Why is this man still at the club?
Phil Jones | released summer 2023
- Thread starter Adisa
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Can't see why any manager let alone a caretaker would have been against the club giving Jones a new deal. He was injury prone even then but still a decent enough player when fit.
Look I think Jones should have left years ago but I can see why the club gave him a new contract back in 2019, the only mistake in my opinion was giving him such a long deal. A 1 or 2 year extension would have been ideal to retain him for the time being and give the club time to sell him.
That says a lot for you then because I feel Rio has made a bit of a twat of himself there
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Because he’s under contract and playing his way back from a major injury?
Nice support he’s getting from fans on a tough road to get back to fitness
100%. To suggest that you wouldn´t talk to someone because they are not playing, well, what kind of arrogant prat those that make you.
Donate Phil to Salford City
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To all those backing Rio for his comments, I'd be very interested to see what, if anything, Jones would have to say once he either (a) leaves United or (b) retires.
I'd imagine that, arriving to United as a teenager with Sir Alex Ferguson of all people likening you to Duncan Edwards no less, suffering injury after injury, becoming an online meme for nonsense facial expressions whilst playing in matches (often during really good pieces of defending - the crawling on the ground as an example), the constant mocking by, not only opposition fans, but his own fans too, would have had a significant impact on his mental health. I remember him noting that he declined a testimonial as, 'only my mum and dad would be in attendance' - how bad is that, to think that you're own fans wouldn't bother showing up.
Yes, he's made a lot of money whilst at United whilst not playing a lot, but none of us know the full extent of why / how this has happened, or the role that mental health has played in it.
I'd imagine that, arriving to United as a teenager with Sir Alex Ferguson of all people likening you to Duncan Edwards no less, suffering injury after injury, becoming an online meme for nonsense facial expressions whilst playing in matches (often during really good pieces of defending - the crawling on the ground as an example), the constant mocking by, not only opposition fans, but his own fans too, would have had a significant impact on his mental health. I remember him noting that he declined a testimonial as, 'only my mum and dad would be in attendance' - how bad is that, to think that you're own fans wouldn't bother showing up.
Yes, he's made a lot of money whilst at United whilst not playing a lot, but none of us know the full extent of why / how this has happened, or the role that mental health has played in it.
It’s just complete nonsense. Rio knows what it takes to keep a team going, a big squad with a sense of supporting each other. He’s gone down in my estimations with that horseshit he’s spewed out
I usually quite like Ferdinand but I don't get what he was doing here. Making those kinds of comments about a player when he's clearly uninformed about his situation is out of order really, especially when it's an ex-teammate.
Jones hasn't been sitting in the background doing nothing for years. He's played under every manager we've had when he's been fit. For the last 18 months or so he's been injured - no professional wants that and Jones won't be an exception.
To say he's taking the spot of a young player is just stupid when a) he isn't playing and b) we've literally signed Paul McShane to play for the reserve team. I think Ferdinand was following Stephen Howson's lead so it's not really a shock he's off the mark, but if you're going to drag someone's name through the mud at least do your research first.
Jones hasn't been sitting in the background doing nothing for years. He's played under every manager we've had when he's been fit. For the last 18 months or so he's been injured - no professional wants that and Jones won't be an exception.
To say he's taking the spot of a young player is just stupid when a) he isn't playing and b) we've literally signed Paul McShane to play for the reserve team. I think Ferdinand was following Stephen Howson's lead so it's not really a shock he's off the mark, but if you're going to drag someone's name through the mud at least do your research first.
He's just taking the fan thing a bit too literally now, and ends up sounding like a caller on Talkshite.
Out of curiosity, what is the injury that has kept Jones on the treatment table for the past 18 months?
From memory it was a bad knee injury, similar to the one Solskjaer had at the end of his own playing career.
It was a knee injury which he came back from but it needed surgery on it, which we didn't get him last summer and no other club would sign him because he needed the surgery. Fast forward to this year and he gets the surgery, yet no one still wants to sign him because of his injury record and his high wages.
Hargreaves had 1 season where he was fit and played regularly, had it not been the season where we won the champions league (and scored a class penalty) he probably wouldn’t be seen as much of a favourite.
I loved Hargreaves, really wanted him to come back after his injuries, just using it as a comparison as to why Jones gets such bad treatment. At the end of the day it wasn’t his fault he was offered a new contact and it isn’t his fault with the amount of injured he’s had.
Can I just point out that when Jones signed the contract that everyone is so up in arms about, he'd played in 11 of our previous 13 league matches, playing the full 90 minutes in nine of them. He'd also featured in England's World Cup squad the summer before that season, and had played in 25 and 26 matches respectively in the two seasons prior, and was only just turning 27 years old.
That things have panned out as they have is just unfortunate, and for no one moreso than Jones.
I don't think he has a future here, but to act like he should have turned down a contract extension, when he was very much a first team player in the prime years of his career, and somehow had the foresight to know he'd pick up a horrendous injury, is laughable.
That things have panned out as they have is just unfortunate, and for no one moreso than Jones.
I don't think he has a future here, but to act like he should have turned down a contract extension, when he was very much a first team player in the prime years of his career, and somehow had the foresight to know he'd pick up a horrendous injury, is laughable.
Innit! I'm still here...
No one will buy him given his injury so there’s nothing the club can do. He’ll just sit there earning a crazy amount until his contract ends. It’s the clubs fault for extending his contract.
Agree.
I wonder if others treated Rio that way when got banned for missing a drugs test.
That’s a very sad story.
I want him gone but he never deserved the abuse. It’s not like it’s intentional from him and he always respected the club as far as I can see.
I remember his first year at United and I liked him a lot, was always giving it all. But I remember after he got an injury, he took so many time to come back and was never the same as he was always injured after that.
Yes the guy can be rich but getting abused all the time will make you very miserable no matter how strong you are. All this people mocking him whenever they can and abusing him on social media are very sad, pathetic guys. I am sure Jones is a nice guy and don’t deserve a fraction on what he gets. It’s easy to forget that this personalities are human beings after all and that money can’t solve every problem.
Good point
And not long after was spotted chatting with Peter Kenyon
Don't forget that beautiful free-kick against Arsenal, Hargreaves knew when to leave albeit to a rival but he knew when to go out there and try something new. I remember us offering him a pay as you play contract at the time but he decided to move on.
The idea a player is taking a spot from any youngster makes zero sense at all.
It doesn't make sense practically speaking, as we just signed a centre half for 40 million to go alongside our 80 million captain, leaving last season's established centre back in Lindelof on the bench. That is a very tangible block.
It doesn't make sense logically speaking as the manager decides who takes any spot. He has his ideas at the start of the season for who are his core players he relies on, who makes up the numbers and who is a promising youth that may be introduced. Whether Phil Jones stays or goes is largely irrelevant, the manager decides who the better players are or who he is investing in for reasons of potential. Essentially, you have to be good enough and if you're not better than a guy who can't get on the pitch the prospects aren't as bright as Rio is hinting.
It doesn't make sense practically speaking, as we just signed a centre half for 40 million to go alongside our 80 million captain, leaving last season's established centre back in Lindelof on the bench. That is a very tangible block.
It doesn't make sense logically speaking as the manager decides who takes any spot. He has his ideas at the start of the season for who are his core players he relies on, who makes up the numbers and who is a promising youth that may be introduced. Whether Phil Jones stays or goes is largely irrelevant, the manager decides who the better players are or who he is investing in for reasons of potential. Essentially, you have to be good enough and if you're not better than a guy who can't get on the pitch the prospects aren't as bright as Rio is hinting.
You need to play to take the spot. Personally I don’t ever expect to see him play competitively ever again for us.
I mean how long has it been? At least a year?
Just seeing the Rio quotes. Rio played with him, no way on earth he says that unless he has serious reservations with the player (obviously.)
I remember a story Keane ripped into two players he was managing (can’t remember where) becuase they were on the bench injured and chatting and laughing, I can imagine it’s the same sort of feeling that irks Rio.
These guys are elite athletes with immense drive to succeed, if your not part of the solution in providing that success then your part of the problem. That is the mentality you HAVE to have to win anything at this level.
He’s only talking now because at this point it’s literally past the point of becoming a joke how Phil is still here. What’s he supposed to say?
I remember a story Keane ripped into two players he was managing (can’t remember where) becuase they were on the bench injured and chatting and laughing, I can imagine it’s the same sort of feeling that irks Rio.
These guys are elite athletes with immense drive to succeed, if your not part of the solution in providing that success then your part of the problem. That is the mentality you HAVE to have to win anything at this level.
He’s only talking now because at this point it’s literally past the point of becoming a joke how Phil is still here. What’s he supposed to say?
Rio clearly wasn't aware that he's been injured all this time. It's not like he's been fully fit and happy to sit in the stands every week, which is what Rio was suggesting. It's nothing like the Bogarde situation.
Rio is just a clout chaser these days, pushing his 5 channel. He's come across as a complete tool, considering he also represents players - or at least his new era company does, I am surprised he's said that sort of tosh.
I get Rio's frustration, there are several players just eating up space and wages here knowing they'll barely play, zero ambition.
Try him as a DCM while scotty is out!
Oh the horror of a multi million company having to watch his employee have a laugh with his mates while he's unable to work and still getting paid because labor laws exist
Yes and let him take corners while we're at it. Also let's try out Fred at CB and Martial as a no 10
Fergie definitely played him in midfield a fair few times.
Even with a leg barely hanging together he's as mobile as Matic which is clearly what we've got for the next month, so it's not totally crazy.
That said, DMF runs a hell of a lot more than a CB, so doubt Jones' fitness after so long out would be anywhere near good enough.
Even with a leg barely hanging together he's as mobile as Matic which is clearly what we've got for the next month, so it's not totally crazy.
That said, DMF runs a hell of a lot more than a CB, so doubt Jones' fitness after so long out would be anywhere near good enough.
He literally could not be any worse than matic. In fact Id even play you there ahead of matic.Oh the horror of a multi million company having to watch his employee have a laugh with his mates while he's unable to work and still getting paid because labor laws exist
Yes and let him take corners while we're at it. Also let's try out Fred at CB and Martial as a no 10
Good post and makes a lot of sense. It's just a shame things turned out the rest they did but that's not good fault or the club's really
Any body fancy a Fred Jones double pívot?
He was actually decent there in the pastAny body fancy a Fred Jones double pívot?
We all know Jones would somehow get injured 20 minutes in and Matic would get subbed on cold while Donny continues to warm up.
Well done at entirely missing the point.Oh the horror of a multi million company having to watch his employee have a laugh with his mates while he's unable to work and still getting paid because labor laws exist
Shall we keep giving contracts to other players who become permanently injured as well, just keep them all happy on the bench together costing us a fortune? Ya know, because we are a ‘multi million company’.
I wonder why not a single other club in Europe operates that way? Hmmm
Also if I’m permanently out of work I don’t get to keep my job because of labour laws, wages are reduced and your laid off if your not fit for purpose in the role.
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