A year down the line from this message and what an incredible turn around it's been for Marriapa - from hardly featuring to now starting week in week out. Has been fantastic this season considering what's been happening. Legend.
Not much of a write up though - in typical Crooks fashion he starts talking about other things in his comment about Mariappa. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43278167
Anyone else been watching the Team Mates videos on the club's YouTube channel? Every single player has said that Mariappa trains the hardest out of everyone at the club. It's good to have players like that in the squad, setting the standards for the others and shows that his value is not only on the pitch. A couple of other things to come out of the videos - Capoue is clearly a bit of a dressing room leader which surprised me a bit as I thought he was too laid back, the consensus is that Cathcart is pretty funny, and Deeney is hardly mentioned at all. Perhaps he's not that big an influence anymore?
Good decision. Very useful in a three or as a full back and absolute role model pro. In a two you'd want him paired with the new commanding centre back we didn't buy.
I could never understand this. Like when everyone that ever played with Ronaldo or Gerrard said they were the last ones off the training pitch. Well, my question would have to be: If you saw that, why weren't YOU the last one off the pitch? Why don't YOU train the hardest? Surely the rewards are easy to spot?
And next summer will roll round and we won’t buy a centre back because we won’t be able to shift the garbage we have on the books. Britos will likely get a one year extension as well. Rinse. Repeat.
Dont see the problem with this one. Homegrown and a dependable back up. Best thing is he is fully aware that hes a back up so wont cause any issues if not being played. Wont be on massive wages either. Sensible decision by the club.
I was fairly critical of signing him in the first place but I was wrong, reasonable squad player, home grown, doesn’t sulk, doesn’t get sick of this ****, comes on and does a job when asked, never going to pull up trees but that’s not what he’s there for, what’s not to like
I like Mariappa, he's clearly a nice, passionate guy and I have nothing against him at all, but he is nowhere near good enough for the Premier League. He wasn't good enough in his prime and he certainly isn't now. I'm sorry but he shouldn't even be an option at this point, let alone in 2020. Same goes for Britos.
Do you not even agree he is worthy of a slot in the squad alone as a back up? I really don’t see the problem here. It amounts to a 1 year extension, he is home grown and obviously a massive character behind the scenes. Of course you don’t want him starting every week but unless the worst happens that won’t be happening. You can’t have 6 first choice centre backs, 3 or 4 of whom are happy to sit on the bench. Sometimes you need less quality but able footballers to add depth. That’s what he does. We’re not living in a football manager game where you can just hide away talented players all the time.
No I don't. He was "back up" last season yet ended up playing in 28 games and was repeatedly exposed as being well below the required standard. This is exactly why I and others were bewildered by the fact another centre back of at least Kabasele/Catchart level wasn't signed, because when one of them inevitably does get injured, we have average Championship level, ageing defenders like Mariappa/Britos/Kaboul (haha) who suddenly become regular starters at a level that is beyond them.
Prodl? I would argue an in form Prodl is as good as both Kabasele and Cathcart. He had a poor year last season but prior to that had been a rock for us. I agree that Britos and Kaboul probably don’t warrant a contract but think you are being very harsh on Mapps. The other players always talk about his leadership and influence. At times last season he did look exposed, but so did most of the team. He is a great backup and the club obviously agrees with those of us which think that.
No. He is significantly below the required standard in my book right now, never mind pushing 34. I’d far rather we had a couple more Wilmot type prospects who might amount to something to players far below par who are going to regress with age like Britos and Marriapa. Run down their contracts and let them go. They are deadwood.
Obviously they do or they wouldn’t have renewed it. But this is the same club that renewed Britos and extended the contracts of Holebas and Prodl. I disagree with it completely as I think Mariappa is a dreadful backup. A few injuries to centre backs this season and we will have the worst pairing in the division.
New 2 year contract ! Delighted we fought off the competition to retain him. Rivals the Britos deal for the signing of the summer.
I can't see how this is a bad deal for the club. Unless of course he's pocketing a significant pay rise for his extra year.
Am I watching a different sport to the rest of you. I thought Mariappa was outstanding last season when called upon.
I wouldn't have went as far as outstanding but he was hardly awful either. Was always pretty solid and did have some great performances. He was better than Britos and Prodl last season so I don't understand the negative reaction. Then again, it is the usual couple of negative posters complaining!
The club can't win in this situation. There are obviously some fans and posters who have a difference in opinion with others and the clubs owners as to how the club should be run. We are never going to be a top six club, we could if lucky be best of the rest. Therefore we cant go around acting like a top club and stockpiling top players. By financial necessity more than anything our club needs to have a good first 11, some good backups and then some squad fillers. The sooner people realise that, the happier they will be.
Agreed. Perfectly competent and quite versatile. If he was called Mariappini and hailed from Italy I suspect the moaners would be over the moon about the news.
Frankly this is the usual nonsense that declares that if somebody wants to upgrade Marriapa then they want us to be Man City. My view has been consistent since the end of last season. Marriappa, Britos and Prodl are all substandard and will get worse with age. If we want to improve the time to dispense with Britos was the summer. The time to dispense with Marriappa and Prodl was summer of 2019. No superstar upgrades. Just a first team centreback and Cathcart becomes back up. Another prospect centre back perhaps like Wilmot who may improve. But no. New contracts all round. No gentle improvement. Just stay with the same substandard aging players as they deteriorate and hope for no injuries. And when we get to next summer the same people praising this will excuse the owners on the ground that we can’t improve because we can’t shift our players on extended contracts.
I like Nath, he's clearly a nice, passionate guy and I have nothing against him at all, but he is nowhere near good enough for this forum. He wasn't good enough in his prime and he certainly isn't now. I'm sorry but he shouldn't even be an option at this point, let alone in 2020.
You are not even speculating, you are just stating your fear as if it is fact. How do you know Maps and Prods will still even be here next season? And your underwhelming belief that Wilmot may improve says more about you than it does him. Take a look at him in a competetive match before you condemn him to mediocrity maybe? Your fears may be realised. But they are not yet facts.
Does anyone come on for facts? Dry wit, stridently stated opinion & the odd slow motion car crash but not facts.
