Billi Bollox wrote: ↑Fri Dec 02, 2022 9:23 pm
Personally I think we should sell him this January if a 100m+ or x + players deal comes in. I have thought for some time that the reason we as a team have gone downhill is due to moyes letting rice do what he wants.
That's an interesting point. I always thought it started to go wrong for Bilic when he started to pander to Payet's demands.
Not saying Rice is in the Payet disruptive league but he is not being our defensive midfielder where the team needs him the most to be. Moyes is seemingly not bringing him to task on this.
MrHammer73 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 03, 2022 12:20 am
That's an interesting point. I always thought it started to go wrong for Bilic when he started to pander to Payet's demands.
Not saying Rice is in the Payet disruptive league but he is not being our defensive midfielder where the team needs him the most to be. Moyes is seemingly not bringing him to task on this.
Maybe Moyes & the club have already accepted he's leaving & are pandering to his wishes to play more forward because if he starts banging in some goals we will get far more money...
DublinDave wrote: ↑Sat Dec 03, 2022 3:01 am
Maybe Moyes & the club have already accepted he's leaving & are pandering to his wishes to play more forward because if he starts banging in some goals we will get far more money...
That's a hell of a risk, Dave. I think they're more canny businessmen than that.
I get what you're saying. A box to box midfielder is 2nd only to a forward or tricky winger in terms of value but sacrificing our league status to cash in on Rice would be madness.
As much as it’s the worst kept secret in English football that he will leave us, and we all respect him as a player and product of the system. I kind of like to think that if you’re captain of a club you shouldn’t really be talking up the prospect of leaving to play elsewhere at a better football team. West Ham, his current and only employer to date in his entire life, have actually respected his wishes and also recognised that they deserve some payback to help replace him in some way. West Ham have also tried to offer him new and much greater contracts, yet whilst being knocked back on those offers it feels as though both parties are still on very good terms.
So with all that, and the knowledge that he is obviously going to leave, is it necessary, especially as the club captain, to respond to talk that denigrates your current situation by promoting future individual prospects ?
I certainly have no issue in him wishing to further his career elsewhre, I just want him to act impeccably whilst still employed as our club captain. If he keeps doing it, I will go off of him very quickly.
The hayfield wrote: ↑Fri Dec 02, 2022 4:42 pm
crouchie you're one of the better posters on here . Do you honestly believe GSB put the money up last summer. It was kretinsky all day long . He's ambitious. there not. their only ambition is to line their pockets at the expense of gullable WHUFC fans or even better still the taxpayer.
I doubt either GSB or Krètinsky put up much, if any, of their own money
But that wasn't my point. I just assumed that all fans who had decided to boycott going because of the owners had done it already. They have always been money grabbing c**** so nothing changed there
People need to give Rice a break IMHO.
He is currently at the World Cup. Probably the one with the most publicity and coverage ever.
He is one of the three most high profile England players doing a huge number of interviews and other publicity snippets as well as focusing 100% on a hugely intense football event which is the biggest occasion of his career to date. Like it or not, none of the players will be giving that much thought to their clubs right now.
Within that context it is hardly surprising that not every single answer to every single question he is asked is completely well thought out
I'm sure that when they asked Bellingham prior to the World Cup whether he will be in the Prem soon - he shut the question down and said it was disrespectful to Dortmund.
The question, which was editted out of the clip, was "do you want to play in the champions league?" Or something along those lines.
Dec answered that he wants to play at the highest level and win trophies before he retires. He didn't specify a timeframe or which club he would win them with. Essentially said nothing that hasn't been said before and something that all top players should want.
From some of the reactions on social media it's almost as if some people want any excuse to tear him apart. The reaction on here seems to have been more measured on the whole, although still one or two going too far imo.
Sticky wrote: ↑Sat Dec 03, 2022 9:29 am
Why didn't Dec just say the questions irrelevant, that he's on England duty and does the reporter have any questions regarding the World Cup?
Because the England players/media team are well aware of what happens when you pick fights with the press and the media duties are set by FIFA. Decs interview was part of a long press conference and it was just one question out of many. It's not fair to expect Dec to start playing an Eddie Jones role in interviews
Lets not act dumb here, he will need to leave to win championships and regularly play in the final stages of Champions league tournaments. So when a journalist a asks that kind of question they know exactly the connotation. Just because the direct question isn’t asked or the answer is dressed up in a certain way to appear like a diplomatic statement, we all know the context of the conversation.
He’ll leave when the chance comes up for the correct time and price for all parties, it won’t be a hard sell, he doesn’t particularly need to put himself the shop window, everyone with a slight interest in him will already know the situation. So from my point of view as a fan of West Ham I would like for our captain to concentrate on us whilst he’s here and then talk about the champions league when he gets to where he’s going. And when he gets there I very much doubt he’ll spend much time referencing his time languishing in the Europa cup and conference.
Sticky wrote: ↑Sat Dec 03, 2022 9:24 am
I'm sure that when they asked Bellingham prior to the World Cup whether he will be in the Prem soon - he shut the question down and said it was disrespectful to Dortmund.
I liked that a lot.
This is exactly it.
Rice could have just said I'm focusing on the world cup.
Or just said of course every player wants to play at the top.
He is too loose with what he says most of the time anyway for me.
I got over Michael Carrick, Jermain Defoe and Glen Johnson leaving.
I got over John Hartson and Eyal Berkovic leaving.
I'm quietly confident that I'm gonna be alright when Dec goes.
Devil's advocate - how does anyone know that we won't be a million times better without Declan Rice?
Football teams are all about being greater than the sum of its parts... and so we move on. The game evolves and tomorrow we will have a new idol to worship who steps up and takes his place.
Flynn Downes? Paqueta? Both?
The King is Dead - Long Live the King..
I really admire Dec and if he and his family are the type of people they seem to be, then it will be handled with tact and diplomacy. That's the main thing for me..
Rio Ferdinand can go and suck d*ck ~ I think that curly lipped dope is a fool for the way he has disrespects the club that absolutely made him ... I'm sure many would agree. I'm certain Dec will always speak fondly of us ~ and acknowledge the fans - because he is a sincere and grounded person.
You know the irony? Having spent so many years supporting West Ham and seeing soooooo much unadulterated talent leave... the 3 people I can't wait to see gone the most will be leaving soon.
When those clowns upstairs go - That will be a good day for West Ham United. We will finally be a professionally run football club.
For what it's worth - I think he would be an absolute fool to leave just now.... He's a baby and has 5/10 more years. If he is bright - his main consideration should be his mental health..
Am I happy? The answer is 'Yes' - f*** with that **** if you want but money ain't nothing but a 'thang' baby.