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[Albion] The careers of Solly March and Anthony Knockaert
- Thread starter Bozza
- Start date
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keaton
Big heart, hot blood and balls. Big balls
- Nov 18, 2004
- 9,972
Sorry what has he done? Gone to our away games and waved at fans?
nicko31
Well-known member
He was one of those luxury players that every now and then would produce a worldie. Like CMS wasn't good enough for the Championship, Knocky wasn't good enough for the PL
An added quirk to this is that when we were promoted Knockaert was coming into his prime at 25/26 years old, whereas Solly was only 22/23. Knockaert had to immediately up himself to Premier League level because that was expected of him. He was our best player. March was much more of a development opportunity.
March has also benefitted hugely from his versatility. All three of our PL managers have found a place for him, and that place has often been different. Those 160 apps have come about because he's always been willing to adapt and it's actually really paid dividends in the last 18 months when he turned 26ish. Neither player is that same player that were back then, but for very different reasons
In answer to the OP though, no I wouldn't and didn't see it working out this way although there are several people out there (and on here) who've been trying to oust March from the first team since that season.
March has also benefitted hugely from his versatility. All three of our PL managers have found a place for him, and that place has often been different. Those 160 apps have come about because he's always been willing to adapt and it's actually really paid dividends in the last 18 months when he turned 26ish. Neither player is that same player that were back then, but for very different reasons
In answer to the OP though, no I wouldn't and didn't see it working out this way although there are several people out there (and on here) who've been trying to oust March from the first team since that season.
el punal
Well-known member
Knocky was an absolute revelation when he joined us. The Championship promotion season showed why he was voted the League Player of the Year - and we all loved him. In the Premier League though, for whatever reason, he couldn’t ‘do it’. His constant showing of petulance, culminating in his sending off at Everton for a two footed tackle, proved too much. He had become liability. I really thought that he’d set the Premier League alight, but sadly, he never did and that’s such a shame.
So much of football is played in the head. Plenty of less able players have gone way further than more able ones because they had a better attitude or temperament. We loved Knocky for his flair, but in his case that came with some Gallic volatility. Almost univerally loved by us - and disliked I suspect by the oppo fans.
Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo
I believe in Joe Hendry
- Oct 4, 2003
- 12,071
He seemed to have found his love of football playing in Greece, said it’s the happiest he’s been since playing for us. Not sure swapping that for a relegation battle in the Championship will be good for him.
ewe2
Well-known member
Both have been excellent for us …..
albionalex
Well-known member
Knockaert just signed for Huddersfield.
I've always wondered how anybody ends up living in Huddersfield.
EliasTaproot
Active member
- Oct 31, 2022
- 70
This is all speculation, obviously, but I've seen it elsewhere in here and I tend to agree that his incredibly tough life experiences at the crucial time of promotion essentially broke him. Losing such close loved ones, his marriage, adapting to a brutal Premier League, the whole thing was just too much, and would be too much for many, many people. I wish him all the best wherever he goes, still an Albion legend in my eyes, I'd love him to go the MLS or somewhere like that because I think he'd absolutely destroy at that level still.
Doesn’t look match fit
maresfield seagull
Well-known member
- May 23, 2006
- 2,317
Some of them love it so much they move darn sarf instead and follow another team
Kalimantan Gull
Well-known member
Yeah, agreed, he had to immediately up himself to Premier league level not only because that was expected of him but because of what he expected of himself. Knocky had to be the star, he just had to take players on and beat them, and when he found he couldn't do it as easily he got frustrated. But he kept trying because he had to be 'that' player. And of course on occasion it did work, but in the end he probably put too much pressure on himself, and Potter I guess thought he would be too difficult to manage.
Solly, on they other hand, was a raw and exciting talent in the championship, but worked his way into the PL in a more measured fashion, gave it a lot of respect and worked hard. Indeed he's probably taken too much time to become established, he's needed managers to convince him he is good enough to star at this level.
herecomesaregular
We're in the pipe, 5 by 5
That shirt does look a tight fit...... but I really hope he does well there. He deserves an upturn in his career.
Icy Gull
Back on the rollercoaster
- Jul 5, 2003
- 72,015
Yet now, for a few dollars more, he is trying to manage of team of difficult players
I wish AK a mojo revival at Huddersfield, never forget he is a big part of getting us to the PL in the first place.
Justice
Dangerous Idiot
AK says his off pitch trauma took three seasons from his career. In another post I said Mitoma is the closest player we have to AK in terms of I wonder what he’s going to do today whilst waiting for KO.
Unfair to compare outrageous flair to a frustrating player who occasionally pulls something out the hat.
Unfair to compare outrageous flair to a frustrating player who occasionally pulls something out the hat.
That's something I've always disagreed with. Many on NSC have said Solly wasn't good enough, and had he been sold it may well have not worked out for him and they'd be looking back showing how right they were. When Knocky was at Fulham he wasn't even good enough for the Championship most of the time because he just wasn't the same player after his father died. I imagine if Knocky's father had survived and his Knocky's head been in the right place he'd have succeeded in the PL.