What's new
By:
Advanced search…
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

2012-13 Premier League

Knightmare

Knightmare

Coach
Messages
10,716
Wouldn't every player like the chance to play for the team they support? Not every footballer grew up supporting Man United, Real Madrid, Barcelona or Chelsea...
 
Jason Maher

Jason Maher

Immortal
Messages
35,991
Knightmare said:
Wouldn't every player like the chance to play for the team they support? Not every footballer grew up supporting Man United, Real Madrid, Barcelona or Chelsea...
Click to expand...

It's a very small factor. Money and the opportunity to win trophies/play in Europe is what does it for the best players.

Honestly, you sound like a Dragons fan. Every time someone discovers a rival player grew up supporting the Dragons, the estimation of said player's ability undergoes significant inflation and there's a heap of "sign him up Dousty" calls, even if there's absolutely bugger all chance of us signing him.
 
Knightmare

Knightmare

Coach
Messages
10,716
I'm well aware it doesn't always work out that way. Indeed, Ian Rush and Michael Owen both grew up supporting Everton! Call me delusional, but I like the way Liverpool are playing of late. Even in Suarez's absence, they haven't missed a beat. Rodgers seems to be a popular, well respected manager with age on his side. Provided the team can start playing more consistently, as a player I'd find them an attractive prospect even though results aren't yet showing it. And they've still won silverware since Arsenal's last trophy. Liverpool may not be in the CL for next season, but as somebody else said, watching Arsenal in the Champions League is like watching the model in Brainiac- they're attractive and you want them to do well, but you know they'll be gone by the knockout rounds!

In seriousness though, while at Chelsea you might be more likely to win trophies as a player, at Arsenal I think you're a better chance at improving as a player. You'd be more likely to go on to bigger and better things as a better player after being with Arsenal than with Chelsea. That comes down to management, and Arsene has shown himself to be a great developer of youth. If you're a young, talented player, it could be easy to be overawed a little at Chelsea's star studded line-up, and without the managerial stability, I don't know if your game as a player would really improve. Right now, choosing between Arsenal and Chelsea if you were a talented English player would be akin to being a talented Australian player and having to choose between the Mariners and Sydney FC...
 
Last edited:
BunniesMan

BunniesMan

Immortal
Messages
33,738
AusKnightRKO said:
Mourinho only has 2 UCL, his Porto achievement was wonderful and ill never doubt that, but after 2004 he had lived off the need to buy teams to win titles, Chelsea, Inter and Madrid have a combined transfer fees of close to 1.2 billion dollars in his time.

Onto Arsenal, after a terrible Nov to Feb, we really bounced back in the league to steal 4th from the tiny tots.
With some smart transfers in the summer, Jovetic, Grenier and Gonalons and some depth, we should be able to challenge for the first time since 07.
Click to expand...
We were challenging in 2011. We were neck and neck with United into the new year. After we gave up the lead to Barca and especially f**ked up in the League cup then we collapsed in the league. But we were challenging upto that point.
Knightmare said:
I'm well aware it doesn't always work out that way. Indeed, Ian Rush and Michael Owen both grew up supporting Everton! Call me delusional, but I like the way Liverpool are playing of late. Even in Suarez's absence, they haven't missed a beat. Rodgers seems to be a popular, well respected manager with age on his side. Provided the team can start playing more consistently, as a player I'd find them an attractive prospect even though results aren't yet showing it. And they've still won silverware since Arsenal's last trophy. Liverpool may not be in the CL for next season, but as somebody else said, watching Arsenal in the Champions League is like watching the model in Brainiac- they're attractive and you want them to do well, but you know they'll be gone by the knockout rounds!

In seriousness though, while at Chelsea you might be more likely to win trophies as a player, at Arsenal I think you're a better chance at improving as a player. You'd be more likely to go on to bigger and better things as a better player after being with Arsenal than with Chelsea. That comes down to management, and Arsene has shown himself to be a great developer of youth. If you're a young, talented player, it could be easy to be overawed a little at Chelsea's star studded line-up, and without the managerial stability, I don't know if your game as a player would really improve. Right now, choosing between Arsenal and Chelsea if you were a talented English player would be akin to being a talented Australian player and having to choose between the Mariners and Sydney FC...
Click to expand...
Talented Australian players playing in Australia will choose the biggest club in the land. Melbourne Victory.
 
Knightmare

Knightmare

Coach
Messages
10,716
Righto, so a talented young player in Australia gets offered a contract with the Mariners and with Sydney FC, of equal value...

"Stuff it, I'll sit right here and wait until the Melbourne Victory make me an offer!"
 
BunniesMan

BunniesMan

Immortal
Messages
33,738
Victory are the ManU of Australia. If there is a young up and comer and Victory want him, he will pick Victory every day of the week.
 
Big Sam

Big Sam

First Grade
Messages
8,976
BunniesMan said:
Victory are the ManU of Australia. If there is a young up and comer and Victory want him, he will pick Victory every day of the week.
Click to expand...

Next time future young stars like Rogic, Amini, Ibini, Ryan, Oar, Sarota, Zullo, Burns, Leckie, and Antonis come along, we should tell them to go to Victory :lol:

You have NFI.
 
Knightmare

Knightmare

Coach
Messages
10,716
BunniesMan said:
Victory are the ManU of Australia. If there is a young up and comer and Victory want him, he will pick Victory every day of the week.
Click to expand...


And did you notice that my original hypothetical did not include the Victory making an offer to the young player with Sydney FC and the Mariners.

It's like saying to a promising English player "You can play for Arsenal or Chelsea, both offering the same amount of money. Who would you go to?"

"Man U!"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Top