[Archived] Phil Jones

[A cup of beans]

We have a ready made replacement here

he'll certainly get more opportunities now, and i rate him!

was said to me 3 years ago.. by mick keir, that jones will captain england and hanley scotland.

firstly,to BPF.. you were right and i apologise.

on the jones transfer. i am really unhappy and feel a little betrayed... and feel he's gone on the cheap!

local lad, supposed rovers fan.. leaves us at the age on 19... there was no hurry for him to go at this early stage.

i dont use words like judas very often.. but that's how i feel. most disappointed ive felt since shearer left us.

i dont blame the transfer on venkys, kean, man united, or jones' agent..

the man who has made the decision is phil himself.. and phil and his agent wouldve insisted on the 16m release clause!

[Amo]

I was angry at him at first but I can understand his thinking, he may only get 1 chance to move to a big club. If he stayed he could do a Matt Jansen and never get the move and the ultimate chance to prove yourself on a world level. There is no loyalty in football and we all should accept that, it died a long time ago. I hope that Jones can come back to us when Venky's have us in the top 4 and Man U go bankrupt.....

Come on, Modes. He's only 19 and hasn't completed a full-season for Rovers yet. I think he could afford to stay on for another year at least, especially at the club that made him. Unfortunately, Phil Jones is just another PL footballer.

[McClarky]

You can't blame Phil Jones for moving to Man Utd, he's a footballer and that would be the pinacle of anyone's career. It's allright for us to sit here saying he should stay at Rovers but we're not in that position so who are we to criticise. It certainly isn't just for the money that he's going, it's because it's the biggest club in Engalnd where he could win things etc. He would have been better staying at Rovers another year I think but that's just my opinion and he probably thought he should go for it while he has the chance. Don't see why this is disloyal myself, he is an employee of the club and we have sold him to someone else for a lot of money. That gives our academy a better reputation and makes other kids more likely to sign for us if they can end up at Utd in a couple of years. Big question is what we can do with the money really.

[Reider84]

All the best to him, bright english talent, hope he can win something and sort out the shambles of the national side next. Just hope the money gets invested in the playing squad.

Goodbye, good luck, you'll never find a better club.

[chaddyrovers]

Andrew Cryer has just say on Talksport that rovers try to keep Jones but he wanted to go.

More in the LT tomorrow. will be a interest read

[Blue n White Rover]

Why would he want to go United?

Yes, I agree he's joining one of the best clubs in the world, but is he seriously going to get 1st team football there?

If he really did have Rovers in his heart, he would have played on for another year, maybe even signed a new contract and increased his clause (like Santa Cruz) and then leave. Then we would have wished him the best. However, he now leaves without the blessing of the fans.

Anyway, I've learnt a long time ago never to love a player but to love the club.

Interesting times ahead. At least now we know the money won't go into an invisible pot!

[True Blue & White]

MAKES YOU SICK DON'T IT?

2:00 the most obvious sign he would leave any minute

[grizfoot]

Don't understand the move unless he's been guaranteed first-team football. Won't be ahead of the likes of Ferdinand, Vidic or Smalling maybe RFW wants him for the midfield.

So much for being a Rovers fan, what sort of Rovers fans leaves his home town club after not even a full season in the first team. Could have easily stayed for three of four more seasons and be guaranteed a first-team spot here and then moved on. Can't believe he;s gone to the red scum though might as well as gone to the Dingles really. I hear they have comfy seats for the subs at Old Trafford.

[BuckyRover]

MAKES YOU SICK DON'T IT?

2:00 the most obvious sign he would leave any minute

That was around the time he signed for us.

I wonder if he was taken by club.

[Tom]

vinjaybrfc Unparochial Vinjay

Jones is the football equivalent of Hitler

What a horrible little man this guy is

[True Blue & White]

That was around the time he signed for us.

I wonder if he was taken by club.

I know when it was filmed, I was saying that when asked "was there any doubt about signing a new contract when you heard other clubs were interested" he could have said "no" but instead he paused and was obviously trying to found a way of avoiding saying "yes".

[Ferrit]

Can't be too harsh on the lad, it's an opportunity that might not come around again. Good luck to him.

[Darwen Rover]

I don't blame phil jones at all.. The lad has heart and obviously ambition.. What's wrong with that?? I wish all you hypocrites would lip it??!

If you were in the same position you'd do the same thing.. The truth is if he stayed with us he's accepting mediocrity and not pushing himself.. And yes based on current state of affairs we are mediocre... Unfortunately..

Can't blame the kid.. He has 12-13 yrs max as a pro (injury / form / luck permitting)..

He gave us everything when he played and I for one will be giving him a warn welcome when he comes back.. Good luck Phil and hope you realise your potential your probably at the most suited and stable place Yo achieve thar

[Baz]

Doesn't add up.

Pretty sure the lad signed a 5 year deal last summer, it had 4 1/2 years to run when the 'extension' was negotiated. If there was no clause in the old contract and the club knew the big 4 were sniffing, why limit the clause at £16 mil? Why even put a clause in?

If, as some are suggesting there was a lower clause and Jones was making noises about leaving...why would Jones/agent raise that fee? Surely from the player/agent view the lower the clause, the better salary negotiation. Goodness of their heart maybe?

Conspiracy theorist heaven!

IMO I think someone at the club has dropped a bollock on this one and completely underestimated the market.

The extension was clearly to financially reward the guy for playing well, but was it to also raise the release clause figure too? Thats the crux here. If not, then you are entirely correct someone has set the clause far too low and lost the club millions. If the clause was in there before, then maybe £16m is all we could negotiate too.

I just think its a sad day for football when kids are demanding release clauses in their contracts.

[Roost]

The Premiership + Football Agents + Obscene Salaries = the death of football as I know it.

[Blue n White Rover]

Can't be too harsh on the lad, it's an opportunity that might not come around again. Good luck to him.

This is what annoys me. We know he has the potential to be WORLD CLASS. If he fulfills that potential, are even improves on last season, he will easily get snapped up by a bigger club. All we asked for was a bit of loyalty. Being a Rovers fan, growing up seeing the like of Shearer, Sutton, Duff etc leave, I thought he would have understood that. Clearly not.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Fee will be £13mil + Diouf

Eek!

*according to people "in the know" on Twitter*

[ElTwis]

vinjaybrfc Unparochial Vinjay

Jones is the football equivalent of Hitler

What a horrible little man this guy is

Unbelievable isn't he!

[Exiled_Rover]

Can't be too harsh on the lad, it's an opportunity that might not come around again. Good luck to him.

You realise there have been 5 or 6 clubs in for him already, right? He's 19. They'd be after him every transfer window.

[grizfoot]

I don't blame phil jones at all.. The lad has heart and obviously ambition.. What's wrong with that?? I wish all you hypocrites would lip it??!

If you were in the same position you'd do the same thing.. The truth is if he stayed with us he's accepting mediocrity and not pushing himself.. And yes based on current state of affairs we are mediocre... Unfortunately..

Can't blame the kid.. He has 12-13 yrs max as a pro (injury / form / luck permitting)..

He gave us everything when he played and I for one will be giving him a warn welcome when he comes back.. Good luck Phil and hope you realise your potential your probably at the most suited and stable place Yo achieve thar

Sounds like a casual Red Scum are my second team comment.

[Amo]

"great little signing this ,seems like the lad did right by blackburn by signing his contract in january it encourages all clubs to bring through good english talent."

^ Yeah, so the top-four can cut us a cheque and poach our best players, who have as much loyalty as a crack whore.

[Mattyblue]

I don't blame phil jones at all.. The lad has heart and obviously ambition.. What's wrong with that?? I wish all you hypocrites would lip it??!

If you were in the same position you'd do the same thing.. The truth is if he stayed with us he's accepting mediocrity and not pushing himself.. And yes based on current state of affairs we are mediocre... Unfortunately..

Speak for yourself.

Would I, as a passionate Rover, leave MY club at 19 after a few dozen games? Would I have set up an escape clause with my agent to get out at the lowest possible price?

I would not do the same. As playing for Manchester United would never be the 'pinnacle of my career'.

[Baz]

Fee will be £13mil + Diouf

Eek!

*according to people "in the know" on Twitter*

Are we paying them to take El Haj too?

Surely a cash only deal would be best for us? Mame at £3m is too much anyway.

[A cup of beans]

This is what annoys me. We know he has the potential to be WORLD CLASS. If he fulfills that potential, are even improves on last season, he will easily get snapped up by a bigger club. All we asked for was a bit of loyalty. Being a Rovers fan, growing up seeing the like of Shearer, Sutton, Duff etc leave, I thought he would have understood that. Clearly not.

i agree with the potential bit and im dismayed why he wouldnt have shown loyalty.

but he wouldve been 4 when shearer left, 7 when sutton left and 11 when duff left.. but i take your points.

oh and 13m +mame diouf! surely someone is taking the ######! ?

[BRFC1995]

mame is absolute gash.......seriously we are PAYING for him, joke