Player thread: James Milner (2014/15)

I can only take it as a good sign that milner knows we have top class players arriving this summer so wants out.
 
GX Blue said:
How can a player in future leave us then without you thinking hes a greedy footballer?
Hes stayed his full contract. Never moans. Always gives 100%. Said he wants regular 1st team football so thats why hes dropping down a level to play week in week out at Liverpool.

Good luck to him.
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I can't fault his commitment, what I do question is his hunger and desire to win trophies. He's already a multi-millionaire and he strikes me as a sensible bloke who is unlikely to blow all his money within a couple of years of retiring.
If it was me, with all that money in the bank, then the most important thing would be to win as much as I possibly could before I retire.
He's no fool, he knows his best chance of medals is staying at City. He will win nothing at Liverpool.
I suppose he can laminate his bank statements and Liverpool wage slips and stick them on the wall above his trophy cabinet.
 
It’s a weird move and I think it’s got more to do with trying to get in the England squad than anything else. He’s clearly concerned that a big summer spending spree will lead to his isolation and I can’t help but thinking he wants to make the England squad for the Euros next summer and that’s driving him more than anything. Why would you go to Liverpool, where you might make more appearances, but are unlikely to make a huge amount more than currently, and they’re less likely to challenge for trophies… It’s an odd choice. I could understand a move down the league but Liverpool have wide players and a lot of midfield options so I can’t see him getting any more games there than here. They’re not in the CL either. I think it’s a combination of one last significant pay day with a signing on fee and a slightly better chance of game time to get into the England side.
 
Milner will also have to consider, what if Liverpool have a poor start Brendon gets sacked next manager doesn't fancy him and plays him as a bit part winger?! but hey that's the gamble Milner is taking so in a way if he's thought this through he must be getting a signing on fee and a decent weekly wage, as in stay at city new players coming this summer plus how we do incentives in wages now he might think he might on a basic of say 80/90k.. So it's about money for me if you look at it this way...
 
waspish said:
well going of this season that's a lie regarding playing time, only reason he is going is he knows we are going to be bringing in next season if he stayed he would get less playing time, anyway good luck to him been a model pro in the field
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Exactly, so he knows he won’t play much. His contract has ended so he mays well move on. If he had 3 years left and he was piping up saying he needs more playing time I could understand people moaning but he’s stayed 5 years being a bit part player.
Its a no brainer for me. He wants to play. Liverpool are about his level. He will play most weeks for them. Go for it lad...
People are short sighted. Next season probably wouldn’t even be the problem season for him. If he stayed he would still prob get his 20 plus starts. Its the seasons after where he would be benched and trapped in a contract.
 
stony said:
I can't fault his commitment, what I do question is his hunger and desire to win trophies. He's already a multi-millionaire and he strikes me as a sensible bloke who is unlikely to blow all his money within a couple of years of retiring.
If it was me, with all that money in the bank, then the most important thing would be to win as much as I possibly could before I retire.
He's no fool, he knows his best chance of medals is staying at City. He will win nothing at Liverpool.
I suppose he can laminate his bank statements and Liverpool wage slips and stick them on the wall above his trophy cabinet.
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Spot on Stony. Well said ... especially the bit at the end about laminating his bank statements. Made me chuckle.
 
GX Blue agreed people are short sighted when it comes to Milner anyway. Most who don't rate him haven't seen the work he does when he hasn't got the ball. That doesn't often show up on TV. The people who go to match after match and sing his name know what he does. He will take some replacing imo as a "water carrier" as they used to be called is vital to a team to free up and protect the more talented. I'm sorry to see him go
 
Sorry to see him go in a couple of ways i.e. home grown and seems to be a decent lad who integrated well within the group but always been a bit Ian Brightwell for me, dependable and hard working and occasionally did great things but too inconsistent to be top class. However, I wish him well as he rarely gave less than his all.
 
The way I see it is like this

Realistically how much game time would Jimmy get if we got our main targets Pogba, De Bruyne & Sterling?

Then factor in next season...then the next

Jimmy has been playing a lot of games for us but it will only be downhill from here on in

Elsewhere he may still play every week

That has to be a big draw for a hardworking and focused individual like Jim

He's no Danny Mills nor does he want to be
 
stony said:
I can't fault his commitment, what I do question is his hunger and desire to win trophies. He's already a multi-millionaire and he strikes me as a sensible bloke who is unlikely to blow all his money within a couple of years of retiring.
If it was me, with all that money in the bank, then the most important thing would be to win as much as I possibly could before I retire.
He's no fool, he knows his best chance of medals is staying at City. He will win nothing at Liverpool.
I suppose he can laminate his bank statements and Liverpool wage slips and stick them on the wall above his trophy cabinet.
Click to expand...

I can only assume that in the wake of Gerrard going to the US, the Dippers have promised Milner he'll be their new star man.... he'll win nothing, but wow - hero of the kop! Give you're head a wobble Milner lad, career suicide this!
 
He can see the writing is on the wall for him given the likely arrival of a couple of high quality midfielders in the summer.
He can't be blamed for cutting himself the best possible deal financially either.
Pity as there is no question we need worker bees as well as superstars in our team.
 
Good luck to him in the future, he deserves it, he has served City well. I dont think he should go but I guess he is looking at getting more games (For Liverpool) considering City will be bringing in fresh blood
 
I can see why he wants a move.

If we strengthen with even one player in midfield and Yaya stays, as is looking the case, Jimmy won't play until we need to sure a game up, or through injuries. I wouldn't want to play that role either at 29 years old, he's probably got 3 seasons playing at a top level, then his decline.

If he can't get a move, on similar money and a hefty signing on fee, to a club like Liverpool he should take it. He'll be a hero for them, he won't win much, possibly a cup, and he'll play every week. He doesn't need to uproot his family and it satisfies his desire to move.

Selfishly I'd love him to stay, I like Milner, I rate him, but if we do strengthen with an international class young midfielder, he just won't get the game time.

Good luck Jimmy, wherever you go, you've been terrific for City since day one.
 
I wish the boy no ill whatsoever. He has never let us down when picked and no doubt has been as useful off the pitch as he has been on it.

Whilst I don't want him to go, you get the feeling the decision has been very long in the offing. He came, played his 5 years, won a few trophies and now is moving on. Given how calculated and regimented he appears to be it's entirely plausible that this was his plan all along. Four/Five years. Evaluate, Move. He's not a City fan and in his book he's probably given us an entirely appropriate amount of loyalty and wants to experience something new. He's never been a stalwart of one club, so I don't know way so many believe that he was going to start now. The only thing I am surprised is that he didn't have a pre-contract agreement elsewhere sooner. At nearly thirty a serious injury between January and now would have really dropped him in it. However that is hypothetical and didn't happen so there is little point dwelling on it.

Personally I think going to Liverpool would be a big mistake. He's not going to win anything personally, and it's pretty unlikely he'll give Liverpool a sufficient boost to get back into the top four (unless also strengthened in a host of other areas). He's a solid top six player, but he isn't the difference between top six and top four. If you'd told me I had to keep Yaya or Milner, but not both, I'd have been looking up train times to Merseyside for him [before people point it out I'm aware we could have kept both, but I'm just making a point about team significance from my perspective].

However it is his potential mistake to make, he will know the risks and given how hard he's worked for us I'll defend his right to make until I'm blue in the face.
 
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