Donated 29.000 quid to a foundation for children in Manchester. See, everyone is benefitting from his pay-rise.
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
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- Clean sheets
- 8
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 0
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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?
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Easily our best CB and has been for a few season.
Personally, I think he can be upgraded (passing ability, reliance on physicality which will decline), but it makes sense to secure one of our better performing players. If he is still good enough for United's squad in 2020/21 the great, if not we have an asset that we can sell on for a reasonable fee.
Also, the wage does not seem too unreasonable in this day and age.
I do hope however, that this means other CBs will be shown the door, to make way for improved players and returning loanees. Jones and Rojo need to be shown the door due to injury issues, while I think Bailley and Lindelof need to prove themselves this season or leave.
Personally, I think he can be upgraded (passing ability, reliance on physicality which will decline), but it makes sense to secure one of our better performing players. If he is still good enough for United's squad in 2020/21 the great, if not we have an asset that we can sell on for a reasonable fee.
Also, the wage does not seem too unreasonable in this day and age.
I do hope however, that this means other CBs will be shown the door, to make way for improved players and returning loanees. Jones and Rojo need to be shown the door due to injury issues, while I think Bailley and Lindelof need to prove themselves this season or leave.
His contract needs to be sorted. We need to clear trash that is Rojo, Jones & Lindelof before we think about offloading Smalling.
Bah. He needs to spend less time being a good human being, and more time learning how to pass the ball. Or something.
Rabble rabble rabble.
He gets too much stick. A great CB to have in the squad. Seems like a good bloke as well.
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Its quite pathetic anyone publicising their own good work, leave that for others to do.
Before anyone jumps to his defence he can easily publicise the charity without telling the world he's donating £29,000.
Before anyone jumps to his defence he can easily publicise the charity without telling the world he's donating £29,000.
One of the few players in the squad that deserves an improved contract based on performances.
You really do dislike Smalling. Can't even say a good word about him donating to a charity and instead continue to critise him. That's pathetic.
What on earth? So if you do something that is good for others, you should keep your moth shut and hope that others follow your lead? Why not be a good role model and hope that others follow suit? I think it is wise of him to publicly say what he has donated because it would come out either way. He is a public person and a role model for many young people. If he can use that to make others follow his lead, then that can only be a positive thing.
So many people around the world do so much good work for charities and don't feel the need to tell the world how great they are.
Don't be so naive with what he's trying to do.
Don't be so naive with what he's trying to do.
Charities generally like celebrities to tell people they have donated. Good free publicity. Can't believe someone can find fault with that. Christ, I give a few quid a month to charities and tell any fecker who will listen.
So the foundation he's helping doesn't want any publicity then. It's all about him in your eyes.
Don't get me wrong, I'm sure some people do keep quiet about their charitable actions but provided it's not overly showy (and this isn't), I don't know why you wouldn't highlight that you're helping out a good cause.
I think Smalling comes across as a really nice bloke, has done since he joined the club.
I think someone in his position can publicise the charity without telling the world how much he's donating.
I think someone in his position can publicise the charity without telling the world how much he's donating.
Many people tell the world what they do - if they want change, they need more people to do what they do. You noticed Smalling because we are on a United forum as football supporters. 90% of American billionaires call themselves philantrophists - at least he's not quite there yet. Armstrong made a huge deal of his Livestrong foundation, which despite his own stained reputation, has made a difference for many people - much because of his contribution and fame. Beckham has used his fame for charity. Using that fame to promote good causes is certainly a lot better than footballers on Instagram and other social media focusing on their own agendas, branding etc.
Why are we naive?
That damn Bill gates then: https://www.theguardian.com/technol...-charity-donation-microsoft-shares-foundation
Beckham: https://www.independent.co.uk/sport...es-to-french-childrens-charities-8659789.html
Ferguson: https://www.gcu.ac.uk/foundation/newsevents/2015/siralexfergusondonates500kfoundinggift/
Michael Phelps: https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashio...es-1-million-speedo-bonus-to-charity-1884228/
Yeah, Smalling is a dirty SOB!
Who cares if he mentioned what he donated. Why are you obsessed with that?
Yes, he's not on top form at present but he's clearly our best CB.
Perhaps someday people will give him some credit but I doubt it. He topped another MEN poll this week as the player most people want sold. No idea what these people have been watching over the last couple of seasons.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...r-news/man-utd-transfer-news-january-15448493
Nah, they tried to, but the computer broke down when they wrote Phil Jones on the list.Jesus christ.
EDIT: FCUKING PHIL JONES isn't even in the top three. Fcuking idiots.
Maybe they watched him play? Being best among bad players doesn't mean that he is not bad also. He is just less worse than other options.
But the fact that he is on top and not Jones is hilarious
How is Jones that low!? Hes been injured for 113 games which is 28% of his United Career and only played in 45.7% and he's been here for like 8 seasons.
I think that people simply forgot that Jones is still our playerHow is Jones that low!? Hes been injured for 113 games which is 28% of his United Career and only played in 45.7% and he's been here for like 8 seasons.
Well said. Smalling has and still does come in for an undue amount of criticism for his passing abilities.
It is important to point out that he has rarely been part of a settled back four or even a settled centre back pairing. That often means that he is the last defender trying to make a clearance and facing his goal. Totally different to John Stones for example who is far more often bringing the ball out of defence.
He is not a real top defender but has been very consistently the best United defender for a few years now.
He's one of those players that people think is great when they're injured/not in the team and then remember pretty quickly that he's shit and then he gets injured and the cycle is reborn.
He must play like fcking Beckenbauer in training to be earning this new contract. Sad state of affairs at our club if we need to be offering this quality new contracts. He has some good spells but overall not good enough, prone to some really bad mistakes.
Most top managers would never have let him stay at United this long. Would have shipped him off long ago
Most top managers would never have let him stay at United this long. Would have shipped him off long ago
Fergie I reckon keeps him (but probably has a strong leader next to him). Either that, or has him as a backup option (which I think would be good for him).
I think hes a fantastic defender, but not a good CB (if that makes sense).
I think hes a fantastic defender, but not a good CB (if that makes sense).
If by prone you mean 1, 2 or 3 per season, then yes.
Very strange considering the poor performers and average players we have at the club currently. He is a committed and consistently good performer (admittedly he does have the occasional brain fart)
There is no doubt that he can be improved upon, but we can't have a mass clearout of 5 x CBs in a window. Keep him as a match day member of the squad (as a minimum) and see what the future holds in 1.5 to 3 seasons
time.
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Roy Keane wouldn't stand for this sort of nonsense. He'd secretly donate his life earnings and equity to charity via multiple proxies and let Patrick Vieira take all the credit whilst Keano spends the rest of his days living in the sewers.
The game's gone now.
this is depressing, europa league contenders forever
I was wondering why the Smalling thread kept getting bumped, feck. We are legitimately never going to win any trophies for the next five years.
cheaper to resign than replace. testimonials are going to be handed out like Chevrolets, everyone gets one.
In general I dont disagree, we are far too generous in renewing contracts for underperformers, but I have no issues with renewing Smalling's contract. He is decent enough and think he would be fine if he had a solid partner next to him. He faces a revolving door of partners who range from shocking to passable, has to cover for Valencia/Young to his right and a traffic cone sat in DM. Given all that the occasional brain fart(and they are only occasional) seem more than understandable.
Could he be improved upon? Most players can, but where our squad is right now, hes one of a handful who can say they deserve a stay of execution.
Put him on anything over £60k per week and he also becomes unsellable, like so many of the other dross players on high wages.
On £120k per week he is being budgeted to be a first team starter. So get used to many more years of what is Smalling.
On £120k per week he is being budgeted to be a first team starter. So get used to many more years of what is Smalling.
So fans want Smalling sold ahead of the likes of Darmian and Jones. Are our fans really that stupid?
Time flies he's 29. Made me realised how old i am myself already. He's due a testimonial very soon, isn't he?
This. A bit surreal to read he's 29. Think I stopped at him being in his mid-twenties which was already progressive back then. Think this is what happens when you don't win big things and every season is a write-off without a point of reference to any silverware. I'd never had this in Fergie's high-flying years.
His contract on side, anyone else wondering how VAR gonna impact him
During the World Cup VAR was consistently doing nothing about holding and pulling much worse than Smalling ever does. They did give one soft penalty in one match, but otherwise defenders were just about having to suplex attackers to the ground before VAR did anything. So going by that, he'll be fine.
So you think we can get Varane/Skriniar/Koulibaly/De Ligt or Aldeweireld and put them on 120k per week? Or which CB are you budgeting for at 120k to be a starter for us in todays market? Not even Maguire would settle for 120k to join us.
120k for Smalling seems just about right. He is our #1 CB as of now, like it or not and 120k is perfectably reasonable.
How many centre backs do think are on more than 100k per week in PL? Ten at absolute max and smalling is no where near in the top 10 cbs. We should let him go on a free or offer him backup player wages.
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