Now, I think it is safe to assume that he comes from a well off family. So leaving Charlton for extra money seems a bit shortsighted.
As true as this is, and I'm sure that he was never going to be feeding his children from food banks, I doubt that his Dad was going to buy him a half a million pound flat, a £50k watch and a £100k car. Not to mention how much money these boys can spend on their girlfriends who, also, like to nicer things in life.
As Swisdom says it would have been a little difficult for him to turn down the kind of money West Ham were offering him. His behaviour before he left with all the 'I will tell all' tweets etc. suggest that he was every bit as mature as I was as a teenager. He'd, probably, also found that everything he touched turned to gold and, I suspect, that he thought he'd go straight into the West Ham first team and be moving on to a Champions League team a couple of seasons later.
A little like Scott Parker, before him, these players have to believe in themselves to get to play at our level as teenagers. It's unrealistic for us to expect them to recognise their limitations. For the record, I thought he was good enough to make it at West Ham and that is without the arrogance that must come with winning Player of the Year at Charlton after about 20 first team games.
I don't begrudge him moving on; I thought it was a good move for the player at the time; he just didn't get the chance/break, or failed to take it.
Having said all that it works in our favour when other players heads are turned - especially if they are not unhappy with us.
Don't usually do this sort of thing but I tweeted him after he left us saying I think he'll end up regretting it. I've a feeling I may have been right.
Don't usually do this sort of thing but I tweeted him after he left us saying I think he'll end up regretting it. I've a feeling I may have been right.
Tweet him again and why you're at it remind him he still hasn't spilt the beans.
Now, I think it is safe to assume that he comes from a well off family. So leaving Charlton for extra money seems a bit shortsighted.
As true as this is, and I'm sure that he was never going to be feeding his children from food banks, I doubt that his Dad was going to buy him a half a million pound flat, a £50k watch and a £100k car. Not to mention how much money these boys can spend on their girlfriends who, also, like to nicer things in life.
As Swisdom says it would have been a little difficult for him to turn down the kind of money West Ham were offering him. His behaviour before he left with all the 'I will tell all' tweets etc. suggest that he was every bit as mature as I was as a teenager. He'd, probably, also found that everything he touched turned to gold and, I suspect, that he thought he'd go straight into the West Ham first team and be moving on to a Champions League team a couple of seasons later.
A little like Scott Parker, before him, these players have to believe in themselves to get to play at our level as teenagers. It's unrealistic for us to expect them to recognise their limitations. For the record, I thought he was good enough to make it at West Ham and that is without the arrogance that must come with winning Player of the Year at Charlton after about 20 first team games.
I don't begrudge him moving on; I thought it was a good move for the player at the time; he just didn't get the chance/break, or failed to take it.
Having said all that it works in our favour when other players heads are turned - especially if they are not unhappy with us.
Comments
As Swisdom says it would have been a little difficult for him to turn down the kind of money West Ham were offering him. His behaviour before he left with all the 'I will tell all' tweets etc. suggest that he was every bit as mature as I was as a teenager. He'd, probably, also found that everything he touched turned to gold and, I suspect, that he thought he'd go straight into the West Ham first team and be moving on to a Champions League team a couple of seasons later.
A little like Scott Parker, before him, these players have to believe in themselves to get to play at our level as teenagers. It's unrealistic for us to expect them to recognise their limitations. For the record, I thought he was good enough to make it at West Ham and that is without the arrogance that must come with winning Player of the Year at Charlton after about 20 first team games.
I don't begrudge him moving on; I thought it was a good move for the player at the time; he just didn't get the chance/break, or failed to take it.
Having said all that it works in our favour when other players heads are turned - especially if they are not unhappy with us.
Joined some club in Cyprus... Finished 3rd bottom in the First Division last season!!
You should have stayed at The Valley.
FC Schadenfreude in the BundesBollox League?
To mis-appropriate a line from the excellent Belle and Sebastian:
He then moved on to two other Cypriot clubs before returning to England (Sutton) - Have to hope Poyet's path doesnt go the same way