I've gotta say, I feel pretty outraged right now. Having just read on the Birmingham Mail site that we are set to allow Gardener go to Sunderland for £6million, I'm not sure what I find worse?
1. Sunderland have sold Jordan Henderson (a better player than Gardener IMO, but £14million better?????) for £20million, why on earth are we agreeing a fee of only £6million for a premier league double figures goalscorer in a pitifully low scoring team?
2. Does anyone else get the impression that Gardener is just a bit full of the old bulls excrement? Kissing the badge, telling everyone that he is a lifelong Blues fan and that it is a dream to play for his club. Surely it would be a dream to represent his club in Europe too, but rather than stick around when the going gets tough and try to get the club back in the prem, he jumps ship. He absolutely infuriated me in the Wolves match diving 10 yards outside the box whilst already on a yellow - I reckon he bottled it then and is proving what a bottler he is now.
An interesting point in the Mail's article is that he has no wage reduction clause in his contract to do with relegation, so he would still be picking up over £20k a week if he stayed.
I'm not denying that people want to get to the top of their profession and stay there, so I understand the attraction of moving back to the prem but my issue is the fake loyalty on show i.e. stating how much you love the club and what an honour it is to play for them, when actually it's not the club that you're particularly bothered about but the league they're in.
It may well be that I am buying too much into what is presented in the media and behind the scenes he is being forced out for the cash - trouble is we'll never know the truth in this sense. However, no matter what is going on at the club, if he is a true bluenose he'd speak out about it.
Go enjoy your career Craig, but don't bother thinking about trying to make out what a heart wrenching decision this is for you
Craig Gardener
posted on 29/6/11
I think Gardner and AM, and all players and managers in general, are a reminder to us all, to not get taken in by their BS. Oops, I almost forgot the Directors aswell! Just take everything with a pinch of salt and then be pleasantly surprised if they deliver the goods.
posted on 29/6/11
I do not want Graig Gardner to leave.
But, at the end of the day money talks.
Forget loyalty. That went a long time ago. Back in the days of testimonials every year. They do not happen much these days,
Loyalty is dependant on who has the biggest load of cash to offer.
Loyalty is how much the players agent can engineer a move. Not for the good of the individual but the for good of the bank balance.
Loyalty is forgetting the club you support (again for CG?)
I wish him well in his new surroundings but I think we all know he will be the little fish in the big sea.
KRO
posted on 29/6/11
Here mate have a nice lemon to suck on it might sweeten you a bit
posted on 29/6/11
I think he will be a regular starter in Sunderland.
posted on 29/6/11
"Here mate have a nice lemon to suck on it might sweeten you a bit"
Thanks mate, but I had the haddock for supper yesterday. Plus my mom said I'm sweet enough!
Kro
posted on 29/6/11
The reason why clubs are not paying as much is Gardner has had one good season, based on Jeromes season he got 11 goals and then compared to others in the Prem that season we could all say Jerome is a £8-10M player but he is not, because the seasons prior and last season he did not do near as well.
Gardners first half season he was ok but never stood out to be a £5M+ player, last season he was good and worth £8M at least but how do clubs know that was not a one off season and thus also getting relegated means we may be forced to see players go thats life.
Reason why clubs have not yet been showing the ready money for Johnson is he had one good season, then half a good season and after Dann got injuried he never did aswell. Dan again 18months good but then injuried.
Clubs are thefore a bit reluctant to pay out top dollar.
Cahill when he went to Bolton for £5M, after his first season with them he never doubled his value he had to spend 2-3 seasons to prove he is a £15M+ player.
Had we stayed up and had Johnson and Dann had another good season and Gardner aswell then we would expect those high prices.
I expected about £7M for Gardner so £6M is a disapointment but hey its double what we paid.
And while Gardner would have been vital to keep and build a side around, well he is not that commited if he can leave is boyhood club before the Window even propper opens.
If he was really commited Bluenoese he would have said, i want to stay and try and get my club back up to the Prem and then see how things go from now till Xmass.
So for a player who is not really that Loyal to his boyhood club, well £6M will have to do
If Gardner does not get over 5 goals next season then his value would only be about £5-6M anyway.
And maybe we got a sell on clause, would be silly to not have one, as if Gardner played often and can get the same 8-10 goals a season or more on a consistant basis then he would be worth double what Sunderland paid if not 3X more.
The KiD
posted on 29/6/11
Carson thats a good point
Gardner is young 1 season or even half in the Championship will do him no harm as far as his carreer goes or Financially.
His beloved Blues are in Europe thats a dream for us fans, imagine what that should be for a player who is a fan, if he was a TRUE BLUENOSE surely taking part in HISTORY so he can say he was part of the Birmingham Team that played in Europe should surely be a bigger dream for him than to play in the Prem.
Will Sunderland get a Europa spot? They may do but its far from garunteed.
Would Blues ever get a Europa spot, maybe not, maybe never again so thats even more reason for a Bluenose to be happy to stay and play in maybe his only regular chance, but certainly as Blues player his only ever chance to play in Europe for us.
Us fans in years to come can say remember when we Won the Cup and played in Europe (even if only for a few games).
Well if Gardner is a Bluesnose then thats even better because he can not only say remember when Blues... he can say to his Grandkids, i remember when i played a part to lift that cup and played for MY CLUB in Europe, and maybe the only chance in Europe.
Who cares if we dont last long, come Xmass Gardner could then go to another club, chances are he would do really well in Championship and so his value would not go down.
The fans would have accepted that Gardner stayed around to have a go at Europe and Promotion but we get knocked out of Europe and by Xmass are not in Top 3.
Then fans would not blame Gardner for missing out on a chance to play in the Prem and move in January, the fans would be thankfull and he would go down as a HERO
But like McLeish he took the easy way out, two people i thought cared about the club
SO THE BIG QUESTION IS.....
Would Gardner prefer playing with Sunderland or Blues in the 2012/2013 Prem Season...
If its Blues (or if we stayed up he would have stayed with us than move to Sunderland) then HOW DOES GARDNER KNOW that we will not get Promoted.
And HOW DOES GARDNER KNOW that Sunderland are Garunteed Europe Football over next 2-3 seasons
The KiD
posted on 29/6/11
Kingbluemachine
Maybe your right, maybe something is not right at Blues, maybe McLeish and some/all players know something we do not, maybe they can SMELL SOMETHINGS WRONG! and thus wanting to JUMP A SINKING SHIP
But we dont have any proof we are a sinking Ship so all we can do is hope that the worst is not to come.
The KiD
posted on 29/6/11
cant believe he wants to leave his so called beloved blues.this really teaches us the only people who love the club are the fans.good riddence if he goes he never was one of us.kro sotv sojmc
posted on 29/6/11
The Blues website said we would be the first to know of any news , yet the Mail says that Gardners having a medical in Sunderland ,if so ,then the board must have agreed a fee , why havent they told us ,
its the same old story ,, nothing changes ,does it. kro.