Matty James

[orangecity23]

7 hours ago, Jobyfox said:

Drinkwater played for England on the back of a brilliant season when he was one of the reasons we won the Premier League. His passing was crucial, particularly to Vardy and his general play was to a very high level. It’s easy to look now in retrospect and say that he’s never reached that level before and since - and that he also benefited from having Kante beside him.

 

James has never provided any evidence that he is England quality. He’s always been a steady, sitting midfielder, who’s looked ok with a more gifted man (Cambiasso) beside him. He doesn’t have the range of passing or ability to drive forward with the ball to be a great attacking midfielder. He doesn’t have the disruptive ability of a Kante or N’didi to shine as a defensive midfielder. 

 

He’s a steady, effective, mid-lower Premier League defender whose career has been cruelly disrupted by injuries. I’m seriously doubtful, however, that he’d ever have been the quality we require if we have aspirations to hit top 8, top 6 etc. We  would have to do much better - and in Tielemans and N’didi we already have.

 

 

"England quality" is actually a very very low bar though, if we consider the multiple (fairly) recent caps of Jake Livermore. Could Matty James have been one of the best midfielders in the league? Probably not. Could he have (and was he) better than Jake Livermore? Yes. Even now, England's central midfield options are still a bit pants, when you see the likes of Eric Dier starting so often.

[baldeagle]

1 hour ago, Babylon said:

He’s far from fat, having met the bloke at the races he’s just got a large frame. 

That’s like a fat bird saying she’s big boned ?

[baldeagle]

1 hour ago, Long Eaton Fox said:

About £100,000 per game.

Sounds even worse 

[Col city fan]

The decision to resign James on a long term contract was, financially, utterly ridiculous.

In business terms it would make as much sense as sponsoring the Sinclair C5

?

And don’t let the likes of @Babylon persuade you it was the right thing to do

It wasn’t. It was silly

Edited 17 July 2019 by Col city fan

[StevieB]

3 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

The decision to resign James on a long term contract was, financially, utterly ridiculous.

In business terms it would make as much sense as sponsoring the Sinclair C5

?

And don’t let the likes of @Babylon persuade you it was the right thing to do

It wasn’t. It was silly

It was very very silly,and whoever made the decision definitely needs the naughty step 

[LinekersLugs]

12 hours ago, Monsell1976 said:

It cost whatever his wages are over what 6 or so years, and his been available for what 18 months, and he still has years on his contract.

 

I’m not bitter, but it’s frustrating that he was given a new contract after not proving his fitness after not being available for two years, and he’s been constantly injured, the club went above and beyond not cancelling his original contract.

 

When some fans don’t earn in a year what he gets paid a week, but still pay their money for tickets etc, I can see the frustration of a player made a millionaire for sitting on a treatment table.

 

 Nothing against James, it’s poor decision above him to give him it, and if I was in his shoes, I couldn’t have signed quick enough, but maximum it should have been pay as you play, or retire and claim on his insurance which I’m sure he has.

Come on man , we are a family club and we look after our own , was a great thing for club to do 

[Tuna]

I actually thought it was a good idea at the time to sign James on a long term deal as an experienced backup player who didn't expect to play every week.

 

Unfortunately as it turned out, he couldn't play every week. 

[Al-aLondon-Foxile]

2 minutes ago, Tuna said:

I actually thought it was a good idea at the time to sign James on a long term deal as an experienced backup player who didn't expect to play every week.

 

Unfortunately as it turned out, he couldn't play every any week. 

Corrected it for you 

[Babylon]

1 hour ago, Col city fan said:

The decision to resign James on a long term contract was, financially, utterly ridiculous.

In business terms it would make as much sense as sponsoring the Sinclair C5

?

And don’t let the likes of @Babylon persuade you it was the right thing to do

It wasn’t. It was silly

And don’t let the likes of Col bullshit you into thinking babylon thought the length of contract was the right thing to do.

Edited 17 July 2019 by Babylon

[dmayne7]

4 hours ago, Babylon said:

He’s far from fat, having met the bloke at the races he’s just got a large frame. 

At the races?! No wonder he's always injured. Get back in the gym Fatty James...

 

Kidding. You can hardly be fat and be a PL centre mid. Defo bigger than when he was a regular though.

[Babylon]

37 minutes ago, Tuna said:

I actually thought it was a good idea at the time to sign James on a long term deal as an experienced backup player who didn't expect to play every week.

 

Unfortunately as it turned out, he couldn't play every week. 

Signing him was no issue, he’d played for half a season on loan and got rave reviews. Securing an asset was the right thing to do, the length... not so much.

 

But this wasn’t just about the player either. This was about Shakey taking a leaf out of Pearson’s book and being seen as someone who will look after the players, trying to foster the same spirit Pearson got here by looking after his men.

[Stadt]

I don’t think saying James was better than  Drinkwater in a season where we were in the bottom 3 75% of the time is justification that he could have played for England. Too immobile and his passing was far too safe.

 

 

[Monsell1976]

5 hours ago, LinekersLugs said:

Come on man , we are a family club and we look after our own , was a great thing for club to do 

 Like I said, it was to support him and pay him for the full length of his contract, some clubs would have looked at the injury, injuries, and look at a settlement to get rid.

 

 To offer him a new long contract extension, after serious injury and no proof of fitness, as proven since his so called return for injury, which he’s never really been fit since, was ill thought out

[vanity]

6 hours ago, Col city fan said:

The decision to resign James on a long term contract was, financially, utterly ridiculous.

In business terms it would make as much sense as sponsoring the Sinclair C5

?

And don’t let the likes of @Babylon persuade you it was the right thing to do

It wasn’t. It was silly

IDK. It happened when we thought Mendy was gone and Hamza hadn't yet emerged. James was a borderline starter, so we thought he was a solid back-up. If Hamza doesn't emerge and Mendy goes, he'd be very useful. We just happen to have 3 DMs who are Prem starter quality ahead of him.

[Koke]

If Drinkwater got England caps then James most certainly would have. James is a better footballer overall than Drinkwater. Shame about his injuries but him and a few others are taking up wage spaces. James and King combined wages is about £75k a week. That's 1 really good first teamer worth of wages.

 

 

Edited 18 July 2019 by Koke

[The whole world smiles]

21 hours ago, Arriba Los Zorros said:

Surprised at the bitterness towards Matty from many on here. I'm sure his career hasn't panned out like he wanted to with all the injuries. He had the potential to play for England, he was that good. I'm pleased LCFC have sorted him out financially, it can't have cost the club that much in the grand scheme of things.

Absolutely spot on sir. People forget his role in the championship winning season and the great escape. He got paid a couple of million so what stop crying.

[norwichfox]

Thankfully, the club has realised its grave error in giving such a long contract and have decided to recover the cost of keeping Matty aboard via stealth admin costs....

[les-tah]

The club maybe opted for a long term contract instead of massive insurance lump sum payout for James injury..

[Babylon]

5 hours ago, Monsell1976 said:

 Like I said, it was to support him and pay him for the full length of his contract, some clubs would have looked at the injury, injuries, and look at a settlement to get rid.

 

 To offer him a new long contract extension, after serious injury and no proof of fitness, as proven since his so called return for injury, which he’s never really been fit since, was ill thought out

If going on loan for half a season and completing all their medical checks is "no proof of fitness", I'd like to know what is exactly. 

[Grebfromgrebland]

4 was ridiculous really though. He's was never going to be a first team player again. 

 

More like Shakespeare looking after his mate. 

 

A 1 or 2 year extension would have been sensible.

[Monsell1976]

1 minute ago, Babylon said:

If going on loan for half a season and completing all their medical checks is "no proof of fitness", I'd like to know what is exactly. 

Is half a season in two and half years enough, seeings though half of that season after returning from two years out, was spent on the treatment table for a problematic Achilles problem, if I remember right.

 

 Like I say no issue with James, I hope the lad gets his fitness back and his career, or decide’s to run his contract down with little activity, because his body is ****ed imo, and wouldn’t want anybody to end up with lifetime of disabilities and pain, trust me I know what that’s like, the only issue I have is with giving a longer contract.

 

 In this day and age footballers are very lucky that they live a very highly paid game, and even if James retired now, if he’s managed his money right, will never have to be in a financial position to have to work again, and live a life of luxury, not like the players that played for us when I was younger, who after serious injuries or not, would work normal jobs like driving instructors etc.

 

 

 

 

[Babylon]

1 minute ago, Monsell1976 said:

Is half a season in two and half years enough

Yes. There was nothing wrong with giving him a contract, if 6 months and passing all the physical and medical tests isn't enough, then nothing ever will be. The issue is and was the length of contract, which was just silly. But then, as I've said numerous times before, I think it's quite likely more a statement from Shakey at the time to his squad, about a popular member.... "I'll look after you". 

[Gwyn]

9 minutes ago, Monsell1976 said:

Is half a season in two and half years enough, seeings though half of that season after returning from two years out, was spent on the treatment table for a problematic Achilles problem, if I remember right.

 

 Like I say no issue with James, I hope the lad gets his fitness back and his career, or decide’s to run his contract down with little activity, because his body is ****ed imo, and wouldn’t want anybody to end up with lifetime of disabilities and pain, trust me I know what that’s like, the only issue I have is with giving a longer contract.

 

 In this day and age footballers are very lucky that they live a very highly paid game, and even if James retired now, if he’s managed his money right, will never have to be in a financial position to have to work again, and live a life of luxury, not like the players that played for us when I was younger, who after serious injuries or not, would work normal jobs like driving instructors etc.

 

 

 

 

Have to agree with this. I had a brief stint at British Gas and Ally Mauclen worked in warehouse and I really felt bad for him, but he reckoned he didn't care. 

I was drinking with him at BG Christmas do at the Grand on Granby St and jokingly said I could do more push ups than him in a minute, and I kid you not before the blink of an eye, he had hit the deck and knocked out  about 20 in 10 ?

To me he is a hero, and very intimidating bloke on and off field

[LinekersLugs]

6 hours ago, Monsell1976 said:

 Like I said, it was to support him and pay him for the full length of his contract, some clubs would have looked at the injury, injuries, and look at a settlement to get rid.

 

 To offer him a new long contract extension, after serious injury and no proof of fitness, as proven since his so called return for injury, which he’s never really been fit since, was ill thought out

I’m sure it was thought out fully and was done as a mark of respect and support , we are not an ordinary club these days we do special things 

[Col city fan]

47 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Yes. There was nothing wrong with giving him a contract, if 6 months and passing all the physical and medical tests isn't enough, then nothing ever will be. The issue is and was the length of contract, which was just silly. But then, as I've said numerous times before, I think it's quite likely more a statement from Shakey at the time to his squad, about a popular member.... "I'll look after you". 

‘Was just silly’

Stop using my phrases!