Ferdinand, Dembele, and Real Madrid

[Spurger King]

So Sir Les just said they would joke with Dembele that if he carried on performing as well as he can, he'd be the next player to go to Real Madrid.

How do people feel about this? Is it just a light-hearted joke? Is it perfectly reasonable to use Madrid as a carrot to motivate our players? Or does it imply that we're not remotely serious about trying to hold on to our best players?

Personally I think that, even in jest, it's a damning comment that goes against the idea that we're trying to build a competitive team.

 

[Romulus]

just a light hearted joke to the player. probably used as motivation rather than something more sincere

 

[Mullers]

There is no way we can keep our best players, Levy knows it. He stamps his foot down and says so and so is going nowhere and in the end they go then Levy tries to save face with a bullshit partnership or something of that ilk.
I like the idea of Dembele going to Madrid, please get him out as soon as possible and take Paulinho as well because that is 30 million plus midfield which hasn't been impressing.

 

[riggi]

Would you of heard fergie, wenger or mourinho use it?

 

[Shadydan]

Jokes mate

 

[Lufti]

Will put these in here then:

I wish we had players good enough or want to be good enough for Real.

Personally don't see a problem with what Les said. We're never going to be able to keep a player if the biggest club in the world want them and the players know that. But it'd be nice to have that problem again. Right now (other than Lloris) we've no one that a big European club would want.

I don't think you'll find any successful teams who use that stategy.. we should be encouraging our players to win trophies and finish high in the table at this club together as a team - we shouldn't be telling individuals that if they step up their game they can get a bigger move. Doesn't do the club's ambition or vision any good

A quality player would know that anyway, doesn't matter what a coach tells them.
Our recent success came from having excellent players like Modric & Bale who worked so hard on their game they became attractive to the biggest club in the world.
Yes it means we can't retain these players but that's called a pecking order, at least we're a good side while they're with us.
Our problem at the moment is we don't have anyone like that.

Of course the players themselves will always be looking for as much money/success as they can, and a lot of them will be thinking to themselves that they wont be able to achieve that here. Regardless, the club representatives, whether that's the manager, coach, or whoever, shouldn't be confirming that to them - they should be doing their best to convince them that they can fulfil their aspirations here.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

It was just banter.

 

[Strikeb4ck]

I watched the segment, didn't sound like banter to me.

 

[Kendall]

Joke. We joke at work about moving elsewhere all the time. Football players will be no different.

 

[Spurger King]

Joke. We joke at work about moving elsewhere all the time. Football players will be no different.

You sure your boss isn't just trying to tell you something?

 

[Style_Over_Substance]

It sounded as though it was being used as a motivational tool ie this is how good you could be Moussa.
Ridiculous to suggest management were busy pushing players away from the club. How would that possibly be in their interest?

 

[Gbspurs]

There isn't a club in the world that wouldn't sell to Real and bar Messi probably not any players in the world who wouldn't move there.

 

[dontcallme]

Just banter and jokes, not used as an actual motivation tool.

 

[Mullers]

It sounded as though it was being used as a motivational tool ie this is how good you could be Moussa.
Ridiculous to suggest management were busy pushing players away from the club. How would that possibly be in their interest?

Cut down the wage bill, as well getting rid of the dross such as Dembele and Paulinho and Ade, the latter (Ade) we´ve been trying to get rid of unsuccesfully for a while.

 

[Chris12]

Bit harsh to tease Dembele's emotions like that

 

[ardiles&villa]

Tbh when i heard him say that it didnt sit well with me either. But then again i really dont like les...

 

[tiger666]

So Sir Les just said they would joke with Dembele that if he carried on performing as well as he can, he'd be the next player to go to Real Madrid.

Probably pissing themselves laughing as they said it.

 

[Spurger King]

Probably pissing themselves laughing as they said it.

They probably meant as a ball boy.

 

[rossdapep]

Actually tells you a lot about the Sherwood regime. I can actually see Sherwood ridiculing players during training and making stupid comments.

Don't know if anyone saw but during the Brighton game he was a pundit and whenever they discussed any foreign player his comments were negative and condescending. It then switched to the highlights of the Man City game and Silva had just come off injured, to which Sherwood shrugged and stated "Doesn't fancy it, these players don't wanna be here tonight", or something along these lines, implementing that your non-British players don't knuckle down.

I think it said a lot about the guy. Even though he was right in saying a lot of players are not up to scratch, I wouldn't have trusted him to have changed us for the better.

 

[robin09]

Les was spot on about Dembele's failings. It's what most fans have been saying on SC for the last few seasons.