| Steve Cook on 15:10 - Aug 10 with 3254 views | Northernr |
| Steve Cook on 14:52 - Aug 10 by terryb |
I think it's time to stop pretending that the club policy is to sign/develop players & sell for profit! I believe that it was theoretically, but that is now just a hope rather than a desire.
Since Eze left us, the club has allowed every team manager to sign who they personally wanted, disregarding the stated aims of senior management. For a while this resulted in Rangers having players that could command a reasonable fee (but never as high as many felt was warranted), but once our owners are given a slight glimpse of progression, they forget all of their earlier failures & are ready to gamble the crown jewells (again)!
Signing Steve Cook was IMO a necessity as he will be able to compete for us at this level. Ideally I would have preferred a gamble on the Wycombe or Peterborough defenders, but we are now past that point & why would they consider joining us?
The worst part of this, is that it would appear that only players in decline are willing to join us, while younger players look at us & decide they are better off to stay put or sign for a more stable club. |
It's also, TBF, a policy geared more towards the pre-Covid transfer market than the post-Covid one.
I just don't see what the alternative is though, other than literally run the club on a break even budget which would put us very firmly into League One sooner rather than later. |  | |  |
| Steve Cook on 15:11 - Aug 10 with 3236 views | Andybrat |
| Steve Cook on 08:16 - Aug 10 by kernowhoop |
We should welcome Steve to QPR and hope that it works out well for him and the club. We have recruited good old defenders before and it has been a success.
I must say that I do not doubt anything that Clive has written about the financing of this and the Colback deal and the medium-term implications. I would add that, unfortunately, it seems likely that the departure of Sam Field figures in the club's calculations.
But, forgetting the wins at Burnley and Stoke, we are in a desperate slump. Something has to be done. As fans, we are also in great danger of talking ourselves deeper into depression. It is not impossible that the likes of Begovic, Colback and Cook will restore some backbone to the team and we shall no longer leak goals at the rate of the last couple of seasons (or the last two weeks!). That might restore some confidence to the rest of the team and ... who knows? |
How old were Frank McLintock and Dave Webb? CB is where u want the experience |  | | |
| Steve Cook on 15:16 - Aug 10 with 3191 views | R_from_afar |
| Steve Cook on 14:52 - Aug 10 by terryb |
I think it's time to stop pretending that the club policy is to sign/develop players & sell for profit! I believe that it was theoretically, but that is now just a hope rather than a desire.
Since Eze left us, the club has allowed every team manager to sign who they personally wanted, disregarding the stated aims of senior management. For a while this resulted in Rangers having players that could command a reasonable fee (but never as high as many felt was warranted), but once our owners are given a slight glimpse of progression, they forget all of their earlier failures & are ready to gamble the crown jewells (again)!
Signing Steve Cook was IMO a necessity as he will be able to compete for us at this level. Ideally I would have preferred a gamble on the Wycombe or Peterborough defenders, but we are now past that point & why would they consider joining us?
The worst part of this, is that it would appear that only players in decline are willing to join us, while younger players look at us & decide they are better off to stay put or sign for a more stable club. |
Ah, but we did sign Ziyad Larkeche, who is only 20 
I was delighted to see that he played six times for the France U20 team. We'll soon drag him down to our level, though  . In all seriousness, I really hope we don't! |  |
| "Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1." |
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| Steve Cook on 15:31 - Aug 10 with 3141 views | derbyhoop |
In an ideal world, we wouldn't need fo sign 30+ year olds, let alone on 2 year contracts.
But Oxford and Watford showed we are miles away from the ideal.
Hopefully, Cook, Colback and Begovic can provide sufficient steel so we dont get blown away by 90% of the clubs in this division.
And worry about the consequences, later. |  |
| "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one's lifetime." (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop and now on Bluesky |
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| Steve Cook on 16:40 - Aug 10 with 3000 views | QPROslo |
The situation we are in now makes Cook look a good and necessary signing. Dunne is apparently not coming back for a while and JCS not before Ipswich and can't expect him to stay "back" for long after that. Though it doesn't seem likely, I hope Cook can start Saturday. The prospect of starting with Fox and Gubbins again in Cardiff put worries about next season well on the back burner. | | | |
| Steve Cook on 17:03 - Aug 10 with 2881 views | cyprusmel |
| Steve Cook on 12:41 - Aug 10 by Northernr |
Like the "pay as you play deal" there are some wonderful things you just know this message board is going to throw up. Guaranteed every signing over 30 will be compared to Hill and Derry, that's a given, but nice to see Frank McLintock getting a shout. Tony Currie sometimes comes in here as well.
Another is the idea that signing players over 30 will actually help us be a development club because they'll influence and rub off on the others. McClaren loved that one, making out like bringing in Geoff Cameron and loaning Ryan Manning to Rotherham was actually great for Ryan, picking Hemed up front and ignoring Bright etc.
1 - These players are here because we've offered 2/3 year deals they wouldn't get anywhere else.
2 - They're not here to coach.
3 - There are, as it's fcking blatantly obvious, no kids here to help and develop. That's why we've got to sign these players. Joe Gubbins will still be Joe Gubbins two years from now whether Steve Cook talks to him or not. |
You might not have seen him play Northern but Jim Langley was another oldie who did so much for our club. | | | |
| Steve Cook on 17:43 - Aug 10 with 2741 views | Sakura |
| Steve Cook on 14:52 - Aug 10 by terryb |
I think it's time to stop pretending that the club policy is to sign/develop players & sell for profit! I believe that it was theoretically, but that is now just a hope rather than a desire.
Since Eze left us, the club has allowed every team manager to sign who they personally wanted, disregarding the stated aims of senior management. For a while this resulted in Rangers having players that could command a reasonable fee (but never as high as many felt was warranted), but once our owners are given a slight glimpse of progression, they forget all of their earlier failures & are ready to gamble the crown jewells (again)!
Signing Steve Cook was IMO a necessity as he will be able to compete for us at this level. Ideally I would have preferred a gamble on the Wycombe or Peterborough defenders, but we are now past that point & why would they consider joining us?
The worst part of this, is that it would appear that only players in decline are willing to join us, while younger players look at us & decide they are better off to stay put or sign for a more stable club. |
To add some context to this we have a squad age of 25. The 7th youngest in the championship
Field and Chair are sellable assets. Will go this year or next year for money. Willock is an unlucky situation alround
I think too much emphasis is put on the age of some players. Signing a player at 24-25 who it's quite clear is nothing more than a solid championship player. What is really the difference between signing him at 25/26 or when he is 30. As long as they can contribute well while they are here
Fox for example. Solid championship player. Joined us at 29. Had he signed at 25 you would have known you aren't getting money for him at any point. Like Stoke didn't
A small percentage of players do you ever really sign with an expectation of making a profit. Bonne, Dickie, Dozzell, £5m fees and £700k back
Unless your going to do what Coventry did and go big with a £7m on Wright this summer. That you might be net better off going for old pros then having a youth signing come off... Chair for us next maybe. Eze before. Let's see from latest batch
Or Field a rare free signing opportunity. Which might see Larkeche, TR or Smyth the next in future to emulate
There are some players you get 2-4 tears out of they contribute then they leave for free. Coventry, Luton Blackburn
But with Andy Belk at the club and his awful hit rate that's always going to be tough
But we do have the 7th youngest squad in the league so it’s clearly not just an age issue. Getting the good prospects comes at a price. So this year where survival is key and budget is small we need to use the £‘s efficiently
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| Steve Cook on 18:22 - Aug 10 with 2676 views | Rangersw12 |
| Steve Cook on 17:43 - Aug 10 by Sakura |
To add some context to this we have a squad age of 25. The 7th youngest in the championship
Field and Chair are sellable assets. Will go this year or next year for money. Willock is an unlucky situation alround
I think too much emphasis is put on the age of some players. Signing a player at 24-25 who it's quite clear is nothing more than a solid championship player. What is really the difference between signing him at 25/26 or when he is 30. As long as they can contribute well while they are here
Fox for example. Solid championship player. Joined us at 29. Had he signed at 25 you would have known you aren't getting money for him at any point. Like Stoke didn't
A small percentage of players do you ever really sign with an expectation of making a profit. Bonne, Dickie, Dozzell, £5m fees and £700k back
Unless your going to do what Coventry did and go big with a £7m on Wright this summer. That you might be net better off going for old pros then having a youth signing come off... Chair for us next maybe. Eze before. Let's see from latest batch
Or Field a rare free signing opportunity. Which might see Larkeche, TR or Smyth the next in future to emulate
There are some players you get 2-4 tears out of they contribute then they leave for free. Coventry, Luton Blackburn
But with Andy Belk at the club and his awful hit rate that's always going to be tough
But we do have the 7th youngest squad in the league so it’s clearly not just an age issue. Getting the good prospects comes at a price. So this year where survival is key and budget is small we need to use the £‘s efficiently
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The older the player the more you pay in wages | | | |
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| Steve Cook on 18:40 - Aug 10 with 2560 views | Sakura |
| Steve Cook on 18:22 - Aug 10 by Rangersw12 |
The older the player the more you pay in wages |
You’re absolutely right. I forgot Begovic was earning more than Mbappe | | | |
| Steve Cook on 18:49 - Aug 10 with 2528 views | terryb |
"To add some context to this we have a squad age of 25. The 7th youngest in the championship"
Our squad that is listed on Wiki has 15 players aged 25 or over & 8 of last Saturday's starting 11 were 25 or above.
Perhaps our average age has increased in the past coule of weeks? | | | |
| Steve Cook on 18:51 - Aug 10 with 2517 views | Rangersw12 |
| Steve Cook on 18:40 - Aug 10 by Sakura |
You’re absolutely right. I forgot Begovic was earning more than Mbappe |
Yeah a great example 🙄🙄🙄
A better example would be that Cook is on more than Dunne . | | | |
| Steve Cook on 18:56 - Aug 10 with 2471 views | Sakura |
| Steve Cook on 18:51 - Aug 10 by Rangersw12 |
Yeah a great example 🙄🙄🙄
A better example would be that Cook is on more than Dunne . |
We will soon see if Cook is a better player than Dunne
And we will also see how much we sell Dunne for when he leaves. Think it’s unlikely to be very different to what Cook goes for… | | | |
| Steve Cook on 19:31 - Aug 10 with 2370 views | stainrods_elbow |
| Steve Cook on 21:31 - Aug 9 by Hastings_Hoops |
Absolute joke…
Wasn’t interested 2 years ago when Forest offered him more. Comes back two years later when we offer him a ridiculous contract (conjecture not fact I know)…
…this is everything that’s wrong with this joke of a club right now.
1) Loftus Road - the club continue to let it decay - if even a little was invested 15 years ago we would have seen a ROI by now.
2) New ground - the owners have demonstrated a remarkable aptitude in how to make enemies and alienate people (car giant / Linford Christie etc).
3) Employing a Director of football but reducing him to a puppet in the role.
4) Chancing upon a perfect fit for a manager (warbs) and then screwing that up.
5) Returning to its P&S / FFP folly like a dog to its vomit.
Absolute joke.
PS: this is not Wegerlies Staircase / Stainrod’s Elbow in disguise. |
This IS Dr Elbow, and I'll just say I'm grimly glad you (and a number of others) are finally coming round to my view of Hoos and the whole charade I have been explaining patiently for years (and being shot down a la SInead O'Connor and any true avant-gardist).
Bite me, and while you're there, toot my f*ckin horn! |  |
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| Steve Cook on 19:37 - Aug 10 with 2356 views | stainrods_elbow |
| Steve Cook on 14:37 - Aug 10 by SydneyRs |
Perhaps he was referring to his own move here? |
Just told him that myself. | |
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| Steve Cook on 21:11 - Aug 10 with 2199 views | LordPork |
| Steve Cook on 15:11 - Aug 10 by Andybrat |
How old were Frank McLintock and Dave Webb? CB is where u want the experience |
Andy B
I was just about to post the very same point.
Critical as I may be / have been over recent events, this signing makes sense. McLintock and Webb....
sadly it's what, 45 years ago?
But the principle works.... | | | |
| Steve Cook on 07:41 - Aug 11 with 1756 views | JordanFoster |
| Steve Cook on 21:11 - Aug 10 by LordPork |
Andy B
I was just about to post the very same point.
Critical as I may be / have been over recent events, this signing makes sense. McLintock and Webb....
sadly it's what, 45 years ago?
But the principle works.... |
It worked, not sure it still a recipe for success. We’re using references from nearly 50 years ago. The game was completely different. | | | |
| Steve Cook on 07:57 - Aug 11 with 1710 views | flynnbo |
| Steve Cook on 17:03 - Aug 10 by cyprusmel |
You might not have seen him play Northern but Jim Langley was another oldie who did so much for our club. |
Apologies, downvoted in error. |  | | |
| Steve Cook on 08:58 - Aug 11 with 1598 views | mart_Goblin |
| Steve Cook on 12:41 - Aug 10 by Northernr |
Like the "pay as you play deal" there are some wonderful things you just know this message board is going to throw up. Guaranteed every signing over 30 will be compared to Hill and Derry, that's a given, but nice to see Frank McLintock getting a shout. Tony Currie sometimes comes in here as well.
Another is the idea that signing players over 30 will actually help us be a development club because they'll influence and rub off on the others. McClaren loved that one, making out like bringing in Geoff Cameron and loaning Ryan Manning to Rotherham was actually great for Ryan, picking Hemed up front and ignoring Bright etc.
1 - These players are here because we've offered 2/3 year deals they wouldn't get anywhere else.
2 - They're not here to coach.
3 - There are, as it's fcking blatantly obvious, no kids here to help and develop. That's why we've got to sign these players. Joe Gubbins will still be Joe Gubbins two years from now whether Steve Cook talks to him or not. |
I agree with about 99.99% of things you say Clive so this feels weird but not sure I completely agree with that last bit .
I think Cook is ideal to advise and improve all the young defenders at the club not just Gubbins . Gubbins may or may not be good enough but we’ve seen 3 other potential young centre backs in pre season. One of them might be good enough and with the current crop of coaches failing to either inspire or hugely improve the youngsters maybe Steve Cook could inspire and improve what we have at the club.
I can only go on my own experience because that’s where my knowledge comes from but I wasn’t good enough at QPR . Gave everything every time I played but you need more than that .
But I played a reserve game v Wimbledon , come on at CB at half time with us 3-0 down v Wimbledon and in midfield was Ray Wilkins . He just said listen to me and you'll be fine .
He made me feel like Beckenbauer for 45 mins just talking me through the game and helping me . I walked away afterwards thinking I WAS good enough and can play at a good level . Drew 4-4 .
Now Cook is no Ray, I know that, but he is as much more of a leader than Jimmy Dunne and JCS with more experience too.
I agree totally that signing a load of players over 30 is not a good idea and just puts us further in trouble down the road but Cook in isolation is a good move for where we are now! How we got here is another discussion and can be pulled apart until the cows come home but beggars now cannot be choosers . The alternative is back to last Saturday?
We can’t even afford Forino who in your own words “isn’t very good”.
So why go for him just because he is younger ?
Anyway just another point of view |  | | |
| Steve Cook on 09:04 - Aug 11 with 1578 views | Northernr |
| Steve Cook on 08:58 - Aug 11 by mart_Goblin |
I agree with about 99.99% of things you say Clive so this feels weird but not sure I completely agree with that last bit .
I think Cook is ideal to advise and improve all the young defenders at the club not just Gubbins . Gubbins may or may not be good enough but we’ve seen 3 other potential young centre backs in pre season. One of them might be good enough and with the current crop of coaches failing to either inspire or hugely improve the youngsters maybe Steve Cook could inspire and improve what we have at the club.
I can only go on my own experience because that’s where my knowledge comes from but I wasn’t good enough at QPR . Gave everything every time I played but you need more than that .
But I played a reserve game v Wimbledon , come on at CB at half time with us 3-0 down v Wimbledon and in midfield was Ray Wilkins . He just said listen to me and you'll be fine .
He made me feel like Beckenbauer for 45 mins just talking me through the game and helping me . I walked away afterwards thinking I WAS good enough and can play at a good level . Drew 4-4 .
Now Cook is no Ray, I know that, but he is as much more of a leader than Jimmy Dunne and JCS with more experience too.
I agree totally that signing a load of players over 30 is not a good idea and just puts us further in trouble down the road but Cook in isolation is a good move for where we are now! How we got here is another discussion and can be pulled apart until the cows come home but beggars now cannot be choosers . The alternative is back to last Saturday?
We can’t even afford Forino who in your own words “isn’t very good”.
So why go for him just because he is younger ?
Anyway just another point of view |
Mate it's a great post and you would obviously know more about it than me.
I'm just cynical about the motives for these guys coming here. They're here because we're the only club that'll offer them 2/3 year deals at their age, because we're desperate. Cook's already shown us once how much he really wants to be here by turning us down for Forest.
And all this PR stuff and people reassuring themselves that they'll actually help with the development of players. We've heard it before. It's something QPR say a lot when they know deep down they're making either dumb or desperate moves. McClaren was brought here to coach Smyth, Eze, Bright, Manning who Holloway had introduced to the team the year before. He jettisoned all but Eze, cost us Manning and Bright in the long run, replaced them with players exactly like this, and told us all it would be beneficial for their development.
And I'm just grumpy about QPR in general at the moment.
This post has been edited by an administrator | | | |
| Steve Cook on 09:14 - Aug 11 with 1520 views | ted_hendrix |
| Steve Cook on 09:04 - Aug 11 by Northernr |
Mate it's a great post and you would obviously know more about it than me.
I'm just cynical about the motives for these guys coming here. They're here because we're the only club that'll offer them 2/3 year deals at their age, because we're desperate. Cook's already shown us once how much he really wants to be here by turning us down for Forest.
And all this PR stuff and people reassuring themselves that they'll actually help with the development of players. We've heard it before. It's something QPR say a lot when they know deep down they're making either dumb or desperate moves. McClaren was brought here to coach Smyth, Eze, Bright, Manning who Holloway had introduced to the team the year before. He jettisoned all but Eze, cost us Manning and Bright in the long run, replaced them with players exactly like this, and told us all it would be beneficial for their development.
And I'm just grumpy about QPR in general at the moment.
This post has been edited by an administrator |
*Cook's already shown us once how much he really wants to be here by turning us down for Forest.*
And In his position I'd have done the same, I'm assuming one of the reasons he turned us down then was for family and financial security reasons which IMO Is 100 % the correct thing to do.
We got ourselves In this position, so we've gotta deal with the consequences. |  |
| My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic. |
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| Steve Cook on 09:15 - Aug 11 with 1505 views | TheChef |
| Steve Cook on 14:42 - Aug 10 by JordanFoster |
This x100.
Am a bit unfussed about the signing, turned us down a few months ago after giving his word but okay we need bodies.
Another over the age of 30 that has to be parachuted in on a multi-year deal because we're so desperate. I could be wrong but I can't remember there being a queue to get him either, yet for some reason we're acting like Maldini has walked into the building? Is this is what we've become?
As you say Clive, we talk like we've got this incredible generation of players coming through that he needs to mentor, there's fck all to work with. We're fine on that regard.
Don't get me started on the stupid PR line about asking Begovic about what it's like here, the whole place is burning down, the fans are in disarray, players want to leave. |
Cats and dogs living together, mass hysteria!
Seems for football fans these days (or even the world in general) it's either feast or famine, no shades of grey in between.
By no means saying things are great at our club, but I don't think it's the end of the world. I'm hopeful that with time (ha) things can get better.
But sure, get back to me after ten league games and our record reads P10 L10  |  |
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| Steve Cook on 09:21 - Aug 11 with 1472 views | Northernr |
| Steve Cook on 09:14 - Aug 11 by ted_hendrix |
*Cook's already shown us once how much he really wants to be here by turning us down for Forest.*
And In his position I'd have done the same, I'm assuming one of the reasons he turned us down then was for family and financial security reasons which IMO Is 100 % the correct thing to do.
We got ourselves In this position, so we've gotta deal with the consequences. |
Of course, but the consequences are bleak so it's pretty bleak right now. | | | |
| Steve Cook on 09:26 - Aug 11 with 1443 views | mart_Goblin |
| Steve Cook on 09:04 - Aug 11 by Northernr |
Mate it's a great post and you would obviously know more about it than me.
I'm just cynical about the motives for these guys coming here. They're here because we're the only club that'll offer them 2/3 year deals at their age, because we're desperate. Cook's already shown us once how much he really wants to be here by turning us down for Forest.
And all this PR stuff and people reassuring themselves that they'll actually help with the development of players. We've heard it before. It's something QPR say a lot when they know deep down they're making either dumb or desperate moves. McClaren was brought here to coach Smyth, Eze, Bright, Manning who Holloway had introduced to the team the year before. He jettisoned all but Eze, cost us Manning and Bright in the long run, replaced them with players exactly like this, and told us all it would be beneficial for their development.
And I'm just grumpy about QPR in general at the moment.
This post has been edited by an administrator |
Yeah I understand and agree for the most part.
We make the same mistakes time after time after time so you are right to have misgivings.
I could be way off though but he has always come across as someone who will give blood sweat and tears no matter who he plays for. Apart from the age part , which is a big factor admittedly , he seems like the sort who we need right at this moment .
As for snubbing us for Forest …well who in their right mind wouldn’t ? Probably offering more money with a stronger squad which was justified as they went up and we didn’t. We can’t be butt hurt every time a player has to make a choice and we are not seen as this big shining beacon of ‘football future’.
And if he did come 2 years ago, would we have gone up? No, probably not so we would all be saying he was part of the problem we are in now for wasting money hunting a promotion we hadn’t earned the right for along with Austin and the rest.
But as I say , it’s only my take . Your knowledge of the goings on at our club far outweighs mine so I’m in agreement and trust your judgement on pretty much everything.
I just think that right now, backed into a corner, he is a leader , a great defender and potentially a good influence on some youngsters we are desperate to come through and succeed | | | |
| Steve Cook on 09:29 - Aug 11 with 1421 views | Northernr |
| Steve Cook on 09:26 - Aug 11 by mart_Goblin |
Yeah I understand and agree for the most part.
We make the same mistakes time after time after time so you are right to have misgivings.
I could be way off though but he has always come across as someone who will give blood sweat and tears no matter who he plays for. Apart from the age part , which is a big factor admittedly , he seems like the sort who we need right at this moment .
As for snubbing us for Forest …well who in their right mind wouldn’t ? Probably offering more money with a stronger squad which was justified as they went up and we didn’t. We can’t be butt hurt every time a player has to make a choice and we are not seen as this big shining beacon of ‘football future’.
And if he did come 2 years ago, would we have gone up? No, probably not so we would all be saying he was part of the problem we are in now for wasting money hunting a promotion we hadn’t earned the right for along with Austin and the rest.
But as I say , it’s only my take . Your knowledge of the goings on at our club far outweighs mine so I’m in agreement and trust your judgement on pretty much everything.
I just think that right now, backed into a corner, he is a leader , a great defender and potentially a good influence on some youngsters we are desperate to come through and succeed |
As you and Ted say we're backed into a corner. And we're having to do some deals for players like this to try and get ourselves out of it. You couldn't continue with anything like that back four from last Saturday. But that's all it is, and we (fans, club) shouldn't be trying to hype it up as anything more. | | | |
| Steve Cook on 09:30 - Aug 11 with 1414 views | PlanetHonneywood |
| Steve Cook on 09:14 - Aug 11 by ted_hendrix |
*Cook's already shown us once how much he really wants to be here by turning us down for Forest.*
And In his position I'd have done the same, I'm assuming one of the reasons he turned us down then was for family and financial security reasons which IMO Is 100 % the correct thing to do.
We got ourselves In this position, so we've gotta deal with the consequences. |
Quite right Ted.
This notion that a player presented with a presumably better offer, must be a wrongun for taking it over joining our clusterfuk of a club, baffles me.
He's won a promotion, played in the prem, and probably made a good few quid more playing for Forest. Turn the clock back, present him with how things would turn out at QPR and Forest, would we expect him to confess to making a wrong decision? |  |
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