Ricardo Pereira

[Hamilton Fox]

12 hours ago, inckley fox said:

Danny Simpson, maybe? I don't know.

 

But but but... I should apologise for the tirade. I spent an evening with a very smug Derby fan and seem to have taken it out on Ricardo. Quite a rabid rant, wasn't it? We all have the capacity to surprise ourselves.

 

At his peak he was one of the finest - more cultured than Simpson, obviously - so I'm not sure what came over me. If I'd been drunk it would have made more sense. I wish him the very best. Even if he was an exceptionally crap captain, and even if that interview he gave the other day wound me up to the point of distraction.

 

Edit: regarding best RB, the poster who mentioned Pontus has an excellent point. Like you, I'm 46, so we both remember his heyday.

 

You might even remember Marc North...

I remember Marc North more as a goal keeper…

[cropstonfox]

7 hours ago, LCFCJohn said:

Well, I’m just obviously not feeling as sentimental as others because I am just seeing a highly paid player who has been awful on the pitch and looking forward to him leaving. 

 

I don’t buy this legend stuff either. I’m not sure anyone since the title winning side can be classed as a legend. Tielemans for scoring the winning FA cup goal? Maybe, but contributed to us getting relegated soon after. 
 

Even in 23/24, my overriding memories are frustration as the likes of Bristol City, Millwall and Plymouth getting behind us and beating us with ease through the space in our defensive right channel where Ricardo wasn’t. Granted that was the tactics from Maresca but as something who thinks a successful side starts with being defensively sound, seeing us give away such cheap goals was very frustrating.

 

My view is that recruitment has declined going back to 2016 after the title win and has been downhill since. Players like Ricardo and Maddison were good signings as they were (both derailed by injuries) technically very good PL players (not world class). But they have also been a symptom of our demise in that even during our good years under Rodgers, it was technical ability at the expense of mental fragility, hence blowing top 4 twice, weak performances in Europe and the subsequent relegations. Although Ricardo wasn’t available during much of that earlier on due to injuries, the ‘leadership’ he has shown the last 2 seasons shows he also fit this description.

 

He seems like a nice guy and I hope he gets a couple of years or so maybe back in Portugal to enjoy his football as he’s had really awful look with injuries. But I just think it’s being over done and symptomatic of this club under KP (including Vichai) to give hand out to players who aren’t contributing.

Even at his uninjured peak he was an average but fairly weak defender.Fairly decent going forwards. But never a legend and extremely fortunate to get a contract renewal after his injuries.Should have been released.

[dmayne7]

14 minutes ago, cropstonfox said:

Even at his uninjured peak he was an average but fairly weak defender.Fairly decent going forwards. But never a legend and extremely fortunate to get a contract renewal after his injuries.Should have been released.

He wasn't an average defender. He was consistently in the top 5 when it came to tackles and interceptions in the PL (along with Ndidi). Even if that was because of bad positioning, which it wasn't, it still shows he was very good at defending.

 

But as highly as I rate him, he's not a Legend 

[coolhandfox]

The best ability is availability, not good being great if you spend the majority of you career on the treatment table.

 

Very good for us, same to end this way.

[Taz_The_Fox]

Ricky certainly improved defensively as he went with us.  I remember Jonny Evans and Ricardo's debuts and Evans was getting a hammering, very unfairly I should add as he was having to do his and Ricky's defending for him. I'd argue he was the best all round full back we've had but Simpson was the vastly superior defender. Just got a nose bleed going over the half way line. 

[Benji]

Some weird posts in here blinkered by recent seasons. Unfortunately not captain material and blighted by injuries, but world class on his day and one of the few players we’ve had who had the intelligence and skill to adopt the inverted fullback under Maresca.  Seems a really nice guy too and clearly choked up just there.  Wish him nothing but the best.

Edited 2 May by Benji

[UniFox21]

Ah he was in tears at the end there 

[cityfanlee23]

Farewell Ricky. A model pro who's legs just couldn't keep up. He cares about this club, if he decides to retire and wants to do coaching badges it would be nice if the club assist him and allow him to get some experience here, he clearly loves this club and we lack that right now. 

Edited 2 May by cityfanlee23

[5waller5]

All the best Ricky, nice to see what it meant to you today

[sdb]

Surely the best right back we've ever had. 

[Suzie the Fox]

Seeing him on the pitch at the end of the game brought tears to my eyes. Great player in his day and albeit its the right time for him to move on, i will miss him. Seems a solid guy.

 

Farewell Ricky P, and good luck for the future. 

[Katy]

I’m a sucker for a bloke crying, I felt so bad for him at the end. He deserved better than this. 

[Hales]

1 minute ago, Suzie the Fox said:

Seeing him on the pitch at the end of the game brought tears to my eyes. Great player in his day and albeit its the right time for him to move on, i will miss him. Seems a solid guy.

 

Farewell Ricky P, and good luck for the future. 

I was ok until he started crying 

 

Thank you Riccy P 

[Foxdiamond]

7 hours ago, CL Fox said:

7 caps for Portugal.

 

Players picked ahead of him: Cedric Soares, Danilo, Diego dalot, Nelson Semedo, Cancelo.

 

Apart from Cancelo, thats a lot of forgettable right backs.

 

 

Steve Whitworth. 7 caps for England 

[Rubbersoul]

He’s not a bad egg his legs have just simply gone. Aluko should’ve been rotated with him a lot more. 
 

Fairwell 

[Claudio Fannieri]

Didn’t deserve to bow out with this shit show. You could see how much this season was hurting him unfortunately the crap

culture and lack of standards meant he was pissing in the wind. 
 

Good luck for the future Riccy 

[Jaspa]

Great bloke. Would've gone on to do great things without his knee injury. A legitimate world-class player at his peak, so consistent, so much energy. Club loses another greatly admired player.

[whoareyaaa]

Him and James where the only two players that looked bothered, clear he has lost a yard or two but he has been great for us though always put a shift in.

 

Now go enjoy yourself in sunny Portugal!

[inckley fox]

2 hours ago, Hamilton Fox said:

I remember Marc North more as a goal keeper…

Sheffield United, 2-5. Gary Fitzpatrick was our best player and we never saw him again. The Double Decker was full of Sheffield United fans, who were actually really decent chaps by and large. Harry Bassett was their boss, and I think there's an old doc on Youtube somewhere which shows him in the dressing room, being very very Dave Bassett. I got to know the ref years later too. Also a very nice chap. I can't remember who scored our goals. 

 

I think Marc North died only a few years later, sadly. His last game for us was the Oxford win (so, quite a heroic high to go out on) but, in an indication that lots of individuals get to play at this level without being anywhere near league standard, he spent his final years in local football. Patson Daka take note. As for our RB that day, it must have been Ali Mauchlen, surely? Quite the contrast with Ricardo.

[JimJams]

What a shit way for it to end.  A trend of late.

[Walshy5]

1 hour ago, sdb said:

Surely the best right back we've ever had. 

You can't be serious?

[David Hankey]

1 hour ago, sdb said:

Surely the best right back we've ever had. 

What, in our illustrious 142 year history, I don't think so.

[FLAN]

Where was this legend as a captain all season.  He along with the rest allowed standards to be so low we couldn’t beat Sheffield Wednesday and many others. 
 

massively tainted his reputation by doing next to nothing to lead the squad 

[inckley fox]

3 hours ago, dmayne7 said:

He wasn't an average defender. He was consistently in the top 5 when it came to tackles and interceptions in the PL (along with Ndidi). Even if that was because of bad positioning, which it wasn't, it still shows he was very good at defending.

 

But as highly as I rate him, he's not a Legend 

Was he really that good in those stats? I'll bow to your superior knowledge, but it surprises me.

 

He was good of course. For a bit. And then, largely due to injuries, mostly crap.

[inckley fox]

2 hours ago, sdb said:

Surely the best right back we've ever had. 

I went over the top in my criticism of him yesterday... But no. We've had some great and very successful RBs down the years. Most of his time with us hasn't been especially illustrious, and he hasn't been especially good either. That's not to detract from his first two seasons though.