[Archived] Lucas Neill

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

Glad to see you still defending him, after the guy you considered a friend looked you in the eye and lied about being interested in going to West Ham.

I decided to take a look back Simon at some of Brownie's previous posts at the time. (Not having a pop at Brownie, I'm having a pop at Lucas for being "economical with the truth" in my view.)

Been chatting to Lucas this morning.

Some interesting snippets

He laughed at the prospect of West Ham - " No way mate"

He hasnt been offered a contract since January 2006 and was offered the same money over a longer deal.

He personally doesn't mind being booed but the rest of the team do and it affects them

He doesn't think we should sign Dunny cos he's not fit and easily picks up injuries.

When he signed for West Ham on Monday, January 22nd, 2007, Lucas Neill said: "I know it's the right move to make." Quite a change in attitude to his stance less than a fortnight earlier isn't it when he apparently said "No way mate" to the prospect of joining West Ham.

So what exactly changed for Lucas during the ten days before he appeared at an Upton Park press conference, sitting smugly alongside Alan Curbishley with a West Ham shirt, like the cat that got the cream?

Dare I suggest that during those ten days before joining the Hammers, Lucas found out about the very lucrative terms that West Ham were offering and he was suitably impressed enough to go from thinking: "No way mate" to "Yes please mate, I'll have some of that dosh."

What right has anyone on here or in the crowd got to castigate a true 100% honest professional of making a career move that suits his high ambitions. He knows if he doesn't play for a big club now, he never will.

Is West Ham really the big club that "suits his high ambitions" ? The club has not won a top flight league title in it's history.

The Hammers might get bigger crowds than us, but they haven't won anything since the FA Cup in 1980. In their history they have won three FA Cups and a European Cup Winners Cup, which is not as impressive as the history of Blackburn Rovers - 3 top flight league titles, 6 FA Cups and a League Cup.

Lucas justified his move to West Ham by saying: "I'm just delighted to be at a very big club with a big tradition. The likes of Geoff Hurst, Bobby Moore, Alan Devonshire and Trevor Brooking - they're great players and characters."

Ah, so it's all down to the likes of Trevor Brooking and Alan Devonshire then ? Even though Lucas was apparently a Liverpool fan as a kid with posters of Liverpool players like Dalglish and Souness on his wall, it seems that he was actually swayed by the prospect of playing for the same club as Alan Devonshire.

I doubt Lucas would lie to me, no reason to, but he clearly stated three times that they haven't been to him with a contract offer since last January.

When I said I cant believe it, he said "Well there you go, people dont know the truth"

When Lucas Neill signed for the Hammers last January, if he had said: "I'm moving to West Ham because of the very lucrative terms on offer," people would have said: "Greedy bugger but at least he's being honest."

But by continually denying that money was a factor in his move to West Ham, I'm inclined to think: "Greedy bugger and he's dishonest."

[thenodrog]

I decided to take a look back Simon at some of Brownie's previous posts at the time. (Not having a pop at Brownie, I'm having a pop at Lucas for being "economical with the truth" in my view.)

When he signed for West Ham on Monday, January 22nd, 2007, Lucas Neill said: "I know it's the right move to make." Quite a change in attitude to his stance less than a fortnight earlier isn't it when he apparently said "No way mate" to the prospect of joining West Ham.

So what exactly changed for Lucas during the ten days before he appeared at an Upton Park press conference, sitting smugly alongside Alan Curbishley with a West Ham shirt, like the cat that got the cream?

Dare I suggest that during those ten days before joining the Hammers, Lucas found out about the very lucrative terms that West Ham were offering and he was suitably impressed enough to go from thinking: "No way mate" to "Yes please mate, I'll have some of that dosh."

Is West Ham really the big club that "suits his high ambitions" ? The club has not won a top flight league title in it's history.

The Hammers might get bigger crowds than us, but they haven't won anything since the FA Cup in 1980. In their history they have won three FA Cups and a European Cup Winners Cup, which is not as impressive as the history of Blackburn Rovers - 3 top flight league titles, 6 FA Cups and a League Cup.

Lucas justified his move to West Ham by saying: "I'm just delighted to be at a very big club with a big tradition. The likes of Geoff Hurst, Bobby Moore, Alan Devonshire and Trevor Brooking - they're great players and characters."

Ah, so it's all down to the likes of Trevor Brooking and Alan Devonshire then ? Even though Lucas was apparently a Liverpool fan as a kid with posters of Liverpool players like Dalglish and Souness on his wall, it seems that he was actually swayed by the prospect of playing for the same club as Alan Devonshire.

When Lucas Neill signed for the Hammers last January, if he had said: "I'm moving to West Ham because of the very lucrative terms on offer," people would have said: "Greedy bugger but at least he's being honest."

But by continually denying that money was a factor in his move to West Ham, I'm inclined to think: "Greedy bugger and he's dishonest."

99% of em probably are dishonest. Who cares?

Fact of the matter is that WHU simply made him an offer that he could not refuse (prob after he's spoken to Brownie). What is wrong with him doing that? Am I misssing something? If something similar happened to a mate in 'real' life we'd all say "bloody hell! Doubled your salary? Ya jammy bugger... you can't miss that! Anything said after he signed is simply the usual platitudes uttered by every new signing and is solely intended for the new clubs supporters.

I simply do not understand this ludicrous and continuing witch hunt of who imo is a fairly decent and basically honest guy from half way around the globe who is simply trying to do the best for himself. Christ almighty the nearest thing that I can align this to is the emotions involved and displayed in the divorce courts! What t f IS going on with everybody? Move on ffs.

Edited January 18, 2008 by thenodrog

[USABlue]

I wish we could all just move on and leave Lucash in the past, the history books. An average performer who saved his best performances for pre contract seasons. Let's move on people.

[rover6]

I believe that the witch hunt is in full voice because of one major reason - Neill made some disparaging comments about Blackburn once he joined West Ham. I can't remember how damning these views were but they followed in the wake of some uncomplimentary things he said about the Blackburn area whilst at the club.

He is a guy who doesn't care much for diplomacy and clearly puts his own position first and hence he made enemies of Millwall fans when he stalled on a new contract and left them for compensatory pittance to join us (where were the condemnatory Rovers fans then? Oh yeah, it wasn't Rovers so it doesn't count).

The ridiculous thing is, if Neill had crossed his fingers behind his back and said some fawning stuff about Blackburn and the supporters and how amazing they were, Rovers fans would be wishing him all the best. That's how fickle we (some of us) are. My own position is that there is no loyalty in football, fans aside, and everyone is in it to better themselves. Neill left for West Ham's riches and regular football (he probably spoke to Craig Bellamy and got the low-down on how frustrating the Benitez rotation policy is) - we should accept it as a rational decision - and something we might do ourselves if we were him.

If you want to criticise him, don't call him a money-obessessed so and so. Call him a disrespectful individual who doesn't appreciate what Blackburn contributed to his current success. That is, as far as I can see, his only crime.

Edited January 18, 2008 by rover6

[Wolverine]

We should move on but he did ###### me off saying Mark Hughes should go to Newcastle. That was just baiting us Rovers fans and he knows it. That's an opinion he should have kept to himslef...

[Brownie]

99% of em probably are dishonest. Who cares?

Fact of the matter is that WHU simply made him an offer that he could not refuse (prob after he's spoken to Brownie). What is wrong with him doing that? Am I misssing something? If something similar happened to a mate in 'real' life we'd all say "bloody hell! Doubled your salary? Ya jammy bugger... you can't miss that! Anything said after he signed is simply the usual platitudes uttered by every new signing and is solely intended for the new clubs supporters.

I simply do not understand this ludicrous and continuing witch hunt of who imo is a fairly decent and basically honest guy from half way around the globe who is simply trying to do the best for himself. Christ almighty the nearest thing that I can align this to is the emotions involved and displayed in the divorce courts! What t f IS going on with everybody? Move on ffs.

Very very sensible post.

I'd like to believe the offer did come after I spoke to him but he knows I post on here so who would blame him anyway for being cautious with a big money move looming ?

As most people on here want to move on, lets do so.

[Rob of the Rovers]

Very very sensible post.

I'd like to believe the offer did come after I spoke to him but he knows I post on here so who would blame him anyway for being cautious with a big money move looming ?

As most people on here want to move on, lets do so.

Here, Here.

I've got absolutely no problem with Neill, he would have been mad not to take up West Ham's offer.

[RevidgeBlue]

An average performer who saved his best performances for pre contract seasons.

Amen.

In twelve words end of discussion really.

[thenodrog]

Amen.

In twelve words end of discussion really.

Just like Chris Samba and for that matter Ryan Nelsen too then eh Simon?

[USABlue]

Just like Chris Samba and for that matter Ryan Nelsen too then eh Simon?

Quite possible, though Samba has had a little distraction of having a child, or his wife has. Time will tell, I think Samba's done alright of late, Nelsen, don't know who that is out there with his name on his shirt.

[AndyC]

I decided to take a look back Simon at some of Brownie's previous posts at the time. (Not having a pop at Brownie, I'm having a pop at Lucas for being "economical with the truth" in my view.)

When he signed for West Ham on Monday, January 22nd, 2007, Lucas Neill said: "I know it's the right move to make." Quite a change in attitude to his stance less than a fortnight earlier isn't it when he apparently said "No way mate" to the prospect of joining West Ham.

So what exactly changed for Lucas during the ten days before he appeared at an Upton Park press conference, sitting smugly alongside Alan Curbishley with a West Ham shirt, like the cat that got the cream?

Dare I suggest that during those ten days before joining the Hammers, Lucas found out about the very lucrative terms that West Ham were offering and he was suitably impressed enough to go from thinking: "No way mate" to "Yes please mate, I'll have some of that dosh."

Is West Ham really the big club that "suits his high ambitions" ? The club has not won a top flight league title in it's history.

The Hammers might get bigger crowds than us, but they haven't won anything since the FA Cup in 1980. In their history they have won three FA Cups and a European Cup Winners Cup, which is not as impressive as the history of Blackburn Rovers - 3 top flight league titles, 6 FA Cups and a League Cup.

Lucas justified his move to West Ham by saying: "I'm just delighted to be at a very big club with a big tradition. The likes of Geoff Hurst, Bobby Moore, Alan Devonshire and Trevor Brooking - they're great players and characters."

Ah, so it's all down to the likes of Trevor Brooking and Alan Devonshire then ? Even though Lucas was apparently a Liverpool fan as a kid with posters of Liverpool players like Dalglish and Souness on his wall, it seems that he was actually swayed by the prospect of playing for the same club as Alan Devonshire.

When Lucas Neill signed for the Hammers last January, if he had said: "I'm moving to West Ham because of the very lucrative terms on offer," people would have said: "Greedy bugger but at least he's being honest."

But by continually denying that money was a factor in his move to West Ham, I'm inclined to think: "Greedy bugger and he's dishonest."

there in lies your problem. if you took off your blue and white tinted glasses - you'd see lucas moved to a club which has genuine chances of breaking into the top 4. they are owned by a billionaire, who likes to splash the cash on players... sure - money isn't enough to guarantee things, but over the next 4 years - they will probably end up higher than us unfortunately.

Money talks. hughes is doing an amazing job with very little resources and i pray it can last a little longer!

[1864roverite]

there in lies your problem. if you took off your blue and white tinted glasses - you'd see lucas moved to a club which has genuine chances of breaking into the top 4. they are owned by a billionaire, who likes to splash the cash on players... sure - money isn't enough to guarantee things, but over the next 4 years - they will probably end up higher than us unfortunately.

Money talks. hughes is doing an amazing job with very little resources and i pray it can last a little longer!

Thats why they are 27 MILLION in the red !!! Big club my ar$e, Better club with prospects ? My ar$e, Bettered himself ? My Ar$e, richer ? considerably greedy aussie git

[thenodrog]

considerably greedy aussie git

I'm greedy then. I'd like to earn more money too. Anybody disagree?

[deryck guyler's spoon]

I'm greedy then. I'd like to earn more money too. Anybody disagree?

I like people who dont tell lies.

[andrew92]

We should move on but he did ###### me off saying Mark Hughes should go to Newcastle. That was just baiting us Rovers fans and he knows it. That's an opinion he should have kept to himslef...

Hughes- Newcastle or blackburn, newcastle the bigger clun

Neill- Wet spam or LIVERPOOL, a major european club, i think if he had any sense hed of gone there but money is the ONLY reason he went to west ham!!!

Edited January 21, 2008 by andrew92

[thenodrog]

Neill- Wet spam or LIVERPOOL, a major european club, i think if he had any sense hed of gone there but money is the ONLY reason he went to west ham!!!

I think that was accepted by all eons ago. What I want to know from you Andrew is what is wrong with that? We all would do the same. If Lpool had wanted him enough they'd have matched WHU's offer. They didn't so he didn't sign for them. Anyway why do people speak of Liverpool as if they are every footballers shangri -la? Hardly setting the Prem alight are they?

[AndyC]

Hughes- Newcastle or blackburn, newcastle the bigger clun

Neill- Wet spam or LIVERPOOL, a major european club, i think if he had any sense hed of gone there but money is the ONLY reason he went to west ham!!!

he probably also thought he wasn't good enough to command a regular first team place at liverpool

[James No. 7]

Anyway why do people speak of Liverpool as if they are every footballers shangri -la?

It seems whenever a player goes to a club perceived to be "lower" than the alternative club, people get on the player's back. Bellamy got a lot of flack from supporters of other clubs for picking Rovers over Everton.

The thing is though, in this case Liverpool was supposed to be his boyhood club. That is why he wanted to move originally, as I understood it. Thus his going to West Ham, coupled with what I thought were "smalling the club down" (as opposed to "bigging the club up" ) in the couple of years leading up to the move (especially in the Australian media), annoyed me at the time.

However, the whole deal was done and dusted long ago and it won't change, so it is no use getting riled up about it any longer.

Edited January 22, 2008 by James No. 7

[philipl]

The twist in this one is it was reported widely he was offered £50K at Liverpool. There was a lot written that Neill was going for £70K at West Ham when it turned out he was going for £55k and a verbal of £70K which it seems is going to be dishonoured.

So he swapped Champions League football for £5k a week on his basic. No doubt Liverpool players also get bonuses that West Ham players cannot possibly get because they don't play the games so he might not even be financially better off at West Ham.

[thenodrog]

The twist in this one is it was reported widely he was offered £50K at Liverpool. There was a lot written that Neill was going for £70K at West Ham when it turned out he was going for £55k and a verbal of £70K which it seems is going to be dishonoured.

So he swapped Champions League football for £5k a week on his basic. No doubt Liverpool players also get bonuses that West Ham players cannot possibly get because they don't play the games so he might not even be financially better off at West Ham.

Hardly his fault. More his management team ....... and WHU's dodgy owners. Also who the hell would take a home in the Lpool area over one in London?

As for this 'boyhood club' thingy.... it's bollax. As a teenager I 'supported' Don Revies LUFC in the early 70's and Lpool in their golden days of the late 70's early 80's. Most kids do this but if either ever played BRFC though in a cup competition there was only only one club that I wanted to win. If I was a pro footballer and BRFC did not want to sign me then I would now have no allegiance whatsoever to Leeds or Lpool. I would go where I thought I would fit in best and where I could earn most money.

[S15]

Theno is 100% correct and anyone who disagrees is only lying to themselves.

I support Blackburn, and if I played for Blackburn and West Ham came in for me and offered to DOUBLE my wages, I'd be off like a shot? Disloyal? To you lot? No.

Loyal to myself and my family, yes.

Lucas Neill did absolutely nothing wrong other than honour his contract and then leave to the best overall offer. The fact we boo a very good servant every time he returns is not only embarrassing, but totally hypocrytical.

[thenodrog]

Theno is 100% correct and anyone who disagrees is only lying to themselves.

I support Blackburn, and if I played for Blackburn and West Ham came in for me and offered to DOUBLE my wages, I'd be off like a shot? Disloyal? To you lot? No.

Loyal to myself and my family, yes.

Lucas Neill did absolutely nothing wrong other than honour his contract and then leave to the best overall offer. The fact we boo a very good servant every time he returns is not only embarrassing, but totally hypocrytical.

Thanks Shillitoe. The closest comparison I can make is a 'divorce' situation. The irrational reaction to rejection frequently causes many people to profess hatred for someone that they once worshipped. It was far more understandable when Shearer spurned our declarations of undying love than with Lucas Neill. Lucas was no Roy of the Rovers like Big Al but simply an above average, athletic defender who was rarely injured and who obviously possessed enough qualities of character to prompt our unanimously respected manager to name him team Captain.

To foment so much hatred is weird and probably accounts for biblical stoning, lynching and the witch hunts of human history.

[CrazyIvan]

Lucas Neill would have been a lot wiser keeping his mouth shut rather than spouting rubbish about childhood supported clubs and going to a bigger team. I think the one thing that has annoyed more fans is the utter lack of respect he has shown for Blackburn Rovers in his comments. Why does he get booed? Because he's a greedy git? That possibly has something to do with it but did Bellamy get booed when he came back? Bellamy didn't spout in the press whereas Lucas did. Incidentally, I haven't booed him as I don't see the point and it's a waste of energy. He was an excellent player for one season and a decent player before that but not a world beater. What really makes me laugh is Lucas saying that Rovers fan are ungrateful, I don't think he quite understands football somehow. Why should we be grateful to Lucas Neill for playing for us for a few years and then leaving on a free for a bigger pay packet? I pay to watch Rovers, I don't get to see them for free. Quite simply, Lucas should have kept his mouth firmly shut. What he has shown is that he has an over-inflated sense of his own importance.

[Darth Paul]

Anyone who disagrees is only lying to themselves? Gee thanks for telling me what I must really be thinking, Adolf.

Anyway, sweeping extremist comments aside the divorce anology is a good one. However the correct anology would be that Lucash is like the partner who leaves a relationship for someone 50 years older and a millionaire, and then states that love, not money is the motivating factor (a bit like Anna Nicole Smith and the 89 year old Texan Billionaire). Of course everyone has the right to leave a relationship, or a team, for any reason, but it is the blatant lies that really grate people, not the fact that an average player has left.

The public will always hate figures in the spotlight who mislead them, purely for the fact that it is dishonest and disrespectful, be it sports stars, actors or MP's.

I also happen to think I am 100% right, but anyone who disagrees is perfectly entitled to.

[broadsword]

Why are people getting het up about Lucas Neill?

In the words of Fleetwood MacAvennie: "Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone."

Yes, he told Brownie fibbers (probably because he knew it was going to be all over this website afterwards), yeah he ran his contract down to get a mega-dosh move, yeah he's not satisfied with earning only 55k a week at West Ham. From what I remember though, he said he moved to have a new challenge, not necessarily to win things, and he didn't want to be a substitute.

"Modern-day footballer out for himself, not fussed about leaving current employers shocka! Read awl abaht it! 55k a week not enuff!"

It's a wider pehnonemon than just Lucas Neill.