Ashley Westwood - Sold to Burnley

[martyn ellis]

I can see where he's coming from. I don't like the amount of personal vindictiveness on here for players who have a bad game or who we don't rate, but I always assumed it was the same on all fan forums. But the implication is that it's not the same at Burnley. It's easy to say 'don't read the comments if you're going to be affected by them' but we have to realise that just because they earn shedloads of money doesn't mean they don't have feelings and aren't vulnerable to this type of thing. Some of the comments about Engels were way over the mark on Sunday.

[paul_e]

I'd say there's been plenty of players who'd had things go too far at times, I know I've been guilty of it in the past. The one that bothers me more than most is the attitude towards Wesley. I get that some people don't see the value of him but the criticism was way out of line at times and I think it did affect him, in early December he looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

[Risso]

I can see where he's coming from. I don't like the amount of personal vindictiveness on here for players who have a bad game or who we don't rate, but I always assumed it was the same on all fan forums. But the implication is that it's not the same at Burnley. It's easy to say 'don't read the comments if you're going to be affected by them' but we have to realise that just because they earn shedloads of money doesn't mean they don't have feelings and aren't vulnerable to this type of thing. Some of the comments about Engels were way over the mark on Sunday.

He doesn't mention anything about comments on forums whatsoever, he said he got stick from fans if he bumped into them on a night out.

[Dante Lavelli]

I thought Westwood looked handy as ‘continuity’ type player.  He was never an all action Gerard type and that counted against him.  You could see he lost confidence and he’s not the sort to score a screamer that could have changed the trajectory of his career at villa.  Ultimately the move was good for all parties and I’m pleased he is doing well any Burnley as I never thought he deserved the vitriol he got here.

[amfy]

In the past I have always been pretty highly rated at work but in my latest job I have had my first experience of trying to do it as well as I can whilst having managers who constantly tell me I am doing it wrong (& I mean constantly).

It’s gradually left me unable to think straight, not able to remember simple facts, procedures or tasks, unable to make a simple decision. In fact, from being really well thought of in my previous job which was similar, they have not only made me FEEL like I am no good at it, they have made me ACTUALLY no good at it.

Constant criticism does take your mental health apart, and your ability to be competent goes with it.

The truth is that this treatment of players robs us of talent.

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

He was one of the few players who seemed to care when we got relegated.

[Rigadon]

I guess you just need to compare the expectation levels at Burnley v what is being achieved there with the same scenarios when Westwood was at the Villa.  We were in our worst spell in a long long time and he was a part of that.  Glad he's in a better place all the same.

[Ads]

Dire player.

[ChicagoLion]

We are facing the same problem now, we don’t have the type of midfield player we need.
It was not his fault that he wasn’t that player and never will be.

[KevinGage]

Always hard to know in these circumstances what came first, underlying low feelings and then bad performances or the bad performances which -when criticism inevitably came - brought low feelings.

The onus was on others to take him out of the firing line long before they did.

Glad he's enjoying his football again. At his best, he looked neat and tidy for us.  He didn't display anything during his time at B6  that would make him a Player of the Year candidate for any topflight club.

Shows that players can develop at different rates. For a variety of different reasons.

[N'ZMAV]

Westwood was/is a decent footballer, however, he was a victim of pretty much everything at the club being a horror show during his time.

[Pat McMahon]

In the past I have always been pretty highly rated at work but in my latest job I have had my first experience of trying to do it as well as I can whilst having managers who constantly tell me I am doing it wrong (& I mean constantly).

It’s gradually left me unable to think straight, not able to remember simple facts, procedures or tasks, unable to make a simple decision. In fact, from being really well thought of in my previous job which was similar, they have not only made me FEEL like I am no good at it, they have made me ACTUALLY no good at it.

Constant criticism does take your mental health apart, and your ability to be competent goes with it.

The truth is that this treatment of players robs us of talent.

I sympathise with you there Amfy as I had a similar experience about 12-13 years ago. I was working in a joint venture and had 2 bosses, one of whom was very political and did everything to make a landgrab for more than 50% of the team, with me somewhere in the middle.

Basically it got to the point where everything I did I was double and treble thinking and no longer trusting my own judgment. I disliked the company anyway so was able to leave within 8 months of joining, but for a while i was plain miserable, even at weekends.

I hope you manage to sort this out. When I left I was out of work for a while but much happier, though I appreciate you may not have the luxury of being able to douse your boss in pigshit and resigning.

[Simon Page]

Dire player.

Makes you wonder how the numerous managers who really rate him get work in football and you don't. Thank Christ there was no shortage of similar geniuses to tell him how shite he was. I look forward to the fraud charges against him for continuing to fool the Premier League.

[amfy]

In the past I have always been pretty highly rated at work but in my latest job I have had my first experience of trying to do it as well as I can whilst having managers who constantly tell me I am doing it wrong (& I mean constantly).

It’s gradually left me unable to think straight, not able to remember simple facts, procedures or tasks, unable to make a simple decision. In fact, from being really well thought of in my previous job which was similar, they have not only made me FEEL like I am no good at it, they have made me ACTUALLY no good at it.

Constant criticism does take your mental health apart, and your ability to be competent goes with it.

The truth is that this treatment of players robs us of talent.

I sympathise with you there Amfy as I had a similar experience about 12-13 years ago. I was working in a joint venture and had 2 bosses, one of whom was very political and did everything to make a landgrab for more than 50% of the team, with me somewhere in the middle.

Basically it got to the point where everything I did I was double and treble thinking and no longer trusting my own judgment. I disliked the company anyway so was able to leave within 8 months of joining, but for a while i was plain miserable, even at weekends.

I hope you manage to sort this out. When I left I was out of work for a while but much happier, though I appreciate you may not have the luxury of being able to douse your boss in pigshit and resigning.

Yep - the detail of it belongs in the mental health thread but its just an experience that has really made me think about what it must feel like when the fans are on your back out there on the pitch. I’ve always been someone who thinks the abuse doesn’t help to bring out the best in players, but my recent personal experience of it has really made me feel the true impact of what that must be like for them.

I’ve taken a month of sick and have decided to resign. I am fortunate at this point in my life to be able to do so even if there is a gap before I find something else. It’ll have been about 8 months for me too!

[Ads]

Dire player.

Makes you wonder how the numerous managers who really rate him get work in football and you don't. Thank Christ there was no shortage of similar geniuses to tell him how shite he was. I look forward to the fraud charges against him for continuing to fool the Premier League.

He's played for the worst Villa side in our history and Burnley, who if you've drunk enough and squint hard enough almost look like a football team.

I watched/suffered every single game Westwood ever played for us. 147 times.

He scored a lovely goal at the Stripey Filth. Which was nice. But it didn't make up for his lack of goals, lack of creativity, inability to pass a ball forwards (Norwich away for Gabby aside), beat a man, have any pace, any strength, aerial ability. He was good at pointing though.

So thank you for your reply and the bizarre attempt to defend a dire player like Westwood. Nice attempt at sarcasm, though.