[Albion] Does Cucurella deserve a bit of a boo today ?

[Jim in the West]

I can’t help feeling that Cucurella has been poorly advised. He’s seriously risking his place at the World Cup - an opportunity which may not come up again (who knows what the situation will be in 4 years’ time). And it’s not like he only has a year or so on his contract - it’s FOUR years. Which he theoretically risks chucking away (unlikely, I realise). As far as I can see, BHA hold the cards here. It’ll be annoying not having Cucurella in the team, but eventually either City will meet the asking price, or Cucurella will see the error of his ways.

 

[Kosh]

It has got worse.

Bayern have carved up the Bundesliga for a decade, taking managers/players from their direct rivals, PSG in a similar position, from nowhere Citeh have construed greater commercial ‘income’ than any of Barca, Manure, Real or Bayern. In my lifetime I’d seen Ajax, Porto, Forest and PSV be crowned European supremos, Robson’s Ipswich competed for years in or around the top.

Leicester the outlier when the top 6 all had issues.

I was looking at a football history book just the other day with my son - looking at the likes of Arsenal at the bottom of the original division 2, the likes of Stalybridge Celtic in the football league... pure nostalgia of course (and I’m only 41) but the super league exists already in all but name... even ‘new powers’ like Newcastle are being stealthily blocked from progressing... it’s desperately sad... and there’s the rub. I think what Cucurella has done and/or sanctioned is terribly sad... one bloody season and that’s it, no loyalty, no (genuine) gratitude just a stepping stone to untold riches... it’s as uneven a playing field as there’s ever been.

The realisation that we’ll never be permitted to get close or stick around is a hard thing to take.

 

[dazzer6666]

You've had a difficult week fella, have a couple of days off.

Absolutely **** all to see here.

 

[Weststander]

I was looking at a football history book just the other day with my son - looking at the likes of Arsenal at the bottom of the original division 2, the likes of Stalybridge Celtic in the football league... pure nostalgia of course (and I’m only 41) but the super league exists already in all but name... even ‘new powers’ like Newcastle are being stealthily blocked from progressing... it’s desperately sad... and there’s the rub. I think what Cucurella has done and/or sanctioned is terribly sad... one bloody season and that’s it, no loyalty, no (genuine) gratitude just a stepping stone to untold riches... it’s as uneven a playing field as there’s ever been.

The realisation that we’ll never be permitted to get close or stick around is a hard thing to take.

I’m not really a booer, but in no way is he an Albion legend or anywhere near it if he leaves now.

Newcastle will get there too, but it’ll take a little while. The vast initial doping at Chavski, Citeh and PSG is harder to replicate now with UEFA. Plus they seem to be offered NOT the best players, at an exorbitant Saudi premium.

 

[Kosh]

I’m not really a booer, but in no way is he an Albion legend or anywhere near it if he leaves now.

Newcastle will get there too, but it’ll take a little while. The vast initial doping at Chavski, Citeh and PSG is harder to replicate now with UEFA. Plus they seem to be offered NOT the best players, at an exorbitant Saudi premium.

Yep, wholeheartedly agree.

And yes I’m sure Newcastle will break the monopoly eventually... but it is interesting that they’re being offered good yet average players at extortionate prices... it’s going to cost them soooooo much money to even get close... I’m suspicious they’ll be used by agents to as a cash cow for slight less than elite level players earning vast amounts yet failing to really bother the really big clubs for quite a while at least... the perfect tonic for a game riddled with corruption.

Hey ho, where do I sign up ? Lol.

Top banter.

 

[Weststander]

Yep, wholeheartedly agree.

And yes I’m sure Newcastle will break the monopoly eventually... but it is interesting that they’re being offered good yet average players at extortionate prices... it’s going to cost them soooooo much money to even get close... I’m suspicious they’ll be used by agents to as a cash cow for slight less than elite level players earning vast amounts yet failing to really bother the really big clubs for quite a while at least... the perfect tonic for a game riddled with corruption.

Hey ho, where do I sign up ? Lol.

Top banter.

I don’t get down (usually ) by the Albion’s place in all this. I have modest hopes eg being out of the relegation scrap and I want to witness far more home wins. That’s about it.

Money’s not always everything. Everton, Manure and to a lesser extent Villa has spent vast sums in recent seasons ….. for what?

Total faith in Tony Bloom and the loyal Paul Barber (who was wanted elsewhere). Life will go on after Bloom’s taken Mansour for £50m.

 

[veuve]

In my opinion he is the best lb I have ever seen, truly world class.City want him,pay the money overwise **** off.

 

[Originunknown]

WHOcurella?

 

[drew]

I was looking at a football history book just the other day with my son - looking at the likes of Arsenal at the bottom of the original division 2, the likes of Stalybridge Celtic in the football league... pure nostalgia of course (and I’m only 41) but the super league exists already in all but name... even ‘new powers’ like Newcastle are being stealthily blocked from progressing... it’s desperately sad... and there’s the rub. I think what Cucurella has done and/or sanctioned is terribly sad... one bloody season and that’s it, no loyalty, no (genuine) gratitude just a stepping stone to untold riches... it’s as uneven a playing field as there’s ever been.

The realisation that we’ll never be permitted to get close or stick around is a hard thing to take.

Both Liverpool and City need to have succession plans as and when Klopp and Pep depart and that will may have a big effect on the order of the big six!

As for super league, hasn't pretty much always been the way. Probably take it back to the effects of the abolition of the max wage. In the 70s and 80s Liverpool dominated and then Man Utd in the 90s and 00s. Man Utd's reign came to end with the departure of Ferguson and I suspect the same will happen when Klopp and Pep move on.

 

[cjd]

You've had a difficult week fella, have a couple of days off.

Absolutely **** all to see here.

Totally agree...and erm...Cucu.....give your 50k wages this week to charity. You didn't really earn that did you ?

 

[Bodian]

Both Liverpool and City need to have succession plans as and when Klopp and Pep depart and that will may have a big effect on the order of the big six!

As for super league, hasn't pretty much always been the way. Probably take it back to the effects of the abolition of the max wage. In the 70s and 80s Liverpool dominated and then Man Utd in the 90s and 00s. Man Utd's reign came to end with the departure of Ferguson and I suspect the same will happen when Klopp and Pep move on.

18 teams (I think) finished in top 3 in 20 years




8 in last 20 years

 

[American Seagle]

Just putting it out there. A bit disappointed in the lad to be honest. Or will his gormless smile and silly hair let him get away with it ?

 

[nickjhs]

Maybe they should start teaching emotional intelligence in schools

No maybe about it. I think philosophy should start the same time as maths and English, year 1. The same time as you are learning one and one is two and the is spelt THE.

 

[Weststander]

No maybe about it. I think philosophy should start the same time as maths and English, year 1. The same time as you are learning one and one is two and the is spelt THE.

Now you tell me!

 

[nickjhs]

Now you tell me!

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

18 teams (I think) finished in top 3 in 20 years

View attachment 150447


8 in last 20 years

View attachment 150446

Seven teams finished top in the first of your 18 years.
Six finished top in the more recent 18 years

I've been following football since the 1960s. It seems exactly the same to me, except much better.

But I don't recall supporters losing their shit over the possibility of, for example, Harry Wilson being sold for a club record fee to Man Ure.

When we did lose our best players, Lawro to Liverpool, Ward to Forest, Saunders to Oxford () and Nogan to Bumley, I don't recall a clamour to erect a cathedral of hate in their dishonour.

Some people need to grow up

 

[Bodian]

Seven teams finished top in the first of your 18 years.
Six finished top in the more recent 18 years

I've been following football since the 1960s. It seems exactly the same to me, except much better.

Fair enough - I guess the champions were the same even spread, it's the 'others who were in with a shout' that are the difference. I think it's the 'no hope of ever actually coming close to winning it without shed-loads of money' feeling that's a bit dispiriting. But yes - quality wise, as you say - much better.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Fair enough - I guess the champions were the same even spread, it's the 'others who were in with a shout' that are the difference. I think it's the 'no hope of ever actually coming close to winning it without shed-loads of money' feeling that's a bit dispiriting. But yes - quality wise, as you say - much better.

I can understand maybe a Forest supporter, with two European cups, or a Leeds supporter feeling that the league may now be out of reach, meaning things have gone backward for them. But Spurs are perhaps better placed now to win it than at any time since the last won it, just over 60 years ago. As for the likes of us, at what time in our history was a division one championship ever remotely on the cards?

Perhaps the oddest thing about football was that 20 plus years ago, a club with only modest resources could indeed win the league, with a combination of decent players and a smart manager. And luck. That said, I think the main reason why this happened is because the standard was generally poor. Even at the 'top' clubs players were on the piss, smoking, and generally levelling the playing field in the classic English way (levelling down).

Yes, the EPL 'elite' are now flush with unimaginable money, but apart from sock boy (allegedly) almost all of them are elite athletes whose bodies (and minds) are temples, and those who decide to pursue a more traditional working class lifestyle don't normally last long at the top, and drop down the leagues.

Anyway.....for me it is what it is and I wouldn't know how to change things, to agitate to change things or have a clear view about what change would look like - remember any changes here like salary caps, drafts, redistribution of TV money, can't afford to happen if it weakens the English position in global televised football, Champions' league and that.

I just don't see English clubs going it alone to make everuthing mor 'fair', and in he process losing their better players to the major European sides, with the inevitable loss to the likes of MŠK Žilina of Slovakia in the Champions' league qualifying round one, after a hard fought home leg in front of 15,000 loyal fans.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Fair enough - I guess the champions were the same even spread, it's the 'others who were in with a shout' that are the difference. I think it's the 'no hope of ever actually coming close to winning it without shed-loads of money' feeling that's a bit dispiriting. But yes - quality wise, as you say - much better.

Will be hard enough to maintain the goal of becoming a consistent top ten club if we have to reinvent the wheel every season. Why sign Cucurella on a five year contract then allow him to be cherry-picked after one year? This is going to be an ongoing problem. If any one of the kiddies we've signed this close season lights up the league a la Cuccurella this coming season, they'll be gone this time next year. It's a bit dispiriting to say the least, and that's just speaking as a fan. For the backroom staff tasked with trying to build something solid it must feel ten times worse

 

[Albion in the north]

Will be hard enough to maintain the goal of becoming a consistent top ten club if we have to reinvent the wheel every season. Why sign Cucurella on a five year contract then allow him to be cherry-picked after one year? This is going to be an ongoing problem. If any one of the kiddies we've signed this close season lights up the league a la Cuccurella this coming season, they'll be gone this time next year. It's a bit dispiriting to say the least, and that's just speaking as a fan. For the backroom staff tasked with trying to build something solid it must feel ten times worse

Its a balancing act between becoming sustainable and keeping high enough up the pyramid to attract the potential. Also between keeping the emerging talents but also letting them see that they can progress in their careers if they come to us.
Im just here for the ride.