Comments for UK Football http://ukfootball.today.com One Man's Musings On The Premiership And Beyond Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:42:03 +0000 http://www.today.com/version-2.3.1 Comment on The Sad Tale Of Ben Collett by Dave http://ukfootball.today.com/2008/07/04/the-sad-tale-of-ben-collett/#comment-1262 Dave Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:44:48 +0000 http://ukfootball.today.com/2008/07/04/the-sad-tale-of-ben-collett/#comment-1262 Is it relevant to point out that this lad was only playing his first ever game in the reserves at the time? So not an established reserve team player at 18 years old. Also , he was still at united while he recovered, then he did carry on playing , at some team in New Zealand for a year, then in Holland I think for a year after that. THEN he retired. Now I understand it was awful for him to end his career, and that at the time he was voted youth player of the year. Same as Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Wes Brown, and Phil Neville. Oh, and also between thosethe time roughly when that famous four won it and Ben Collett did, so were Lee Martin, Bojan Djordjic,Alan Tate and Paul Tierney, among others. It doesn't guarantee success.. I don't want to say he doesn't deserve to get something, but it is the large amount and the way Alex Ferguson's verdict on who will be a top class player is accepted as fact in court that just don't seem right to me. And why choose to sue the club (Middlesbrough) and not the player if it was that bad a tackle? Or is that because he isn't able to pay that much and they can? (Not advocating suing at all here.. I have played football, and if i thought I had to worry about being sued if someone got hurt every time I made a tackle, well, it is unthinkable..) Is it relevant to point out that this lad was only playing his first ever game in the reserves at the time? So not an established reserve team player at 18 years old.
Also , he was still at united while he recovered, then he did carry on playing , at some team in New Zealand for a year, then in Holland I think for a year after that. THEN he retired.

Now I understand it was awful for him to end his career, and that at the time he was voted youth player of the year. Same as Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Wes Brown, and Phil Neville. Oh, and also between thosethe time roughly when that famous four won it and Ben Collett did, so were Lee Martin, Bojan Djordjic,Alan Tate and Paul Tierney, among others.
It doesn’t guarantee success..
I don’t want to say he doesn’t deserve to get something, but it is the large amount and the way Alex Ferguson’s verdict on who will be a top class player is accepted as fact in court that just don’t seem right to me.

And why choose to sue the club (Middlesbrough) and not the player if it was that bad a tackle? Or is that because he isn’t able to pay that much and they can?
(Not advocating suing at all here.. I have played football, and if i thought I had to worry about being sued if someone got hurt every time I made a tackle, well, it is unthinkable..)

]]> Comment on The Sad Tale Of Ben Collett by Cswin http://ukfootball.today.com/2008/07/04/the-sad-tale-of-ben-collett/#comment-1102 Cswin Wed, 06 May 2009 15:55:55 +0000 http://ukfootball.today.com/2008/07/04/the-sad-tale-of-ben-collett/#comment-1102 What a load of rubbish. Of course the lad deserved it. He was the best player of his age at United at the time, and even if he'd dropped down a division to play in the Championship, he'd have had a professional football career lasting him until he was in his thirties. The idea that he can be chopped down in a game by what must have been an outrageous tackle, and left with nothing, beggars belief. Two notes: One: Middlesborough and their insurers admitted liability. Now, in football it's notoriously difficult to prove a player deliberately harmed another player. For example, Paul Elliott sued Dean Saunders but couldn't prove that Saunders meant it - even thought most football fans could tell just by looking at the replay. So for Boro and their insurers to admit liability, it must have been BAD. Like cast-iron proof, it was a terrible tackle and intentional too. Two: He was claiming £16 million. But he was awarded £4.5. When you apply for compensation, you start high, then work down. That's just the way it works. Unfortunately his career was stolen from him, and while this is common, players at all levels are insured and deserve to be protected in case their whole career ends. They might be able to start a new career, but it's unlikely to be anywhere near as lucrative as football. I found out today that the insurers are appealing - I hope they don't succeed. No-one knows just how good this lad could have been. Btw - I'm not a United fan. What a load of rubbish. Of course the lad deserved it. He was the best player of his age at United at the time, and even if he’d dropped down a division to play in the Championship, he’d have had a professional football career lasting him until he was in his thirties.

The idea that he can be chopped down in a game by what must have been an outrageous tackle, and left with nothing, beggars belief.

Two notes:

One: Middlesborough and their insurers admitted liability.

Now, in football it’s notoriously difficult to prove a player deliberately harmed another player. For example, Paul Elliott sued Dean Saunders but couldn’t prove that Saunders meant it - even thought most football fans could tell just by looking at the replay.

So for Boro and their insurers to admit liability, it must have been BAD. Like cast-iron proof, it was a terrible tackle and intentional too.

Two: He was claiming £16 million.

But he was awarded £4.5. When you apply for compensation, you start high, then work down. That’s just the way it works.

Unfortunately his career was stolen from him, and while this is common, players at all levels are insured and deserve to be protected in case their whole career ends.

They might be able to start a new career, but it’s unlikely to be anywhere near as lucrative as football.

I found out today that the insurers are appealing - I hope they don’t succeed.

No-one knows just how good this lad could have been.

Btw - I’m not a United fan.

]]> Comment on The Sad Tale Of Ben Collett by ILAV MANUNITED http://ukfootball.today.com/2008/07/04/the-sad-tale-of-ben-collett/#comment-887 ILAV MANUNITED Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:59:30 +0000 http://ukfootball.today.com/2008/07/04/the-sad-tale-of-ben-collett/#comment-887 oh fack orf you cant. my old man says follow the van and dont dilly dally on the way. oh fack orf you cant. my old man says follow the van and dont dilly dally on the way.

]]> Comment on Aston Villa Stumble Against Stoke by Jason http://ukfootball.today.com/2009/03/02/aston-villa-stumble-against-stoke/#comment-859 Jason Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:19:22 +0000 http://ukfootball.today.com/2009/03/02/aston-villa-stumble-against-stoke/#comment-859 Is it me, or does that guy look like Claire's dad on Heroes? Thanks for the comment on Obama Comics. I wish I knew more about soccer to leave a more relevant comment here. http://obamacomics.today.com Is it me, or does that guy look like Claire’s dad on Heroes? Thanks for the comment on Obama Comics. I wish I knew more about soccer to leave a more relevant comment here.

http://obamacomics.today.com

]]> Comment on Chelsea Look To Guus Hiddink To Replace Scolari by coopcrow http://ukfootball.today.com/2009/02/10/chelsea-look-to-guus-hiddink-to-replace-scolari/#comment-828 coopcrow Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:04:59 +0000 http://ukfootball.today.com/2009/02/10/chelsea-look-to-guus-hiddink-to-replace-scolari/#comment-828 I completely agree - I was a little angry about the Adams sacking because I like him as a man and they were playing well. As a Villa fan, I wish Chelsea would have left Scolari in charge for at least another 2 weeks! On another note, I've nominated your for the Blog Love award! http://englishopinion.today.com/2009/02/10/im-passing-on-a-little-blog-love/ I completely agree - I was a little angry about the Adams sacking because I like him as a man and they were playing well. As a Villa fan, I wish Chelsea would have left Scolari in charge for at least another 2 weeks!

On another note, I’ve nominated your for the Blog Love award!

http://englishopinion.today.com/2009/02/10/im-passing-on-a-little-blog-love/

]]> Comment on Newcastle Are Absolutely Done by katieanne http://ukfootball.today.com/2008/09/20/newcastle-are-absolutely-done/#comment-81 katieanne Sun, 21 Sep 2008 12:44:37 +0000 http://ukfootball.today.com/2008/09/20/newcastle-are-absolutely-done/#comment-81 Mike Ashley is totally 100% to blame for what happens to the team. If he had no idea how his action with Keegan would affect the fans, and the team, he has no business owning a football team in the 4th division, never mind a Premiership team. The north east is an area where money has historically been hard to come by and yet fans still put out the ridiculous amounts of money required for season tickets because that's what their father's did, and their father's father and so on. Someone needs to get a grip on what's happen in the management room at St Jame's Park because it's not just about football, it's about local civic pride and Ashley's incompetence is bringing down something that was virtually indestructible, the Toon Army. Mike Ashley is totally 100% to blame for what happens to the team. If he had no idea how his action with Keegan would affect the fans, and the team, he has no business owning a football team in the 4th division, never mind a Premiership team. The north east is an area where money has historically been hard to come by and yet fans still put out the ridiculous amounts of money required for season tickets because that’s what their father’s did, and their father’s father and so on. Someone needs to get a grip on what’s happen in the management room at St Jame’s Park because it’s not just about football, it’s about local civic pride and Ashley’s incompetence is bringing down something that was virtually indestructible, the Toon Army.

]]> Comment on Mike Ashley Puts Newcastle Up For Sale by Katie-Anne http://ukfootball.today.com/2008/09/14/mike-ashley-puts-newcastle-up-for-sale/#comment-64 Katie-Anne Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:24:28 +0000 http://ukfootball.today.com/2008/09/14/mike-ashley-puts-newcastle-up-for-sale/#comment-64 Oh my I saw this headline ticker-taping its way across the CNN channel last night and almost fell off the sofa with laughter! Like I commented on your other blog entry regarding his treatment of Kevin Keegan, this Mike Ashley guy completely misread his fans. He obviously had no idea of the might of the Toon Army and how they would react against anyone who dared to touch their footie idol Kev. Now IF he'd had one ounce of sense or enlightment about NUFC's fans, he would have left Kevin Keegan well alone until he had the only other person the fans would accept ready to take over - Alan Shearer. I appreciate Mike Ashley's economic reasons, but really he had no business taking over NUFC, or appointing Kevin Keegan, if he thought that the manager of a football club shouldn't be making decisions regarding players. Kevin Keegan is King of the North East, especially Newcastle, and I'm proud that the fans have got behind him. Haway the Lads! Oh my I saw this headline ticker-taping its way across the CNN channel last night and almost fell off the sofa with laughter! Like I commented on your other blog entry regarding his treatment of Kevin Keegan, this Mike Ashley guy completely misread his fans. He obviously had no idea of the might of the Toon Army and how they would react against anyone who dared to touch their footie idol Kev.

Now IF he’d had one ounce of sense or enlightment about NUFC’s fans, he would have left Kevin Keegan well alone until he had the only other person the fans would accept ready to take over - Alan Shearer.

I appreciate Mike Ashley’s economic reasons, but really he had no business taking over NUFC, or appointing Kevin Keegan, if he thought that the manager of a football club shouldn’t be making decisions regarding players.

Kevin Keegan is King of the North East, especially Newcastle, and I’m proud that the fans have got behind him. Haway the Lads!

]]> Comment on Kevin Keegan To Return To Newcastle? by katieanne http://ukfootball.today.com/2008/09/12/kevin-keegan-to-return-to-newcastle/#comment-63 katieanne Sat, 13 Sep 2008 14:38:47 +0000 http://ukfootball.today.com/2008/09/12/kevin-keegan-to-return-to-newcastle/#comment-63 I suspect it's got more to do with the Toon Army - Newcastle United fans aren't quiet and they love Wor Kev! Whereas many managers would feel the pressure of the fans if their team isn't performing as well as they might, NUFC fans are going to stand firm behind Kevin Keegan. He's a modern day superhero in Newcastle. I think Mike Ashley severely underestimated the might of the Toon Army and their love of Kevin Keegan in particular. I hate football, but hey, I'm a Geordie lass at heart and I know how Keegan brings a sense of optimism to the region. I hope he returns. I suspect it’s got more to do with the Toon Army - Newcastle United fans aren’t quiet and they love Wor Kev! Whereas many managers would feel the pressure of the fans if their team isn’t performing as well as they might, NUFC fans are going to stand firm behind Kevin Keegan. He’s a modern day superhero in Newcastle. I think Mike Ashley severely underestimated the might of the Toon Army and their love of Kevin Keegan in particular.

I hate football, but hey, I’m a Geordie lass at heart and I know how Keegan brings a sense of optimism to the region. I hope he returns.

]]> Comment on The Sad Tale Of Ben Collett by alex http://ukfootball.today.com/2008/07/04/the-sad-tale-of-ben-collett/#comment-14 alex Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:13:56 +0000 http://ukfootball.today.com/2008/07/04/the-sad-tale-of-ben-collett/#comment-14 i partially agree with you, but if you think about it £16 million isnt so much for a football club like middlesborough, secondly, players are becoming more and more expensive and who knows maybe this guy could have gone on to become the next pele (even if it is somewhat unlikely) in that case £16 million really doesnt seem that much. i partially agree with you, but if you think about it £16 million isnt so much for a football club like middlesborough,

secondly, players are becoming more and more expensive and who knows maybe this guy could have gone on to become the next pele (even if it is somewhat unlikely) in that case £16 million really doesnt seem that much.

]]> Comment on The Sad Tale Of Ben Collett by Jamesbondalpha http://ukfootball.today.com/2008/07/04/the-sad-tale-of-ben-collett/#comment-13 Jamesbondalpha Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:29:22 +0000 http://ukfootball.today.com/2008/07/04/the-sad-tale-of-ben-collett/#comment-13 I think u have a point 16m is just outrageous I think u have a point 16m is just outrageous

]]>