https://www.skysports.com/football/...everley has agreed a,Road until at least 2023. Looks like it runs until the end of next season.
He should like Mark Noble for West Ham. A good presence in the dressing room, thrown on for 5 minutes at the end of a couple games each year to run around a bit, but never, ever, trusted from the start unless it’s pre-season or the league cup. Only then does his presence in the squad become acceptable. Instead, we’ve regularly relied on his well-gone legs from the start of games. In typical Pozzbury fashion, holding on well past the length of even average use, and deep into absolutely useless.
Leventhal reporting that not only did we extend his contract until he was 33 but there's an option for another year to 34. What is wrong with these idiots? Contract for Cleverley up to 32, thanks very much for all the effort you've put in, wish you well in the future. But no, we have to extend it, using vital wages that could be used to refresh the squad. What do they think Cleverley's performance levels will be like at 34 that requires an option for another year? Cleverley, Cathcart, Kabasele, Prodl, Britos (we offered him another year but he retired!). This is nothing against those players, they've generally done their best and who would look a gift horse in the mouth? But this constant extending of contracts into mid 30s limits our room for manoeuvre, they'll be on much bigger wages than up and coming younger pros.
Unfathomable. Giving contracts to any player at any club until the age of 34 should be a fairly exceptional situation, players like Ronaldo etc. fine, they’re physical anomalies but in the grand scheme of things they are few and far between. Giving them to players who were rank average at their absolute peak is just utter madness.
It defies business and finance logic. Who has a depreciating asset on their hands and spends more money on it to retain it for even longer but use it less and get less out of it?
Sometimes you don't need to over think things. The person consistently making these decisions is an imbecile, it's as simple as that. Don't forget the Janmaat masterstroke.
Unsure if this has already been posted elsewhere, but our very own Tom is in the first XI of the worst players based on stats this season. Along with that gurning idiot Foster (2nd best player of the season btw) Absurd that there's even rumours that he is going to be involved and as club captain next season. Lessons learned.
Just to think there’s Watford fans that want to keep him around next season for “experience.” I’ve loved having him at the club, but like so many others, it’s time to let him go. His legs have well and truly gone.
I think there is room for a certain type of player and it's actually important to keep them around the club, certainly in times of transition. For me, those players are Cleverley, Cathcart, WTE and Gosling. These guys are good professionals. They set good standards in terms of how they conduct themselves. Football is not all about what happens on Saturday afternoon. The majority of the time players are at the training ground. You need a few senior pro's who will set a good vibe and keep high standards. We don't have too many of this type of player now. We have a bus-load of journeyman mercenaries, who don't give a sh1t about the club and this is why we're failing in so many areas. Those mercenary players have to go, we need to retain the good senior pro's and bring in a new type, who are young and eager to prove themselves. Place those among good professionals and it could really set the correct tone in order to move forward.
I agree. You need good experienced professionals as a balance with hopefully some new exciting younger talent too.
Would rather Ekong than Cleverley tbh but I recognise others may differ. He’s younger and has performed at a higher level more recently.
It's an unpopular opinion with those players above but I completely agree. Not advocating starting every week but equally for the Championship at minimum they are competent options to have who you can't question will be dedicated to the cause like you could with some of our recruitment this year.
Other than occasionally pressing high up the pitch I'm not sure what else he does. He can't pass, tackle, doesn't offer a goal threat, gets shrugged aside quite regularly by more dynamic opponents.
He’ll be captain and our strange fans will be pleased despite the fact if we hadn’t given him an idiotic contract extension we could have released him this week.
Edwards confirmed in a radio interview today that Cleverley will play a major role next season. Cue the angry reaction here!
https://twitter.com/_wfc/status/1539897054255882240 He'll be the captain... Mind you they don't have to play.