Fellaini 'surprised' by newspaper revelations

, 10 September, 51comments  |  Jump to most recent
Belgian midfielder plays down talk of him quitting Goodison
Marouane Fellaini has moved to diffuse the drama caused by comments attributed to him in the Belgian press over the weekend, insisting that he is happy at Everton.

The 24-year-old was quoted in Het Nieuwsblad as saying that he expected to move on from Goodison Park soon, perhaps as soon as January as he seeks his next challenge.

Fellaini issued a statement yesterday, however, playing down the comments and reaffirming his desire to finish the current season with Everton.

"I was very surprised to read in some newspapers that I will leave Everton very soon and perhaps next January," the midfielder on his Facebook page.

"Let me remind you that I am very happy in Liverpool and our start of the championship was good.

"Kevin Mirallas and some other good players joined us to make a better squad... so with Everton, I am ready to play all the season and to reach our goals of this season."

Fellaini's father has made noises in the past about furthering his career at a "bigger" club and seemed to be angling for a move to Chelsea for his son a couple of years ago.

But club sources insist that the player himself has not, as yet, signaled any intention to leave to anyone at Goodison.

Quotes or other material sourced from Sky Sports



Reader Comments (51)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer


James Flynn
1 Posted 10/09/2012 at 19:41:06
Just play your socks off this season and we'll see what happens next summer.
Ian Corky
2 Posted 10/09/2012 at 19:58:48
One cheeky bastard, if you ask me. It has taken 4 years for the clown to put in anything like a £15 mil Premier League performance and his gives us 2 in 3 games (he was shite against West Brom) and now he is a Champions League player? fuck him off on January 1st for £30 mil, remember how big Tommy G thought he was? — wrecked his career leaving Everton. IMO.
Pat Finegan
3 Posted 10/09/2012 at 20:02:53
I can't blame him for wanting to leave really. If he plays well for us this season, I won't be too disappointed. We can get around £30 million for him and he is replaceable. I'd prefer for him to stay but if he wants to go, it won't be the worst thing that can happen.
Alex Kociuba
4 Posted 10/09/2012 at 20:28:15
Ian, Fellaini has been class for the last 18 months or so, and not bad at all before that. He was only 20 when he joined us from a shit league, with rumour of Bayern Munich and Man Utd wanting him. Gravesen wrecked his career going to Real?! He was approaching 30 with a matter of months left on his contract and we were too skint to face the possibility of losing him on a free.
Ciarán McGlone
5 Posted 10/09/2012 at 20:36:09
For the first half of last season, Fellaini was tripe. After that he was decent in patches...

Revisionism – don't ya love it.

David Hallwood
6 Posted 10/09/2012 at 20:42:07
It never ceases to amaze me the number of people who say they don't believe a word in the papers, yet a piece in the papers elicits over 200 responses, mainly of the 'greedy woolly haired bastard' ilk.
Mike Allison
7 Posted 10/09/2012 at 20:44:23
Fellaini's been quality for ages, not two games. Some of the nonsense on here is ridiculous. Its disappointing, but I won't be surprised if he gets a big money move to seriously top, top club with a realistic chance of winning the Champions League. If that happens it'll be good for all concerned as we survive on a big transfer fee every year or two and will be able to strengthen the squad with it. It looks now like it'll be next summer.
Brian Harrison
8 Posted 10/09/2012 at 20:46:42
I can't say if the article is true or not, but if the guy wants to go then there is not much more to be said. Just get the best price we can and seeing that he signed a four-year deal in November we are in a strong barganing position.

That is asuming that there is a Champions League club out there who want him and are willing to pay Everton's asking price. Seems funny that we didn't hear of any interest from any of these clubs in the last few weeks when the transfer window was open...

Jamie Tulacz
9 Posted 10/09/2012 at 21:07:01
Wouldn't be the first time that the press has made up/exaggerated a story to sell more copy. Would be at least quite sceptical that the story might be somewhat exaggerated..
Jack Okell
10 Posted 10/09/2012 at 21:25:44
He didn't even say it for a start so the likes of Ian Porky can calm down. I really think he would have caused a stir when the transfer window was open if he was ready to get off. People will believe a 2 bit Belgian journo over a lad that has been nothing but good to us. N.B - It was his dad sticking his oar in last time, not Felli!!
Paul Holden
11 Posted 10/09/2012 at 21:31:08
I'd put a few notes on the newspaper reports being accurate – his old man's been touting him about for ages. Get shut asap – wonder what reception he'll get at the next home game? Let's face it, he's been average for most of his time here – came good against Man Utd!
Michael Kenrick
12 Posted 10/09/2012 at 21:29:12
"He didn't even say it for a start" — seems he did actually, by all accounts.

It was a press conference, apparently, and he hasn't actually denied anything — just feigned 'surprise' that the spin put on it was that he could be on his way "very soon and perhaps next January".

I think his 'clarification' goes on to confirm exactly what was originally reported — that he intends this season to be his last with Everton. "I am ready to play all the season and to reach our goals of this season" — no mention of next season / fulfilling his 4-year contract.

Jack Molloy
13 Posted 10/09/2012 at 21:30:08
The fact is that Fellaini is talented but inconsistent. He has played very well on occasion and has been clumsily unproductive on others. He is also a marked man so far as referees are concerned.

If we were to be offered £30M plus for him, especially by a club outside the Premier League, I would be tempted to take it and buy a more conventional player. Otherwise, I look forward to more improvement as he becomes more experienced.

Anichebe, on the other hand – what does this man have over David Moyes that he keeps being chosen week-in, week-out, season-in, season-out, despite contributing precisely nothing the vast majority of the time?
Dean Adams
14 Posted 10/09/2012 at 21:41:43
Michael Kenrick - he does not mention next season, but why would he in the context of the question. If asked about this thread would you answer by including any potential new threads that have yet to begin?

Everything is relative and believing some crap report in the media and making it become gospel is a massive leap. What next, Everton to win the league? Some perspective in these quiet times may help in such cases. You know we only aim for 6th or 7th!!!!!!

Jack Okell
15 Posted 10/09/2012 at 21:50:16
It was a press conference, apparently, "I am ready to play all the season and to reach our goals of this season" — no mention of next season / fulfilling his 4-year contract.

All if's and but's really isn't it MK.

"I was very surprised to read in some newspapers that I will leave Everton very soon and perhaps next January," the midfielder on his Facebook page."Let me remind you that I am very happy in Liverpool and our start of the championship was good.

That is what Felli is stating. He is happy where he is. I reckon he has enough sense to think that his comments will get reported back. He didn't hand in a transfer request. I think we have to respect the fact he is saying he's fine where he is.

Michael Kenrick
16 Posted 10/09/2012 at 21:56:14
Dean, Since the original flashpoint was reported as something along the lines of "this season will be [one of] my last for Everton" — that kinda begs the key question: Will he be here next season? Or won't he?

His surprise was not that the newspapers reported he would be leaving... but that he would be leaving "very soon and perhaps next January".

It's all down to how you read it, or how you want to read it, I agree. You could focus on "I am very happy in Liverpool" — another odd way of saying it — and infer that he will therefore never leave. I suspect, however, that he will leave 'Liverpool' at some point, no matter how happy he might be.

It's only a "Crap report in the media" because you don't like what it's saying. Yet it's not been denied in any substantive sense, making it difficult to quite accept this "Everything you read in the papers is rubbish" line that some seem to cling to. But neither, at the same time, does that make it 'gospel'.

As for "potential new threads", "Everton to win the League", "we only aim for 6th or 7th"... not 100% sure but I get a feeling you've lost your grip on the wheel there and are careening off-course somewhat. Just saying...

Ciarán McGlone
17 Posted 10/09/2012 at 22:12:48
Heres an idiot's guide reading newspapers, for those above who don't know the difference:

If there's a quote... the editor is standing over it and it's more than likely true. If the person the quote is attributed to doesn't deny it or sue, then it's certainly true.

If there are no quotes and the information is attributed to 'a pal'... then its incontrovertible bollocks.

I hope this little guide has been helpful, Dean.

Michael Kenrick
18 Posted 10/09/2012 at 22:25:07
Following on from Cairan's point, which has considerable merit, the media heavyweight that many of the big purveyors rely on for their news is the Press Association. Just scan down the list of media outlets that quickly carried the "Fellaini will not be punished" story. Picked up by many of the big hitters.

Dean, Jack, and any other doubters, I would draw your attention to this paragraph of said story:
Fellaini sought to diffuse the comments, which it is understood he does not deny saying during a press conference after training with his national side in Anderlecht on Saturday.
Now I agree, they could be lying. On the other hand...
Shane Corcoran
19 Posted 10/09/2012 at 22:35:28
Ciarán, I hate to put down a man with a fada on his 'a' but less of the condescending tone at the end please.

Plus you never went on to chapter two for idiots which might allow for a loss in translation. Or the inclusion/omission of maybe just one word which could swing a particular story the wrong way.

Ciarán McGlone
20 Posted 10/09/2012 at 22:43:28
Shane,

I'll be as condescending as I like, but thanks for the advice.

For Chapter 2... See above – failure to deny or sue equally vitiates the belief that he's been stitched up (including suing those who create a libel by failing to interpret properly).

Personally the story doesn't bother me in the slightest... however, the clamour to absolve Fellaini is frankly ridiculous.

At best he's an idiot.

Si Cooper
21 Posted 10/09/2012 at 22:43:39
Brian (#929) there are two good reasons why we didn't get any interest from other clubs this summer; a long-term contract that means we would expect good money, and no apparent player unrest which prospective buyers could have used as leverage. Essentially we could have laughed at offers all summer until one that was too good to refuse came in and the other clubs knew it.

What they know now is that, barring an amazing upswing in fortunes (as in performance / or actual money) at Everton this season, their overtures will be seriously considered as we will be looking to offload a player who wants a big money deal / new challenge (delete as applicable).

The length of someone's contract in football these days is not a good indication of how long they might be around for, it just gives the club an idea of how long they have left before their asset effectively starts to depreciate. I believe Axel Witsel had about 4 years left on his contract with Benfica, which is why it cost Zenit St Petersburg €40 million to sign him.

We don't have the strength in depth to drop Fellaini to the reserves without hamstringing ourselves and if he is willing to do his best for the rest of the season I won't be too bothered if he receives plaudits for good performances until he moves on.

Brian Cleveland
22 Posted 10/09/2012 at 23:31:51
The direct quote from the Belgian newspaper was:
Marouane Fellaini die in 2008 voor 20miljoen euro van Standard naar Everton verhuisde, liet dit weekend uitschijnen dat hij toe is aan een nieuw avontuur. ‘Ik begin nu aan mijn vijfde seizoen bij Everton', aldus de Perminator, die nog een contract heeft tot 2016. ‘Dit zal een van mijn laatste zijn. Ik heb er alles gezien. In januari of op het einde van het seizoen zou ik willen uitkijken naar een andere club of competitie. Jammer overigens voor Vadis dat hij niet naar Everton komt. Het kan er later nog van komen.'

Bij Everton gaven ze officieel geen commentaar, maar bronnen dichtbij de club wisten dat het bestuur erg ontgoocheld reageerde op de uitlatingen van hun sterspeler.

What was quoted in English is the same as what is quoted in Flemish. Even if you don't understand Flemish, you can see that it is a direct quote.

Het Nieuwsblad is NOT the Daily Mail of Belgium and they wouldn't put something in quotes that was not said, so to my mind, he said it!

Just one thing I'm not sure of, does he speak Flemish, or only French? For those clutching at "lost in translation" errors, check out whether he spoke in French or Flemish.... but I severely doubt there would be any translation errors of that magnitude.

DISAPPOINTED!

Richard Jones
24 Posted 11/09/2012 at 06:43:30
It's perfect for Kenwright and the board because it will all come as no surprise in January or the end of the season when Fellaini is the next player to go to fund their business model at EFC.

Maybe he's been told about interest from another club by the board and this is a way of preparing us for his eventual departure... it's called 'pre-empting' — it means that it comes as less of a shock.
Ciarán McGlone
25 Posted 11/09/2012 at 09:03:07
ps: I didn't mean 'libel' in my post above, as false reporting in this context would not constitute a libel... but it would contravene one of the economic torts.
Sam Morrison
26 Posted 11/09/2012 at 09:18:16
Fellaini's attempt to diffuse the 'situation' is hardly unequivocal. He wants to leave; fine, we've coped with good players leaving before. But the timing is kind of idiotic.

I think he's a great player and has been getting more consistent. I find it disappointing there's quite a few on here saying he's not worth the money we paid. If that was the case we could hardly sell him for £30m.

But that said, we're far from a one-player team, and though I was gutted to read the report initially I think that was more about it confirming the hard truth about footballers - in general - not sharing the same love for the team the fans do.

Jason Lam
27 Posted 11/09/2012 at 09:26:08
If Fellaini helps us achieve our goals say Champions League by end of season, we can sell for 30m and replace him with Kaka, Riquelme, and Fernandes. Win win.
Scott Hamilton
28 Posted 11/09/2012 at 10:39:34
As Sam (987) says, hardly an unequivocal rebuttal from Fellaini. He has even used the word "Liverpool" in his statement. Whilst he is making a reference to the geography of our wonderful football club and is therefore technically correct, any Everton player worth his salt knows that "Merseyside" would be a more tactful description...
Daniel Russell
29 Posted 11/09/2012 at 10:50:35
Heaven forbid we refer to the city that Everton are from as Liverpool..... have you completely lost your marbles? That is the most ridiculous comment I have ever read in my life.
Mike Powell
30 Posted 11/09/2012 at 11:20:09
The people who say he is crap — are you for real?!? He is head and shoulders above anyone else in our team.

He most probably as said it but, if he gives us everything this season and helps us win a cup or get us in the top four, then good luck to him.

He was always going to move on sometime. I for one will be gutted when he goes but, for the moment, let's enjoy the big man while he is still here. £30 mil next season would do to keep us rebuilding but for now... WE WANT CURLY HAIR TOO!!!
Scott Hamilton
31 Posted 11/09/2012 at 13:41:05
Daniel (002) That was called irony! Fellaini seems to have the knack of saying the wrong thing (or denying saying the wrong thing but doing so rather badly, as above). Even in trying to reassure Evertonians, his choice of words really did nothing to help and could even be seen as having a double meaning. "Happy in Liverpool" but only seemingly ready to play for another season. Maybe a trip across the park is on his mind...?!
Michael Brien
32 Posted 11/09/2012 at 14:23:01
"Following on from Cairan's point, which has considerable merit.........."
"I'll be as condescending as I like."

Michael & Ciaran are you the new Morecambe & Wise or should that be Wise & Wise as you seem to think that you are both the source of all knowledge and anyone who disagrees with your opinions is worthy of contempt?

Are the reports true/false? Was he misquoted ? Were certain comments taken out of context ? I don't know. I don't know if he will be with Everton next season, but do we know if Baines will? The guy is an Everton player at the moment and as such will receive my backing. I am NOT saying he is without fault, that he has been brilliant in every match - personally I think the move to an attacking role has a lot to do with an improvement in his form. And I would go so far as to say that Everton will see the best of him if Moyes keeps him in a more attacking role.

If he wants Champions League glory with Real etc, well didn't Arteta move for similar reasons? If we give the lad a hard time and a bad reception then there will be absolutely no way that he will stay. And I wouldn't blame him. Let's not be so quick to rush into judgement.

Ray Roche
33 Posted 11/09/2012 at 16:02:58
Daniel Russell @002

"That is the most ridiculous comment I have ever read in my life. "

You must be new to this site.

Shane Corcoran
34 Posted 11/09/2012 at 16:18:16
Ciarán, I think you're the first person I've encountered (even on-line) who seems proud to be condescending. Original if nothing else.

You're not giving Fellaini's legal team much time to put a case together but something tells me that you've already thought of that and you'll deal with that point shortly.

The story doesn't bother me either but man is it getting boring. What ever would we have discussed had he not said it? Probably how much we all hate this boring international break.
Barry Rathbone
35 Posted 11/09/2012 at 16:23:36
Much ado about nothing, the FULL quote was:

"happy to stay in Liverpool......it's a piss easy commute to Manchester" .....

nothing to worry about.

Get a haircut "chimney sweep 'ead"

Denis Richardson
37 Posted 11/09/2012 at 16:51:52
International week is really a slow news week. There's nothing in this story yet it's got many foaming at the mouth. We've barely started September, the transfer window is firmly shut for the next 4 months so no-one is going anywhere anytime soon. I would just ignore the shite in the press and focus on the football.

At the end of the day, all players will leave at some stage and if we get a decent enough cash offer, which is then wisely reinvested into the squad, I'm not arsed if any particular player stays or goes, Fellaini or otherwise – the club is bigger than any one player (or manager). Also, this is his 5th season with us so no-one can really accuse him of being disloyal if he gets an offer from a CL side.

Roll on the weekend when these waste-of-time World Cup qualifying matches are over. Fifa really should put all the minows in a seperate qualifying round, before a few of them then get to play the better sides – waste of time countries like Germany, Italy, France playing the likes of the Faroe Islands, Lichtenstein, Andorra etc. And its fooking boring to boot – barely above a training session.

Ciarán McGlone
38 Posted 11/09/2012 at 18:16:43
Shane,

As for your point about getting boring... I agree. People who are surprised by these utterances are only outdone (in the contempt stakes) by those who seek to justify or absolve..

Paul Ferry
39 Posted 11/09/2012 at 18:25:50
Mike Powell (#013) 'He is head and shoulders above anyone else in our team'. Er, no he is not, unless you mean the blind bleedingly obvious size of how lanky body and silly barnet to cap it off.

Over the last two seasons, MF has been one of our more naggingly inconsistent/hamstrung players. He has been much better this calendar year but comparing the Baggies 90 to the Manure 90 — though only 180 in all – gets us close to the bottom of this matter of maddening frustration and add to the mix that this is not the first time the silly Belgo has had to move sharply to qualify words allegedly put in his mouth by trigger-happy journos and Pappy Fella (hmmmm, might be a pattern there, like).

Tell you what – head and shoulders above the rest???!!! – get rid of him for somewhere in the area of £25 mill and we will be a much better team for it... much better, like Germany after the Marshal Plan. So we put the big Belgo in the shop window for the rest of the season and he gets us to 5th/6th and two semis.

Well, the team does that first of all, of which he is not the most important cog. What if like Rodders he does what he has done in the past and goes through a shit patch of bewildering inconsistency – remember the £25 mill sponds quotes being bandied around for Jack of Birkdale not too long ago.

One of the best things that could conceivably happen to EFC over the net 10 months or so is for Minnie Ripperton to maintain his form and for us to sell him for big-time sponds to make us a much much better outfit. No brainer, I think. But that's just me saying that, could well be eating my own words this time next year.

Michael Kenrick
40 Posted 11/09/2012 at 21:53:43
Michael Brein (#032), for fear of flogging a dead horse, I was attempting to devalue the claim that "He didn't even say it for a start" (Jack Okell, #931).

When you have the Press Association reporting something, and most of the heavyweight reputable media sources passing it through their portals and out to us mortals, then I think the answers to your questions are pretty clear:

Are the reports true/false? Since most all reports seem to be consistent, none are contrary, and the exponent himself has not denied saying what was reported, then I would say there's a strong probability of the reports being true.

Was he misquoted? Since most all reports seem to convey the same quotes as in the original report, available on line in translation from Flemish, with no substantive variants, and the exponent himself has not denied saying what was quoted, then I would say there's a strong indication that he has not been misquoted.

Were certain comments taken out of context? Other than it being a press conference after a Belgian training session, very little has been provided about context. It may help to know what jurno question MF was responding to, but I doubt very much that could change the context sufficiently to alter the meaning behind the quoted words.

It's not so much about difference of opinion as weight of evidence, but it won't be the first time, and surely not the last, that relatively clear evidence about something unsavoury has been rejected by the devout in favour of some fabricated excuse or apologist mantra you would much rather believe. That's the basis of most religions, after all, so there must be something to it.

You seem keen to leap all over this simple analysis as if it is some kind of judgement of Fellaini; no, just trying to keep the record straight when people say "He didn't even say it for a start". I think the evidence suggests that he did.

Michael Brien
41 Posted 12/09/2012 at 07:11:57
".........it won't be the first time, and surely not the last, that relatively clear evidence about something unsavoury has been rejected by the devout in favour of some fabricated excuse or apologist mantra you would much rather believe........."

To say that you are pretentious Michael would be understating matters I feel. You presume to sit in judgement as to what others believe or choose to believe. I was NOT writing as an "apologist" for MF. You say "flogging a dead horse" well Michael why should we expect MF to stay at Everton for the rest of his career? Or any other player for that matter. Loyalty is something that works both ways and whilst the players of the modern era are extremely well paid, that certainly not always been the case. I remember reading about my own own childhood hero – Derek Temple – apparently another club made an offer for him, but he never found out at the time. How the times have changed...

It is a short career and players can be deemed surplus to requirements at any time – one years " Star Player" can be upstaged by the next years. Yes the players earn very great amounts of money – but so do other sportsmen and women. Andy Murray won £1M I think it was for winning the US Title. In his career winnings Tyger Woods has earned over £150M I think it is – and he is in a sport where having a 20 year career at the top is not unknown.

Flogging a dead horse? How about the "dead horse" of players loyalty. Why should we expect it and why should players like MF be condemned?
Was he being disloyal to Standard Liege when he signed for Everton? A player who joined us in the summer Steven Naismith was he disloyal to Rangers? Were the other guys who left Rangers at around the same time – were they disloyal to Rangers?

Other people in whatever occupation/walk of life, if faced with the opportunity to make a career move that brought them a better wage/greater security would move. Would they be disloyal?

What is the " something unsavoury" that you refer to? Is it the fact that MF wants to play in the Champions League? That he may wish to move to a bigger club? I would say whilst he remains an Everton player lets support the guy rather than condemn him. to To give him a hard time will surely make it inevitable that he moves on sooner rather than later.

I was at Goodison when Rooney scored "that goal" against Arsenal. A memorable match? Indeed – but one of the less pleasing aspects was the reception given to Francis Jeffers. How ironic wasn't it that only a couple of seasons later the hero of that particular hour was cast as the villain? Should we condemn players who want to move? I would say not – unless they bad mouth the club in some way – has MF done that? Players have always moved clubs – to condemn them all as being disloyal is far too simplistic in my opinion.

Kevy Quinn
42 Posted 12/09/2012 at 12:52:50
I seem to remember Jonny H getting quoted as saying he was leaving everytime he played international football and he's still here. Pinch of salt...
Ernie Baywood
43 Posted 13/09/2012 at 14:13:17
Michael, if you unflinchingly believe the media then you're in for a rocky ride in life. Do you know what the Press Association is? It's not some independent body upholding journalistic standards - they're a news agency. Like all the others.

Did he say it? Did he mean it? Don't know - but I won't be blindly following the media.

Michael Kenrick
44 Posted 13/09/2012 at 15:09:23
Ernie, it's the corny old adage, "You can't believe what you read in the papers..." — a gross generalization that is neither completely true, nor completely false.

All I was trying to point out was, in regard to one specific aspect of this story (ie, Did MF say what was reported or something similar in meaning as to make no difference?), in response to a variety of strange claims that were seeking to difuse the impact of his words by casting doubt on their veracity.

I believed the answer to be Yes. I explained that the Press Association is generally regarded by the major and generally respected organs of the press as a usually reliable source, and they stated that MF was not denying he said what he said. That is all.

I made no claims whatsoever to "unflinchingly believe the media", as you state. [Why do you need to invent something I did not say? I don't understand that...]

For fear of continuing to flog the dead horse, you can't say "Don't know". What you are saying is that you refuse to believe a generally reputable media source in this instance. So be it. Although after yesterday's lessons, I think it would be wise to have a rational basis for who you believe or disbelieve... and why.

Ernie Baywood
45 Posted 13/09/2012 at 15:31:43
I do refuse to believe news sources. I haven't seen a translation in context, and I haven't seen the video (nor do I speak the lingo).

So I can't accept it.

I'm not in denial. I just can't form an opinion. Regardless, he's under contract and we're outside of the transfer window. If he said it - that doesn't mean he's leaving just as if he didn't say it that wouldn't mean he's not going.

Michael Kenrick
46 Posted 13/09/2012 at 15:37:30
Ernie, I'm curious.... How do you hope to stay even remotely informed if you do not believe news sources?

Michael Kenrick
47 Posted 13/09/2012 at 15:39:02
Michael Brien, I've see from your post here (#112) that you haven't challenged the answers I provided to your questions.

I can understand why you go off on the loyalty issue. But you also are making a conscious "don't know" decision when faced with fairly compelling evidence on what MF said to create the rumpus in the first place. It's odd because the tirade that follows at least accepts the possibility of MF's departure, in January or at the end of the season, or whenever — the only certainty being that one day he will leave.

Ernie Baywood
48 Posted 13/09/2012 at 15:57:44
Michael, I am as informed as you are.

You believe it, I remain open minded, but we have both read the same things.

Michael Kenrick
49 Posted 13/09/2012 at 16:01:36
I disagree, Ernie. What you are describing is being anything but open-minded in this case.

We may have read the same thing but you are not believing it for some reason. Maintaining an open mind is not a valid reason in this case, because there is no alternative report of events out there, other than the invented possibility on this forum that he did not say what he said; that he did not say what has been reported by reputable sources, and what has not even been denied by the man himself!

You reject the evidence presented in favour of a doubt that somehow absolves MF from responsibility for his own words... Why do that?

Ernie Baywood
50 Posted 13/09/2012 at 16:35:58
Now it's your turn to attribute words to me.

I don't reject the evidence, I dispute its reliability.

Is it beyond the realms of possibility that a combination of a leading question, a quote taken out of contect and a clumsy translation have completely altered what he actually said or meant?

Ultimately, does it even matter?

Si Cooper
51 Posted 13/09/2012 at 16:14:26
MK - 'relatively clear evidence about something unsavoury has been rejected by the devout in favour of some fabricated excuse or apologist mantra you would much rather believe. That's the basis of most religions, after all'

Not quite. That is actually a regrettable element of human nature that is exploited when authority (religious or otherwise) is misused. The basis of most religions is the belief in a supernatural creator / protector / benefactor, and the idea that following a particular code (generally considered virtuous) will bring a reward beyond one's current existence.

The metaphor that football is a religion works on many levels, but not every one. :)

Michael Brien (#112) - ' Yes the players earn very great amounts of money – but so do other sportsmen and women. Andy Murray won £1M I think it was for winning the US Title. In his career winnings Tyger Woods has earned over £150M I think it is – and he is in a sport where having a 20 year career at the top is not unknown.' Really bad examples for the point you are trying to make. Both solo sportsmen (essentially self-employed) in very high profile and truly global (especially in terms of including the States) sports. Aside from the fact that the vast bulk of their earnings will probably come from personal sponsorship (limelight shared by fewer individuals) their other earnings (appearance and prize) are wholly dependent on their own fitness and form.

Michael Kenrick
52 Posted 13/09/2012 at 16:56:36
Is it beyond the realms of possibility that a combination of a leading question, a quote taken out of context and a clumsy translation have completely altered what he actually said or meant?

Perhaps... but there wasn't anything complex in what he said, although the translation is at best clumsy. And his 'surprise' response doesn't actually change the meaning of what was originally reported at all, effectively reinforcing the underlying meaning of what he was reported to have said.

But you're right: in the end it doesn't matter. As shown by Michael Brien's response, even if you think he might not have said or meant it, he responded as if the reports were reliable.

Brian Waring
53 Posted 13/09/2012 at 19:31:49
Here's a thought, Fellaini must have seen what had been written, so why didn't he just come out and deny it if it wasn't accurate?

Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.

» Log in now

Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site.


About these ads