As the article says.....is it true a deal for Antonio has finally been done? Been all over twitter. If so, we´re in for one helluva season. UTO!
posted on 7/8/12
Finally...
As for whether he will be good enough at this level, no qualms there. He has pace, can finish and has a decent footballing brain..he'll be fine at this level. Whether he would be good enough to play in the Prem, only time will tell but he is still young and if he keeps his head down and focusses, he will only get better.
Jones building an intersting squad ..more imaginative and with more potential than the one he had at Cardiff. I think he believes he can genuinly achieve something here and why shouldn't he? The structure, support etc is in place. This club has much more muscle and potential than he has been used to of late - Its just taken so damn long to get everyting sorted out here and all the dirt out of the engine.
A couple of stikers and a midfield would cap it off and put us in a good position for the season. Shame to see Lines go off - I think he could do well this term.
Cautiously optimistic ...
posted on 7/8/12
Mido was desperate to get his family out of Egypt and a looming civil war. He, like many in football, was impressed with the way Hill resurrected Vaz Te's career. He certainly isn't breaking the club's strict pay structure, he'll be on far less than Antonio's wage and it's a one year deal.
Time of course will tell if he can rediscover any of his former potential...but it certainly won't be a "costly mistake in every sense"...
As for four year deals...wasn't it those sort of contracts that almost sent you to the wall?
Franny Jeffers anyone....
posted on 7/8/12
I don't think "costly mistake" was limited to the financial sense. Just had a neb at his wiki. What a train wreck of a career. This potential you speak of (in a 29 yr old) has brought him one good season in the last nine years and numerous bust ups and hissy fits.
He did a great job for me on footy manager a while back, I think Hill must have the same version.
posted on 8/8/12
No transfer/signing on fees. No daft wage. No silly contract....No problem...
posted on 8/8/12
Also just heard that he is out for three months...already & he was only warming up at that. Also Sparty in all fairness can you really see him being on LESS than Antonio??? Ive seen it happen before, a "name" player who has played for a couple of big teams, get too big for their boots, then later in their career they move to the first mugs who actually think they have a "marquee" signing then only for them to skint the club dry and yeah, we made the same howler with J****rs and im telling you, he's takin you for a ride, just a good job that he's only on a one year deal! On the other hand you may know more about the Mido thing than me but its not the first time ove seen a "has been" or "coulda been" ruin a smaller club!
posted on 8/8/12
ive seen rather
posted on 8/8/12
There's no way he's broken our wage structure, probably the strictest in football...
I actually agree with you that he won't do a great deal...but it's not really a gamble...
Antonio will be on at least double of Mido's wage....He's not going to tie himself down for four years for peanuts!!!
Let's hope it's not another Jeffers situation...
posted on 8/8/12
The implication with 'costly mistake' is that if he throws his toys out of the pram and undermines Hill, it will have a massive impact on your season - regardless of how much or how little he pockets.
posted on 8/8/12
Exactly Prof, as you know too sparty he has a reputation of spitting his dummy out and unsettling the rest of the squad, but like I said its only a year and could be less if he dosnt fully recover from his injury, so in that respect it is a gamble in a way, maybe not financially but in terms of team spirit and performance
posted on 8/8/12
I think Antonio's contract will be littered with incremental points and performance related clauses. Its a four year deal. He won't be on silly money, Reading weren't offering him that much and lets face it neither was anyone else.
We've retained a good player with potential to step up a gear who's also on a salary well within the clubs ability to pay.