Alex Smithies Linkedin Post

[Foxy-Lady]

8 hours ago, Cincinnati Fox said:

He should have said 100 million, Rudkin probably would have negotiated him down to 99.9 million.

If he had said 100 million, Rudkin would have negotiated him down to 110 million...!

[AKCJ]

11 hours ago, The whole world smiles said:

Jesus Christ I am all for Rudkin bashing but do me a favour. Smithies was at the club for 2 years played not one single game and left with over 3 million quid. 

 

What's he want a cuddle? These modern footballers don't live in the real world. I don't know about you lot but I would rather be asked how much Rather than are you ok, Any day of the week except I don't work in an industry that pays me out if I get injured and can't work.

 

Football is a cut throat, mercenary business but you are handsomely rewarded even if your shit like Alex smithies was. 

I disagree.

 

I think when telling his boss that he's having to retire from the sport he presumably loves he is entitled to a bit more of a human response.

 

Some things are more important than money and I think we as a club have lost that. I think what made us successful is building more of a family environment.

[Les-TA-Jon]

12 hours ago, The whole world smiles said:

Jesus Christ I am all for Rudkin bashing but do me a favour. Smithies was at the club for 2 years played not one single game and left with over 3 million quid. 

 

What's he want a cuddle? These modern footballers don't live in the real world. I don't know about you lot but I would rather be asked how much Rather than are you ok, Any day of the week except I don't work in an industry that pays me out if I get injured and can't work.

 

Football is a cut throat, mercenary business but you are handsomely rewarded even if your shit like Alex smithies was. 

Was he really on £30,000 a week as 3rd choice keeper!? 

[Clever Fox]

13 hours ago, RichardGearman said:

Absolute grim reading and completely confirming how Teflon Jon behaves.

I can 100% relate to this article.

As a young player playing for a pro club. I done my Cartilage. The Surgeon said I'd be better retiring otherwise I could end up crippled. This was early 60s No operations to fix it in those days. I also chose to retire. I never heard from the Club again. 

 

This why young players need to be educated of potential downturns in there careers. And I think and hope things have improved for players today. 

[AKCJ]

28 minutes ago, Clever Fox said:

I can 100% relate to this article.

As a young player playing for a pro club. I done my Cartilage. The Surgeon said I'd be better retiring otherwise I could end up crippled. This was early 60s No operations to fix it in those days. I also chose to retire. I never heard from the Club again. 

 

This why young players need to be educated of potential downturns in there careers. And I think and hope things have improved for players today. 

I think clubs should be better regarding injury-forced retirements. Especially for people who never really made it.

[Clever Fox]

7 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

I think clubs should be better regarding injury-forced retirements. Especially for people who never really made it.

I totally agree, I don't even know if they have insurances for young players. 

God forbid but imagine the likes of Monga getting a serous injury and losing the big Salary he's on now at 16 years of age. 

[grobyfox1990]

This is elite professional sport (or supposed to be in our case) the whole business model is chew them up and spit them out. My pal who is a sports lawyer has a lot worse stories than this if happy clappers want to get offended about the brutal reality of sport.

It's not like the civilian world where we raise a collection and anonymously sign a card with 'soooooo gonna miss you!!' when random colleagues leave. My colleague is leaving to NYC next week and we all chucked in a tenner to buy him vouchers to a strip club there

[Gamble92]

3 minutes ago, grobyfox1990 said:

This is elite professional sport (or supposed to be in our case) the whole business model is chew them up and spit them out. My pal who is a sports lawyer has a lot worse stories than this if happy clappers want to get offended about the brutal reality of sport.

It's not like the civilian world where we raise a collection and anonymously sign a card with 'soooooo gonna miss you!!' when random colleagues leave. My colleague is leaving to NYC next week and we all chucked in a tenner to buy him vouchers to a strip club there

You're right but there's managers and staff we have had that I wouldn't expect this behaviour from and I think we'd all have expected it from John Rudkin. 

[Ashley]

Realistically what did he want? Rudkin and co aren't fit for purpose however Smithies recieved a good wage here. 

 

If he wanted an outcome why didnt he propose it? I.e. stay on and do coaching badges(if he doesnt have any already), be apart of a youth team set up etc?

 

 

[BKLFox]

[Adster]

Yeah. Im all for Rudkin incompetence but these footballers need to grow up and get a grip and propose solutions rather than being hand fed. 

Edited 16 April by Adster

[Tommy G]

6 hours ago, SK3Blue said:

Third choice keepers, happy to collect the cash and do very little for it. 
 

Could have easily dropped down a league or two and be first choice I guess. 
 

Find it hard to feel sorry for someone who still picks up a five figure sum weekly for zero appearances. 
 

 

Yeh but he was ''a great lad'' remember, fully deserved. 

[AyewJoking]

wha??

 

How long did Smithies have on his contract with us at that time?

 

He never played so Rudkin likely knew he was useless so just wanted him off the payroll and was about to offer him a severance?

 

Just cos Rudkin asks how much doesnt mean he wont counter with a lower figure??

[Corky]

7 hours ago, Fox92 said:

Didn't we give Matty James a 4 year deal despite the fact he had terrible injuries and hadn't played for us for years?

 

Money for anyone.

Not quite. He had played one match then had a successful loan spell at Barnsley. After signing his new deal he then played several games before another injury. It looks bad in hindsight but it could have worked out differently. He was 26 so could have become a squad member or moved on but he wasn't a past it player at the time.

[Mickyblueeyes]

How much did you get than Alex ?

[Rob1742]

I speak about these situations to my mate who is a baller in the EFL.

 

They do get treated pretty poorly, like if they want you out, they put you in the bomb squad to try and make you leave. 
 

They have various ways of trying to get you out the door if you aren’t wanted around.

 

Football is incredibly brutal.

 

However, I say to him that they are paid incredibly well, and you have to balance this brutal way of dealing with people versus someone working full time in a “ normal” job and only given a 20 minute lunch break. 
 

You go into it with your eyes open, you are given a contract for a period of time and when it’s up, you are history. You get put in the bomb squad but still get paid for going in from 10.00am until 1.00pm every day and so it’s not a bad way to make a living 

 

Edited 16 April by Rob1742

[jayfox26]

2 hours ago, Rob1742 said:

I speak about these situations to my mate who is a baller in the EFL.

 

They do get treated pretty poorly, like if they want you out, they put you in the bomb squad to try and make you leave. 
 

They have various ways of trying to get you out the door if you aren’t wanted around.

 

Football is incredibly brutal.

 

However, I say to him that they are paid incredibly well, and you have to balance this brutal way of dealing with people versus someone working full time in a “ normal” job and only given a 20 minute lunch break. 
 

You go into it with your eyes open, you are given a contract for a period of time and when it’s up, you are history. You get put in the bomb squad but still get paid for going in from 10.00am until 1.00pm every day and so it’s not a bad way to make a living 

 

Shame weve never had a bomb squad. Our unwanted players continue to stink the place out and run their contracts down while earning obscene amounts of money! 

[RedSoxUK]

Why would Jon ask: "how much?" The guy was leaving in 6 months, 3rd choice and doing **** all. You already committed to pay him anyway. How much, for what?? To leave? Why would Smithies take lower pay to retire when he can sit around doing **** all, which he was basically doing anyway, for a few months till his contract is up?

 

3rd choice goalkeeper is the easiest job in the world hands down.

[Paninistickers]

What an odd set of reactive posts. 

 

The OP wasn't trying surely to make it a sympathy thread for Smithies. 

 

It's about the robotic DoF who has no other human skills than to utter 'forever in our hearts' & 'yes sir, no sir three bags full sir'  ad infinitum 

[Bourbon Fox]

20 hours ago, The whole world smiles said:

Jesus Christ I am all for Rudkin bashing but do me a favour. Smithies was at the club for 2 years played not one single game and left with over 3 million quid. 

 

What's he want a cuddle? These modern footballers don't live in the real world. I don't know about you lot but I would rather be asked how much Rather than are you ok, Any day of the week except I don't work in an industry that pays me out if I get injured and can't work.

 

Football is a cut throat, mercenary business but you are handsomely rewarded even if your shit like Alex smithies was. 

Try not to show you are as big of a bellend as Jon Rudkin challenge (impossible)

[Richard]

Rightly or wrongly, Vichai wouldn't have stood for this

[Trav Le Bleu]

19 hours ago, accessory said:

Where did you get this figure from?

 

And if it turns out to be true, wonder who'd have drawn up the contract?

 

No wonder Rudkin is a toxic, discredited figure whom no manager or player of any quality will touch with a barge pole.

I heard it was a £50, a KitKat and some old shiny 1998 world cup stickers he found down the back of his sofa.

[Claudio Fannieri]

The whole point of this isn’t about getting a pay off or a testimonial or Smithies getting decent wedge for being 3rd choice, it’s about the complete lack of sympathy or any emotion towards one of your players coming to you to say they are having to retire. 
 

if nothing else it shows that Rudkin demonstrates zero duty of care or quite frankly gives one shit about the players welfare. It has been highlighted because for years we were branded a special club and a family and now it couldn’t be further from the truth. This is just another very good example of the drop in culture and standards that has contributed to such a massive decline in our fortunes. 

Edited 17 April by Claudio Fannieri

[Sly]

18 hours ago, Clever Fox said:

I can 100% relate to this article.

As a young player playing for a pro club. I done my Cartilage. The Surgeon said I'd be better retiring otherwise I could end up crippled. This was early 60s No operations to fix it in those days. I also chose to retire. I never heard from the Club again. 

 

This why young players need to be educated of potential downturns in there careers. And I think and hope things have improved for players today. 

I had something similar.

 

I was at least given the chance to speak to a future careers advisor by Notts County. Only 1% of people make it though the system, maybe less than that. 
 

Football is a brutal career, but you are paid handsomely for it.

[Nalis]