Stewart Downing

[perthblue02]

2 hours ago, capybara said:

Blackburn Roverseas mentioned a rumour about a clause in his contract last year that kept Boro from starting him in more games, because that would have cost them a lot more.

An article from 20th Jan mentioning the clause in the contract 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/01/20/stewart-downing-heading-middlesbrough-exit-bizarre-contract/

A agreement was reached in April to cancel the clause in the contract so he could play again

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6873227/Stewart-Downing-free-start-Middlesbrough-club-cancel-bizarre-clause.html

Edited June 22, 2019 by perthblue02

[Mr. E]

It's a signing lacking any and all ambition. We have massive defensive problems, this does nothing to address that. Upfront we already have decent players only problem is Graham is aging - getting in the squad someone two years older not gonna help either. It's a back-up signing when we crucially need strengthening in several positions, and TM and Venkys have given absolutely no clue they have the ability to fill them.

[SBlue]

Just now, Mr. E said:

It's a signing lacking any and all ambition. We have massive defensive problems, this does nothing to address that. Upfront we already have decent players only problem is Graham is aging - getting in the squad someone two years older not gonna help either. It's a back-up signing when we crucially need strengthening in several positions, and TM and Venkys have given absolutely no clue they have the ability to fill them.

Look I don’t think it’s a great signing either but I believe we are still allowed to bring more in.

Any more news on that Aussie lad? I like the look of him.

Hanley? Was that just paper talk?

[AllRoverAsia]

5 minutes ago, imy9 said:

Downing is 3rd or 4th choice so this is where I got it from. 

We don't get him and he becomes a 3rd or 4th choice CB. Yeah ok.

Maybe Sharpe can play as he's provided excellent defensive cover-up here

Edited June 22, 2019 by AllRoverAsia

[ChrisPriceBaldSpot]

I think Liam Lindsay was main target. 

[DE.]

15 minutes ago, S8 & Blue said:

Hanley? Was that just paper talk?

Mowbray said Hanley had been "talked about" but suggested he wasn't on the A list. Although history suggests that makes him more rather than less likely to sign. 

[Oldgregg86]

Just now, DE. said:

Mowbray said Hanley had been "talked about" but suggested he wasn't on the A list. Although history suggests that makes him more rather than less likely to sign. 

I bet he cant wait to come back knowing that

[tomphil]

My hunch is he had some targets then got alerted to Downing becoming available and couldn't resist it so switched attention and funds to that to get in there first.

It's a typical Mowbray siging in terms of joining dots, knows the lad etc

[bluebruce]

15 minutes ago, Oldgregg86 said:

I bet he cant wait to come back knowing that

TM did explain what he means by the A, B, C lists etc though. It's not just in order of player quality. Some people are on a lower list simply because we're less sure they're available or the finances are harder to do.

[roverandout]

Has a great left foot and...erm..er ?

[SBlue]

I’ll be honest, I’ve been underwhelmed at best by this signing - but searching YouTube for some justification has given me a completely new appreciation for the player that he was in the Villa/Liverpool/West Ham days.

I suppose we had a completely different frame of reference back then, because I didn’t really rate him.

But he’s had an unbelievable and proven career, played with some of the world’s absolute best, has hundreds of top flight appearances under his belt and has never looked out of place - in fact, he was often highly sought after.

Proper quality.

In his day.

Hopefully therefore it’s a different proposition to Whitts and Murphy entirely. He’s been playing regularly in our current division for a start.

Jury is firmly still out of course, but he’s in a Rovers shirt now so he’s got my 1000% backing.

He needs to still have something to contribute that justifies whatever wage it is, and show enough heart and desire to make me forget my sentimental attachment to Craig Conway.

Its either going to be a shrewd and clever signing or an unbelievably crap one.

Can’t say Mowbray isn’t brave.

Edited June 22, 2019 by S8 & Blue

[Oldgregg86]

I will say Mowbray isn’t brave. 

Signings like di canio at West Ham were brave. Signing players that have a chequered past but the manager knows how to handle them  and get the best out of them whilst trying to keep a dressing room is brave. Signing players you have worked with or old pros you know will do a job but not push you on is not brave. Playing 10 soldiers and one artist every game at home is not brave. Sitting back every time we take a lead is not brave. Giving Breteton, chapman and Roth well ten minutes a season is not brave. 

If tony was brave I would believe we had half a chance of anything other than survival. He is a weak manager in tactics and the transfer market and he is on easy street here and I for one am getting tired of him.

Edited June 22, 2019 by Oldgregg86

[DE.]

54 minutes ago, Oldgregg86 said:

I bet he cant wait to come back knowing that

Eh, didn't seem to be a problem for Armstrong or Chapman tbf. Granted there didn't seem to be much competition for them but if Hanley is on our "maybe" list then there probably isn't too much for him either - and if there is then somebody will offer £5k a week more and we'll miss out, so, it doesn't matter anyway. 

[Oldgregg86]

Just now, DE. said:

Eh, didn't seem to be a problem for Armstrong or Chapman tbf. Granted there didn't seem to be much competition for them but if Hanley is on our "maybe" list then there probably isn't too much for him either - and if there is then somebody will offer £5k a week more and we'll miss out, so, it doesn't matter anyway. 

Well if two clubs were in for me and one said We want you to sign for us and one said what Tony was quoted as saying I know where I would go

[Rogerb]

Sticking plaster signing at best 35 years old and twelve month contract what is the point unless to mentor Harry Chapman for twelve months

[USABlue]

9 hours ago, HowieFive0 said:

I agree ..I think Downing will become the new Bennett and will play come what may ..may even get the captaincy ..

I agree with you there, this signing annoys me no end.  More so when we heard TM banging the drum at the end of last season.  He had me fooled.  Uninspiring is being kind.

[USABlue]

4 hours ago, blueboy3333 said:

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2019/june/an-exciting-signing-for-us/

"He brings great experience, he's brave on the ball, he picks lovely passes, he can travel with the ball, he's got good mobility still, so I think he's an exciting signing for us.Whilst he's not in his mid-20s and in the middle of his England career, he's a great lad with great qualities that he will bring to the football club.I've always put a lot of stock in personality and character and values, and Stewart is very rich in all those areas as well"

Good human to join a team full of lovely lads... you can take them home to your mother. Apart from Bradley, obviously...

But 'exciting'...FFS Tony!!

Tony my man, if it's personality, character and values you are after I can be had relatively cheaply.

[bluebruce]

Just now, USABlue said:

Tony my man, if it's personality, character and values you are after I can be had relatively cheaply.

You can be 'had' cheaply? I guess that's one kind of value to have...

[USABlue]

Just now, bluebruce said:

You can be 'had' cheaply? I guess that's one kind of value to have...

Relatively.

[LDRover]

Seen quite a bit of Downing over the years when he was supposedly in his prime. Thought he was one dimensional and a bit shit then - now he's an older slower version I can't see what he'll add to be honest.

[AllRoverAsia]

FRIENDS REUNITED, someone at Rovers PR/IT dept has a sense of humour

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2019/june/friends-reunited/

[Amo]

Meh. Not an inspirational signing but let's see how the rest of our business unfolds before judging.

[Mike E]

1 hour ago, Oldgregg86 said:

I will say Mowbray isn’t brave. 

Signings like di canio at West Ham were brave. Signing players that have a chequered past but the manager knows how to handle them  and get the best out of them whilst trying to keep a dressing room is brave. Signing players you have worked with or old pros you know will do a job but not push you on is not brave. Playing 10 soldiers and one artist every game at home is not brave. Sitting back every time we take a lead is not brave. Giving Breteton, chapman and Roth well ten minutes a season is not brave. 

If tony was brave I would believe we had half a chance of anything other than survival. He is a weak manager in tactics and the transfer market and he is on easy street here and I for one am getting tired of him.

Was Dack not a brave move? I'm not saying TM is brave by nature or anything, but that was a brave gamble to build the team around a guy who loves his nights out and had community sentences to carry out.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

5 hours ago, blueboy3333 said:

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2019/june/an-exciting-signing-for-us/

"He brings great experience, he's brave on the ball, he picks lovely passes, he can travel with the ball, he's got good mobility still, so I think he's an exciting signing for us.Whilst he's not in his mid-20s and in the middle of his England career, he's a great lad with great qualities that he will bring to the football club.I've always put a lot of stock in personality and character and values, and Stewart is very rich in all those areas as well"

Good human to join a team full of lovely lads... you can take them home to your mother. Apart from Bradley, obviously...

But 'exciting'...FFS Tony!!

You could have said all those things about Whittingham before we signed him and look how that ended up.

[Mike E]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

You could have said all those things about Whittingham before we signed him and look how that ended up.

Peter Whittingham had no England career nor much (if any) PL experience though.