The Mail Bag
The Booing of Lescott
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What are the opinions about David Maddok"s article — "The booing of Joleon Lescott during at Wembley on Saturday shows ordinary fans have had enough of hypocritical footballers"
Not to bring up a touchy subject again, but I didn't know that Lescott was booed during England's friendly at the weekend and and so I thought this was interesting. One of the few positive commentaries that I've had the chance to read.
Chris Wilson, Posted 08/09/2009 at 11:30:10
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I noticed the booing, but I think it’s rather too fanciful to say that ’that the fans, the normal, decent fans who make up the bulk of the football-watching community in this country, are beginning to tire of the antics of over-paid prima donnas who flounce around in their increasingly hysterical pursuit of even more money.’
Maybe . But as much as I sort of want to believe it, it’s a line of thinking that fits a populist and pretty predictable argument.
Isn’t it just as likely that Upson was having a decent game and the fans were doing their bit to let Capello know? Lescott went on to have a pretty crap game, but I don’t remember any booing after the initial outburst when he came on.
Maybe . But as much as I sort of want to believe it, it’s a line of thinking that fits a populist and pretty predictable argument.
Isn’t it just as likely that Upson was having a decent game and the fans were doing their bit to let Capello know? Lescott went on to have a pretty crap game, but I don’t remember any booing after the initial outburst when he came on.
Could it be that the paying fans of Wembley simply felt disgust at the lack of class shown in Lescott's behaviour during the whole debacle?
I mean telling your employer that is already paying you I excess of £40,000 per week to play a game that a lot of us play for free in the cold and wet on Saturdays and Sundays that you don’t want to play because ’Your head is not right’ due to a richer clubs interest, would piss off most people who slog their guts out to earn a mediocre wage, after all, most real fans are working class.
I mean telling your employer that is already paying you I excess of £40,000 per week to play a game that a lot of us play for free in the cold and wet on Saturdays and Sundays that you don’t want to play because ’Your head is not right’ due to a richer clubs interest, would piss off most people who slog their guts out to earn a mediocre wage, after all, most real fans are working class.
Someone on a radio discussion programme tonight suggested that the fans were booing because Capello brought Lescott on instead of Goldenballs Beckham. I didn’t watch the match so I can’t comment but apparently it’s the first time Beckham has been selected for a match but not actually used since 1998 or so. Perhaps the Beckham supporters were sensing the end of an era & simply vented their disapproval accordingly.
I guess I’m just impressed, Tommy, with the revisionism Evertonians will indulge in to protect the reputation of one of their own. Either he was for sale or he was not for sale. I distinctly remember Moyes saying repeatedly for weeks and weeks "HE IS NOT FOR SALE."
Then, after the fact, this same highly reputable manager said, "Of course he was for sale, and you could have had him back in June if you had only come forward with the right price." — or words to that effect.
You obviously don’t care a fig, Tommy, but some of us take pride in the honour and integrity of our earnest and upright manager...
Then, after the fact, this same highly reputable manager said, "Of course he was for sale, and you could have had him back in June if you had only come forward with the right price." — or words to that effect.
You obviously don’t care a fig, Tommy, but some of us take pride in the honour and integrity of our earnest and upright manager...
Michael, DM only changed his tune after Lescott made it abundantly clear that he was no longer going to give the club 100%.
He did this 24 hours before the opening game to the season. Would you not change your mind about someone like that after praising them all summer saying how professional they are, only fr it to be thrown back in your face the day before the first big match?
Yes he had put in a transfer request before that, however, thereis no way Moyes would have expected the shit that Lescott did on the friday before the Arsenal defeat.
He did this 24 hours before the opening game to the season. Would you not change your mind about someone like that after praising them all summer saying how professional they are, only fr it to be thrown back in your face the day before the first big match?
Yes he had put in a transfer request before that, however, thereis no way Moyes would have expected the shit that Lescott did on the friday before the Arsenal defeat.
I was there and I booed the crap out of him. Alongside me were at least 50-60,000 british fans who were all not necessarily Everton fans. Soccer is a team game and what Lescott did so late in the transfer season let the whole team down. Can the England team rely on him? The ordinary fan certainly doesn’t...
Anthony, you’re dead right. Moyes didn’t want to sell Lescott and was only stymied because Joleon suddenly decided to ignore his recently signed contract.
What Hansen & Co, who together mutter about how no-one would turn down twice their wages, seem unable (or unwilling) to realise is that no one should have had a choice to put anything to him until we agreed it was ok to do so (when we had only one centre-half less him).
Michael K is being very disingenuous (and not for the first time) when slating Moyes for selling him after he said he wouldn’t. Moyes was entitled to rely on his contract.
IMHO we’ve twice a right to boo Lescott than we do Rooney. And, I’d love to hear the reasoning of anyone who thinks otherwise.
What Hansen & Co, who together mutter about how no-one would turn down twice their wages, seem unable (or unwilling) to realise is that no one should have had a choice to put anything to him until we agreed it was ok to do so (when we had only one centre-half less him).
Michael K is being very disingenuous (and not for the first time) when slating Moyes for selling him after he said he wouldn’t. Moyes was entitled to rely on his contract.
IMHO we’ve twice a right to boo Lescott than we do Rooney. And, I’d love to hear the reasoning of anyone who thinks otherwise.
I do remember BK stated somewhere along the lines that no player leaves the club without Moyes’s constent. And Moyes said none of his first team players are to leave. We did reject Lescott’s transfer request. Then the silly money came in.
BK: "So Davey, how's the summer and pre-season coming along?"
DM "Pretty shit to be honest Bill. Spurs offered actual money for Naughton and we are going to play some shite in the grand old US of A."
BK: "Right, but at least we got rid of the deadwood at the end of their contracts!!"
DM: "Yep. But I need to replace them now. How much have I got to spend?
BK: "Well remember how the Naughton deal was structured? That's how we have to go. Or you could sell that bloke to Man City who have pocket loads of cash."
DM: "But I have said he is not for sale at any price. I am going to look like a fool over this."
BK: "No money from me Dave. And I have made you look like a fool for the past couple of summers anyway!!!"
DM: "Fuck Bill. How much longer do I have to put up with this?"
BK "You know that 5-year contract you signed last summer? Get used to it"
There you go Michael. The reason for David's back-tracking!!
I am glad he has gone. We do not need anyone who doesn’t want to play for this great club.
DM "Pretty shit to be honest Bill. Spurs offered actual money for Naughton and we are going to play some shite in the grand old US of A."
BK: "Right, but at least we got rid of the deadwood at the end of their contracts!!"
DM: "Yep. But I need to replace them now. How much have I got to spend?
BK: "Well remember how the Naughton deal was structured? That's how we have to go. Or you could sell that bloke to Man City who have pocket loads of cash."
DM: "But I have said he is not for sale at any price. I am going to look like a fool over this."
BK: "No money from me Dave. And I have made you look like a fool for the past couple of summers anyway!!!"
DM: "Fuck Bill. How much longer do I have to put up with this?"
BK "You know that 5-year contract you signed last summer? Get used to it"
There you go Michael. The reason for David's back-tracking!!
I am glad he has gone. We do not need anyone who doesn’t want to play for this great club.
The article also mentioned we got beat 6-0 by Arsenal. I mean how much checking does a proofer or sub-ed need to realise we did actually manage a goal at least? Thought the article was creating an angle for the sake of it. Think the Goldenballs suggestion above is more like it.
Was watching "Live" telecast of England against Slovenia. I had a very strange, weird, funny or whatever you might wanna call it, kind of feeling. That was at the 85th minute when Zlatan Ljubljankic scored, two thoughts sprung into my mind immediately.
1. "OH-NO!", it's going to be a hell 5 to 8 minutes. There might be a fight back from the Slovenia guys.
2. "OH-YES!" Dearie Lescott made an impact! A mistake! Lescott was neareast to Ljubljankic. He was never John Terry's man (which the commentator said)...
Okay, you can call it Sour Grapes... who the hack cares! To be honest, any player can go wherever they want, for their playing career, or for money, they are entitled to.
What bemused me is, Man City is never gonna be a Man Utd. They are an Everton wannabe. They are the pretenders now, Xmas time, they will be the strugglers. At the moment, they are a pile of lose sand, waiting for Man Utd to punish them... if Man Utd doesn't, Everton will. So what is so good about the Sky Blues Lescott? Hmmm... 4 clean sheets in a row. Wish you all the best, Joleon... may you start to clean shit this Saturday.
Sorry, fellow toffees, too free at the moment, thought maybe have a go at Lt. Commander Worf (Star Trek). By the way, I love grapes. Sour ones. ta!
More or less sums it up with The Mirror hypocritically jumping on another self-made bandwagon, ignoring the fact that they and their ilk are by no means blameless in the whole Sky football hype, but.... How did Billy Bullshitter deserve any credit, all he he did was do nowt and say nowt while not putting his hand in his pocket yet again.
Well there’s one thing for certain.... he is going to get booed, like hell, when he plays for Man City at Goodison, so he may as well get used t it.
Are you for real, Michael? I’m almost speechless after reading your post above. Are you really that keen to damn David Moyes that you will ignore every available fact?
David Moyes said, quite clearly, that Joleon Lescott is NOT available at any price. He was simply not for sale. In saying so, Moyes was being genuine, he meant it, he believed it, because he saw Joleon as a key part of his side and squad. He had absolutely no desire to sell him for any money.
Then things changed. Joleon handed in a transfer request. He told Moyes he didn’t want to play in the European game. He started slacking in training and upset his team-mates. He was in constant personal dialogue with Mark Hughes and, as Moyes quite clearly revealed, had had his head turned.
At this point, there was simply no way Lescott would be the same player for us again. Things had changed. Moyes’s mission HAD to change from "keep hold of Lescott, whatever the bid" to "get the very best deal possible for a player who has no desire to play for Everton ever again". This is not hypocritical. Moyes, as always, was honest and straightforward in everything he said — he simply had to change startegy when his player revealed he wanted out. And when compared to disreputable managers like Mark Hughes, I think this is something we should be proud of — and certainly not something we should criticise.
David Moyes said, quite clearly, that Joleon Lescott is NOT available at any price. He was simply not for sale. In saying so, Moyes was being genuine, he meant it, he believed it, because he saw Joleon as a key part of his side and squad. He had absolutely no desire to sell him for any money.
Then things changed. Joleon handed in a transfer request. He told Moyes he didn’t want to play in the European game. He started slacking in training and upset his team-mates. He was in constant personal dialogue with Mark Hughes and, as Moyes quite clearly revealed, had had his head turned.
At this point, there was simply no way Lescott would be the same player for us again. Things had changed. Moyes’s mission HAD to change from "keep hold of Lescott, whatever the bid" to "get the very best deal possible for a player who has no desire to play for Everton ever again". This is not hypocritical. Moyes, as always, was honest and straightforward in everything he said — he simply had to change startegy when his player revealed he wanted out. And when compared to disreputable managers like Mark Hughes, I think this is something we should be proud of — and certainly not something we should criticise.
Spot on Paul
We want to keep the player - it’s in the best interests of the club.
The player has no more interest in the club.
In the best interests of the club we therefore get the best price for him.
Simples.
We want to keep the player - it’s in the best interests of the club.
The player has no more interest in the club.
In the best interests of the club we therefore get the best price for him.
Simples.
I agree with Mike and Paul, Moyes wanted and surely believed Joleon would be staying as he had recently signed a very lucrative contract.
Lescott/Hughes knew what they were doing all along in my opinion, I was on the same flight as the pair of them from Dubai-Manchester in July and although both were with their families, they seemed to spend most of the flight having a lovely chat having all stayed in the same hotel as John Terry.
Lescott/Hughes knew what they were doing all along in my opinion, I was on the same flight as the pair of them from Dubai-Manchester in July and although both were with their families, they seemed to spend most of the flight having a lovely chat having all stayed in the same hotel as John Terry.
Well, he hasn’t even made the bench. And did you see Capello’s face after Slovenia scored.
Oh dear! Sour grapes? maybe.
Oh dear! Sour grapes? maybe.
Paul Foster. I know all that, who doesn’t. That’s all a given. Why can’t people read what I wrote?
The point is simple, and no-one... NO-ONE has provided any explanation — Why did Moyes say, after agreeing to the sale, that if City had come in with a high enough bid back in June, the player could have gone and everything would have been fine? In other words, he WAS for sale — but only at the right price.
The point is simple, and no-one... NO-ONE has provided any explanation — Why did Moyes say, after agreeing to the sale, that if City had come in with a high enough bid back in June, the player could have gone and everything would have been fine? In other words, he WAS for sale — but only at the right price.
How come it’s only me that has any concern about that about-turn? Or are you all happily saying that the end justifies the means?
As well as seeing Joleon booed at Wembley, then be at fault for the goal - I was also glad to see him feature in football365’s list of the top ten biggest wastes of money this transfer window!
He also didn’t even make the bench for the Croatia game. Let’s hope this is the start of a downward spiral for him. Not that I’m bitter or anything. I’m not. No really, I’m not.
Actually I’m not - I think Distin plus the spare cash is a great result!
He also didn’t even make the bench for the Croatia game. Let’s hope this is the start of a downward spiral for him. Not that I’m bitter or anything. I’m not. No really, I’m not.
Actually I’m not - I think Distin plus the spare cash is a great result!
Michael - my only explanation is if he continues to say he was never for sale but in the end had to sell him he’s admitting that Hughes has more muscle / influence / better prospects etc than he has. If he does the U-Turn he’s basically saying - yeah, of course everyone’s got their price I’m not daft but by saying he’s not for sale I can put the thumbscrews on Man City to get the best price. Now the deals done I’ll put it down to the system rather than the weakness of my positon.
The sale of Joleon Lescott to Man City was, in my view, the best deal ever conducted by Everton. We got a huge amount of money for a centre back who, while scoring goals, is a very average defender who has been exposed at international level. It is closely followed by the sale of Duncan Ferguson to Newcastle. Can anyone come up with better sales than these?
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Ah.. now I've actually read the article... interesting. Although this line caught my attention: "All along, Moyes said that Lescott had a price." I guess my memory is at fault but I could have sworn we said for long periods that he was not for sale. And only at the end, after the fact, did he say "Well, actually, he was for sale... at the right price."