The Mahrez Saga

[Skitzo]

Sky saying Mahrez didn't turn up for training again

 

[bloo]

The longer he leaves it, the harder it'll get..... or something like that.

 

[Borderfox]

If he had been diagnosed as clinically depressd, I would have some sympathy for him. However this 'depression' is due to the fact he didn't get his own way' quite childish really. His behaviour virtually the same as last time an alleged offer was made. Think its time he grew up and stopped being a spoilt brat. Whoever is advising him they need to have a serious discussion about his behaviour otherwise and as someone said earlier, I too can see his career imploding.

 

[SJN-Fox]

I wonder how much more depressed he'll feel when he finds out he hasn't been paid this week.

 

[bloo]

I wonder how much more depressed he'll feel when he finds out he hasn't been paid this week.

He's so depressed, he wouldn't notice. He probably wouldn't notice anyway. Like dust gathering, can you tell whether there's more today than yesterday?

 

[camberwell fox]

I had sympathy for him first time round but this time he can **** off.

 

[ThaiSweetChilli]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/foot...were-right-to-block-his-manchester-city-move/

Brilliant Article. Absolutely stonkin. Finally people are waking up.

 

[H T B]

Imo, if Mahrez had acted as a responsible adult and continued in his daily chores until told different, the hierarchy may have helped him get his move.

Reminds me a bit of the Joe Mattock scenario, going on to bigger and better things. Look where he is now!

 

[Graz]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/foot...were-right-to-block-his-manchester-city-move/

Brilliant Article. Absolutely stonkin. Finally people are waking up.

****ing hell. Not every day you read a well-reasoned opinion piece from The Sun!

They're right though.

However, I do think a big thing here is that we have no idea how much truth there is behind a lot of this stuff...

Did Mahrez really just not turn up to training yesterday and refuse to travel? The club may have felt it was best for him not to be involved, in case they did get the offer they wanted. And they may have told him today to stay off training for another day until the heat dies down a little.

There's been no quotes, or official comments of any kind from, the club, or his agent.

It's all just paper talk. I imagine a lot of it fuelled by his agent. But that doesn't mean it's coming from Mahrez...

I think we're totally justified in the way we've acted as a club, but also don't think we should be making a villain out of Mahrez yet either.

He's our superstar and I'm thrilled he's still here. Now we need to get him back on the pitch and playing well.
If he decides to have a sulk, then he's being very poorly advised because that isn't going to help him get his move.

 

[homer]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/foot...were-right-to-block-his-manchester-city-move/

Brilliant Article. Absolutely stonkin. Finally people are waking up.

#prayforRiyad

 

[bloo]

Finally people are waking up.

I don't know about that but certainly that particular journalist forcibly puts forward his own perspective, and I'm sure there are many that would agree with him - even if without being quite so dismissive.

There will be Mahrez sympathisers though - those that feel the club have been heartless, mean bastards. I suspect there'll be a number of pundits for instance that take the line that the club has denied Mahrez a bigger stage. Which is of course, from a perspective, correct.... but then they had every right to do exactly that.

For myself, I can't take quite the harsh line taken by the journalist but I do, in essence, agree with them. Just as I equally sympathise with Mahrez. I do think there's been a misunderstanding over the aforementioned gentlemen's agreement.

 

[Miles Away]

As long as you return with a smile, all is forgiven.

I assume he’s the best employee the company has ever had and has helped them reach profitability previously unheard of.

 

[homer]

I assume he’s the best employee the company has ever had and has helped them reach profitability previously unheard of.

Well he was, but he spent the next fiscal year dicking around doing precisely feck all, and nearly sent the company to the wall

Back on it a bit since, but now he's shat in the office tea urn and gone off on the sick. Even though he's not

 

[Miles Away]

That’s not to excuse his behavior, which is bordering on irreparable.

 

[M17TT C]

Well he was, but he spent the next fiscal year dicking around doing precisely feck all, and nearly sent the company to the wall

Back on it a bit since, but now he's shat in the office tea urn and gone off on the sick. Even though he's not

Bit extreme to say that the club almost went bust.

Even more stupid to suggest it was all Mahrez's fault!

 

[Jeff]

Bit extreme to say that the club almost went bust.

Even more stupid to suggest it was all Mahrez's fault!

The bit about the tea urn is right though.

 

[fitz]

****ing hell. Not every day you read a well-reasoned opinion piece from The Sun!

They're right though.

However, I do think a big thing here is that we have no idea how much truth there is behind a lot of this stuff...

Did Mahrez really just not turn up to training yesterday and refuse to travel? The club may have felt it was best for him not to be involved, in case they did get the offer they wanted. And they may have told him today to stay off training for another day until the heat dies down a little.

There's been no quotes, or official comments of any kind from, the club, or his agent.

It's all just paper talk. I imagine a lot of it fuelled by his agent. But that doesn't mean it's coming from Mahrez...

I think we're totally justified in the way we've acted as a club, but also don't think we should be making a villain out of Mahrez yet either.

He's our superstar and I'm thrilled he's still here. Now we need to get him back on the pitch and playing well.
If he decides to have a sulk, then he's being very poorly advised because that isn't going to help him get his move.

Tis true we don't know what is made up or not. I would have thought to protect the value of Mahrez the club would deny he's acting the cock though. I think the best solution would be to negotiate a new contract with Mahrez earning £20k a week but put a nice release clause in so his agent knows exactly how much to whore him about for to prevent any further unnecessary trips to airports/service station coffee shops.

 

[Brown Nose]

I'm a consistent defender of Mahrez. In fact, I love the guy so much that he'd have to do something pretty horrendous to make me forget the joy he has given me over the last four years.

I've therefore held off making any judgement on the current situation until the truth becomes clearer. It still isn't definite what has gone on, but it is now not difficult to follow the chain of events.

We all know Mahrez wants a move to one of the 'big six' teams in England or Barcelona. It has been his wish for 18 months and I don't have a problem with this, or him expressing it. Therefore, it is all about what our owners and Mahrez do if any when any of those clubs make an offer for him.

I don't accept the argument that Mahrez downed tools last season. He was no more or less below his best than pretty much any other player. He's been our best player this season, as (in my opinion) he was in our title winning season. His skill, style, and creativity have always stood out. However, I've also always seen a true team player, who seems to show genuine affection for his team mates and is fully integrated into the core group despite having a different religion and culture to most of them. It is far from irrelevant that his colleagues love him.

Mahrez expressed a desire to go in summer 2016. The owners and Ranieri persuaded him to stay and sign a lucrative new deal with talk of some gentlemen's agreement about being allowed to leave in summer 2017. He didn't have to do this, but he did. He could easily have agitated himself away then, just like Drinkwater did.

In summer 2017, the only team that made an offer was Roma and it was derisory. He was valued at £50m and nobody came close. Roma were also not on his list of teams so I didn't expect any trouble from him by turning this down and we didn't get any. He did make a tit of himself on deadline day, not because I think he wanted to go to Roma, but that he was hoping one of his favoured teams came in with a late offer.

So fast forward to this January, and 30 days of total silence when it came to Mahrez and a move away. He said nothing, his agent said nothing, and no club came in for him. Man City deliberately decided to try us out on deadline day presumably because they saw us get bullied by Drinkwater and Chelsea in August and thought that they could do the same. The problem with this is that Man City ticked all of Mahrez's boxes so he was always going to be very keen on the move - and I don't blame him for that either.

Man City then offer 'last summer' money. Our owners were asked what our valuation was and they replied £80m (I think Rob Tanner's account of the money involved is most likely to be accurate). Man City then pissed about with inept offers well below this and eventually attempted to throw in Patrick Roberts (Man City fans seem to think it was) as a make-weight replacement. At no point did Man City get anywhere close to our valuation. I'd venture that our owners would have compromised a bit, but Man City weren't going to get north of £70m and so the deal died.

Mahrez witnessed all this with completely understandable despair. He'd been waiting around for 18 months for this chance, here is was, and it was all going to shit. I don't blame him or his agent for trying a few tricks to try to make things happen. However, our owners toughed it out and that is to their great credit. Ultimately, a big club is created by big actions.

Man City have been very poor in all this. If they aren't serious, either keep quiet about any interest or don't go there at all. We all know that they could have paid the asking price without a care but they decided to stay well below. Maybe they were deliberately softening us up for signing him this summer. I hope our owners have nothing to do with them then too.

Mahrez is again the victim. What of any substance has he done wrong beyond expressing a desire to (in his eyes) improve himself? I trust in his good sense and expect that the players that love him will reintegrate him and the fans that currently hurl abuse at his supposed behaviour will cheer him the next time he dances through an opposition defence. Maybe this will all happen as early as this weekend.

Support our owners and their judgement. Support our best player through another emotional roller-coaster he's been through. And then let's all enjoy him for a little longer.

 

[Skitzo]

you're jumping through so many hoops to defend him its sad, he has behaved appalling, again, because the club are holding out for a good deal

 

[fitz]

I don't accept the argument that Mahrez downed tools last season. He was no more or less below his best than pretty much any other player.

Given that nearly all of them did down tools doesn't that mean he did?