David Jones - from the Premiership and back
There are some players who you know are destined to be quiet, efficient, quality players. Not world-class, but not prima donnas, mediocre or utter tosh either.
David Jones is such a player - and from what I’ve seen in the last year, he will be one of the driving forces behind Derby’s bid to stay up next season.
I’ve always thought of David Jones as someone who could be a long-term midfield option for Manchester United - he has a better first touch, overall ball control and passing than Darren Fletcher and he can shoot too. In fact the only thing holding Jones back at Old Trafford last season was the fact that United had targeted Hargreaves for next season AND Fletcher was going to be around (and ahead in rank) for some time.
Jones wanted more playing time, so he left.
And now he’s back in the Premiership, and the next season is his chance to make a name for himself - whether Derby survive or not, he’s one of those young players who will be watched closely next season and if he does well, you can expect a bigger club to move for him by next summer.
There are times when players leave because they need to be playing day in and day out and not sit for long periods on the bench. In my view Jones made the sensible decision (although if I were SAF I’d have put Jones ahead of Fletch in the pecking order) and he now has the opportunity to have a good career.
There are many other players though, who don’t get that shot. They either stay at the club of their dreams for too long, or they get comfortable coming off the bench, being rotated and challenging for the top honours. I suppose it also differs with the stages in their career - Jones is 22 and needs games - a 18-year old could be eased in playing half of the games in a season, ditto for a 28-year old.
There are some players at every club though, who should move on but don’t.
So today’s question (if you’ve come this far down) is this:
Who do you support, and who do you think is wasting their career playing at that club?
i think if the jones achieves his full potential we could buy him back,he is really good and looks like he can only get better.he is one for the future to look out for.Fergie must admire him alot and i know he regrets why he allowed him to go .He has been a revelation.I think one of the best homegrown players we have produced in a while.I wish him and derby the best next season
I’ll kick this one off.
At United, I think Alan Smith is one player who in a very tough position - he was at one time almost indispensable during our injury crisis of 2005/2006 and then he got injured, a whole year passed by and he’s not as needed as before.
My gut feeling is that Smith won’t be a regular starter at United if he stays and he needs to play those games to get back into scoring habits.
Phil Neville and Nicky Butt are both examples of players who left for regular football, even though they grew up at the club, but I’m probably looking at younger players.
I think SWP is wasting his career a Chelsea. Thats the only example I can think off!
Spurs fan..basically our entire youth/reserve squad, particularly Lee Barnard. Lights up the reserves every year with a bucketload of goals, and can’t get a look in the first team. At 23, with berba, keane, defoe, and now bent ahead of him in the pecking order, first team is only going to be harder to come by..best of luck mate.
What do you think of smith to newcastle ahmed? With Ameobi, Viduka, and potentiall Oba and Owen, where’s smith gonna fit in? Or do you already see martins/owen out the door?
Owen has to leave for his own credibility- they won’t hold onto Martins for too long, theyll wana cash in on him as Big Sam will want a big target man to hoof the ball to- neither Owen nor Martin fit the bill. Think he’ll give Shola another season at best. Geoff Horsfield is a player who wasn’t given enough of a chance in the Prem and I think he’d do a good job for Newcastle as a temporary measure- pie in the sky as that may be…
Geoff Horsfield is and always will be crap, and why do Necastle need another striker when they’ve already got at least 2 top quality strikers, plus maybe Smith…
So anyways:
Harry Kewell maybe…? I don’t think Benitez likes him much, and he still seems to be more than an average player…
Can’t think of anyone else…
I support Manchester United,
And I am happy to say that there are platy of Premiership quality players there who are wasting their careers by not playing week-in week-out. One such example is Richardson; in my opinion he could be Bolton quality (good but not excellent) if he played regularly, just like he was mid-way through the 2005-2006 season. Unfortunately he is wasting a perfectly good career sitting on a red chair. Other players in this situation at United are: Smith, Brown and Kuzchac(spelling?).
Armand Traoré is one. He has clearly shown he is a great left back, but i don’t think that he ill ever be able to get in ahead of clichy and they are both young. And senderos, who is now 4th choice at Arsenal, and rightly so…but he could do a good job for teams like Newcastle.
jones was useless wen he came on at the play off final!!! i was there and derby wont even get over 20 points next season. All they did was sit back and take pressure, and got lucky when they got a turn on anaged defender like chris perry. as soon as world class players like c. ronaldo and gerrard run at them they will get beat 3, 4 nill every week! you heard it here first!!!
Manchester United FC
Kieran Richardson is really wasting his time here. They got Nani and Anderson, and Giggs is already there on the left wing so chances for Richardson will be lesser now. If I were SAF, I would loan Kieran Richardson to Sunderland. Smith too is in a situation which makes him double-minded. Whatever he thinks will confuse him even further. Other than that I can’t think of any other such player at United.
Rohit - I can ABSOLUTELY assure you that Roy Keane would not take Richardson on loan. His attitude stinks - I’ve met him - he thinks he’s a Gangsta, and Keane would not put up with that.
Back to the debate - I think Defoe is wasting his time at Spurs for no other reason than Berba and Keane (and maybe Bent) are better than him, that doesn’t make him a bad player, just West Am or Portsmouth quality.
[...] of Fletcher or O’ Shea in midfield when Scholes was injured for a while. Ahmed’s paid a small tribute to him in Soccerlens. I’d say he’ll be among the players to watch out for, come next [...]
Jones Is Good ! West Brom are not. the better team won at wembley and the better team got more points throughout the season. Even if Derby dont get more than 20 points next season and get beat by Man u and the like, at least we will be there unlike West Brom who will have fun playing Blackpool!
How much more comment from bitter West Brom fans do I have to wade through, 1-0 is a respectible score line just ask any Arsenal fan!
David Jones is a class act and a good team player, which is more than can be said for some of your over-priced journeymen! You need to have a team to get out of the Championship and not just skillful individuals.