Official: Phil Jones will leave United at the end of the season

Lost bear

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Poor old Phil. We should not find him guilty for being unhealthy.
 

Red in STL

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Just a few things to mull over, if Phil Jones had been able to stay fit what would you guys have to moan about aside from DDG?

We'd never had signed Maguire for starters and probably not Varane either

Some of the comments on here are pathetic, most of us have no idea what it takes to be a professional footballer, yes it can pay very well but there is also a price that you pay, look at how many former players have health issues as a direct result of playing the game
 

golden_blunder

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It'll be interesting to see if he continues his career elsewhere or if he retires. The injuries took his best years and it's been so long since he's been a regular player that I don't think he'll get a chance, not at a top league anyway.

Best of luck to him, a player that always left everything on the pitch.
Having watched that video I’m guessing there is no way he can play on without perhaps putting his long term health in question
 

SoCross

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Really? If someone offered me 110k a week to do nothing for five years, it would certainly make my life chocolates and roses. Plus, I'd be set up for life.
100k a week but with chronic knee pain and injuries hmm. I dunno man.
 

Unam333

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Very emotional farewell video. Phil Jones comes across as very likable. Thank you for your services. One of the last Fergie signings.
 

dinostar77

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Question, why didnt he medically retire at utd? Hes not trained all season, no club will give him any sort of deal apart from a pay as you play.

Utd would have got insurance money then right?
 

golden_blunder

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Question, why didnt he medically retire at utd? Hes not trained all season, no club will give him any sort of deal apart from a pay as you play.

Utd would have got insurance money then right?
Would presume United will get some insurance.

watch the video someone posted earlier. No way is he playing on
 

McGrathsipan

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Has he retired or just been released?

Robbed of a good player for years.

Good luck to him
 

BestRed

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Best of luck to the lad, always gave everything he had when fit enough to play. Really unfortunate for him the way the last few years have gone for him.
 

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A sad loss for the private medical industry.
 

Jericho

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Won absolutely everything in one league. An important player of arguably the greatest team of all time at club level and part of the most successful English team at national level. While he's never been in contention in talks about the greatests CBs, he still was an excellent defender with a trophy cabinet that even the best can only dream of.

God, I suddenly feel old.
I thin you might be romanticizing just little bit :)

Anyway, good luck Phil.
 

Sir Erik ten Hag

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Don’t go on Twitter, it’s full of toxic comments. Everyone has lost empathy in the modern world
I think the lack of success in these last 10 years was a big cause for all that toxicity. If we were still performing well like under Fergie, Jones would still at least have an Alan Smith treatment from fans.
 

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I’ll stand by to this day that every single manager, be it United or England, rated Jones highly and played him plenty whenever he was actually fit. He was a good player.

Not good enough to keep us at the top, ultimately, but would have been a useful player, even now, if actually fit.
 

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Been portrayed as (and at times played) comical, the man of many faces and all the humourous takes on his own goals, but in the end, wrt how his career unfolded, it was more of a tragedy, really. Still managed to help in big games, also for the three lions, and I can only guess at how important his words were behind the scenes and within the team. There goes a great, who was unlucky to say the least.
 

AndySmith1990

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Really? If someone offered me 110k a week to do nothing for five years, it would certainly make my life chocolates and roses. Plus, I'd be set up for life.
You might enjoy spending the money but doubt you'd get much personal satisfaction from doing nothing for it. I'm sure if given the choice Jones would've rather earned it by being involved in matches. He doesn't strike me as the sort of guy who is a lazy sponger
 

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Nothing against Phil Jones but that second picture is absolutely horrendous to look at. The body language of every single player walking out of the tunnel was appalling and I vaguely remembered we got a bad result that day which wasn't surprising
 

pogbasformerbarber

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While he wasn’t good enough generally for a regular spot with us…

…The lad always played as hard as he could…and that should count for something. Some of our more talented players could learn a thing or two about that mentality. All the best…
 

Annihilate Now!

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Really? If someone offered me 110k a week to do nothing for five years, it would certainly make my life chocolates and roses. Plus, I'd be set up for life.
It's not doing nothing - it's being unable to do something you love to do.

Surely you dreamed of being of a professional footballer when you were a kid? If you actually managed to realies that dream but then weren't able to do it through no fault of your own - surely you can appreciate the mental toll that would have?

I thin you might be romanticizing just little bit :)

Anyway, good luck Phil.
Premier League Winner, FA Cup Winner, League Cup Winner, Europa League Winner... really not a bad haul.
 

jackal&hyde

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Having watched that video I’m guessing there is no way he can play on without perhaps putting his long term health in question
Gave me the same vibes. Seems to be the end of the road for a professional footballer.

Good luck to him in the future. He always came across as a good guy, he had some very good games for us and it could have been much more if not for the injuries. Still, 200 or so games for Manchester United, a PL title, that is something very few Gerrards...players can say.
 

Sviken

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It's not doing nothing - it's being unable to do something you love to do.
If you're unable to do your job in real life, would your boss still be paying you 10 years later down the line or would he have fired you immediately? Tough for the kid, but last time I checked United aren't a charity organization and it's this kind of nonsense that has let the club down this mediocrity path.
 

Kush

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Ole actually gave him a 4 year contract in 2019 :lol:

What a disastrous appointment.
 

Hughie77

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It's not his fault, UTD gave him a new deal, then gets injured again, the only issue I have with him he should have given up his number 4 shirt, OK it his shirt he keeps it, the only thing is he knew he was injury prone and not realy in the plans of the management. Hope he goes to a club and stays fit ?? Imo he's fecked and should retire.
 

CassiusClaymore

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If you're unable to do your job in real life, would your boss still be paying you 10 years later down the line or would he have fired you immediately? Tough for the kid, but last time I checked United aren't a charity organization and it's this kind of nonsense that has let the club down this mediocrity path.
Not sure where you live or work but there are laws in place to stop people firing you for being unfit to work.
 

mu4c_20le

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He was actually a big part of Mourinho's famous 2nd placed finish that year, played more than Lindelof.
 

Sviken

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Not sure where you live or work but there are laws in place to stop people firing you for being unfit to work.
For 10 years? You must be having a laugh? And where is this wondrous country I can move to so I can sit on my ass and collect paychecks?
 

CassiusClaymore

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For 10 years? You must be having a laugh? And where is this wondrous country I can move to so I can sit on my ass and collect paychecks?
But that's what people keep saying, it isn't 10 years straight is it? He kept being given new contracts by different managers. That's not his fault. I'm not even saying I agree that he should've been give those contracts (I don't) but saying he's had an easy life sitting on his backside getting paid a good wage is a little harsh because it's obvious all he ever wanted to do was play football. He's most likely been pretty miserable.
 

roonster09

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If you're unable to do your job in real life, would your boss still be paying you 10 years later down the line or would he have fired you immediately? Tough for the kid, but last time I checked United aren't a charity organization and it's this kind of nonsense that has let the club down this mediocrity path.
Last time I checked ManUtd is a football club and the contract they sign with Players is valid and they can't just tear it when they want to.
 

SalfordRed18

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Ole actually gave him a 4 year contract in 2019 :lol:

What a disastrous appointment.
It's actually a reported fact that Woodward would rather give out extensions, then let players leave on a free as he saw more value in potential sales.

But yes, let's use this as a stick to beat ole, in 2023, when he's long gone. A player who played under 6 different managers I believe for united.
 

lolok

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When is the testimonial?
Didn't he make a comment about that along the lines of---- who would show up for it other than my parents??

Best of luck to Phil. It's a shame injuries ruined his career, but at least he was healthy for a brief period and won some trophies.
 

Sviken

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But that's what people keep saying, it isn't 10 years straight is it? He kept being given new contracts by different managers. That's not his fault. I'm not even saying I agree that he should've been give those contracts (I don't) but saying he's had an easy life sitting on his backside getting paid a good wage is a little harsh because it's obvious all he ever wanted to do was play football. He's most likely been pretty miserable.
Never said it is his fault, did I? I said that the club's incompetency has cost millions. What his mental state is - neither you or I know. Miserable or not, he's become rich by virtually doing nothing. You guys are acting like he is homeless or something.
 

Yagami

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It'll be nice seeing the number 4 again after nearly 20 years of being in and out of hibernation with Jones and Hargreaves.

Though I do worry about who gets it next. It might bring bad luck after seeing what happened to the aforementioned two.
 

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I haven't been able to play football properly for the last year, and won't be able to until at least 2024... and mentally, I've found that really tough. And that's just playing 3 times a week with mates in a 6-a-side leagues.

So for that as as an actual Professional Footballer, consistently over however many years... yeah, I can't imagine.
Good luck with your own recovery and when you get back out onto that pitch, enjoy every second of it!
 

Irwin99

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Wish him well and it's not his fault that the club offered him contract extensions and that he was constantly injured. I hope he manages to find a club where he can contribute and feel valued again.

Some of the revisionism about his performances is a bit weird, especially outside of his first two seasons. I was never convinced that he would kick on and be a great player in the Moyes, LVG or Jose years, and then he was mostly injured for Ole's reign.
 

CassiusClaymore

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Never said it is his fault, did I? I said that the club's incompetency has cost millions. What his mental state is - neither you or I know. Miserable or not, he's become rich by virtually doing nothing. You guys are acting like he is homeless or something.
Nobody is acting like that at all. Just don't see why it's so difficult to feel a little empathy for someone who couldn't fulfil his dreams through seemingly no fault of his own.
 

golden_blunder

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If you're unable to do your job in real life, would your boss still be paying you 10 years later down the line or would he have fired you immediately? Tough for the kid, but last time I checked United aren't a charity organization and it's this kind of nonsense that has let the club down this mediocrity path.
No it’s not, nothing to do with it.
 

Nori-

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Good riddance.

He spent years stealing a living at United, had several chances to move away and re-ignite his career but chose to train on his own at our club while collecting a pay package worth much more than his ability. He also kept the number 4 shirt the whole time and made sure we had less money to spend on wages.

In the end I'll remember him as someone who chose money over actually having a great career. Let's not paint him as hero/legend.