Nicky and Siddy sat on a bench

[papereyes]

"No, sorry Mr Mourinho, I'm just not good enough, no matter what you and Clarkey think"

[Woodcote Royal]

Or " I want regular first team football and there's more chance of hell freezing over than me getting it at your club"

Mourinho, who was being starved of funds in his final months at the bridge, saw a cheap squad player and the greedy one and his advisors fell for it................as did many of his fan club.

[papereyes]

That still misses the central points that football players are, by and large, ambitious and determined and Chelsea went to him with an offer.

You may, of course, keep ignoring that.

[Woodcote Royal]

I'm not ignoring it, just refusing to accept the notion that players always accept offers from the biggest clubs or that, that is always the best policy for ambitious players.

Every manager needs squad players and it was obvious to some of us that Sidwell would never be a first team regular for Chelsea but I bet Mourinho failed to point this out whilst dangling large sums of money in front of the player.

[Vision]

Sidwell is in no different a situation now than he would have been if he'd left us straight for a club like Villa rather than Chelsea.
Apart that is from having a go to see if he could cut it at the very highest level, being coached by (albeit briefly) by one of Europe's top coaches, working day in day out with some of the World's top players, playing at Wembley, playing in the Champions League and earning enough money in a season to set himself up for life.

He spent a season having a go to see if he was good enough at the very highest level and like many before him he has discovered he isn't quite good enough. Better that than spend the rest of your career wondering "what if?" and lets face it its only a year and from an age perspective he is still looking at having his best years ahead of him. Whose to say that year won't actually have improved him as a player in the long run.

Thankfully though, as predicted, the drive, ambition and leadership qualities that were/are Sidwell's forte were not missed by us at all last season.

[Hoop Blah]

Would they?

Who has, according to the information in the public domain, turned down Chelsea and their mega-money for first team football at their current club?

I can think of a fair few who haven't but none, off the top of my head, who've turned it down.

Bentley had an assured first team spot at Blackburn, a side pushing for Europe for the last couple of seasons. The team was almost built around him. He chose to leave them for a Spurs side who've had more than their fair share of ups and downs where he wouldn't be certain of first team football.

james henry

I knew some idiot would say James Henry!

That is a totally different scenario as they weren't interested in him for a place in their first team squad they wanted to get him into their academy. He decided to stick to what he knew and stay at Reading where he, rightly or wrongly, felt he had a better chance of making the progression from youth team player to professional and making the best possible start to his career.

[Hoop Blah]

That still misses the central points that football players are, by and large, ambitious and determined and Chelsea went to him with an offer.

You may, of course, keep ignoring that.

This is the crucial bit from a playing point of view. Sidwell, and the likes of SWP and Parker before him have backed themselves and their ability to make a go of it. They took the gamble that they might get a chance in the team and be able to take it. Could they lose that gamble really? No, because they would just be picking up a massive wage, training with some of the best players in the world and then move on to pretty much the same calibre of club they turned down for Chelsea in the first place.

Woodcote, have you got any examples of players that appear to have turned down top 4 overtures to sign for a 'second teir' club like Villa, Newcastle or City?

What do you think of the likes of Walcott or Ramsey who, at very tender ages, have opted for a place in a top 4 squad with probably limited first team possibilties instead of first team football for a couple of seasons at other clubs?

[Royal With Cheese]

That still misses the central points that football players are, by and large, ambitious and determined and Woodcote, have you got any examples of players that appear to have turned down top 4 overtures to sign for a 'second teir' club like Villa, Newcastle or City?

I can think of two - Shearer and Le Tissier. Both England players and both better the Shorey/Sidwell. They are the only two mind.

[sheshnu]

"No, sorry Mr Mourinho, I'm just not good enough, no matter what you and Clarkey think"

Do you think Mourinho really thought that Sidwell, Ben Haim and Pizarro were good enough for Chelsea? Because it turns out that none of them were, and they were all signed for 'free' when there were stories about Abrahamovich wanting his manager to spend less money and still win trophies.

Could it be Mourinho was making a point about what you get when you spend peanuts?

Anyway Sidwell and Shorey are part of one of the best squads in England now, on form certainly. The Villa fans I know all say that Bouma is ten times the player Shorey is though - I'm not sure I agree, but they're the ones watching him. It remains to be seen whether either of them will be first choice at one of the bigger clubs, which is odd because when they were playing as part of that Reading team we would all have said that they could have done so easily.

[papereyes]

"No, sorry Mr Mourinho, I'm just not good enough, no matter what you and Clarkey think"

Do you think Mourinho really thought that Sidwell, Ben Haim and Pizarro were good enough for Chelsea? Because it turns out that none of them were, and they were all signed for 'free' when there were stories about Abrahamovich wanting his manager to spend less money and still win trophies.

Could it be Mourinho was making a point about what you get when you spend peanuts?

A very expensive mistake considering it cost him his job.

I do accept your point. I personally think it was the other way round - he was given a budget and he identified players that he thought would bolster the squad using that budget.

[Hoop Blah]

That still misses the central points that football players are, by and large, ambitious and determined and Woodcote, have you got any examples of players that appear to have turned down top 4 overtures to sign for a 'second teir' club like Villa, Newcastle or City?

I can think of two - Shearer and Le Tissier. Both England players and both better the Shorey/Sidwell. They are the only two mind.

Not bad...two from the best part of 15 years ago when the money wasn't quite the same as a bit more recently.

[readingbedding]

I think the death of Shorey has been greatly exaggerated.
Knee-jerk bollox strikes again.

[Sarah Star]

Regardless of anything else that's been said, Shorey didn't have a bad game last night against Ajax.

[Royalee]

LOL at the bitterness on here. I bet they're gutted they weren't facing Doncaster on Tuesday.

[Gordons Cumming]

Regardless of anything else that's been said, Shorey didn't have a bad game last night against Ajax.

He was hugely influential in creating Villa's second goal. Trademark dribble and great pass to Young.

[readingbedding]

Coppell out...
Paul Jewell in!!!

[brendywendy]

Regardless of anything else that's been said, Shorey didn't have a bad game last night against Ajax.

played much better last night.
like shorey of old

[Sarah Star]

And Sidwell has scored for Villa...maybe he'll get more time on the pitch in future?

[papereyes]

And Sidwell has scored for Villa...maybe he'll get more time on the pitch in future?

With Barry injured, probably.

[rg6royal]

And Sidwell has scored for Villa...maybe he'll get more time on the pitch in future?

With Barry injured, probably.

What's Barry's injury?