Stewart Downing

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, philipl said:

Three pieces of evidence

1) LT report that he was offered a significantly lower contract

2) It was so low Downing was so confident he could beat it elsewhere that he was out of the game earning zero for four months. That only makes sense from Downing's viewpoint when the gap between offer and player's expectation is an annualised £250k at least because of what he wasn't being paid during that period. Did he expect another £750k year at his age? - probably not. Did he (or his agent) think he could command £500k?- probably.  

3) The offer to renew at the end of last season was made when Rovers were at their ceiling for FFP so it would have been low enough to keep within the limit. That low offer inevitably would be Rovers' anchoring starting point for when they started talking again and clinched the deal to secure Downing.

Thats your theory, not evidence.

[AllRoverAsia]

Using the VenkysLT as a source . I stopped reading at that. 

[riverholmes]

I just thought I'd raise a question about veteran players after the apparent failure of the Stewart Downing signing. According to Wikipedia, he's made 47 appearances for Rovers, which seems a lot. He was evidently a really good winger and, again, according to Wikipedia, has made nearly 600 club appearances. He also has 35 England caps to his name.

We don't know what his physical and mental fitness and functioning is, these days, but he's struggled to make it into the team, even with others under-performing. He may be slow but I recall veterans such as Ian Harte and Ali Benarbia doing really well at this level in yesteryear.

With the failures of the signings of Downing and Danny Murphy, in recent times, have we just picked up the wrong ex-top flight players - or, is there a wider issue? Is the pace, physicality or team formations and tactics of the game, at this level, making it harder for slower, older but technically gifted players to make an impact? Or, is it the demands of a career in the modern game ravaging many players' bodies, making it harder at the latter stage of the career?

Glancing through the current Championship topscorer list, I don't see any 'veterans' in the 33+ age group, except, Steven Fletcher and Fraizer Campbell, and, they're not in the top 10. I don't know the trend over the years, but it does seem to suggest that, maybe, older players struggle to make an impact at this level. Or, perhaps, it has always been this way and the likes of Ian Harte and Ali Benarbia were exceptions to the rule?

[JacknOry]

1 minute ago, riverholmes said:

I just thought I'd raise a question about veteran players after the apparent failure of the Stewart Downing signing. According to Wikipedia, he's made 47 appearances for Rovers, which seems a lot. He was evidently a really good winger and, again, according to Wikipedia, has made nearly 600 club appearances. He also has 35 England caps to his name.

We don't know what his physical and mental fitness and functioning is, these days, but he's struggled to make it into the team, even with others under-performing. He may be slow but I recall veterans such as Ian Harte and Ali Benarbia doing really well at this level in yesteryear.

With the failures of the signings of Downing and Danny Murphy, in recent times, have we just picked up the wrong ex-top flight players - or, is there a wider issue? Is the pace, physicality or team formations and tactics of the game, at this level, making it harder for slower, older but technically gifted players to make an impact? Or, is it the demands of a career in the modern game ravaging many players' bodies, making it harder at the latter stage of the career?

Glancing through the current Championship topscorer list, I don't see any 'veterans' in the 33+ age group, except, Steven Fletcher and Fraizer Campbell, and, they're not in the top 10. I don't know the trend over the years, but it does seem to suggest that, maybe, older players struggle to make an impact at this level. Or, perhaps, it has always been this way and the likes of Ian Harte and Ali Benarbia were exceptions to the rule?

Unfair to put Murphy and Downing in the same bracket. Downing still has something to offer and rarely puts in a horrendous performance. Guy is a proper pro too. Just think he was not needed with the other options we have in the squad this season.

When in his prime Downing had a bit of pace about him but that has obviously gone now.