've got a sell on for him. He'll come good. I liked how he always looked to attack and thought he impressed against Lazio before his head loss. But, watching Dibling and Fernandes in the week helped me get over the sale. I couldn't have a season of Smallbone and Aribo in the middle in the Premier League. Meghoma, good money for a player who has never made a league appearance for us and in the last year of his contract. May be one we look back on one day and say that's one that got away, but today he has helped us. Overall, no major outgoings, unlike last summer. Look at Leeds' business this summer and see how important it was that we won that match. Sold Gray, Summerville, Kamara and Rutter from that side and replaced them with Joe Rodon, who was there on loan already, Jayden Bogle and a bunch of nobodies. I'm not losing any sleep over the players who have left us this summer. Incomings: Harwood-Bellis - Obligation with promotion, essential to the team and a leader. A future England centre-back and Carsley knows him well from the Under 21s. Lallana - A sentimental signing. I don't like that I have to start liking him again, but on Wednesday night he showed that class was permanent and he's another leader in the dressing room. Saints fans used to get laughed at and called bias for saying Lallana was the better footballer than Oxlade-Chamberlain and Walcott and he is and was, which may still see him as an asset at 36. However long he'll be available for I'm unsure, doesn't train every day either. Taylor - Very good solid back up to have at left-back now that KWP's still here. Brings Premier League experience which has been a key factor in a lot of our signings this summer, which is a much needed turnaround from the summer of two years ago. Pushes Manning right down the pecking order too, which is necessary. Edwards - Potentially a good centre-back. He's a punt that makes sense at a very low cost. Wood - Err yeah, he's a bit rubbish. Fifth choice centre-back, potentially sixth with ABK, so won't see too much of him outside of the cups. Can't be worse than Holgate. Sugawara - Based on his first two league appearances I think we're going to be selling him for a big profit in a couple of years time. Haven't had a full-back who can put in a cross for a while, it isn't one of KWP's strengths, so he adds another dynamic to our attack that we've been missing. Downes - May well be our most important signing of the summer, even if he has been overshadowed by Ramsdale today. The team didn't work without him last season and I was so glad we got this one done early. I've said before that two mistakes Nottingham Forest and Burnley made in previous windows was not signing up their loan stars to permanent deals and instead seeking alternatives who are not guaranteed to bed in. We did not make that mistake. Brereton-Diaz - Was the star of a very shit Sheffield United team last season. Jury's still out after his first two appearances, though. He has always been a streaky player and we did get him for a good fee. For whatever reason it didn't work out for him at Villarreal, hopefully it's a different story here. Archer - I like his signing, again he's a goal scorer. He did look a little bit lost against Newcastle and Forest, but I don't think he had a training session before Newcastle and both were sub appearances where we weren't creating too much, or anything in the Forest game's case. He did start to worry me in the early parts of the Cardiff game, but those two goals against Cardiff were so well taken, something we've been missing for a while. Hopefully he brings it to the Premier League. A minority of people will say why have we signed Sheffield United's attack of last season, but they're the same people wishing we were making the moves that Ipswich have made, who signed Muric, O'Shea and Ogbene, who were all relegated last season also. Ugochewku - Said on Wednesday that he moves around the pitch effortlessly. Made it look so easy. He can be a big player for us this season. Fernandes - Future star. Man of the match on Wednesday, do it in the Premier League and he won't be here for long. Has the all important skill of being able to play on the turn in the middle, which is so important for creating room in this possession based system. He's the perfect Russell Martin midfielder. Ramsdale - Wow. Still can't believe we signed him. Thought it would be a loan at best. But, he's here permanently. Great CV and he'll be looking to get the England number one spot. Another big character to have in the dressing room also. Nothing not to like about this transfer. Les Reed and Ross Wilson would have been shopping around in the bargain basement at 10 o'clock tonight and discovered Dubravka after the Bijlow deal collapsed. We didn't and potentially got better. Well done Saints. Fraser - Good squad player, slightly limited footballer, but important to have around the squad when we're likely to be scrapping it out every week. Cornet - If we get the Burnley Cornet then we've got an attacker who is going to get a fair amount of goals. Wanted us to sign him before he went to West Ham. Now he's here. Overall, I'm happy and positive about the window. We've added plenty of competition, plenty of Premier League experience and Sports Republic really have acted on their words by learning from their mistakes of two years ago and have given us a squad that could actually stay up in this league when it was looking pretty bleak a couple of weeks back. Dragan's backed us again. Ramsdale Sugawara - Harwood-Bellis - Bednarek - Walker-Peters Downes - Ugochukwu Fernandes Cornet - Archer - Brereton-Diaz Could be our best 11 from here. ABK could also add to this if he fights his way back into the side. Edited August 31 by HarvSFC 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_clark Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 10/10 window. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SambaMaverick Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Solid 7 for me, happy with most of the business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surrey_Saint Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 To me this has got to be a 9/10 window… the only reason its not a 10 is cause we are now a large squad and could not shift a few at the end. assessment from bottom to top GK. Think we all appreciated what Alex McC has done for us and we all feared the worst when he has to step in for the playoffs semi and final. But he proved us wrong and outshone… but when was the last time we had a GK that was a true asset… I loved Kelvin but no club ever wanted to buy in.. but Ramsdale will always have clubs watching. DC.. finished last season playing 3 CBs but only had 3. so this was always needed. Woods and Edward’s are sensible buys. They either develop and push out Bednarek or are top CBs for the championship. I am now interested in Bella-k in seeing how the club manages him. DL / DR… Taylor lookS v good for a free. Yuki was obviously the KWP replacement and looks great but now we still have KWP so win win amazing. think Larios or Manning need a loan to whatever league is still open ( Larios - Belgium?) MC. Last season we really had no challengers at the end to Downes, Smallnone, Aribo.. but now we do with Fernandes showing early promise and the emergence of Dibling looking v exciting FWDs - I do think the clubs view was that Archer was the Che replacement and the hope that Stewart does come back was all we need - but then add fire power to wide areas and we have certainly done that to the limits of FFP. overall so much better than I envisaged and if we can find homes for 3 or 4 then even better. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSA96 Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNSUN Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 1) Signing THB and Downes was important to keep two of our best players of last season (yes I know we had an obligation for THB but I'm still counting him!) 2) BBD, Sugawara and Ramsdale instantly improve the first team. 3) Ugochukwu, Taylor and Cornet instantly strengthen the squad. 4) Lallana and Fraser bring experience and strengthen the squad further. 5) Fernandes, Archer and Edwards bring youth, possibility and hopefully quality. 6) Nathan Wood. 😁 (Ok, he's squad depth, slip him in to number 5.) 7.5/10 window for me pushing and 8. I don't think we've done enough in attack but I think that stems from being unable to shift players like Sulemana, TP and ABK - so far - and we probably needed to ship a few others out too but overall, a good window. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 11 hours ago, trousers said: Right then... I'm off up to The Smoke to see the mighty Darts in concert! Well, that's one way of getting away from all the transfer deadline day hype and bollocks! Have a good evening all Cracking gig! Did I miss anything? Assume we signed that Pedro fella and JWP? Cracking window if so. P.s. I even got to stalk the team bus up the M3 this afternoon.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grezz Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 8/10 for me. 11/10 for effort. I know it won’t happen but everyone should, finally, get off SR’s case and allow them to make a mistake once in a while. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stknowle Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 5 hours ago, HKsaint said: JWP, does he choose Forest over us, or we choose Cornet over him? The latter I reckon HK my old pal. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheaf Saint Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 5 hours ago, Surrey_Saint said: To me this has got to be a 9/10 window… the only reason its not a 10 is cause we are now a large squad and could not shift a few at the end. There's still time for some outgoings. The Turkish window is still open for another two weeks (so I'd say there's still a very strong chance of TP leaving), and Saudi clubs can still transfer in until 6th October. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kermitzasaint Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 On 28/08/2024 at 17:59, saintant said: Surely not. That would be a ridiculous attitude to adopt. He has been quoted saying so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 (edited) Note to those grading the window highly: you do realise that when we're bottom 3 in December, @AlexLaw76 will post: "still a 9/10 window, right?" 153 times? And for that reason alone, I'm giving it a 4. Edited August 31 by trousers 2 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry_SFC Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Brilliant window overall. Would've liked another striker but I guess that's being a bit greedy when SR have spent almost £110m this summer. Time for RM to show what he can do with a decent squad now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suhari Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Right. Hungover, but think I'm caught up on the pre-SLAM news. Quite enjoyed reading the thread. Do we know why Edozie didn't finalise a move? (Aside from his lack of end product I mean). 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypochondriac Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 I wonder if Martin will ever consider try to reintegrate ABK now he hasn't gone? Could be big for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Away from Saints for a second Ivan Toney moving to Saudi seems ridiculous. Class player in his prime, just broken into the England team, could probably have got a move to most top teams in Europe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weston Super Saint Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 3 minutes ago, Turkish said: Away from Saints for a second Ivan Toney moving to Saudi seems ridiculous. Class player in his prime, just broken into the England team, could probably have got a move to most top teams in Europe. Not ridiculous for Ivan. Apparently he's had to buy another two wheelbarrows to cope with the monthly cash flow. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypochondriac Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 5 minutes ago, Turkish said: Away from Saints for a second Ivan Toney moving to Saudi seems ridiculous. Class player in his prime, just broken into the England team, could probably have got a move to most top teams in Europe. Just shows what his motivation is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 1 minute ago, Weston Super Saint said: Not ridiculous for Ivan. Apparently he's had to buy another two wheelbarrows to cope with the monthly cash flow. It baffles me why any player in their prime would want to move to there or the MLS, we had it also with China a few years ago. Surely as a sportsman you’d want to compete at the best level you could for as long as you could. I can understand it if he was 34 wanting one last big contract having achieved all you could but at 28 when he could have been competing at the top of a major league and playing for your country? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Le God Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Saints made another signing and then loaned him out to our sister club... https://x.com/VAFC/status/1829776713816977518 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suhari Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 4 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said: Saints made another signing and then loaned him out to our sister club... https://x.com/VAFC/status/1829776713816977518 Glad those guys have got some reinforcement from us. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Le God Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 He is another FM25 wonderkid 😎 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthouse Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 9 minutes ago, Turkish said: It baffles me why any player in their prime would want to move to there or the MLS, we had it also with China a few years ago. Surely as a sportsman you’d want to compete at the best level you could for as long as you could. I can understand it if he was 34 wanting one last big contract having achieved all you could but at 28 when he could have been competing at the top of a major league and playing for your country? Why does it baffle you. Most footballers have a passion for the game but there are invariably a few for whom it's just a very, very well paid job. He'll earn an utterly obscene pile of cash for a couple of years working in Saudi Arabia, after which he can either stay for more cash, move to another league or just retire and spend the rest of his life doing what he wants. David Bentley, Eric Cantona and plenty of other have retired early because they just lost their passion for the game. It's not unreasoable. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badgerx16 Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Regarding TP, Sully, and ABK, and possibly keeping them as options, will we have slots in the first team roster to do so ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egg Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 1 minute ago, badgerx16 said: Regarding TP, Sully, and ABK, and possibly keeping them as options, will we have slots in the first team roster to do so ? There's space I think for everyone. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6ft8saint Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 3 minutes ago, Lighthouse said: Why does it baffle you. Most footballers have a passion for the game but there are invariably a few for whom it's just a very, very well paid job. He'll earn an utterly obscene pile of cash for a couple of years working in Saudi Arabia, after which he can either stay for more cash, move to another league or just retire and spend the rest of his life doing what he wants. David Bentley, Eric Cantona and plenty of other have retired early because they just lost their passion for the game. It's not unreasoable. 60m in 3 years is mad and when you actually think it is 84m as no tax to pay its a no brainer. It is down to the player to stay fit and motivated so in 3yrs he can come back 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egg Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 14 minutes ago, Turkish said: It baffles me why any player in their prime would want to move to there or the MLS, we had it also with China a few years ago. Surely as a sportsman you’d want to compete at the best level you could for as long as you could. I can understand it if he was 34 wanting one last big contract having achieved all you could but at 28 when he could have been competing at the top of a major league and playing for your country? I'm with lighthouse on this. To us fans being a top pro footballer feels like a bit of dream, but these guys are working. If I had the choice of working for 2 years earning £30m or so and then retiring, or working 4-5 years for the same money then retiring, I'd take the 2 year option. Seems to me that's what Toney has chosen to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egg Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 28 minutes ago, hypochondriac said: I wonder if Martin will ever consider try to reintegrate ABK now he hasn't gone? Could be big for us. I'm not sure he will. If that was likely, I think Wood would have gone on loan. I'd imagine he'll trim the 1st team squad to a core group, and the rest will train separately. It'll be unmanageable otherwise. I'm interested where Edozie fits in after this. Can't see there's any room for him. Daft lad should have sorted himself out yesterday - he had a cracking menu to pick from. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badgerx16 Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 9 minutes ago, egg said: There's space I think for everyone. In which case, unless we are truly desperate for a few quid coming in, keep them as options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry_SFC Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Onuachu will go to Turkey but I think ABK will stay and Martin will cast him aside. Shame really as he's potentially our best CB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 (edited) 24 minutes ago, egg said: I'm with lighthouse on this. To us fans being a top pro footballer feels like a bit of dream, but these guys are working. If I had the choice of working for 2 years earning £30m or so and then retiring, or working 4-5 years for the same money then retiring, I'd take the 2 year option. Seems to me that's what Toney has chosen to do. 30 minutes ago, Lighthouse said: Why does it baffle you. Most footballers have a passion for the game but there are invariably a few for whom it's just a very, very well paid job. He'll earn an utterly obscene pile of cash for a couple of years working in Saudi Arabia, after which he can either stay for more cash, move to another league or just retire and spend the rest of his life doing what he wants. David Bentley, Eric Cantona and plenty of other have retired early because they just lost their passion for the game. It's not unreasoable. I get all that but they are elite performers for a reason. Because they were driven to be better than everyone around them. Elite performers in any field want to win things and compote at the top. someone like Danny Ings moving to another premier league club for more money, get it. Same level of competition, bigger club more money, get all that. Someone who could actually win stuff going to an inferior league and risking his international career at the same time I dont Eric Cantona retired after being a legend and winning loads at one of the worlds biggest clubs, David Bentley, do me a favour, decent enough but hardly a top player. I’m surprised why someone like Toney who’s star was on the rise and could have gone to a champions league club and challenged for the title has chose to move there in his prime. Maybe after he’s won a few things but not now. Edited August 31 by Turkish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadhall Saint Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 3 minutes ago, Turkish said: I get all that but they are elite performers for a reason. Because they were driven to be better than everyone around them. Elite performers in any field want to win things and compote at the top. Eric Cantona retired after being a legend and winning loads at one of the worlds biggest clubs, David Bentley, do me a favour, decent enough but hardly a top player. I’m surprised why someone like Toney who’s star was on the rise and could have gone to a champions league club and challenged for the title has chose to move there in his prime. Maybe after he’s won a few things but not now. Did he have CL options (that wanted his jam 😉)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthouse Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 2 minutes ago, Turkish said: I get all that but they are elite performers for a reason. Because they were driven to be better than everyone around them. Elite performers in any field want to win things and compote at the top. Eric Cantona retired after being a legend and winning loads at one of the worlds biggest clubs, David Bentley, do me a favour, decent enough but hardly a top player. I’m surprised why someone like Toney who’s star was on the rise and could have gone to a champions league club and challenged for the title has chose to move there in his prime. Maybe after he’s won a few things but not now. No, because they had more talent than anyone else around them. There are thousands of men out there who put just as much effort into football as kids and ended up working in a Halfords Autocentre. You can put a lot of effort into something AND be motivated by money, they aren't mutually exclusive. Some of the smartest, most motivated people I know left the UK to go and earn a pile of cash in the middle east, it's hardly uncommon. You're missing the point RE: Cantona and Bentley. Both could have played at the top level for a lot longer than they did, had they wanted to. Toney is a 28 year old with 6 England caps, Bentley was a 29 year old with 7 England caps, Cantona was a 30 year old playing for Man Utd. It happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Le God Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 @egg @Paul Chuckle Why that emoji? You might not care, but others might. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now