[Football] Marc Cucurella

[Baldseagull]

Sorry to reply to 2 of your posts and derail slightly, it's not about Cucurella! but you raise a very interesting point at the end maybe worthy of its own thread? It was exactly around this point that I was chatting to an Albion supporting mate last night and it's interesting even if said flippantly.

Clubs like Spurs, Arsenal, Man U, Liverpool could get relegated, Arse 2 seasons ago looked dodgy but obviously in their DNA they all believe they belong at the upper end of the PL.

Albion are rightly here on merit with our recruitment/leadership/form but do Albion fans actually start to feel we belong here too? Like really belong in this company ongoing, or do they feel we're temporary interlopers gate crashing "the big boys club", enjoying the ride while.it lasts but ultimately deep down sort of feel we don't really belong long term and expect the bubble to burst and to crash down to earth at some point.

I shared your closing sentiments and wonder why I think like that.

We will be established when we get "official paperclip provider" type sponsorship deals.

 

[rippleman]

Wow, that's a very low bar, so anyone who had a single good season qualifies?

An actual club legend is rare, right now Dunk and maybe Solly only fit that bill, not even Mitoma, Caicedo or MacAllister who are all incredible players would yet earn that honour.

Muzza is a legend, was Ulloa? Arguably yes but lesser so than Muzza.
Bobby Z absolutely is, as are Bruno (it still hurts) and Calderon, as they did more for the club and community than just be good players.

One season then refusing to play to force a move in no way qualifies.

Going back in time there's a mere few per decade.

Peter Ward is an absolute club legend.

But Bruno? Bruno?!! "Once a seagull, always a seagull" Bruno? The same Bruno who gave the club the finger and jumped at the first big payday that came his way. Nah, not for me Clive.

#nolongeralegend

 

[The Optimist]

Peter Ward is an absolute club legend.

But Bruno? Bruno?!! "Once a seagull, always a seagull" Bruno? The same Bruno who gave the club the finger and jumped at the first big payday that came his way. Nah, not for me Clive.

#nolongeralegend

Is that what actually happened? Or did the club offer him no guarantees as to what his role would be under a new manager?

 

[mwrpoole]

Is that what actually happened? Or did the club offer him no guarantees as to what his role would be under a new manager?

I'm just surmising but I suspect it went something like 'we'd like you to stay but it'd be up to new manager'. The club can't offer the job to any manager and say, by the way, coaches x, y & z are already here for you.

What about if he'd stayed and then De Zerbi had said no thanks and he was out?

 

[peterward]

Peter Ward is an absolute club legend.

But Bruno? Bruno?!! "Once a seagull, always a seagull" Bruno? The same Bruno who gave the club the finger and jumped at the first big payday that came his way. Nah, not for me Clive.

#nolongeralegend

He is perhaps the biggest...... but I only kept it too the recent past as its a minefield of options and opinion.

As for Bruno, is it once a legend always a legend, or is it a removable badge that can be withdrawn?

FFS Murray went to Palace, came back and finished a legend, I'd argue on paper his perceived crime to Albion supporters was greater than a retired Bruno 4x+ his coaching salary at a CL club with arguably no guarantees from Albion.

It bugs the hell out of me that he left so suddently, but his service as a player and ambassador for years still makes him worthy imho

 

[LamieRobertson]

When did he become such a whingey moany unlikable bellend? I swear it was the second he moved to entitled football spoilers Chelski FC? Never like that for us I swear…!?

Found it rather amusing watching him act the hard man towards the end of the game and post match with GP having to hold him back …..still i thought playing as one of three centre halves with Chilwell outside him suited his game

 

[Baldseagull]

Didn't see last nights game, because it was Chelsea, but I reckon Cucurellas performance as a CB v Chelsea for us, went a long way in making him a target for their recruitment team.

 

[Badger Boy]

I think Cucurella was better for us than Estupinan has been, I would have loved to see Cucurella stay and play under RDZ. Ultimately, bringing in Pervis was a fantastic move and the sale of Cucurella was incredible value for us. Estupinan is in with a shout of end-of-season honours and if he carries on as he is, possibly an entrant in the PL Team of the Season - has there been a better left back over the course of the season?

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I’d argue that Bas Savage is more of a club legend than Cucurella, if a benchmark is needed

 

[fly high]

I think Cucurella was better for us than Estupinan has been, I would have loved to see Cucurella stay and play under RDZ. Ultimately, bringing in Pervis was a fantastic move and the sale of Cucurella was incredible value for us. Estupinan is in with a shout of end-of-season honours and if he carries on as he is, possibly an entrant in the PL Team of the Season - has there been a better left back over the course of the season?

Not sure how you can say Cucurella was better. From memory he had just one assist & one goal. Estupinan has had 4 assists so far (not sure if that includes the Chelsea own goal from his cross) and scored one (wrongly disallowed so should count). To me that is better plus his excellent link up play with Mitoma.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Peter Ward is an absolute club legend.

But Bruno? Bruno?!! "Once a seagull, always a seagull" Bruno? The same Bruno who gave the club the finger and jumped at the first big payday that came his way. Nah, not for me Clive.

#nolongeralegend

You know that phrase doesn't mean he has to stay at the club for his whole career, right?

Anyway, yes. It's the same Bruno that is now part of the coaching staff at a club that has just qualified for the last eight of the Champions League. If that was part of the rationale where he 'jumped at the first big payday that came his way', I'd say he made a good call.

 

[Braggfan]

Not sure how you can say Cucurella was better. From memory he had just one assist & one goal. Estupinan has had 4 assists so far (not sure if that includes the Chelsea own goal from his cross) and scored one (wrongly disallowed so should count). To me that is better plus his excellent link up play with Mitoma.

Different players bring different things. Estupinan has been better in an attacking sense, but Cucurella was exceptionally good for us, because he was incredibly versatile and solid defensively. He allowed Potter to switch tactics and formation mid game, because he could switch from centreback, full back, wing back and left midfield.
Arguably that versatility isn't as important in the current system and the attacking dynamic is. I think it would be fair to say that both players have been excellent in the systems they were/are used in.

 

[Braggfan]

You know that phrase doesn't mean he has to stay at the club for his whole career, right?

Anyway, yes. It's the same Bruno that is now part of the coaching staff at a club that has just qualified for the last eight of the Champions League. If that was part of the rationale where he 'jumped at the first big payday that came his way', I'd say he made a good call.

The statemnet that Potter and Bruno jumped ship at the first bigday that came along, isn't true. It was widely reported that he turned down Spurs, and the Albion said that he'd turned a bigger club down before Chelsea came along.

 

[drew]

Is that what actually happened? Or did the club offer him no guarantees as to what his role would be under a new manager?

People see what they want to see!!!

 

[theboybilly]

Had a good game tonight

Good (for him of late) but he's nowhere near the player he seemed to be at the Albion. Caught out a few times defending space. More interested in confrontation these days it would seem

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Is that what actually happened? Or did the club offer him no guarantees as to what his role would be under a new manager?

Bruno obviously had a great working relationship with Graham Potter, and Potter asked him to joing him at Chelsea.

There are no guarantees in football, or in life really, and who knows if #teamdezerbi wanted to take him on?

Bruno had to do what was right for Bruno, and l have no problem with that whatsoever.

Albion legend? . . . yes most definately.

 

[Braggfan]

Bruno obviously had a great working relationship with Graham Potter, and Potter asked him to joing him at Chelsea.

There are no guarantees in football, or in life really, and who knows if #teamdezerbi wanted to take him on?

Bruno had to do what was right for Bruno, and l have no problem with that whatsoever.

Albion legend? . . . yes most definately.

100% agree with this. Excellent post.

I think it's been very sad hearing about Potter's and Bruno's families having received abuse because of it. Any moral high ground people think they have, quickly evaporates if they engaged in this.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

100% agree with this. Excellent post.

I think it's been very sad hearing about Potter's and Bruno's families having received abuse because of it. Any moral high ground people think they have, quickly evaporates if they engaged in this.

Absolutely.

I feel sure that Bruno left the Albion with a very heavy heart, it wouldn't have been a decision he took lightly.

 

[Dibdab]

Bruno went for the money. Lets not package it up as anything else or pretend it was because of a concern he might lose his job. Any new manager wants a coach that understands the players he has inherited and can help him understand the DNA of the club. Andrew Crofts became that man because Bruno wanted his £m's.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Bruno went for the money. Lets not package it up as anything else or pretend it was because of a concern he might lose his job. Any new manager wants a coach that understands the players he has inherited and can help him understand the DNA of the club. Andrew Crofts became that man because Bruno wanted his £m's.

And can you blame him?