03 May 2016 20:51:41
Read a lot of stuff today about Brown on here and in the rags. Hardworking player with great passion when he's on form but I do think that's as far as it goes. In my opinion, one of Celtic's biggest losses in recent years has been Joe Ledley. Can't remember him having many bad games. Versatile player with an eye for goal, had him as Brown's natural successor. Real loss to the team and we have easily got 10 midfield players just now that aren't worth one of him.
03 May 2016 21:08:38
If take big vic before joe, however I would take joe before brown.
03 May 2016 22:14:42
Brown has been the driving force of the team and it is clear how important he is considered to the current side when he has played only partially fit throughout the league run in. He has been and will be vital to us again next season. I also think Ledley was a terrible loss particularly as he didn't want to leave, he was fantastic at controlling the tempo of the game and could chip in with important goals.
03 May 2016 22:47:05
Gout64, I am not sure about Ledley not wanting to leave, even though he said that he wanted to stay . He came on a free with a decent signing on fee and I think he intended to leave on a free .
He was a good reliable hard working mid fielder, probably the best box to box midfielder we have had for years and a very good partner for Scot Brown.
04 May 2016 00:35:15
Grout64 your right about Ledley. He wanted to sign a years extension, whereas PL was trying to railroad him into a 2 year.
05 May 2016 00:29:12
DN 30 Surely u cannot criticise P L for wanting to sign up Ledley for two yrs or more . Surely the reason Ledley was insisting on the one ye was because he wanted to leave for free . You prove the point.
{Ed007's Note - Ledley initially signed on top dollar because he was a free and there was no way CFC could improve his deal under the wage structure, as soon as that was clear he was always going to leave. Cracking player right enough.
It was similar with Adam Matthews although he never hit the heights of Ledley he was a solid enough player when fit but there was no room to offer an improved deal.
Here's one for you, Chris as I am feeling philosophical. When you look at those 2 deals I've mentioned did our recruitment plans alter slightly after that, did PL expect their value to rocket and make a packet after a year or two (although we did get circa £3m for Ledley) and when it didn't and they walked he decided young Bosmans weren't the way to go after being burned twice?
He had a pay the decent fee, £20k a week wages, 2 years later we've got 2 players worth £6,7,8-10 million each plan and it didn't work, he got what £5m (for the 2??) considering the wages, bonuses etc he paid out I can't see it have being a fruitful excercise.
We've all listed decent quality Bosman's yet rarely get even linked with them, we buy a guy at £1.5 m on £520k a year and you'll sell him him for a good profit or at least get some money back. You sign a player, no transfer fee so a hefty signing on fee and £20k wages, you're waiting that long for a big bid to come in you end up losing him for a couple of mill nominal fee January or hee haw in June. I know there training compensation now but I hope I made it clear what I was meaning.}