The Decline Of The Deeney Empire - Professor Steve Leo Beleck

Agree he was superb with iggy, similarly ineffective to now at the start of the season by himself up front

 

Unbelievably harsh. First rung? He is one of our all time top scorers, massive hand in taking us up in the first place, loyal. I also do not believe he is not trying his best at the moment. Just think he's got a bit slower, isn't match fit, low confidence and isn't great by himself up front. He's always been best in a two

 

If only it were that simple!
You omitted desire.
As others have stated, he seems to have lost this aspect and without it no athlete can achieve the desired level.
Troy has limited natural ability in comparative terms but he did have the capacity to work to his maximum.Very similar to David Ferrer in tennis.
He doesn't have the skill set to be Federer,if I am allowed to continue this analogy,but he should still have the desire.
I doubt there is a sportsman/woman alive that has had the longevity,earnings and titles that RF has, but he still loves the game and the battle and that is why he continues to play.
It appears to me that all Troy is truly interested in now is the Deeney brand,the trappings of his wealthy existence and furthering his post playing media career.
His credibility is diminishing rapidly,hastened, no doubt,by his declining physical condition. Someone once told me 'wait 'til you get to 30,everything becomes twice as difficult.' So true!
We can debate the 'Legend' tag until hell freezes over but irrespective of that Deeney is fast tarnishing his reputation and reputations and integrity are hard earned and can be lost quickly.
All of us must be sad for what we are witnessing,wherever we sit in this debate.

 

Typical story of 'bad boy came good then got a bit greedy' if you ask me!

 

Suspect Deeney's next role will be on Strictly or in the Jungle as I cannot see many clubs interested if his salary is too high

 

Deeney's play has definitely declined, but I for one really dislike the name calling and insults.
All that needs to be said, is "Thanks for everything you have done for the club over the years, your efforts have been much appreciated, but now may be the best time to move on to a new club."
Or something similar.

 

I can't remember 'a large number'. Even yesterday he had a moderately difficult chance - but still one I would expect him to challenge the keeper with at least - and that was it. 90% of his time on the pitch is spent having to back in to the opposition defenders to hold the ball up. Totally not his game.

 

I’d be prepared to say that, but only if I thought he was still busting a gut to compensate for the eye watering salary he so cleverly organised. As others have said, part of the reason for his decline is definitely based around attitude and hunger.

 

He’d enjoy eating all those critters that Ant and Dec thoughtfully provide.

 

Plenty of cojones, too.

 

I agree with Leighton - Deeney has been a good servant of the club for quite a few years. However that should not blind us to the fact that this year and last he has not been worth his salt. Saying he won't get another job on the salary he is on is just a true fact - unless he finds a way to get back to where he was a couple of years ago. Unfortunately for footballers you cannot expect to rely on your form from the past.

 

I've been pointing this all out on here since mid last season, even to the point where I was getting mocked for it on the forum during the summer - but too many still had on their yellow blinkers. Even at his best he never had the ability to lead the line at this level, and his overall fitness and form has been on an irreversible decline for the last year. He now has neither the sharpness nor the talent for where we aspire to be (unless we aspire to be back mid-table in the Championship).

 

Unfortunately you are seeing an unfit player in a system that doesn't suit him, in a team that is on a poor run.

If our ambition was lower half premier league team then Troy would be ideal, but we have moved on, we now have better more skillful players who are over taking him.

Silva has made it clear how important Troy is around the club, around the training ground and with the other players. Silva clearly see's him as his best available option, at the moment.

 

Corrected

 

Does Troy qualify for club legend status? Does it matter?
Pretty sure in the past we were happy enough with players who were just classed as good club pro's and left it at that.

But if you take a look at what he's achieved in his time at the club then he is surely up there with some of the greats..

• Top twenty appearance maker
• 4th highest all time top goalscorer
  
• Also the 4th player to score over 100 goals for the club
• Top scorer in 4 separate seasons (i think only Luther & Ross have achieved this)
• The only player other than Luther to score 20+ goals in 3 separate seasons
• and the only player to achieve that in consecutive seasons
• 2nd in the list for scoring in consecutive games (6.. which he's done twice)

and all this before he hit 30 years of age (is he really still in his 20's?)


Yes we might well have seen his best days but surely his place on the clubs honours board is well and truly secured?

 

I agree, it doesn't really matter, but it seems that his supporters on here keep referring to his legendary status as if that is an excuse for his poor efforts over the past couple of years. It isn't.

He is our Captain and "talisman" and is probably on more money than anyone else in the squad. We should be seeing the best from him and his experience right now, not his worst. His success in the past was never a manifestation of speed, or his mobility so why are we looking at his age as some sort of further excuse. He is only 29 for heavens sake.

Deeney, if he was doing what he is meant to be doing, should be inspirational to the other players and the fans, through hard work, determination, dependability and maturity. Instead, I honestly do not know if anyone would miss him , if he sneaked off after 5 minutes.

Our current form is not down to him, but he should be doing far more than he does to help turn things around.

 

Absolutely.
Those historical stats mean very little when you next walk out on the pitch. It's been a little sad watching him at times and i think it would be better for him to move on before tainting his status with the club too much. If he was to up his game to somewhere near that first season back in the Prem then yes give him a chance. Can't see it at the moment though. He's way off the pace as those performance stats confirm.

I think the acid test is that if he wasnt playing for us would be happy to hear we were signing him, given his recent form? No.. we'd be... ermmmm.. gutted.

 

Make a decent centre back if we get get desperate.

 

No point anyone arguing over facts or (Deeney's) figure

 

Course he’s a legend. Dragged us to the PL and played a huge part in keeping us there. Unfortunately, for one reason or another, he’s not up to it anymore.

 

Ridiculous to say Deeney isn't a club legend. IMO he dragged us to promotion despite all the head coach uncertainty.

Anyway, them stats are damning but worth remembering he was playing with a striker that first season.

For the life of me, I can't see why Silva won't drop one of our centre backs and just play Gray & Deeney together!? Deeney is not a lone striker, he works best when there's someone near him, simple as that. He has put on weight yes, he's not the player he once was but this is all being magnified by the fact that he's playing as a lone striker.

 

Good point. And we ARE desperate!

 

Point taken, but I think the abuse handed out to the vast majority of players on this and particularly other forums is unpleasant, over-the-top and unnecessary. There are of course some players who deserve abuse, but the vast majority are just people who can't quite cope with difficult circumstances. The nature of football is extremely competitive and inadequacies are quickly exposed. This doesn't make them automatically bad people.

 

Definitely not up to it in our present formation, but I wonder how he would do as the foil to a quick competent striker like Vydra or early-period Ighalo.

Although I'm far from convinced that Gray would be able to fill that gap, this would be the best (and last) chance to rehabilitate the pair of them

 

So.... Iggs do fly!

 

I can't see him leaving on his salary.

 

I watched my son's team play football today. In the 1st 60 mins they had a striker who charged around, closing people down and running the channels. He missed about 3 chances and had a 1 on 1 which the keeper saved. His team were 2 - 0 up before he was swapped with a more clinical finisher. This boy wasn't as mobile and the team suffered. The game finished 2 - 1 with my son's team just about hanging on.

Whatever anyone thinks about Andre Gray, his work-rate is vital to the team. In the end I wouldn't care if he missed 20 one on ones, as long as Watford won the game. Troy does not have the work rate or mobility of Gray.

By the way, I'm not knocking Deeney here as I'm sure we'd see his qualities if we played 2 up front but we don't.

 

Even Luther was past it at one stage, time to part ways I think.

 

stone?

 

Maybe...but opportunity in January to sign for Brum City or more likely Villa and become a legend back 'home'. We could still get say 12 million. Remember how much Deeney originally cost - still a significant mark up for a player who has been with us for 7 seasons. Pretty sure he could still do it in the Championship if he stays fit but can't think of any current EPL teams who would bid.

 

Can't see him going to Villa being a massive (insert Deeney weight joke here) bluenose. He's not shy in saying how much he enjoyed scoring against Villa.

 

**** me I agree with you on this one

 

That was cool when he gave his all on the pitch. Less cool now he doesn't, almost become a burden.

 

I take it we've seen his instagram story?

Out partying with Capoue, drinking champagne out of the bottle