Sidwell to take 50% pay cut?

[Mr Blobby]

I see that the rumour today is that Steve Sidwell will sign for Aston Villa today for just £5m. Villa have offered him half of the £65k a week - the salary that Chelsea pay him! No wonder he signed for them to sit on the bench for most of the season. Thats £3.4m a year to play football!!!!!! Thats more than the total annual wage bill at the Albion!

The cut in salary will be made up by him getting a signing on fee. Tough life eh!

 

[Lord Bracknell]

"No better than anyone in my youth team" - Martin Hinshelwood

 

[fenech1elphick1]

sidwell is a disgrace a nother money hungrey footballer that would rather have loads of cars than play football when he went there he new he would'nt play he had offers from good clubs like villa boro and man city when he left . i have lost all respect i had for him

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

You do the best you can to secure the future of you and your family. Why should footballers be any different?

Get the best job you can, for the best money.

I agree the man is a twat, but you can't fault him for following the money.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Bit harsh saying he's a disgrace. He went to Chelsea, a much bigger club, who virtually quadrupled his salary. Who wouldn't do that? It's hardly his fault Chelsea pay such crazy wages, and to be fair you don't know if you're going to play until you actually get there, and you also weren't expecting a new manager in September.

Having sat on the bench for only one season (not years like some), he's prepared to take a 50 per cent pay cut to play regular first-team football. If he does that, personally I think Sidwell is an example of what more players should be like, ultimately putting playing ahead of cash.

 

[Seagull over NZ]

Why is he a twat? He's young enough to earn that sort of money for a year or two whilst still learning his trade and playing with some of the best players in the world. He knew he wouldn't cut it at Chelsea and that after a year or two he will move on. He could still become a very decent premiership player and now has a little nest egg as a result.

Some supporters are very short sighted. Why on earth wouldn't he take it.

 

[scooter1]

Sound bit of business on Sidwells behalf IMHO. A year off, remains injury free, may get a Champs Lge Medal and gets to mix with the big boys. Picks up enough money to secure his and his families future - now moves to a club where he can play week in week out without the financial burdens that the rest of us face on a monthly basis.

 

[Hiney]

sidwell is a disgrace a nother money hungrey footballer that would rather have loads of cars than play football when he went there he new he would'nt play he had offers from good clubs like villa boro and man city when he left . i have lost all respect i had for him

That's absolute bollocks.

He must have had faith in his ability and thought he could force his way into the squad, if not the first choice team.

If you were offered a job by a Premiership club that would secure you and your family's position for the rest of your life, are you telling me you would say no?

Sidwell has lost a year of playing week in week out but he has surely learned a great deal from training every day with the Chelsea boys and will take this to his next club.

 

[fenech1elphick1]

You do the best you can to secure the future of you and your family. Why should footballers be any different?

Get the best job you can, for the best money.

I agree the man is a twat, but you can't fault him for following the money.

you can if he went to villa in the first place he would still be on 15 or 25 grand a week god how will a family live on that i have a pure hate for the chelsea scum

 

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

Sound bit of business on Sidwells behalf IMHO. A year off, remains injury free, may get a Champs Lge Medal and gets to mix with the big boys. Picks up enough money to secure his and his families future - now moves to a club where he can play week in week out without the financial burdens that the rest of us face on a monthly basis.

Agreed... good thinking on Sids part

 

[Barrel of Fun]

WIth you on that Tooting. It is not as if he is doing a Winston Bogarde and sitting in the reserves for four years with little or no intention of playing for them.

Chelsea did not buy him for the sake of it. They recognised his talent and took a shot. It hasn't worked out for him, but he is certainly not a 'disgrace'. It seems that this is the first real opportunity to jump ship and he is seemingly going to take it. Hardly the actions of a real mercenary.

 

[British Bulldog]

sidwell is a disgrace a nother money hungrey footballer that would rather have loads of cars than play football when he went there he new he would'nt play he had offers from good clubs like villa boro and man city when he left . i have lost all respect i had for him

Well he's hardly sat on his arse doing nothing all season! according to the Chelsea fc site in the 2007/2008 season he played a part in 24 matches, ( 13 started and 11 as sub ) I think it was a beneficial move for both Sidwell and Chelsea! Sidwell got a season playing with and learning from some great players as well as earning good money, And Chelsea got vital midfield cover especially during to African Nations cup.

 

[RM-Taylor]

Sound bit of business on Sidwells behalf IMHO. A year off, remains injury free, may get a Champs Lge Medal and gets to mix with the big boys. Picks up enough money to secure his and his families future - now moves to a club where he can play week in week out without the financial burdens that the rest of us face on a monthly basis.

Can't get a Champions League medal as he isn't in their European squad, same with Pizarro.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Why is he a twat? He's young enough to earn that sort of money for a year or two whilst still learning his trade and playing with some of the best players in the world. He knew he wouldn't cut it at Chelsea and that after a year or two he will move on. He could still become a very decent premiership player and now has a little nest egg as a result.

Some supporters are very short sighted. Why on earth wouldn't he take it.

I totally agree about the earnings - that's what I said.

I think he's a twat because of his continual public statements slagging off professional footballers and football generally - and by inference the fans. Just don't like the chap.

 

[Mr Blobby]

you can if he went to villa in the first place he would still be on 15 or 25 grand a week god how will a family live on that i have a pure hate for the chelsea scum

Its interesting to see how Chelsea splash the cash (based on 2005-6 accounts)

Loss in year £140m

£146.6m turnover (£122.7m from football)
£108.9m payroll cost
£101m player aquisition


The loss included one off items

£25.5m Umbro termination (replaced them with Adidas)
£13.8m Mutu write off
£9m Vernon write off
£5 Academy recruitment

 

[Twinkle Toes]

WIth you on that Tooting. It is not as if he is doing a Winston Bogarde and sitting in the reserves for four years with little or no intention of playing for them.

Chelsea did not buy him for the sake of it. They recognised his talent and took a shot. It hasn't worked out for him, but he is certainly not a 'disgrace'. It seems that this is the first real opportunity to jump ship and he is seemingly going to take it. Hardly the actions of a real mercenary.

Spot on both. fenech1elphick1 is talking crap

 

[Brovion]

I'm midway between the two viewpoints. A few of us said last year that it was a bad football move for him as he was only every going to be a squad player (which has proved correct) and therefore the only reason for going was the money.

Football-wise Chelsea was the wrong club. Not only because he wasn't good enough but because unlike say Arsenal they don't develop players, they prefer to buy the finsihed articles. Assemble enough world class players and you should be able to produce a decent football team is very much the current Chelsea way.

We saw this with Scott Parker. I saw Parker play for Charlton before he went to Chelsea and he was good. I saw him several times for Newcastle after he'd been resucued from the blue hellhole and he was dire - it took a while before he was anywhere near his old level and you can argue that he's never regained it. And look at SWP.

Credit to Sidwell for realsing that Chelsea is not the club for a player who is still developing, and as others have said credit to him for not 'doing a Bogarde' and just sitting in the reserves pocketing the cash.

 

[crodonilson]

Sidwell is a teriffic player, you've got to remember though he's got Ballack and Lampard in front of him, most midfielders in the world would struggle to get in ahead of that pair!

 

[PrioryRoad]

I see that the rumour today is that Steve Sidwell will sign for Aston Villa today for just £5m. Villa have offered him half of the £65k a week - the salary that Chelsea pay him! No wonder he signed for them to sit on the bench for most of the season. Thats £3.4m a year to play football!!!!!! Thats more than the total annual wage bill at the Albion!

The cut in salary will be made up by him getting a signing on fee. Tough life eh!

Sidwell aint on 65k a week mind, he is on 35k a week, still id take it.

 

[The Large One]

"No better than anyone in my youth team" - Martin Hinshelwood

Shaun Wilkinson, if I recall correctly.