Calling time on players: should Amorim go Pep style?

Katy Cat

Full Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2023
Messages
107
Pep is apparently looking to call time on a bunch of big name players - Ederson, KdB, Stones and Silva amongst them - having decided that some combination of age / injuries / other regression has done for them...and, according to various media takes on it all, he's been saying so in public.

I quite admire this. It talks to standards, expectations, and the need for a certain ruthlessness in how you maintain sporting success.

It's hard to do well for all sorts of complexities around contractual obligations, the need to maintain sales potential, morale and more, but it can be done and we should be doing it. In the right way.

Here's where I'd start and how i'd 'sell' it:

Shaw - great player, big part of the England renaissance but so unlucky with injuries...released early so he can enjoy a couple of years in the MLS (or wherever).
Casemiro - won everything, 'if only we'd had him 5 years earlier', 'doesn't have the physicality we need', off to the States ahead of the WC
Rashford - time for that new challenge, chance to be part of England's WC 26 squad...good luck at Villa Rashy!
Onana - needs regular game time (hint: we won't be providing it), still only 29, gets him back on the international scene
Mount - fitness has cost him here, needs to get back to his Chelsea best, needs to be in less physical league

So, who do you think Amorim could / should be calling time on and how would you frame it?
 
Last edited:
It's not Amorim's job to buy or sell players, when will fans get this into their heads?
 
Its not exactly in the same ballpark getting rid of injured, poor or over the hill United players vs City players who are still excellent but perhaps not quite at the same physical level they were a few years ago. I don't think there will be any hand wringing over getting rid of 90% of this United squad. Citys rebuild will be somewhat tricker to improve on their current squad.
 
Guardiola will have competent at people at city who know and understand the market and do the deals to move these players on. We have lacked that at United more than anything we have lacked in the dugout over the last ten years.
 
The difference is that It will cost us money to move any of those five players on. All are on massive wages that clubs at the level they are capable of playing for won't be interested in paying.
 
This happens the world over? Difference is the richer the club, the easier it is.
 
spiriticon said:
If he has no input at all, then we need to stop this 'back the manager' trope and he needs to work with what he has.
Click to expand...
I assume he gives them his opinion or a list of positions to improve, but he doesn't have a veto or makes deals.
 
Of all the pensioners at this club in the last XII years, I don't know why but Casemiro annoys me the most. I would pop open a bottle champagne when this guy leaves. It was funny when Gareth Bale was doing it to Real, but it's god damn irritating that this guy won't move and is happy to sit & pocket those hefty wages.

I know he has a contract, blah, blah. blah...so save me the moral lectures.
 
pocco said:
What is the relevance of his input vs the need to be backed?
Click to expand...

Because we do get players every transfer window. At least 1 or 2, even this January we got some players in.

He then needs to show what he can do with these players, rather than wait for the summer transfer window for something magical to happen.
 
spiriticon said:
Because we do get players every transfer window. At least 1 or 2, even this January we got some players in.

He then needs to show what he can do with these players, rather than wait for the summer transfer window for something magical to happen.
Click to expand...

Fair enough. Your post read like "he has no say in transfers and therefore doesn't need any" - I wasn't following your logic.

Out of interest, what is getting the most out of these players in your opinion?
 
The situations are somewhat different because City don't need to do much to move these players. De Bruyne's contract is up this summer; Ederson, Stones, and Silva are up in a year. The club can let the latter three know that they won't be renewed and if they want to leave now or in a year it's fine either way.

At United, Mount, Rashford, and Onana are up in 2028, and Shaw up in 2027. Only Casemiro's contract is up soon.
 
Insanity said:
Of all the pensioners at this club in the last XII years, I don't know why but Casemiro annoys me the most. I would pop open a bottle champagne when this guy leaves. It was funny when Gareth Bale was doing it to Real, but it's god damn irritating that this guy won't move and is happy to sit & pocket those hefty wages.

I know he has a contract, blah, blah. blah...so save me the moral lectures.
Click to expand...
But he isn't sitting, he plays. He played 2500 minutes last season and has played 1600 minutes this season. He's the 13th most used player this season and 8th most used player last season. Why would you move if you're a regular player and getting paid well?

Gareth Bale played 1200 minutes and 700 minutes in his last two seasons at Real Madrid, with a Spurs loan in between. Not even in the same ballpark.
 
Iker Quesadillas said:
But he isn't sitting, he plays. He played 2500 minutes last season and has played 1600 minutes this season. He's the 13th most used player this season and 8th most used player last season. Why would he move?

Gareth Bale played 1200 minutes for Real Madrid in 19/20, moved to Spurs for a season, and then played 700 minutes in his final season for Real Madrid before his contract expired. Not even in the same ballpark.
Click to expand...
We tried to move him last summer & in January. He was a permanent fixture on the bench after the Newcastle game until he started the last game because of an injury crisis. I thought a decorated player like him would have liked to play regular football at age 32, instead of being happy with a bit part role.
 
Katy Cat said:
Pep is apparently looking to call time on a bunch of big name players - Ederson, KdB, Stones and Silva amongst them - having decided that some combination of age / injuries / other regression has done for them...and, according to various media takes on it all, he's been saying so in public.

I quite admire this. It talks to standards, expectations, and the need for a certain ruthlessness in how you maintain sporting success.

It's hard to do well for all sorts of complexities around contractual obligations, the need to maintain sales potential, morale and more, but it can be done and we should be doing it. In the right way.

Here's where I'd start and how i'd 'sell' it:

Shaw - great player, big part of the England renaissance but so unlucky with injuries...released early so he can enjoy a couple of years in the MLS (or wherever).
Casemiro - won everything, 'if only we'd had him 5 years earlier', 'doesn't have the physicality we need', off to the States ahead of the WC
Rashford - time for that new challenge, chance to be part of England's WC 26 squad...good luck at Villa Rashy!
Onana - needs regular game time (hint: we won't be providing it), still only 29, gets him back on the international scene
Mount - fitness has cost him here, needs to get back to his Chelsea best, needs to be in less physical league

So, who do you think Amorim could / should be calling time on and how would you frame it?
Click to expand...

Wait Pep has to make changes to his City team in order to make them better? Well as manager he should be making his players better and if he can’t do that he’s clearly not good enough and should be sacked
 
Amorim is in a terrible position because we arent winning, our new players arent coming in and doing well straight away and we're making cuts to finances

He has tried to make a moral and philosophical point with Rashford and Garnacho, but then he ends up with players in the team doing the same thing Rashford was doing because he doesnt have the resources to cut a star player over his point.

So he can't at this point decide to throw away every other player who isnt at their best anymore. In a couple of years if he starts winning and builds a team then he might be able to. But its a luxury that City could afford and we arent even close to.
 
Problem is Pep can do it because they'll probably find buyers for those 5-6 players. When was the last time we got rid of a player for decent money? Dan James?

Amorim would have to call out about 15 senior players who aren't up to it and then starting next season with about 10 of them because we couldn't get rid.

I'm sure Amorim have discussed internally which players are not up to it and he'll push for them to be moved on. But I don't think exposing it to the media would do wonders for the squad's morale and would weaken us even more in the market.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.