Only just seem this. This is absolutely class. I Love the guy, wish him nothing but the best.
Official: Phil Jones will leave United at the end of the season
- Thread starter Tom Van Persie
- Start date
I know it's become peak banter over the years but honestly at the time Fergie's comparison to Duncan Edwards didn't seem that mental. So good with the ball at his feet and those fearless runs from deep in an era when it wasn't commonplace to the degree that ball playing defenders are now.
Take any talented football in the world. Now take away his knees. His effort was never in question. A horrible time with injuries.
People always laugh at "that" comment by Ferguson, but I think is Jones didn't have injuries he really could have been a great.
Good luck to him in the future.
Good luck to him in the future.
Good luck to him! Seems a very good blokke, shame about the injuries. He was a red devil, no question
Apart from the hype around him when he had his breakthrough at Blackburn, he never looked like he would be a great IMO.
Saying that, good luck to him.
Good luck Jones for the next chapter & hope you have a healthy rest of your life. Must have been very painful for him for the last few years.
Good luck to him, I think he might retire and take up coaching job.
Always give his 110% on the pitch. Fearless. Great attitude and fighting spirit. All the best on your next move.
He should've left 5 years ago.
I assume he will now retire from playing? Maybe he'll try and become a coach or physio?
I assume he will now retire from playing? Maybe he'll try and become a coach or physio?
Yes i wish him and his family all the best in the future, he made a huge contribution to the club especially in those early seasons and such a pity the injuries got him.
He officially left the club
What could have been!!!
Hopefully he is able bodied to continue his path going forward, all the best.
Hopefully he is able bodied to continue his path going forward, all the best.
New era. Good luck to him. Did everything he could which is more than i can say for some others that have come and gone.
I think he could have been great. He made mistakes and was a bit rash but he was still a very young defender when he did so. Without the injuries he would have been able to play games, get more experienced and improve just by having more experience. I think he had the ability and mentality to be great. Just not the body.
Even after a lot of injuries he showed some of his ability by actually playing fairly well most of the time.
Without injuries Phil Jones might not have become the best defender in the world but surely he would have prevented the Harry Maguire signing, been captain and considered atleast a very good Premier League defender.
I remember reading somewhere that even under LVG statistically he was still one of the best defenders in Europe. He was a very good player totally ruined by injury. The last contract was silly though. I wonder will a decent club take a punt on him? Does he still want to play? He’s totally set for life now anyway. Best of luck to him!
Should never have got that 2019 contract but he was a good player for the club when actually fit to play and a proper old-school defender willing to put his body on the line.
I certainly cannot name that many better defenders than him in the PL, compared to someone like Maguire. Crazy to think he's only a year older as well.
I certainly cannot name that many better defenders than him in the PL, compared to someone like Maguire. Crazy to think he's only a year older as well.
With him and De Gea both leaving every player from the Ferguson has now left. Kinda sad.
I like him. Wish he'd not been injured. Don't blame him for taking the salary - I would have done same.
People forget how good he was for parts of those first 2 seasons.
Fergie probably ruined him slightly by playing him in different positions. He was good as a right back/centre back and even as a defensive midfielder at times but never got to become an expert in one area.
Fergie probably ruined him slightly by playing him in different positions. He was good as a right back/centre back and even as a defensive midfielder at times but never got to become an expert in one area.
Wish him all the best for the future. End of an era as he is the last outfield player in the squad to win the title at United, only De Gea now.
them were the days when we could go out and get the next big thing.
He was never good enough to ve a starter for a top club, but without the injuries he would have been remembered fondly, like O’Shea instead of being a meme player.
The last contract was braindead from United POV, but blaming Jones for signing it and then sticking to it is absolutely mental.
The last contract was braindead from United POV, but blaming Jones for signing it and then sticking to it is absolutely mental.
It's a fruitless endeavour to speculate how good he would have been without the injuries, given the injuries hampered his progression to such an extent that its pure speculation of what his trajectory would have been without them. From 18 to 22 or so he was an excellent prospect, learning from the best in Rio and Vidic and his mentality was always praised. He might have been close to his peak at 22 or he might have been able to improve substantially, we'll never know. CBs tend to fulfill their potential a bit later than other positions which might suggest he could have got everything to click together, or he could have been one of those who peaked early and there was little room for improvement.
For me he could and should have been exclusively used at rightback; he’s a better footballer than many give him credit for, but his positional sense fell just short of that of a top central defender.
End of an era
Without injuries he could have worked on that by getting playing time, experience and a building a partnership with another CB.
This really sums him up as a defender.
End of an era
The difference between this and De Gea's thread is embarrassing.
Always one of my favorites. Even as recently as 2-3 years ago, I expected him to figure it out. He was great in the last few one off appearances but it's too bad his legs were made of paper mache. It will be interesting to see if he ever plays again.
Yes agree with this. He was more a 'firefighter', reacting at the last moment, than a preventative player, being able to snuff out the danger before it got too bad, and thats what caused a lot of injuries.
How?
No it doesnt, he never slapped anybody for no reason
Slow in reaction and makes suprised face after something has already happened.
He didn't, but he got bitch slapped by multiple strikers and attackers so...
Really? If you think that, let me introduce you to an old friend Victor
He's got a Premier League, FA Cup and Europa winners medal, financially set up for the rest of his life and he can choose to retire at 31 if he wishes. Meanwhile, the guy who sucker slapped him is, if he's lucky, working a shite and boring job for another 36 years before picking up a crap pension?
If anything that video represents someone who is doing nothing wrong yet still gets the shit end of the stick. So maybe it does represent his career somewhat.
"and that young Austrian painter who didn't get into art school grew up to be..... ah, shite..."Good luck to him where ever he ends up.
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