Remind me again why Brighton let Elphick and Cook go ...

[footychick]

Shit happens.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Praise galore from the commentary team for the B'mth centre backs ... and Cook scores a brilliant goal. But they can't be any good really otherwise we would have tried to hang on to both.

If I ran NSC this sort of crap would be banned. Why do people moan about players being sold two years after they've gone.

However, since you've done it, look at the league table. Bournemouth are not top based on their defence. It's about the sixth best and has only conceded four less goals than our defence. If you went to the Bournemouth away game, you would have seen their defence looked dodgy. And then you base criticism on one game where they get praise on tv. We kept a clean sheet away to Fulham so our defence must be great.

Considering we had the best defence in the league two years ago and the second best last season (and both Cook and Elphick left because they wanted first team football), I would be intrigued to know which centre half you would have dropped in order to keep them at the club.

 

[Albion Dan]

Jeez. Elphick was widely slaughtered on here for not being good enough when he had his chances prior to injury and Cook was justifiably third choice as bears testament to our superb defensive records prior to this season. We have a very healthy sell on clause for Cook? The only reason this is even being debated is our appalling form at replacing our midfield and forwards.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

I may be wrong but didn't we sell them 2 years ago.I don't remember seeing many posts at the time saying what are we doing.I really felt for elphick at the time because he was a local lad who witnessed our fight for falmer first hand & established himself
In the first team during our last season at withdean only to suffer a serious injury at notts county in a meaningless last game of the season.So he never actually played for the Albion at the Amex.

Here is a crazy thought maybe they have just become better players.

In fairness, there were those posts for Cook. However, it was made clear that he was out of contract at the end of the season and was not going to sign a new one. We got the best deal we could (avoiding the issue of tribunal) and, as you say, he wouldn't necessarily be as good if he'd stayed anyway. I don't understand why the OP bothered with this thread.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

To sell both seemed - and probably was - the right thing to do at the time.

 

[The Birdman]

They had to much damage to the goal post so Elphick had to go.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

And I know for a fact that Cook was given a MASSIVE salary at the time. Bearing in mind it was approaching what Murray was being paid before he left.

 

[El Presidente]

But shouldn't the management and football experts at the club have seen that both had the potential to be a lot better than ElAbd?

I'm amazed that you haven't mentioned the club letting Grant Hall go too, another ex centre half who we let go and is currently............at Blackpool on loan.

 

[carteater]

we seem to be good at bringing CBs through the academy.

 

[Pevenseagull]

....and why didn't we sign Roy Keane when we had the chance?

 

[Da Man Clay]

I'm amazed that you haven't mentioned the club letting Grant Hall go too, another ex centre half who we let go and is currently............at Blackpool on loan.

Didn't he get poached at the end of his contract? Don't think we let him go.

 

[mona]

Tommy Elphick had just recovered from a nasty injury and most agreed that it was good for a loyal player to get a chance at another club that was on the way up.

Cook played a blinder in the first ever game at the Amex....the senior cup final. He also impressed in the league later in the season when he got chance. I was desperately disappointed when Poyet let him go - as were quite a few others. We thought it might be linked to the court case. There was also ElAbd around who was, lets face it, over-rated by the manager and most of the fans.

Tbh I was also disappointed when Hall went but it is always difficult to judge young players. All clubs make mistakes anyway.

 

[goldstone]

The thing in Cook's favour was that he could also play full back; in fact I think that's the position he played in his first team games for us. Incidentally, where did he the Albion sign him from?

 

[ewe2]

I guess if the manager tells you that you are not a first choice,and then another club comes in and offers it,well its a short career.There is no blame.........unless no sell on clause is negotiated !

 

[Working class pride]

Apart from 1910 and the Charlie Webb Charity Shield winning heroes, name one era when the club has ever got the playing side of the club right to establish us as a mid table top flight club as a springboard for future growth? Never. The club doesn't deserve the support it gets. This is just another example of the club failing on the playing side but ever was thus. With a proper ground, we thought that this time it would be different. However we are still scrapping around in the lower leagues and it doesn't look like changing any time soon whilst clubs with smaller supports spend time in top flight. I struggle to think of a club that has under achieved quite as spectacularly as Brighton & Hove Albion.

 

[rgb]

It's unfair to knock Cook & Elphick for our goals conceded, given the way Howe sets the team out to play. Daniels and Francis, are often further forward of the respective wingers in front of them, with one of other of the CBs pushed up to the centre circle or just in the opposition half, it's not uncommon to find Cook (usually) trying to harry a breaking attacker to give time for Elphick and our midfielders to get back.

Whatever, they have both improved tremendously over the last two years. Tommy was our skipper out of L1 and then couldn't get in the team at the start of 2013/2014 season but he knuckled down and is now a firm fan favourite. Be proud of your academy products; we look on at the likes of Ings & Vokes and wish them well at their new club.
(you should never have let them go though )

 

[Slim Boy Fat]

This is one topic that really irritates me. El Abd was played ahead of these guys, which was a shocking choice for me. Cook against Man City at Withdean was excellent and showed us what he could do at left back. 3 opportunities lost but everything is easy in hindsight.

 

[Husty]

They were both falsely implicated in an unsavoury, and unfounded allegation at the time. Whether that had anything to do with their leaving, who knows?

Not unfounded.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

This is one topic that really irritates me. El Abd was played ahead of these guys, which was a shocking choice for me. Cook against Man City at Withdean was excellent and showed us what he could do at left back. 3 opportunities lost but everything is easy in hindsight.

He came on at right back. In the 85th minute.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Apart from 1910 and the Charlie Webb Charity Shield winning heroes, name one era when the club has ever got the playing side of the club right to establish us as a mid table top flight club as a springboard for future growth? Never. The club doesn't deserve the support it gets. This is just another example of the club failing on the playing side but ever was thus. With a proper ground, we thought that this time it would be different. However we are still scrapping around in the lower leagues and it doesn't look like changing any time soon whilst clubs with smaller supports spend time in top flight. I struggle to think of a club that has under achieved quite as spectacularly as Brighton & Hove Albion.

'Still scrapping around the lower leagues'? We've finished the last three seasons 10th, 4th and 6th, in the fifth biggest league on Europe. Get a ****ing GRIP.