[Archived] Phil Jones 'hints' at Arsenal future

[Hughesy]

Or at least thats what the independent says.....

Link to article

Hopefully Venkys & Steve Kean can ensure we keep hold of our best young talent....along with Hoilett & Olsson!!

[davulsukur]

We should be looking to build a team around players like Jones, Hoilett and Olsson. If i remember rightly Venkys claimed there would be no need to sell our best players (providing we survive)

I guess we will see what happens over the summer.

[John]

Jones is on a good contract I would imagine but it is always difficult to resist the "big clubs" when they come along - however if he felt we were going places as a club, and heading in the right direction (up the table not down), it might possibly tempt him to stay (for another year).

Having a top manager to work under may help too.....numerous scouts been to watch him recently, seems like a lot of interest in him at the moment, going to be hard to keep him.

[Paul Mellelieu]

The chance to play for Arsenal would be very difficult to turn down.

[Bobby G]

Not a good sign. Its a shame that teams cant build themselves around their young stars anymore. The gap between the CL and the rest has ensured that. Loyalty is virtually dead. Even finishing 5th-6th wont be enough these days to keep your best players.

I'd like to think if we stay up Phil Jones gives us at least one more year to progress with us, and maybe we can make him captain too. Personally Ive been advocating this for a while now, for this coming summer. That could give him a little extra incentive to stay on, as long as we have some money to buy some players and have a DECENT manager.

[LeftWinger]

All he said is that Arsenal play the prettiest football. It looks to me like he's been asked who play the best football in the league and he's answered. I really don't see it as hinting that he wants to move to Arsenal when you read what he's actually said.

[davulsukur]

Not a good sign. Its a shame that teams cant build themselves around their young stars anymore. The gap between the CL and the rest has ensured that. Loyalty is virtually dead. Even finishing 5th-6th wont be enough these days to keep your best players.

I'd like to think if we stay up Phil Jones gives us at least one more year to progress with us, and maybe we can make him captain too. Personally Ive been advocating this for a while now, for this coming summer. That could give him a little extra incentive to stay on, as long as we have some money to buy some players and have a DECENT manager.

Could prove to be crucial in keeping hold of our young stars. If we survive and get a well known manager in place like Rafa, players might look at the club as moving in the right direction.

[thenodrog]

If he wants to play and have a long career for England he needs to go to a top 4 club soon. If he stays here then he'll prob not play until he's 25. It's wrong and it breeds the kind of billy big time player indifference that we've seen grow and develop in the England team like a cancer since the Prem was formed. However thats the way it is, thats the way the sponsors want it and the FA have to please the sponsors.

[jim mk2]

All clubs are feeder clubs for the few at the top and it's been that way (apart from the glorious Jack Walker years) since the abolition of the maximum wage in the 1960s. A Europe-wide salary cap would go some way to creating a "level playing field" but is unlikely to happen because of the collective power of those top few clubs and the reluctance of football's authorities to challenge that power.

If / when Jones leaves I would prefer him to join any club other than Arsenal - cannot abide the club or its supporters. Chelsea would be pretty depressing too.

[Bobby G]

All clubs are feeder clubs for the few at the top and it's been that way (apart from the glorious Jack Walker years) since the abolition of the maximum wage in the 1960s. A Europe-wide salary cap would go some way to creating a "level playing field" but is unlikely to happen because of the collective power of those top few clubs and the reluctance of football's authorities to challenge that power.

If / when Jones leaves I would prefer him to join any club other than Arsenal - cannot abide the club or its supporters. Chelsea would be pretty depressing too.

Id personally prefer he joined Arsenal who have a tradition of decent football and are widely regarded on the continent. Id be sick if he joined Liverpool cause he can do much better.

[Muddboy]

All he said is that Arsenal play the prettiest football. It looks to me like he's been asked who play the best football in the league and he's answered. I really don't see it as hinting that he wants to move to Arsenal when you read what he's actually said.

Well said.

The journalist is trying to spin an angle by addressing the Arsenal link that has surfaced in recent weeks. He asked a question and Jones gave an honest answer. I don't think any of us could disagree with his assessment of Arsenal's playing style.

I wouldn't read anything into this at all.

Expect more stories like this during the summer.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

A very depressing inevitability about it really.

A Rovers fan, who has been brought up by the club but young players like Jones will get their heads turned by these top clubs and who could blame him really?..the riches of the big city,trophy's and Championsleague football.

Said it before,make the most of him these last few games.

[chris]

Is he good enough to get into Arsenal yet?

He still makes too many mistakes and blimey do Arsenal need move young players, or does that give Wenger another excuse to not win anything "we have a young team" yes Wenger you have had a young team for 6 years, I was 22 when you had a young team now I'm 28 and you still have a young team, my time machine must not be working.

[HemelRover]

A very depressing inevitability about it really.

A Rovers fan, who has been brought up by the club but young players like Jones will get their heads turned by these top clubs and who could blame him really?..the riches of the big city, trophy's and Championsleague football.

Said it before,make the most of him these last few games.

Pointless him moving to Arsenal then.....

[Mercer]

Inevitable that our young great talent will attract attention.

Will always be a battle, however, what does help is when players can see that the club is stable, has a direction and the management and coaching staff are known and respected throughout the football world. This is where we were in years gone by. Unfortunately, it is the antithesis of where we are now.

[chris]

Inevitable that our young great talent will attract attention.

Will always be a battle, however, what does help is when players can see that the club is stable, has a direction and the management and coaching staff are known and respected throughout the football world. This is were we where in years gone by. Unfortunately, it is the antithesis of where we are now.

I'm glad The Walkers Trust are gone years of under investment whould have eventually led to our downfall IMO.

I'm amazed we survived so long, I think we should have been a Championship team a few years ago, really lucky that a RISK in Hughes turned to pure gold, and Williams was smart enough to get Sam who is proven to take teams with no ambition financially and do a decent job.

I don't miss them, the day I see some decent investiment I'll be a very happy fan.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

He's said that Arsenal play pretty football..... that doesn't constitute a desire to play there. He's stating the damn obvious.

This isn't a hint. Everyone knows Arsenal play pretty football. You could ask a Spurs fan and they'd agree.

[Mattyblue]

Id personally prefer he joined Arsenal who have a tradition of decent football and are widely regarded on the continent. Id be sick if he joined Liverpool cause he can do much better.

Arsene Wenger has a 'tradiiton of decent football', not Arsenal FC.

The 'big clubs' dominance will never end as we have a situation in which any player having a good season will be constantly linked with the Sky clubs.

Case in point listen to any pundit, 'yeah, good player he will be hoping for a move to a big club in the summer' etc etc.

[JAL]

With Venky's telling us that they have ambition for the club, dont see there being any problem to build future Rovers teams around young lads like Hoilet, Jones, and Olsson unless that is they were telling us lies.

[dr_awol]

Nothing in that article that said he wants to move, just said that Arsenal play the best football, he also said that he wants to win things, we have won just as much as Arsenal in the past 5 years.

[Ferrit]

Would be a horrible move for him right now in my honest opinion.

I'm sick of the big clubs coming in and stunting young english players development by taking them on, and not playing them enough. Walcott would be an absolutely classic example. I'm not saying that'd happen with Jones, but it's a possibility.

He needs to stay on for a couple more years (providing we stay up) PLAY games, and learn his trade. He'll be a better player for it when the big move comes about, more of an established player.

[chris]

Would be a horrible move for him right now in my honest opinion.

I'm sick of the big clubs coming in and stunting young english players development by taking them on, and not playing them enough. Walcott would be an absolutely classic example. I'm not saying that'd happen with Jones, but it's a possibility.

He needs to stay on for a couple more years (providing we stay up) PLAY games, and learn his trade. He'll be a better player for it when the big move comes about, more of an established player.

Plus we would have probably won the league again by then so he'll stay on.

[Ferrit]

Plus we would have probably won the league again by then so he'll stay on.

Well, naturally.

[OscarRaven]

I'm glad The Walkers Trust are gone years of under investment whould have eventually led to our downfall IMO.

I'm amazed we survived so long, I think we should have been a Championship team a few years ago, really lucky that a RISK in Hughes turned to pure gold, and Williams was smart enough to get Sam who is proven to take teams with no ambition financially and do a decent job.

I don't miss them, the day I see some decent investiment I'll be a very happy fan.

You clearly have no comprehension of what the word investment means.... the Walker trust were propping the club up and trying to make it sustainable for the long term. They left the day to day running of the club to a well respected and an extremely talented football management team.

Jack Walker and his trust ploughed in and then subsequently wrote off many millions, far, far more than you will ever see from Venky's, that I promise you! Under them it was a great time for Rovers and its supporters, they have left a fantastic legacy... I’d suggest that your amazement is down to the fact that you can't appreciate that you need more than money to be a successful football club these days – a problem a lot of fans have (especially the younger end of the spectrum).

But if you think Venky's £5m investment and hands on football expertise is better than what the Trust had to offer you really haven't been paying attention.

Do you think we will make 40 points this season? If not what is going to change next season? Beckham, Messi? I'd rather know the truth than listen to the whims of fantasists and their incompetent puppet.

But by all means don't let me stop you....

I'm sick of the big clubs coming in and stunting young english players development by taking them on, and not playing them enough. Walcott would be an absolutely classic example. I'm not saying that'd happen with Jones, but it's a possibility.

You can't blame the clubs, too many good players happy to warm the bench on big money is the problem.

It's not about playing all the time for some of these players, the odd appearance and a nice car will do.

[chris]

You clearly have no comprehension of what the word investment means.... the Walker trust were propping the club up and trying to make it sustainable for the long term. They left the day to day running of the club to a well respected and an extremely talented football management team.

Jack Walker and his trust ploughed in and then subsequently wrote off many millions, far, far more than you will ever see from Venky's, that I promise you! Under them it was a great time for Rovers and its supporters, they have left a fantastic legacy... I’d suggest that your amazement is down to the fact that you can't appreciate that you need more than money to be a successful football club these days – a problem a lot of fans have (especially the younger end of the spectrum).

But if you think Venky's £5m investment and hands on football expertise is better than what the Trust had to offer you really haven't been paying attention.

Do you think we will make 40 points this season? If not what is going to change next season? Beckham, Messi? I'd rather know the truth than listen to the whims of fantasists and their incompetent puppet.

But by all means don't let me stop you....

The difference between you and me is I am willing to see what happens in the summer, I actually think they will invest a decent amount of money.

for you to write them off at this point could back fire. You could end up being right, but either way lets see what happens in the summer.

eventually Walkers Trust lack of interest would have got the better of us anyway, but we will never know for sure.