bugsyblue said:
Mister Appointment said:
I don't know how else you'd describe someone who gives up playing as many minutes and as many games as Milner does at a club like City to go somewhere he knows he'll always finish behind us but will play 10 more games a season. Total lack of ambition. There have been plenty of moments in the last 18 months where you've been calling for his inclusion ahead of Nasri's as have tons of people who watch City. He's good enough to play a huge part in our squad even if he doesn't have the technical qualities of other players.
I think you're being very harsh on him and I imagine it's because you don't want to lose him. He's won everything domestically with us. It's unlikely we will win the champs league in the next 2-3 years which is all he has left at the top. He has all the money he will ever need and has played with some fantastic players as you've pointed out. Now perhaps he knows our transfer plans for the next couple of seasons and thinks, with his age, he's just going to slip further and further down the pecking order. So he'd rather drop a level and be an important first team player. I don't think you can call that lacking ambition. It's him being pragmatic and just wanting to enjoy his football for the few years he has left at the top. Nothing wrong with that and while it's a bit of a sucker punch for us we should wish him well!
You're right I don't want to lose him - but I'm not being harsh on him. That Guardian article just about sums up the two faced nature of Saint James. He has spoken with forked tongues about his extension for about a year now. The public narrative has been one about being totally happy at City "why would anyone want to leave this club" he said, but wanting to feel more involved and to play more games.
The club for their part have reacted I suspect in part to that this season by ensuring that Jimmy has played an increased amount of minutes and also by ensuring that he is judged on merit - ergo when Nasri/Navas were not playing well Jimmy was getting to start matches. This is part and parcel of being at ANY club.
The expectation I seem to be reading from most people is that he's going to waltz up the M62 and will become an automatic starter at Liverpool and will play an hugely increased amount of minutes. Forgive my cynicism but that might read well as a media narrative but the reality will be a little less heroic for Jimmy. He might get an extra 10 games a season like I said, but he'll play no CL football so you can remove that, and overall who will be playing more games in a season City or the dippers for the foreseeable future? Think the answer's clear.
If Milner doesn't want to sign a new contract which he patently doesn't, that's fine. He can do one. But planting stories in the papers about his "disappointment" at being subbed at half time in a match in which he stank the place out to garner sympathy with the watching world and paint City/Pellegrini in a negative light is a c**t's trick.
In my opinion he's skating on thin ice as things stand. City have shown with players like Nastasic if you fuck with them they will banish you. Milner is in danger of being banished and rightly so. Personally I can't be arsed with him or his humble James act.
