[Archived] Leon Best

[beanie]

I'm aware Best wasn't a Bowyer signing as I acknowledged that it's unfortunate that the burden of proving Best as an investment is left down to him. Bench warmer or not, it's down to Bowyer to get what he can out of him, even as a substitute. It's of course up to Best to make the best of those appearances to try and take Rhodes' place in the starting 11.

Bottom line, things need to be patched up as he could be a valuable asset to the squad and Bowyer. As I stated, this is a test of Bowyers man management skills and a big part of professional football management at this level.

While i do agree that he could be a valuable asset to the squad i feel it's Best who has to apply himself and work hard to get back this club has made him a very rich man for very little return. If anything the manager has to stay true to the ethos of the whole squad pulling in one direction.

Last season there where too many people here causing problems and they got away with it because of lack of leadership so he has to show a firm hand at times.

[adsfortheblues]

Really? How many games does he need? 20? 30? A full season?

Isn't the point more "What has he shown in those 8 games?"

I'd say absolutely nothing whatsoever apart from a brilliantly taken goal against Derby. If people were to argue that goal shows he can be a reasonably prolific scorer at this level I'd think they may have a point.

If they were to highlight his overall performances and general attitude during those games I would say that left no room for optimism at all.

Agreed. More to the point, what has Best done in his entire career? And what the hell had he done for us to justify paying over £3million for him?

[yoda]

While i do agree that he could be a valuable asset to the squad i feel it's Best who has to apply himself and work hard to get back this club has made him a very rich man for very little return. If anything the manager has to stay true to the ethos of the whole squad pulling in one direction.

Last season there where too many people hear causing problems and they got away with it because of lack of leadership so he has to show a firm hand at times.

correct, if he wants to play then he has to prove himself to GB or its the highway

[Stuart]

I know people love coming up with financial conspiracy theories to blame Venky's for whenever a certain player doesn't make an appearance or come on as sub whatever but how does your theory fit in with the fact that after scoring against Derby, he was indeed given his chance against Forest but flopped?

But it's not really a theory. It's looking at the cost of season tickets x the number of attendees. It doesn't add up to a whole pile of beans.

I'm just trying to get my head around replacing Best with Wilbraham. The likely gulf in their wages must be a factor. Players spit their dummies out up and down the countries every week. I can't believe Bowyer is dumping him solely because of that.

[riverside returns]

We seem tp regularly overlook that GB sees the players in training also and it is probable that his decision comes not just from the outburst or disagreement but also from a general view of his attitude to training and regimes.

[USABlue]

Thanks for that in depth an insightful view on this debate. Your opinion is valuable....

Care to elaborate?

Yes, it a bunch of crap. That better? I simply don't understand how you feel it is Bowyer's man management that has anything to do with it. He was not the one who shelled out the extortionate amount of money for Best. All Bowyer has to do now is rid the club of him not kiss his arse. As for my opinion, I thought it did not count since I don't attend. To sum it up codswallop.

[T4E]

4 year contract, 33 grand a week apparently it says above. That's just short of £10,000,000. Lets hope he sorts his head out or someone out there is daft enough to buy him off us.

Leon Best earning £10m out of our football club is an absolutely @#/? devastating thought. Sums up in one sentence why so many people are sick of this "sport".

[onlyonejackwalker]

Leon Best earning £10m out of our football club is an absolutely keaning devastating thought. Sums up in one sentence why so many people are sick of this "sport".

It would be interesting to see who got what during the last three years.

[bob fleming]

Leon Best earning £10m out of our football club is an absolutely keaning devastating thought. Sums up in one sentence why so many people are sick of this "sport".

It's actually nearer to 7m when you take the 3m we paid for him.

It would be interesting to see who got what during the last three years.

I guess we'll never ever know how a lot of last summers strange signings wages "cake" is cut. It may go into one bank account but....

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

The value of Best depends on people's beliefs in 4-4-2 as still being a viable system. I don't know whether it is or not but its funny that we constantly had large sections of fans under Allardyce who not only believed it was viable, but who demanded it be played the majority of the time. That section should want Best back in the team surely?

[T4E]

It's actually nearer to 7m when you take the 3m we paid for him.

So take off the £3m but add on whatever hefty signing on fee he got. Either way it's appalling that such a mediocre player could be earning that amount.

[Bucksrover]

Not the tallest player, but has the build to be a jason roberts type target man.

I accept that he may be frustrated having been injured for so long. But the flip-side of that coin which he should bear in mind is that he has been paid a lot for contributing nothing and should be looking to re-pay the club through effort and application.

When i have seen him play alongside rhodes they played too far apart to link up effectively. He wants to be the main striker but has never had a scoring record that supports that belief.

Personally, unless his petulant attitude improves dramatically i would be happy to see him leave.

[bob fleming]

So take off the £3m but add on whatever hefty signing on fee he got. Either way it's appalling that such a mediocre player could be earning that amount.

I totally agree with you. He's done nothing at the club for 14 months or whatever it is then starts spouting off in public.

[Lie_still_Rover]

He's 6ft 1 mate?!

[yoda]

He's 6ft 1 mate?!

he might be, but what has he done?

ever

[Stuart]

he might be, but what has he done?

ever

He got promoted from the Championship with Newcastle. Scoring 0 in 13 appearances.

Although Wilbraham also got promoted with Crystal Palace, it took him 23 games to score 0.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

he might be, but what has he done?

ever

10 in 29 in the PL, would Rhodes manage that? Would be touch and go in my opinion.

[yoda]

10 in 29 in the PL, would Rhodes manage that? Would be touch and go in my opinion.

well lets hope we find out,

don't think Rhodes would throw his toys out the pram at the 1st sign of place competition though

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

well lets hope we find out,

don't think Rhodes would throw his toys out the pram at the 1st sign of place competition though

I agree but that's my point, its his attitude that's the problem, not his ability. And if he's a good player for this level then its a shame we're not utilising that. But I do think its a tricky one, 4-4-2 seems to slowly be on its way out and personally I'd play Dunn or Rochina behind Rhodes before Best and Rhodes up front.

Best's reaction isn't unusual, the guy had 2 good seasons in the PL and then he can't even get into what is currently still an average Championship team. He played well at Derby, was poor against Forest, then was immediately dropped. Add to that the frustration of being injured for a year, coming back and still not being involved.

But that's life, he's being paid a lot of money and its up to him to get his career back on track.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

I'm with Bowyer on the Best issue. You can't just pander to their demands.

What if Bowyer did just start to play him, then next thing you know Williamson started to kick up a fuss because Evans and Lowe were ahead of him in the pecking order.

He has to stamp his authority on the squad, this is vitally important, not least because he was a former coach.

If most players were dropped after a poor performance, then they would work harder in training and in the next game they played. I guess Bowyer has, or should, let Best know that that's how he can get back in the team and if there's friction or whatever then Best doesn't have the right attitude that we need.

On the 4-4-2 debate, some teams still play it in this division from what I've seen so I guess it can work against them. If you don't have any creativity in CM then you need someone up front to hold the ball up well. If Cairney is playing though, I'm sure it would work against another team playing with two in the middle.

[RevidgeBlue]

10 in 29 in the PL, would Rhodes manage that? Would be touch and go in my opinion.

He's only had one good return in recent times, six goals in eleven games in 2010/11, followed by four in eighteen in 2011/12.

I'm not sure of what real relevance it is that he had a decent season three years ago, he's been generally very poor since he came here which is all we can go on.

That said, with us seemingly struggling to bring anyone in just to be a bench warmer if he can be arsed he's probably still our best striking option after Rhodes and whilst I prefer Rochina behind Rhodes I can't see any reason why we can' t line up 442 in some games with a decent midfield behind them.

[Blue blood]

1. It seems that Best has a history of attitude problems and laziness. Certainly he doesn't put himself about a la Roberts when he plays, nor does he score enough to warrant being in the team "just" to score goals. (Blimey if we have the debate does Rhodes contribute enough, then Best's "efforts" should be deemed criminal.)

2. He's spoken out in public undermining the manager. Utterly wrong - stupid in fact, and can only end with either the player apologizing and backing down, or the player going. Any other result is harmful to the club. Can't see him saying sorry, so bye bye Best.

3. 30k+ for a squad player - even without this incident we cannot have a squad player on that sort of money. It's suicidal.

The only problem is at this level you need a powerhouse of a striker in your options, and sadly Best is the only one we've got vaguely resembling this. Perhaps this'll open a door back for him, but then big powerful strikers aren't too hard to find.

[Neal]

Yes, it a bunch of crap. That better? I simply don't understand how you feel it is Bowyer's man management that has anything to do with it. He was not the one who shelled out the extortionate amount of money for Best. All Bowyer has to do now is rid the club of him not kiss his arse. As for my opinion, I thought it did not count since I don't attend. To sum it up codswallop.

Wow, time of the month?

If you don't think it's up to the manager to get the best out of his squad then thats your opinion, I'm not about pack my things and throw my tampons at you.

Go and have a cup of tea and put your feet up dear.

[Amo]

Wow, time of the month?

If you don't think it's up to the manager to get the best out of his squad then thats your opinion, I'm not about pack my things and throw my tampons at you.

Go and have a cup of tea and put your feet up dear.

Half-right. It's a two-way street between player and manager. We've been playing one up top recently with some success, and with a striker like Rhodes in the side, there's no room for Best in the starting line-up. It's down to him to take his chance when he gets it. Bowyer rewarded him for his goal against Derby with a start against Nottingham Forest, where by all accounts he blew it, and threw a strop the moment Bowyer dropped him. Bowyer's job is to put the best eleven on the pitch, not pander to individual egos.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

He's only had one good return in recent times, six goals in eleven games in 2010/11, followed by four in eighteen in 2011/12.

I'm not sure of what real relevance it is that he had a decent season three years ago, he's been generally very poor since he came here which is all we can go on.

That said, with us seemingly struggling to bring anyone in just to be a bench warmer if he can be arsed he's probably still our best striking option after Rhodes and whilst I prefer Rochina behind Rhodes I can't see any reason why we can' t line up 442 in some games with a decent midfield behind them.

4 in 18 isn't bad in the PL. Thats about 8 over a season, which is more than Cole scored for us the season we finished 6th under Souness.

I'd say its very relevant how he did from 2010-12 considering his handful of games since then have been on the back of a serious injury. Yakubu was shocking for Everton for a good while after his achilles injury, so last season especially is no judge of anything regarding Best.

Not having a go at Bowyer because its a tough situation but getting the best out of difficult but talented players is one of the main differences between ok managers and very good managers. I don't really agree with the philosophy of just getting rid of a player whenever any problems crop up. As many fans have since pointed out, thats why it all started collapsing for Souness at Rovers.