The one that got away

[thick_mike]

Didn't we ask Henrik Larsson to play in a trial match against Walsall rather than just sign him? He said stuff that for a game of soldiers.

He went on to score 325 goals in 576 games winning The Champions League and various other honours including an MBE as well as being a pretty good footballer.

[OCD]

It was his Dad and Uncle that told him to take the money and join Chelsea too when he was becoming a regular at a very different Man City. I really wonder about some of the people around footballers. If I was in their position, I would be more interested in seeing my son become a first team regular. Knowing that if they did that, the money would take care of itself. Sturridge could have just as easily become another Luke Moore at Chelsea and ultimately made much less money over the course of his career.

That four year deal at Chelsea would have netted him over £12m. It's very easy to think that somebody else's son should wave goodbye to financial security for the rest of his life, it's probably different when it's your own.

He could have stayed at Man City and got a career ending injury six months later. How good would that advice have looked then?

Its not like Man City would have been offering a pittance. The likelihood was always that it was far more likely that he wouldn't break into Chelsea's first team as a regular than he would suffer a career ending injury. I just hate seeing young talented players trying to run before they can walk and being given what in most circumstances would be poor career advice.

[Legion]

Wasn't Sturridge on our books as a kid? I think we let him go and he joined Coventry. Someone dropped a bollock there.

He was. His Dad wanted a ridiculous amount of money for us to keep him.

When he was 12 years old?

Yes, Mr. Troll.

[OCD]

Didn't we ask Henrik Larsson to play in a trial match against Walsall rather than just sign him? He said stuff that for a game of soldiers.

He went on to score 325 goals in 576 games winning The Champions League and various other honours including an MBE as well as being a pretty good footballer.

Are we not getting into this territory? http://www.heroesandvillains.info/forumv3/index.php?topic=49790.15

[thick_mike]

Didn't we ask Henrik Larsson to play in a trial match against Walsall rather than just sign him? He said stuff that for a game of soldiers.

He went on to score 325 goals in 576 games winning The Champions League and various other honours including an MBE as well as being a pretty good footballer.

Are we not getting into this territory? http://www.heroesandvillains.info/forumv3/index.php?topic=49790.15

I do remember the other Larsen...but I was pretty sure we were linked with the real deal too. I thought we were about to sign him, but wanted him to come over to play in a friendly and he felt it was a bit of a snub. This was a few years before he was at Celtic.

[Dave]

It was his Dad and Uncle that told him to take the money and join Chelsea too when he was becoming a regular at a very different Man City. I really wonder about some of the people around footballers. If I was in their position, I would be more interested in seeing my son become a first team regular. Knowing that if they did that, the money would take care of itself. Sturridge could have just as easily become another Luke Moore at Chelsea and ultimately made much less money over the course of his career.

That four year deal at Chelsea would have netted him over £12m. It's very easy to think that somebody else's son should wave goodbye to financial security for the rest of his life, it's probably different when it's your own.

He could have stayed at Man City and got a career ending injury six months later. How good would that advice have looked then?

Its not like Man City would have been offering a pittance. The likelihood was always that it was far more likely that he wouldn't break into Chelsea's first team as a regular than he would suffer a career ending injury. I just hate seeing young talented players trying to run before they can walk and being given what in most circumstances would be poor career advice.

And in this case it was perfectly sound career advice.

And let's say he didn't break into Chelsea's first team. Which he didn't.

Then he goes somewhere else and earns a huge amount of money at another club. Which he did.

But probably about £8m richer than had he not followed that bad advice.

[SoccerHQ]

It was his Dad and Uncle that told him to take the money and join Chelsea too when he was becoming a regular at a very different Man City. I really wonder about some of the people around footballers. If I was in their position, I would be more interested in seeing my son become a first team regular. Knowing that if they did that, the money would take care of itself. Sturridge could have just as easily become another Luke Moore at Chelsea and ultimately made much less money over the course of his career.

That four year deal at Chelsea would have netted him over £12m. It's very easy to think that somebody else's son should wave goodbye to financial security for the rest of his life, it's probably different when it's your own.

He could have stayed at Man City and got a career ending injury six months later. How good would that advice have looked then?

Given some of the wages we were paying out at time I doubt he'd have been on that much less tbh here.

[Dave]

It was his Dad and Uncle that told him to take the money and join Chelsea too when he was becoming a regular at a very different Man City. I really wonder about some of the people around footballers. If I was in their position, I would be more interested in seeing my son become a first team regular. Knowing that if they did that, the money would take care of itself. Sturridge could have just as easily become another Luke Moore at Chelsea and ultimately made much less money over the course of his career.

That four year deal at Chelsea would have netted him over £12m. It's very easy to think that somebody else's son should wave goodbye to financial security for the rest of his life, it's probably different when it's your own.

He could have stayed at Man City and got a career ending injury six months later. How good would that advice have looked then?

Given some of the wages we were paying out at time I doubt he'd have been on that much less tbh here.

We don't really enter this conversation. We weren't one of his options.

Man City and Chelsea were.

[Handsworth Wood Villa]

Wasn't Sturridge on our books as a kid? I think we let him go and he joined Coventry. Someone dropped a bollock there.

He was. His Dad wanted a ridiculous amount of money for us to keep him.

When he was 12 years old?

Yes, Mr. Troll.

How exactly do you pay a 12 year old?

And why would he then join Coventry?

[dave.woodhall]

Wasn't Sturridge on our books as a kid? I think we let him go and he joined Coventry. Someone dropped a bollock there.

He was. His Dad wanted a ridiculous amount of money for us to keep him.

When he was 12 years old?

Yes, Mr. Troll.

How exactly do you pay a 12 year old?

And why would he then join Coventry?

With money, to his parents.

Maybe they paid it.

[SoccerHQ]

It was his Dad and Uncle that told him to take the money and join Chelsea too when he was becoming a regular at a very different Man City. I really wonder about some of the people around footballers. If I was in their position, I would be more interested in seeing my son become a first team regular. Knowing that if they did that, the money would take care of itself. Sturridge could have just as easily become another Luke Moore at Chelsea and ultimately made much less money over the course of his career.

That four year deal at Chelsea would have netted him over £12m. It's very easy to think that somebody else's son should wave goodbye to financial security for the rest of his life, it's probably different when it's your own.

He could have stayed at Man City and got a career ending injury six months later. How good would that advice have looked then?

Given some of the wages we were paying out at time I doubt he'd have been on that much less tbh here.

We don't really enter this conversation. We weren't one of his options.

Man City and Chelsea were.

As I said earlier I'm sure I remember reading we invited his Dad as a guest at one of our home games when he was still at City so I reckon we were in the courting stage at least as he did fit the type (Young, English) we were signing at time.

Anyway off the top of my head from in recent season, I'd say Houllier going and the Cabaye deal seemingly falling through would be one that got away.

[Grande Pablo]

Robbie Keane was an unboubted talent, but I think if JG had signed him from Wolves he'd have flopped for us.  A heavily pregnant Mrs Pablo & I had the 'pleasure' of going into our works box at Wolves when they played Werder Bremen in a pre-season friendly, with JG 2 boxes along.  Wolves & Keane were that shit JG went at half time, & Keane was subbed not long afterwards.

It was that shit Mrs Pablo went into labour the following morning 2 weeks early, & Junior Pablo was born.

[Legion]

Wasn't Sturridge on our books as a kid? I think we let him go and he joined Coventry. Someone dropped a bollock there.

He was. His Dad wanted a ridiculous amount of money for us to keep him.

When he was 12 years old?

Yes, Mr. Troll.

How exactly do you pay a 12 year old?

And why would he then join Coventry?

With money, to his parents.

Maybe they paid it.

Correct.

They did.

[supertom]

Robbie Keane was an unboubted talent, but I think if JG had signed him from Wolves he'd have flopped for us.  A heavily pregnant Mrs Pablo & I had the 'pleasure' of going into our works box at Wolves when they played Werder Bremen in a pre-season friendly, with JG 2 boxes along.  Wolves & Keane were that shit JG went at half time, & Keane was subbed not long afterwards.

It was that shit Mrs Pablo went into labour the following morning 2 weeks early, & Junior Pablo was born.

And indeed Doug seems to often be cited as the reason the Keane deal fell through, but did JG not admit that he was the one who didn't think Keane was worth the extra 500k and pulled the plug?
It's okay though. We got Bosko Balaban.

[dave.woodhall]

Robbie Keane was an unboubted talent, but I think if JG had signed him from Wolves he'd have flopped for us.  A heavily pregnant Mrs Pablo & I had the 'pleasure' of going into our works box at Wolves when they played Werder Bremen in a pre-season friendly, with JG 2 boxes along.  Wolves & Keane were that shit JG went at half time, & Keane was subbed not long afterwards.

It was that shit Mrs Pablo went into labour the following morning 2 weeks early, & Junior Pablo was born.

And indeed Doug seems to often be cited as the reason the Keane deal fell through, but did JG not admit that he was the one who didn't think Keane was worth the extra 500k and pulled the plug?
It's okay though. We got Bosko Balaban.

That's what he says. He also said he believed Sirralix psyched him out of the deal by saying it was a lot of money for a 19 year old, he wouldn't fancy it himself & c.