Players salaries/bonuses

[Wax Jacket]

LOL @ the RFC are a big club mentality which won't stop rearing its retarded head here

[Woodcote Royal]

He will always command respect for not "Doing a Shorey" but, as was painfully obvious from the day he signed on the dotted line, he was the worst player in Chelea's squad. That's no disgrace when you're surrounded by world class performers but it highlights what a ridiculous move it was for a player with limited ability compared to many in the top flight.

What is more surprising is how little impact he has made since making more realistic moves to the likes of Villa and Fulham.

Regardless of how his most ardent fans rip up their keyboards in a desperate attempt to re-write history, Sidwell's departure from Reading and, more importantly, it's manner, was an unmititaged disaster from which he seems destined never to recover.

Whilst I'm sure he's done well enough to provide for that family of his, I believe he could have earned as well if not better whilst enjoying a more rewarding career had he not tried to be too clever by half.

Wow - what a load of old codswallop.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by the manner of his moving. Of any player I've seen pull on the Reading jersey and even when he knew he was moving the man never gave anything less than 100% in every game he played. I don't know what more you could have asked from a player.

As for the move to Chelsea, I was as surprised as anyone that they wanted him. He tried, he failed. I don't blame him for having a go. Since then he's been at a lower level and is established (save for hernia issues) at Fulham with an extended contract.


Of all the bad tastes we have had to endure, from Pardew to McGhee, from Shorey to Hunt, Sidwell conducted himself in an upfront and honest manner off the pitch and impeccably on it. He is as good as it gets in modern footballing terms.

If you understood why Chelsea wanted Sidwell at the time you wouldn't see my post as Codswallop.............................it's never too late to take your head out of your arse.

[Royal With Cheese]

Why don't you then?

[Woodcote Royal]

I can't think of a single player who was in the 106 squad that after leaving Reading went on to bigger and better things; ok, some played in the Premier League after we were relegated, but no-one lived up to the reputations they gained whilst playing for Reading.

It just shows that our success was based upon the sum of parts rather than a specific individual.

But Sidwell has been unable to hold down a regular first team place anywhere since the day he left and it started when he signed for a club whose manager wanted him because he was free as he was being starved of funds at the time.

Chelsea used Sidwell and it never would have happened had he signed a contract like Kitson, Doyle, Shorey and Hunt who all earned big moves for fat fees and went on to enjoy moderate success in the top flight.

[Royal With Cheese]

I can't think of a single player who was in the 106 squad that after leaving Reading went on to bigger and better things; ok, some played in the Premier League after we were relegated, but no-one lived up to the reputations they gained whilst playing for Reading.

It just shows that our success was based upon the sum of parts rather than a specific individual.

But Sidwell has been unable to hold down a regular first team place anywhere since the day he left and it started when he signed for a club whose manager wanted him because he was free as he was being starved of funds at the time.

Chelsea used Sidwell and it never would have happened had he signed a contract like Kitson, Doyle, Shorey and Hunt who all earned big moves for fat fees and went on to enjoy moderate success in the top flight.

Again, what?

Kitson's now bound for Sheffield United, Hunt and Doyle are back in the Championship. Even Shorey had to to on loan to a championship team to get him re-established and has now been released by West Brom. Sidwell is the only player not to have dropped from the Premiership during this period.

And your assertion that they've enjoyed "moderate" sucess and that Sidwell hasn't doesn't stack up.

Since 2008 Shorey has appeared in the prem 72 times, Hunt 71 (although Wiki doesn't break down appearances to league and cup so it's probably less) and Sidwell 71. Only Doyle on 93 could be considered as having a better record, but it's hardly a huge difference over 4 seasons.

(Note, those figures might not be entirely accurate but are close enough for the comparison. If someone with a bit more time wishes to further investigate I'd be interested to see the confirmed figures)

[Woodcote Royal]

And how many matches has Sidwell featured in (or, more importantly, started) since he left us in 2007? That's 5 seasons in which he's played very little first team football at any level (in what should have been the best years of his career ) whereas as the others have all been playing regularly with (according to your figures) at least as many top flight matches as him.

Sidwell has been a bit part performer since the day he left us when he was always good enough to hold down a place in a bottom half Prem side or been a star in the Championship. If you and others think that makes his move to Chelsea a success, go buy a brain and think again.

[Mr Angry]

In the context of this discussion, I wonder what the definition of "success" is?

Of the 106 squad, Sidwell is the only one to have played in the Champions League for example.....is that not considered a measurement of success?

[Vision]

And how many matches has Sidwell featured in (or, more importantly, started) since he left us in 2007? That's 5 seasons in which he's played very little first team football at any level (in what should have been the best years of his career ) whereas as the others have all been playing regularly with (according to your figures) at least as many top flight matches as him.

Sidwell has been a bit part performer since the day he left us when he was always good enough to hold down a place in a bottom half Prem side or been a star in the Championship. If you and others think that makes his move to Chelsea a success, go buy a brain and think again.

And of course there's absolutely no other way of looking at other than that.

Just consider for a moment that if he'd turned down the opportunity and possibility of:-

Playing for the champions of the country
Working with arguably the best club manager in World football
Working alongside genuinely world class players week in week out
Playing in the Champions League
Winning trophies
Making enough money to set himself up for life

that he might just have spent his subsequent career regretting it every bit as much as some seem to claim he must be regretting going there.

He took a punt at seeing if he could make it at the highest level of the English game and fell short. Of course his Chelsea stay was such a disaster for his career that he was still deemed to be worth £5m when he came to leave. If anything you could argue it was that injury ravaged move to Villa which stalled his career rather than the Chelsea one.

Last season he was a regular when fit for a mid table Fulham team so the Chelsea stay was hardly a career destroying decision and as things stand he's better placed to be a regular Premiership player next season than anyone else mentioned above with the possible exception of Doyle.

Still I'm sure Stephen Hunt with his 3 relegations is laughing his nut off at the mess Sidwell has made of his career.

The point though is that there is more than one way of looking at this and it never ceases to amaze me how its always those that accuse others of having their head up their arse are generally the ones that are completely incapable of looking at a situation in any other way other than that which they convinced themeselves years ago was fact.

[Royal With Cheese]

In the context of this discussion, I wonder what the definition of "success" is?

Of the 106 squad, Sidwell is the only one to have played in the Champions League for example.....is that not considered a measurement of success?

I'm not sure what Sidwell's done to upset Woodcote but the facts plainly speak for themselves. I'm astounded that Woodcote's definition of sucess is not to go to a top 4 team if they want you. By definition you have attained a level of sucess if this happens.

I'm not actually arguing with him that with hindsite it didn't work out, I am arguing completely with his definiton of sucess, of which Sidwell seems to have attained this level by Woodcotes own criteria (games in the top flight), seems to be totally wrong.

I guess that's what the discussion is all about.

[Vision]

In the context of this discussion, I wonder what the definition of "success" is?

Of the 106 squad, Sidwell is the only one to have played in the Champions League for example.....is that not considered a measurement of success?

Don't be daft. Hunt's 3 relegations trumps anything Sidwell has ever done.

Lets be totally honest though... not being good enough to be a regular a Chelsea >>> not being good enough to be a regular at Hull/Stoke/Wolves/WBA etc etc

Facetiousness aside I doubt any of them has or will have more success (or the feeling of success) than they did in those two stellar seasons with us.

[Royal With Cheese]

Facetiousness aside I doubt any of them has or will have more success (or the feeling of success) than they did in those two stellar seasons with us.

Agreed.

[Woodcote Royal]

And how many matches has Sidwell featured in (or, more importantly, started) since he left us in 2007? That's 5 seasons in which he's played very little first team football at any level (in what should have been the best years of his career ) whereas as the others have all been playing regularly with (according to your figures) at least as many top flight matches as him.

Sidwell has been a bit part performer since the day he left us when he was always good enough to hold down a place in a bottom half Prem side or been a star in the Championship. If you and others think that makes his move to Chelsea a success, go buy a brain and think again.

And of course there's absolutely no other way of looking at other than that.

Just consider for a moment that if he'd turned down the opportunity and possibility of:-

Playing for the champions of the country
Working with arguably the best club manager in World football
Working alongside genuinely world class players week in week out
Playing in the Champions League
Winning trophies
Making enough money to set himself up for life

that he might just have spent his subsequent career regretting it every bit as much as some seem to claim he must be regretting going there.

He took a punt at seeing if he could make it at the highest level of the English game and fell short. Of course his Chelsea stay was such a disaster for his career that he was still deemed to be worth £5m when he came to leave. If anything you could argue it was that injury ravaged move to Villa which stalled his career rather than the Chelsea one.

Last season he was a regular when fit for a mid table Fulham team so the Chelsea stay was hardly a career destroying decision and as things stand he's better placed to be a regular Premiership player next season than anyone else mentioned above with the possible exception of Doyle.

Still I'm sure Stephen Hunt with his 3 relegations is laughing his nut off at the mess Sidwell has made of his career.

The point though is that there is more than one way of looking at this and it never ceases to amaze me how its always those that accuse others of having their head up their arse are generally the ones that are completely incapable of looking at a situation in any other way other than that which they convinced themeselves years ago was fact.

Sidwell was never good enough to enjoy those benefits and Chelsea clearly only bought him as a squad player because he was free.

Whilst others would have made a step to where they had good prospects of first team football and to where that first team football might have the caught the eye of a Chelsea or Man U had they shown the required quality, he ran down his contract in order to earn big bucks and elected to move to where he was never going to break into a world class midfield.

As far as I'm concerned, everything that myself and others said about the move at the time has come to pass and whilst all our opinions back then were merely conjecture, yes, in my view those still maintaining that this was anything other than a very poor career move are choosing to place their heads in something unpleasant.

Apart from some stupid remarks he made at the time, Sidwell has done nothing to upset me. All I see is a wasted career. Is it better to spend years sat on a bench or to play regularly for a team that gets relegated from one of the touchest league's in the world? For all Hunt's faults, he's done what most pro's do and has sought regular first team football at the highest level he can mantain. It's blindingly obvious to me that Stephen Hunt has made the utmost of his limited talents whereas Steve Sidwell's have been largely wasted.

[redscot]

This is getting weird. Hunt would have jumped at a chance to play for Chelsea. I feel he has not made the utmost of his limited talents, rather cling on to premership football at any cost. Sidwell was a good player whom wanted to move on at the end of his contract. There is nothing wrong in that. I can only assume Chelsea paid him a handsome wage as he was free. He would have been silly not to accept. Players like him, Long and Doyle are gentlemen, compared to the likes of Hunt, Kitson and Shorey.

[Royal With Cheese]

Any of those players would have jumped for a chance to play for Chelsea. Anyway I'm out of this surreal thread - I think both sides have put their points across and no more need be said.

[Vision]

And how many matches has Sidwell featured in (or, more importantly, started) since he left us in 2007? That's 5 seasons in which he's played very little first team football at any level (in what should have been the best years of his career ) whereas as the others have all been playing regularly with (according to your figures) at least as many top flight matches as him.

Sidwell has been a bit part performer since the day he left us when he was always good enough to hold down a place in a bottom half Prem side or been a star in the Championship. If you and others think that makes his move to Chelsea a success, go buy a brain and think again.

And of course there's absolutely no other way of looking at other than that.

Just consider for a moment that if he'd turned down the opportunity and possibility of:-

Playing for the champions of the country
Working with arguably the best club manager in World football
Working alongside genuinely world class players week in week out
Playing in the Champions League
Winning trophies
Making enough money to set himself up for life

that he might just have spent his subsequent career regretting it every bit as much as some seem to claim he must be regretting going there.

He took a punt at seeing if he could make it at the highest level of the English game and fell short. Of course his Chelsea stay was such a disaster for his career that he was still deemed to be worth £5m when he came to leave. If anything you could argue it was that injury ravaged move to Villa which stalled his career rather than the Chelsea one.

Last season he was a regular when fit for a mid table Fulham team so the Chelsea stay was hardly a career destroying decision and as things stand he's better placed to be a regular Premiership player next season than anyone else mentioned above with the possible exception of Doyle.

Still I'm sure Stephen Hunt with his 3 relegations is laughing his nut off at the mess Sidwell has made of his career.

The point though is that there is more than one way of looking at this and it never ceases to amaze me how its always those that accuse others of having their head up their arse are generally the ones that are completely incapable of looking at a situation in any other way other than that which they convinced themeselves years ago was fact.

Sidwell was never good enough to enjoy those benefits and Chelsea clearly only bought him as a squad player because he was free.

Whilst others would have made a step to where they had good prospects of first team football and to where that first team football might have the caught the eye of a Chelsea or Man U had they shown the required quality, he ran down his contract in order to earn big bucks and elected to move to where he was never going to break into a world class midfield.

As far as I'm concerned, everything that myself and others said about the move at the time has come to pass and whilst all our opinions back then were merely conjecture, yes, in my view those still maintaining that this was anything other than a very poor career move are choosing to place their heads in something unpleasant.

Apart from some stupid remarks he made at the time, Sidwell has done nothing to upset me. All I see is a wasted career. Is it better to spend years sat on a bench or to play regularly for a team that gets relegated from one of the touchest league's in the world? For all Hunt's faults, he's done what most pro's do and has sought regular first team football at the highest level he can mantain. It's blindingly obvious to me that Stephen Hunt has made the utmost of his limited talents whereas Steve Sidwell's have been largely wasted.

You really think 1 season at Chelsea has led to a wasted career? If he'd sat on a bench for 3/4 seasons you might have a point but he didn't. If no-one in the premier League rated him or wanted him after his Chelsea move you might have a point but that didn't happen either.

He moved for £5m a year later to exactly the sort of club you claim he should have gone to anyway so its not like his stock suddenly dropped and he was all washed up after a year. As I said in that year he tasted Champions League football, was coached by Jose and worked week in week out with some of the worlds best players. What subsequently happened at Villa (a lot of his problems were injury related anyway) really can't be attributed to the 12 months he spent at Chelsea unless you're determined to blindly stick to your prejudices no matter what.

I'm equally sure that not one player of the 106 team would have made any other decision other than the one Sidwell made. In fact Kevin Doyle himself said just that thing shortly afterwards.

It's generally felt that in life you rarely regret the things you've done as much as the things you didn't do. If Sidwell had turned down Chelsea there's a fair chance he'd have spent the rest of his life wondering what might have been.

Either way I'm not sure its got much to do with the topic at hand or the current team so like RWC I'll leave this discussion here.