Murray, Cook, Elphick..

[brightonrock]

What is people's OBSESSION with Cook & Elphick? We sold them FOUR YEARS AGO and this is the first season they've been better than us. We didn't miss them a jot for FOUR YEARS of success. Should we seriously have kept them, and played them, when they were League 1 quality and we were competing at the top of the Championship? Or even just left them in the ressies, 4th and 5th pick centre halves, and watched them not develop at all for lack of first team experience? Both would have been utterly pointless. By that logic we might as well never release ANY youngster whatsoever because one of them might turn out to play in the Premier League. Nobody gave a toss about Steve Cook when we were making two play-offs in a row. Shut up. Move on. You're boring and your vague, pig-headed attempt at a point is absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Working class pride]

What is people's OBSESSION with Cook & Elphick? We sold them FOUR YEARS AGO and this is the first season they've been better than us. We didn't miss them a jot for FOUR YEARS of success. Should we seriously have kept them, and played them, when they were League 1 quality and we were competing at the top of the Championship? Or even just left them in the ressies, 4th and 5th pick centre halves, and watched them not develop at all for lack of first team experience? Both would have been utterly pointless. By that logic we might as well never release ANY youngster whatsoever because one of them might turn out to play in the Premier League. Nobody gave a toss about Steve Cook when we were making two play-offs in a row. Shut up. Move on. You're boring and your vague, pig-headed attempt at a point is absolutely ridiculous.

Thanks for that passionate post. Puts the pressure on the development squad obviously and you didnt comment on CMS for Murray. Any thoughts? These things will make us question our "footballing people". Great chairman but has he been let down?

 

[Bombadier Botty]

Blimey, I agree

Us undercover Palace on here must stick together WCP. I sometimes forget which team I'm supposed to be supporting. You?

 

[Working class pride]

Us undercover Palace on here must stick together WCP. I sometimes forget which team I'm supposed to be supporting. You?

Sadly I was saddled with the Albion at birth. Are you one of the new palace fans who have turned up since the premier league or a part of the 11000 odd palace who paid to watch Cardiff in the Championship the last time you were in it? Are Chas n Dave going to write any more of your club anthems, assuming spurs dont want them first obviously..

 

[El Presidente]

Sadly I was saddled with the Albion at birth. Are you one of the new palace fans who have turned up since the premier league or a part of the 11000 odd palace who paid to watch Cardiff in the Championship the last time you were in it? Are Chas n Dave going to write any more of your club anthems, assuming spurs dont want them first obviously..

I've always had you down as more of a Boy George man than Chas'N'Dave WCP.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

And who told Roy Keane he was too small and no thanks, we dont really think Ian Wright will be all that either. Yes BHA have a record second to none for shooting itself in the foot but Murray, Cook and Elphick are recent. We have a development squad, assembled for money, and we let Cook & Elphick go. It indicates that the"footballing people" failing, not Tony Bloom.

And then there's the Decca A & R man who turned down the Beatles.....

 

[Working class pride]

I've always had you down as more of a Boy George man than Chas'N'Dave WCP.

Both in my CD collection El P

 

[El Presidente]

Both in my CD collection El P

CDs? You and your fancy pants modern technology. Give me a pirated C90 cassette any day

 

[The Camel]

Honestly don't think Elphick and especially Cook are that good.

Their failing were hidden by 9 other really good players at this level.

They are top of the list of players Bournemouth need to replace if they are to survive in the Premier League.

 

[Working class pride]

CDs? You and your fancy pants modern technology. Give me a pirated C90 cassette any day

If its not a record its not worth having.. although the last time I saw records being sold, the were being turned into clocks even tho records are supposed to be the retro trendy in thing

 

[Working class pride]

And then there's the Decca A & R man who turned down the Beatles.....

Yes, with judgement like that, I'm surprised he hasn't got a job with the Albion as a manager or coach

 

[jimbob5]

Sorry, maybe it just went over my head View attachment 64984

In that case you really do think that Lawro is a better pundit than he was a footballer. I was joking. I thought it was obvious but you are entitled to your view.

 

[The Large One]

Thanks for that passionate post. Puts the pressure on the development squad obviously and you didnt comment on CMS for Murray. Any thoughts? These things will make us question our "footballing people". Great chairman but has he been let down?

Nothing to do with passion, and everything to do with him being right.

It does appear that the tone of your highly selective posts that you've never made a mistake in your life, and therefore nor should Brighton.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

What a pointless, boring thread. Nothing new that's not been moaned about a million times before. Murray was a mistake. Nobody denies that but seriously can we stop going on about it.

As for Cook and Elphick. Cook wasn't ready for the first team, he wanted to go and was out of contract at the end of the season. He would have gone at the end of the season and we'd have relied on a tribunal. In Elphick's case, I doubt any Albion fans would have been annoyed when he left. He'd been a great servant to the club but didn't look like he'd be good enough for a top Championship side. We had the best defensive record in the Championship two years ago and the second best a year ago. We didn't need him at that time and Bournemouth didn't go up because of their defensive record.

What is people's OBSESSION with Cook & Elphick? We sold them FOUR YEARS AGO and this is the first season they've been better than us. We didn't miss them a jot for FOUR YEARS of success. Should we seriously have kept them, and played them, when they were League 1 quality and we were competing at the top of the Championship? Or even just left them in the ressies, 4th and 5th pick centre halves, and watched them not develop at all for lack of first team experience? Both would have been utterly pointless. By that logic we might as well never release ANY youngster whatsoever because one of them might turn out to play in the Premier League. Nobody gave a toss about Steve Cook when we were making two play-offs in a row. Shut up. Move on. You're boring and your vague, pig-headed attempt at a point is absolutely ridiculous.

Two great posts.

Seriously people. Get a grip, FFS.

 

[Bold Seagull]

What is people's OBSESSION with Cook & Elphick? We sold them FOUR YEARS AGO and this is the first season they've been better than us. We didn't miss them a jot for FOUR YEARS of success. Should we seriously have kept them, and played them, when they were League 1 quality and we were competing at the top of the Championship? Or even just left them in the ressies, 4th and 5th pick centre halves, and watched them not develop at all for lack of first team experience? Both would have been utterly pointless. By that logic we might as well never release ANY youngster whatsoever because one of them might turn out to play in the Premier League. Nobody gave a toss about Steve Cook when we were making two play-offs in a row. Shut up. Move on. You're boring and your vague, pig-headed attempt at a point is absolutely ridiculous.

Nice rant, but we sold Tommy Elphick 2 years 8 months ago, Steve Cook 3 years 3 months ago. We had to loan then buy Upson (at considerable expense) a year after selling Cook, 4 months after selling Elphick.

So we signed an ex-premier league / England international, who didn't want to be here as it turned out as he'd rather sit on a bench to end his career apparently, than keep 2 of our own local lads. We're then bringing in the likes of Hughes and Halford as centre back cover.

Elphick made 182 appearances for the club - he was hardly releasing any old youngster.

I tell you what, plenty gave a toss when we shipped 6 goals in the play offs and only 1 fit centre half!

Anyway, why am I worried, we have a Halford / Greer dynamic to look forward to next season!!

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Yes, with judgement like that, I'm surprised he hasn't got a job with the Albion as a manager or coach

That was a long time ago - 50 years plus. He's probably dead by now.

 

[Diego Napier]

CDs? You and your fancy pants modern technology. Give me a pirated C90 cassette any day

For God's Sake ElP! Don't encourage him, next thing we know he'll be listing his CD collection on here.

 

[drew]

Nice rant, but we sold Tommy Elphick 2 years 8 months ago, Steve Cook 3 years 3 months ago. We had to loan then buy Upson (at considerable expense) a year after selling Cook, 4 months after selling Elphick.

So we signed an ex-premier league / England international, who didn't want to be here as it turned out as he'd rather sit on a bench to end his career apparently, than keep 2 of our own local lads. We're then bringing in the likes of Hughes and Halford as centre back cover.

Elphick made 182 appearances for the club - he was hardly releasing any old youngster.

I tell you what, plenty gave a toss when we shipped 6 goals in the play offs and only 1 fit centre half!

Anyway, why am I worried, we have a Halford / Greer dynamic to look forward to next season!!

He might not have wanted to be here but it certainly didn't affect the way he played. I suspect that as he is in the twilight of his career then a better pay cheque at Leicester would have been too good to turn down for what was probably going to be his last contract. I would question the intelligence of anyone who would turn that down!

As for some of the other comments on this thread about loan players, I don't understand why you think someone on a contract is going to 'bleed' blue and white any more than someone on a loan. We have had players on contract that have had the same attitude as Best. We have had players on loan that have shown a better attitude than some on contract. A player is not going to genuinely bleed blue and white unless they were born here and have supported the club since they could walk! Kissing the badge might fool a few idiots but most people know that the vast majority are just earning a living, whichever club they play for.

 

[Bold Seagull]

A player is not going to genuinely bleed blue and white unless they were born here and have supported the club since they could walk!

Like Tommy Elphick you mean?

 

[Guy Fawkes]

This is very true, the club does not have a good record of keeping hold of its talent, but I suspect this is the case at similar sized clubs. This doesn't make me any less pissed off though..........

All clubs worldwide, bar a select handful are selling clubs given the right offer (including Man U with Ronaldo, Liverpool with Suarez and Torres, Chelsea with David Luiz and so on..... Why would A second teir club in Brighton be the exception?

When Elphick and co left us, it was considered the right move for everyone involved, which has been the same for all our clubs decisions regarding players (be it Elphick and Cook or that bloke we signed who we then sold for £100k to a Scottish side before pre-season finished) They played regular football and it improved them, they would have been down the pecking order here and not had the game time to become the players they are now.

It's a sign of how far we've already come that our cast offs are still playing at a reasonable level rather than disappearing into non-league football after leaving us and more players are now being sold to clubs in and around the Premier League because we have had better players than the ones we had in Division 1 & 2.

Equally we are able to sign better players too as we will have more appeal to potential targets (so we may have been able to keep players like Sidwell rather than lose him to Reading when we were at Withdean because of where we are now in terms of size and support) and we are now able to attract and 'afford' players like Wayne Bridge, Matt Upson, Vicente, Kemy....... which are players we could never have drempt of signing 5+ years ago.