MatG87 Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Downing said: You just want the best for your career. You want to finish with medals at the end of it so, if it's a step up with Villa or with someone else, then I'm ready for it He's staying to fight with Villa. Oh yes. Don't believe journos I hope you're right. If he was to go to Liverpool after saying that then he really must be thick! If he goes i have no respect for him and I hope Stan does the other foot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Downing can say the **** he wants to be honest. It's nothing compared to the shambles work by the board.So the board making a bad appointment somehow doesn't make Downing a prick for all of the things he's said? Maybe Downing has seen the board's ambition or lack of, and has decided that as things have changed for the worse, he needs to reassess his career options? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgoth Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I wouldn't call Downing a prick. He is being fickle and for good reason.How? He's been trying to engineer a move to Liveprool long before McLeish was even appointed, after earlier saying he wanted to stay. oh yes? Where did you find out this BS? Downing is staying. He never said he'd go to LFC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Downing can say the **** he wants to be honest. It's nothing compared to the shambles work by the board.So the board making a bad appointment somehow doesn't make Downing a prick for all of the things he's said? Maybe Downing has seen the board's ambition or lack of, and has decided that as things have changed for the worse, he needs to reassess his career options?Maybe, maybe not, but that still doesn't make his behavior acceptable even if it is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacketspuds Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 If Downing wanted to stay he'd sign a new deal. He isn't going to as he doesn't want to stay. He has 2 years left on his contract and as the General alluded to we need to be careful with players contracts as we shouldn't flog them on the cheap for the sake of it. I'd sell him this summer if at all possible and let McLeish reinvest in N'Zogbia and Kranjcar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyOne Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I wouldn't call Downing a prick. He is being fickle and for good reason.How? He's been trying to engineer a move to Liveprool long before McLeish was even appointed, after earlier saying he wanted to stay. So by that logic, Bent must be one as well seeing as he did something similar at Sunderland. It wouldn't surprise me if players like Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Ireland etc all think the same thing. But the problem with them is they know they're not going to get a better off and are gonna milk this club for all it's worth. There needs to be a better approach when it comes to players at this club. Firstly we need to attract quality players (no hope with McLeish as manager, thanks Randy), give them a minimum 5 year contract instead of the laughable 4, a loan spell to prevent deadwood to leech off this club, low wages (I mean look at Ireland wages for doing F all, players must think what's the point) and actually have better people on board that can persuade players we're actually going to aim high instead of giving up even top 6 ffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted July 11, 2011 Moderator Share Posted July 11, 2011 Downing can say the **** he wants to be honest. It's nothing compared to the shambles work by the board.So the board making a bad appointment somehow doesn't make Downing a prick for all of the things he's said? Maybe Downing has seen the board's ambition or lack of, and has decided that as things have changed for the worse, he needs to reassess his career options?Maybe, maybe not, but that still doesn't make his behavior acceptable even if it is true. What behaviour? Wanting to get the most of his career? He hasn't said or done anything out of order, he hasn't demanded a move or bitched to the press. All he has done is go back on previous statements, which given the situation changed is understandable. His first set of comments were when it looked like we were going into a 2nd season under Houllier, then things changed and once again we were starting again. Now don't get me wrong I'm still delighted that Houllier went even if I'm not happy with who replaced him but the simple fact is things changed and so it seems did Downings views. Now that might well also have been changed because of people whispering in his ear or because of a confirmed offer who knows but the reality for me is this. The team and the club that Downing finds himself a part of now is not the same team and club with which he signed not so long ago. He joined us from Boro because we were ambitious, progressive and trying to achieve something, we aren't that club any more and if Downing had any doubt about this the proof was provided for him by the arrival of McLeish. The landscape at the club has changed it is understandable therefore if players attitudes to the club have changed. I think Downing owes the club a little more after they signed him injured but in reality he probably felt he had that debt to O'Neill rather than the club. It is also unrealistic to expect a player to stay for this reason alone and lets be honest we as a club aren't giving him many other reasons to want to stay are we. If Downing wants out he is doing nothing different to what 99% of players would do in his circumstances. We can bitch and moan about it all we want, we can call him all the names we want but it isn't going to change anything especially as the problem here and the real issue isn't Downing its those people running the club who have frankly made quite appalling decisions over the last 12 months and arguably for quite a bit longer than that. Most of us don't think we are going anywhere as a club so I'm struggling to think why people are lambasting a player for thinking the same in the face of offers to move to clubs that are. If people really think that players, any players are going to put the feelings of fans and the wishes of clubs ahead of their own careers, goals, ambitions and wealth then they are kidding themselves. Downing is no more a villain than any other footballer out there, they are all the same and the truth is if we were in their shoes we would all likely do the same. If I were playing for a club that held no emotional attachment to me that had gone through the 12 months we have and I had the chance to go to Arsenal or Liverpool I would likely want to take it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 If Downing wants out then I can't say I blame him be it to Plop or Arsenal as lets be honest their prospects are far better than ours. From his perspective he went from being at a club challenging for 4th with two games to go one season to the next still being in a relegation battle with two games to go. Since then he has seen another of our better players jump ship and the appointment of a manger that over saw the relegation of another club. I'm willing to give Mcleish a chance by the way but I'm not a player in my peak years with the chance of a move to a club in a better position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I wouldn't call Downing a prick. He is being fickle and for good reason.How? He's been trying to engineer a move to Liveprool long before McLeish was even appointed, after earlier saying he wanted to stay. So by that logic, Bent must be one as well seeing as he did something similar at Sunderland. It wouldn't surprise me if players like Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Ireland etc all think the same thing. But the problem with them is they know they're not going to get a better off and are gonna milk this club for all it's worth.How did Bent do something similar with Sunderland? If Downing does go then I will be very disappointed given the things that he has said despite the fact that he must have known clubs were interested in him anyway. That and how he's done a complete u-turn with his comments despite the fact that we were doing far worse when he was going on about how he wants to stay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 We've stagnated; after a brief blip, Liverpool seem to be on the up again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 We've stagnated; after a brief blip, Liverpool seem to be on the up again.I think it's a bit too early to say either of those things at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 We've stagnated; after a brief blip, Liverpool seem to be on the up again.I think it's a bit too early to say either of those things at the moment. Why? Both points are true. Infact, you could say we have gone backwards from this time 12 months ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 We've stagnated; after a brief blip, Liverpool seem to be on the up again.I think it's a bit too early to say either of those things at the moment. Why? Both points are true. Infact, you could say we have gone backwards from this time 12 months ago.Not really, they're both opinion. Once we're a couple of months into the season I think we'll be able to get a better idea of where we are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted July 11, 2011 Moderator Share Posted July 11, 2011 We've stagnated; after a brief blip, Liverpool seem to be on the up again.I think it's a bit too early to say either of those things at the moment. I don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 We've stagnated; after a brief blip, Liverpool seem to be on the up again.I think it's a bit too early to say either of those things at the moment. I don't.Why's that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_The_Villan Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I'd sell him this summer if at all possible and let McLeish reinvest in N'Zogbia and Kranjcar. This. All day long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgoth Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I'd sell him this summer if at all possible and let McLeish reinvest in N'Zogbia and Kranjcar. This. All day long. Whelan wants 20mill for N'Zog and Tottenham 15 for Kranjcar. So who give us 35 for DJ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_The_Villan Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Whelan wants 20mill for N'Zog I think hes playing silly ****. Thinking about it, does anybody think that Whelan saying that is just an attempt to give Liverpool a kick up the arse? Basically making Liverpool think 'Downing or N'Zogbia for 20m? we'll take Downing thanks. Heres your 20m Mr Lerner' Then we go back to Wigan, give then 12m of the 20 we just got and everybodys happy? Or maybe not. Imagination is getting a little carried away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I'd sell him this summer if at all possible and let McLeish reinvest in N'Zogbia and Kranjcar. This. All day long. Whelan wants 20mill for N'Zog and Tottenham 15 for Kranjcar. So who give us 35 for DJ? So you refuse to believe the press over Downing but listen to the press over N'Zogbia's valuation? :bonk: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morpheus Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Far be it for me to agree with a Moderator :shock: but 'Trent's overview of the Downing situation is spot on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts