Stewart Downing

[RevidgeBlue]

  On 02/11/2020 at 14:35, AllRoverAsia said:

Boro Old Folks Rovers.

Mowbrays plaything.

And still hes a Legend.

I just wish he'd fuck off or similar and stop ruining my life.

 

 

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Yup, wonder if there's any more washed up ex  Boro players or players Warnock has released doing the rounds.

They're bound to be next in.

[Norbert Rassragr]

I'm not really impressed with this. We have plenty of mediocre midfielders, or youngsters trying to establish themselves in the team so an old player wasting wages isnot what we need. What can he offer that Johnson, Buckley, Chapman, Lyons, Evans, Bennett.......... can't? 

[martonrover]

  On 02/11/2020 at 14:39, Ewood Ace said:

Why not, we have no bite in the centre of our midfield and having a player like Morsy would also give more protection to a weak defence that is too often left exposed. 

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Exsctly, and someone who will have more mental toughness than the vast majority of our team.

  On 02/11/2020 at 14:39, RevidgeBlue said:

Yup, wonder if there's any more washed up ex  Boro players or players Warnock has released doing the rounds.

They're bound to be next in.

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Surely time to give Ripley a call to balance the side?

[Mercer]

  On 02/11/2020 at 14:35, islander200 said:

Doesn't every player look for the best deal they can get?

Or should we assume it's always been Downing's dream to play for Rovers)

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Those that do are, IMO, nothing more than mercenaries.

A labourer is worthy of his hire and I think it's fair to assume there were no takers for Downing based upon a likely inflated value of his own worth.

So, we get a player who is weeks behind in terms of fitness and match fitness and who, IMO, only wants to come because he's no other options.

I also think time caught up with Downing in the latter part of last season and, IMO, his legs have gone.

Think this will prove to be a signing we regret.

[RevidgeBlue]

  On 02/11/2020 at 14:47, martonrover said:

Surely time to give Ripley a call to balance the side?

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Yep.

And for the middle Bernie Slaven will be sat by the phone in case Armstrong is out for any length of time.

Edited November 2, 2020 by RevidgeBlue

[roversfan99]

  On 02/11/2020 at 14:44, Norbert Rassragr said:

I'm not really impressed with this. We have plenty of mediocre midfielders, or youngsters trying to establish themselves in the team so an old player wasting wages isnot what we need. What can he offer that Johnson, Buckley, Chapman, Lyons, Evans, Bennett.......... can't? 

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Downing was very good last season. Assuming that age hasnt caught up with him, he is very much around the first team. Lyons has never played a minute for us, Bennett is out for months and not up to it, Johnson was massively inferior to Downing last year, Evans is very limited, Chapman is a winger and Buckley isnt ready.

As previously mentioned, the timing is the problem.

[roversfan99]

  On 02/11/2020 at 14:50, Mercer said:

Those that do are, IMO, nothing more than mercenaries.

A labourer is worthy of his hire and I think it's fair to assume there were no takers for Downing based upon a likely inflated value of his own worth.

So, we get a player who is weeks behind in terms of fitness and match fitness and who, IMO, only wants to come because he's no other options.

I also think time caught up with Downing in the latter part of last season and, IMO, his legs have gone.

Think this will prove to be a signing we regret.

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Again, massive assumptions seemingly to discredit him as a person. "A likely inflated value of his own worth!"

He said that he probably would have retired had he not signed here again.

[bigbrandjohn]

I think it is prudent. Proven player knows our system and flexible on the left side. Did a good job for us. Plus our squad is threadbare at the moment. Bound to get more so in the coming weeks. Heck, we are not re-signing Danny Murphy. ?

[Ewood Ace]

  On 02/11/2020 at 14:55, roversfan99 said:

Again, massive assumptions seemingly to discredit him as a person. "A likely inflated value of his own worth!"

He said that he probably would have retired had he not signed here again.

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It's good of Mowbray to give one of his mates a final pay day. Just a shame he is wasting clubs funds doing it.

[RevidgeBlue]

  On 02/11/2020 at 14:54, roversfan99 said:

Downing was very good last season. 

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He was good in the first half of the season, less impressive the longer the season went on and fairly poor after lockdown imo.

[RevidgeBlue]

  On 02/11/2020 at 14:55, roversfan99 said:

He said that he probably would have retired had he not signed here again.

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Doesn't that say it all????

[Guest]

  On 02/11/2020 at 14:50, Mercer said:

Those that do are, IMO, nothing more than mercenaries.

 A labourer is worthy of his hire and I think it's fair to assume there were no takers for Downing based upon a likely inflated value of his own worth.

So, we get a player who is weeks behind in terms of fitness and match fitness and who, IMO, only wants to come because he's no other options.

I also think time caught up with Downing in the latter part of last season and, IMO, his legs have gone.

Think this will prove to be a signing we regret.

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A lot of IMO's in here, not many of which equate to anything substantial. His legs have gone? There's no basis for that. He only wants to come because of X, Y and Z... I'm sorry but this is just a wild stab in the dark. Unless you happen to be a family friend of the Downing's of course and I take it back. But otherwise this is completely fabricated - IMO.

[Mercer]

  On 02/11/2020 at 14:55, roversfan99 said:

Again, massive assumptions seemingly to discredit him as a person. "A likely inflated value of his own worth!"

He said that he probably would have retired had he not signed here again.

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Not trying to discredit him at all.

If you are trying to sell your house and you are asking for say £100k and no one is prepared to pay it then have you clearly not inflated its worth in your own mind?

At the end of the day, the value of anything is only what someone is prepared to pay.

[RevidgeBlue]

  On 02/11/2020 at 15:16, JoeH said:

A lot of IMO's in here, not many of which equate to anything substantial. His legs have gone? There's no basis for that. He only wants to come because of X, Y and Z... I'm sorry but this is just a wild stab in the dark. Unless you happen to be a family friend of the Downing's of course and I take it back. But otherwise this is completely fabricated - IMO.

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I wouldn't say there was no basis for it, Imo, he was poor post lock down after a break.

Very optimistic to think at his age he is going to improve on that, back to the form of the start of last season after another extended break imo.

[Ewood Ace]

  On 02/11/2020 at 15:16, JoeH said:

A lot of IMO's in here, not many of which equate to anything substantial. His legs have gone? There's no basis for that. He only wants to come because of X, Y and Z... I'm sorry but this is just a wild stab in the dark. Unless you happen to be a family friend of the Downing's of course and I take it back. But otherwise this is completely fabricated - IMO.

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He's 36 had no pre season and hasn't played for 4 months. This stinks of Mowbray not for the first time doing a mate a favour.

Edited November 2, 2020 by Ewood Ace

[darrenrover]

  On 02/11/2020 at 14:33, chaddyrovers said:

For me we don't need that type of player. 

Yes and that's why Mowbray has implemented this 4-3-3 formation as he thinks the best way for Rovers to progress and to get top 6 and promote

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How do you think that Morsy would not fit into a 433 formation and why, in your stated opinion, is Morsy not Mowbray's type of player? (Morsy was where this discussion started)

IMO, 433 is garbage the way Mowbray plays it, it's why there's little or no protection in front of the back 2. On the odd occasions we win a defensive header, it lands just outside the 'D' and the oncoming opposition midfielder has half an hour to pick his spot. How many times have we seen that?

Mowbray will undoubtedly see what he missed tomorrow night!

[darrenrover]

  On 02/11/2020 at 14:44, Norbert Rassragr said:

I'm not really impressed with this. We have plenty of mediocre midfielders, or youngsters trying to establish themselves in the team so an old player wasting wages isnot what we need. What can he offer that Johnson, Buckley, Chapman, Lyons, Evans, Bennett.......... can't? 

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£10k a week for you and £5k a week for me, just saying....

[Mercer]

  On 02/11/2020 at 15:16, JoeH said:

A lot of IMO's in here, not many of which equate to anything substantial. His legs have gone? There's no basis for that. He only wants to come because of X, Y and Z... I'm sorry but this is just a wild stab in the dark. Unless you happen to be a family friend of the Downing's of course and I take it back. But otherwise this is completely fabricated - IMO.

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We all watch football and have opinions which very often are at odds with other fans' opinions.

Quite simply, IMO, Downing's form tailed off in the latter part of last season and he looked increasingly leggy.

So, Rovers negotiate with Downing some 3 to 4 months ago and can't reach agreement.  So do you think Downing went home, put his feet up and decided that was it only to suddenly realise 3 to 4 months down the line that he's missing Rovers so much he wants to have another go.  Well, if that's what you think then fine but I don't.  

[roversfan99]

  On 02/11/2020 at 15:22, Mercer said:

Not trying to discredit him at all.

If you are trying to sell your house and you are asking for say £100k and no one is prepared to pay it then have you clearly not inflated its worth in your own mind?

At the end of the day, the value of anything is only what someone is prepared to pay.

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Calling him a mercenary is somewhat discrediting him, especially when none of us know what happened in terms of any negotiations.

[Prelude]

  On 02/11/2020 at 12:51, Hoochie Bloochie Mama said:

Rich Sharpe saying chances of Downing return were 'slim' this morning?

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Lets just hope he is still Slim! and has been keeping himself fit! 

[Mattyblue]

‘A lot of IMOs’, well yes kind of the point of the board, no?

He was poor by his standards in the closing stages. He’s certainly not a poor footballer or someone prone to inconsistency or any way out of his depth as a PL footballer of many years standing. So yes, that it was the physical demands catching up with a 36 year old non defender/goalkeeper is a fair assumption to make.

Edited November 2, 2020 by Mattyblue

[Mercer]

  On 02/11/2020 at 15:50, roversfan99 said:

Calling him a mercenary is somewhat discrediting him, especially when none of us know what happened in terms of any negotiations.

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I did not call Downing a mercenary.

I was responding to @islander200  who said  "Doesn't every player look for the best deal they can get?"

I replied "Those that do are, IMO, nothing more than mercenaries" - no reference to Downing.

Wouldn't it be refreshing if a footballer turned round and said, "do you know, there are better offers out there but club x really looked after me and I have enjoyed my time there and I value that far more than a few extra quid in the pay packet".

[roversfan99]

"Financially, things are tight and we had to fill in some positions and Stewart knew that pretty early. We needed a centre-half, we needed a goalie, we needed a left-back and we needed certain positions and we couldn't spend the money until we filled the positions needed."

Seems that Downing was very much down the list of priorities.

[islander200]

  On 02/11/2020 at 16:12, Mercer said:

I did not call Downing a mercenary.

I was responding to @islander200  who said  "Doesn't every player look for the best deal they can get?"

I replied "Those that do are, IMO, nothing more than mercenaries" - no reference to Downing.

Wouldn't it be refreshing if a footballer turned round and said, "do you know, there are better offers out there but club x really looked after me and I have enjoyed my time there and I value that far more than a few extra quid in the pay packet".

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Fair enough but at the same time we don't know what discussions were had.It might not have been about money.

The manager could have said to Downing "I'd like you to resign with us and here is what we can offer but you won't be playing as big a role as last season"

So it could have been about playing time or any other number of reasons, I find it unlikely that Downing thought he would have a multitude of lucrative contract offers.

Think it's a sensible signing but will echo others comments that the timing of it is wrong if it was to be done it should have been weeks ago.

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

  On 02/11/2020 at 15:01, Ewood Ace said:

It's good of Mowbray to give one of his mates a final pay day. Just a shame he is wasting clubs funds doing it.

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I can't believe we're thinking of signing Downing again, What's going on down at Ewood ? Has Billy Butlin taken over down there ?