Concrete Ron

[Dave Cooper please]

Nah. It's like letting your ex-girlfriend stay in your house after she's left you in a tantrum claiming she can do better, with a book full of phone numbers of all the wealthier blokes in town.

Nah.

You've grown apart over time, she's moved out. She's finding it tough moving on and is mentally "in a bad place", so you let her kip on the sofa for a bit.

However, you both know that sexual contact would be bad. Luckily, you're both grown up enough to realise it.

Are you allowed to have a crafty wank over her sleeping form just for old times sake?

[pauliewalnuts]

He has chosen not to remain at the club so don't see why we should help him get fit to potentially play against us in the future. When I left my job, I didn't expect to be able to wander back and help myself to stationery, photocopying and a new laptop.

If you'd had your wits about you, you'd have made sure you pilfered all that stuff before you left

[chrisw1]

I'm not sure I agree.  Players who run down their contracts generally do so out of greed.

There's a thin line, though, between what we'd consider "greed" and what a player just sees as getting the best options he can.

If you look at Vlaar, one of the most noticeable players - certainly defenders - of the world cup, at a struggling club, last year of his contract about to start, nudging 30, lots of injury problems in the past - all of those things will have been going through his mind when deciding what to do.

You're right, a lot of players are driven by greed, but if you spin that out to mean all of them, then you don't really have much latitude to complain when they act accordingly.

I also think we used greed as a convenient excuse. Benteke leaving = greed. Delph changing his mind = greed. And so on.

It's too easy. When Milner left, there were people on here saying he was leaving through greed. Four years on, look at what he's won in the meantime, and look at the seasons we've had since he went.

There's a difference between leaving and running down your contract deliberately to leave on a free.  That's the way I see it anyway.  I never thought Barry, Milner, Yorke etc left because of greed, although the money was probably a nice bonus.

Don't get me wrong, I totally understand it is a players right to just honor the contract they signed.  But they know full well what they are doing by running it down and I won't shed many tears when it goes wrong for them occasionally.  I think Ron knew exactly what he was doing.  He could have signed a contract but asked for a move and we would have got a few million quid. 

[chrisw1]

double post

[TopDeck113]

I'm in the camp that says that we have no contractual obligations to a former player who decided his future lay elsewhere and an elsewhere that he considered more fitting of his abilities.  As such he can now sort himself out, even if having to pay for his own treatment and rehabilitation wasn't quite what he planned.

[Richard E]

I'm in the camp that says that we have no contractual obligations to a former player who decided his future lay elsewhere and an elsewhere that he considered more fitting of his abilities.  As such he can now sort himself out, even if having to pay for his own treatment and rehabilitation wasn't quite what he planned.

I agree entirely.

[Brend'Watkins]

The one thing I haven't seen mentioned on here regarding this is that with Vlaar no longer contracted to us he would not be covered under our player insurance.  That being the case, should any thing happen to him during his recuperation, such as, a recurrence of the injury, or a new injury..who would be deemed at fault?

It's not just a case of "there's the gym, help yourself".  Even that itself potentially hazardous. Couple that with "you said, do 20 of these, now I've got another strain in my problematic calf."

Even if Vlaar was willing to sign a non disclaimer the club should stay well clear. Vlaar's recuperation should be down to him and the people he employs to help him do so. 

[themossman]

At the very least he should have a comprehensive induction on how to use all the machines, with a man in a shellsuit.

[brian green]

Especially the Coca Cola machine.

[chrisw1]

double post

[Brend'Watkins]

At the very least he should have a comprehensive induction on how to use all the machines, with a man in a shellsuit.

The club straight away is £20 better off!

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

At the very least he should have a comprehensive induction on how to use all the machines, with a man in a shellsuit.

Should imagine Ron knows how to use the machines better than most...


...perhaps he's earning a few quid on the side by giving the new players a comprehensive induction on how to use all the machines whilst wearing a shellsuit and limping.

;-)

[Risso]

Can you imagine the groans from the medical team if Vlaar hobbled in through the door again?

[danno]

Can you imagine the groans from the medical team if Vlaar hobbled in through the door again?

Oh I don't know some might fancy a spot of overtime.

[Risso]

Can you imagine the groans from the medical team if Vlaar hobbled in through the door again?

Oh I don't know some might fancy a spot of overtime.

It'd be like giving Richard Dunne free run of the pie and chips concessions.