The only surprise is that the announcement did not reveal another contract renewal.
10 Years Today.... the signing of a legend
- Thread starter charlenefan
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Anyone else expecting a "coaching" role for Jones?
I’d totally forgotten that he was the fallback option to Varane back then. It is a shame what happened to him as I remember him coming in playing at RB and he looked sensational. Just bombing forward throwing it all at everything.
Just when it came time for him to take the mantle of CB he just didn’t seem to have the mental ability or body to go with his skills. Is a shame.
Just when it came time for him to take the mantle of CB he just didn’t seem to have the mental ability or body to go with his skills. Is a shame.
Under LVG at one point I remember reading about him statistically being one of the top under 25 defenders in Europe. He definitely had the talent but it’s always been pretty obvious his body just isn’t cut out for it. The last contract was nuts on our part and that’s what majorly turned the tide of public opinion against him, it was our fault not his. He has played about 10 times since he got that deal. He should have just been let go to a lower PL club to get his career back on track but as usual we were cynical about finances and sqaud management when it was clear a change of scenery would have been for the best move for both parties. Just another expensive mistake by the club and we’ve made plenty. He seems like a good guy, I don’t get the hate. Hate the guys giving out the deals if you’re going to hate anyone.
I'm always uncomfortable with slagging an injured player off for taking home their wages.
I'm sure he would love to play and I also suspect there have been more complex issues at play here too.
Remember we supported Ole Solskjaer through an 18 month injury period towards the end of his playing career. If we had consigned him to the dustbin he would not want to come back and help when the club was on it's knees.
Let's not project our frustration of the last few years onto a player. We should focus our frustration on the senior management and holders of the purse strings.
I'm sure he would love to play and I also suspect there have been more complex issues at play here too.
Remember we supported Ole Solskjaer through an 18 month injury period towards the end of his playing career. If we had consigned him to the dustbin he would not want to come back and help when the club was on it's knees.
Let's not project our frustration of the last few years onto a player. We should focus our frustration on the senior management and holders of the purse strings.
Congrats on 10 years Big Dunc!
There's not one person in this thread that wouldn't have done what Phil Jones has done with his contract at United.
Excited for this young prospect
It's the lack of humanity, that money doesn't override everything in life.
Imagine being so talented that you can get to the top of your profession, but then have injury ruin it.
Imagine if you couldn't do your day job, because of some sort of crippling pain/depression etc, and someone who earns way less than you says "well you get paid all that money innnittt what's your problem".
We’re not the benchmark. Players like Chris Smalling and Johnny Evans took a step down to carry on playing regular football. Jones seems just happy to milk it until retirement. Ultimately it’s the club’s fault but it does not reflect well on Jones either.
Sorry, yes, I do think that the money he gets paid sugars the pill enormously. I agree entirely that money doesn't override everything in life but he's been paid an enormous amount for very little work - most people would choose not to work and get remunerated handsomely for it and I'm not sure why footballers would be different. Look at Winston Bogarde. To you or me, football is an impossibly glamorous, fabulously enjoyable pastime. To many footballers it's a job. When somebody starts paying you to do something, it becomes a job. I would save my sympathy for people that really deserve it, not multimillionaire footballers who don't play football. Also...why 'innnittt'?
It is definitely an unfortunate situation for Jones but I'm sure many people on here don't have to imagine that scenario, it's happened to them.
Now imagine the same scenario but instead of having the luxury of falling back on millions in the bank and the continual salary of £80-100k per week still coming in to negate any financial worries. You have to live on a reduced wage, benefits or in some parts of the world nothing. So on top of not being able to work you have to worry how you are going to pay the bills every week. And that's maybe where some people's lack of empathy for Phil Jones stems from.
People in this thread have rightly said that money doesn't equal happiness, it doesn't. But I'm sure everyone given the choice would rather be rich and unhappy as opposed to poor/broke and unhappy.
I remember the game he played against us for Blackburn on the day we went and won the league at Ewood Park and it was perhaps one of the best centre-back displays you would have ever seen. It was no wonder we went and signed him on the back of that game!
Should have left United about 5 years ago now though
Should have left United about 5 years ago now though
Yeah, whenever I feel bad about criticising Jones because it's not his fault he is injured, that's always what I remember - he is getting the best out of the situation in the end. Smalling got all the hate in the world and yet one time Ole told him he can't promise him starting position, he went to play regular football in Italy for less money, because he cared about his career. There are couple of players with similar history that left United and took a pay cut.
Yup exactly this. Though I imagine Phil Jones isn't too unhappy.
Well we don't know, some seem to think they know but they don't. We can only go off his actions and speculate. And signing a new 4/5 year deal to stay at the club is probably not the action of a man who was unhappy with his situation at United and I can't say I blame him. The club shouldn't have offered him that long a deal, had they offered him a 2.5 year deal he would have been off the wage bill by now.
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A terrible shame that his career has panned out the way it has. He was excellent in his first season and showed terrific potential. I know Sir Alex gets mocked for comparing him to Duncan Edwards, but at the time it wasn't (so) outlandish. Centre back, full back, midfield - he was solid wherever he was played. Then the injuries started and the wheels came off. He could still be a decent utility player if he could stay fit, despite the lost years. Hopefully he can get back to playing regular first-team football, even if it isn't at United.
This thread has actually made me realise I'm a bully, I clicked to look at memes but now I feel sorry for the man. Being rich doesn't mean being happy you can clearly tell by the quote above. Can we start a twitter # movement to show we appreciate him?
That is the reality of the game - consistency trumps anything else, at the top level. Anybody can make a memorable tackle, you are only great if you deliver game in game out, for years in, years out. That is just the reality.
everyone is getting one these days.
Can't believe people are feeling sorry for Jones because he knows he doesn't deserve a testimonial.
Peak reddit stuff that.
Peak reddit stuff that.
All they could manage was 34 seconds of injury free action
It’s called empathy. Do you really think that money is the only thing that matters in this world?
No of course not but he could have moved and challenged himself.
He chose to take the money and sit in the stands so maybe to him it is all that matters.
Yeah I think they will take the number back this season.
He’s been injured and when fit has been given opportunities.
Was absolutely immense when we first signed him and I genuinely thought he had the potential to be a keep CB for us for at least a decade and become a future captain even... how wrong was I! Then again Sir Alex Ferguson thought he would become the next Duncan Edwards
I feel bad for him due to all his injuries, post Fergie, I can't even remember him stringing at least 7-8 full games together??? Because when he did start to get going he did start to look at least half decent and I genuinely felt if he got a good run going he would be a massive plus.
I also don't blame him for sticking around for this long, it's the clubs fault for handing him a big fat wage knowing his injury record and that he is most likely going to break down any second. If he is always injured why should he move to a different club where he won't be able to play anyways and be on a reduced wage?
I feel bad for him due to all his injuries, post Fergie, I can't even remember him stringing at least 7-8 full games together??? Because when he did start to get going he did start to look at least half decent and I genuinely felt if he got a good run going he would be a massive plus.
I also don't blame him for sticking around for this long, it's the clubs fault for handing him a big fat wage knowing his injury record and that he is most likely going to break down any second. If he is always injured why should he move to a different club where he won't be able to play anyways and be on a reduced wage?
Though I agree that it isn't his fault mostly ours for offering new contract, I'd like to make a couple of points here.
Ole was a legend for us and everyone knew it was his last playing days. So it was only natural to support him not only cause of that goal but also for all his years of service. That can't apply for Jones. Not a legend, not a special goal, not actually playing football, just hanging in the physio room and rewarded with new contract.
Also even if we sold Ole in his last couple of playing years, the moment we came calling to be our manager he would run like hell to be here.
You think that he became our coach because we supported him in his last injured plagued years?
Who would turn down the chance to coach a huge club like Man United and pocket around 10m a year? Obviously not Ole
I don't hate him or anything but equally I don't feel sorry for him not wanting a testimonial out of embarrassment.
Can't stay fit. No need to go deeper.
Money may not equal happiness but there’s certainly a correlation.Money = happiness
If Jones cared a damn about his career as a footballer, his personal reputation then he’d request a transfer. He hasn’t and the fact that he’s still on the books says it all about the lack of accountability at the club. Similar to De Gea and Mata offering nothing or worse being downright incompetent is still rewarded.
Nothing speaks to our downfall more than allowing obviously sub standard players to remain on the books, or in De Gea’s case making them the highest paid player at the position. This is why the club is in the state it’s in.
The Jones situation is a disgrace both from the clubs perspective and from his own. Two sides whose priorities aren’t football.
Who would have him seriously wouldn't get in any team in Championship or below level for me and no one abroad who is a decent club would want him. Personally can see him waiting out his contract and then retiring.
It's easy to forget what an exciting talent he was when we first snapped him up. Injuries destroyed him. He didn't deserve to be turned into a meme like Lingard, who was always crap.
Absolute farce. The 2018 FA Cup Final should have been the end of the line.
Very real possibility at this stage.
Does anyone know what type of injury he's been out with for the last 18 months?
There's been reports it's a knee injury but no information beyond that as to specifically what type of knee injury he has.
I think the last thing recovering children would want to see is the guy who injured them coming back for more
Did you know there was someone on here not long after that match saying Jones should be made captain!! When I mentioned how terrible an idea this was it was put to me that his brainless play didn’t matter because we weren’t competing in university challenge
Exactly. Fans are always quick to question a players loyalty if they flash their eyes at another club, but woe betide a player who's loyal but career doesn't go as hoped.
Phil’s value must be protected.