Bigger and Better Things

[Guest bloo_toon_red]

I was pleased to see Kevin McNaughton give a good account of himself in the FA Cup Final yesterday, despite the fact I always thought (and still do think) that him moving to Cardiff was a big step down.  Led me to think about the recent exodus with Clark, Hart, Anderson (arguably) and Nicholson all looking to light up the Championship  , and some of the others in the past who felt that leaving Aberdeen was a good idea.

 

I would argue that no Aberdeen player in the last 15 years has gone on to bigger and better things since leaving Aberdeen.  The notable exceptions might be Stephen Wright (playing in CL with Rangers), Eoin Jess (Premiership relegation battles with Coventry and Bradford), Scott Booth (joining CL winners Borussia Dortmund), Dean Windass (eventually in Premiership) and Stephen Glass (reasonably regular in his early days with Newcastle).

 

Always in the past, Aberdeen FC has always been noted by its players as being a club that looks after their players and it's quite refreshing Lee Miller seemed to suggest this when he re-signed last week.

 

It begs the question as to whether AFC is what you could describe as a "watershed" club.  In other words, a club that is usually the most important non Old-Firm club in Scotland and seen as a prospect for trophies, European competition and resultantly more attractive, bigger, better than Championship clubs while at the same time at a standard far below the Premiership at a time where most of their clubs are battling it out to sign world-class players for £5m+.

 

By "watershed" club, I mean that if you are a player who signs for Aberdeen, then unless you are a truly outstanding talent, it generally means you should realise that you will never play for a better club.

 

So Preston, Plymouth, Stoke, whoever may all be clubs with Premiership ambitions, but (for example) Michael Hart's career will now be restricted to regaling stories about how he once played against an ageing Jay-Jay Okocha on a rainy Monday night at Deepdale rather than playing in front of 70,000 at the Allianz Arena or winning cup finals as captain of the mighty Aberdeen FC.

 

Aberdeen FC - the only club you want to play for.  Stand Free!!!

[glasgow sheep]

It begs the question as to whether AFC is what you could describe as a "watershed" club.  In other words, a club that is usually the most important non Old-Firm club in Scotland and seen as a prospect for trophies, European competition and resultantly more attractive, bigger, better than Championship clubs while at the same time at a standard far below the Premiership at a time where most of their clubs are battling it out to sign world-class players for £5m+.

 

Perhaps in the past but no trophies in 13yrs, two cup finals in the same period and europe twice in eight seasons suggests that is no longer the case, and really we are no more attractive than united or motherwell and probably less than hibs and hearts (although thanks to romanov that is probably changing)

 

Moving to these clubs makes it unlikely that they will play in europe but they probably have a reasonable chance of competing for a place in the premiership, perhaps a chance to play at wembley in the play offs, play in front of full houses every week, big premiership sides in the cup and certainly get paid alot more.  Is pittodrie and the odd game in europe every five years really more attractive?

[minijc]

Very good post there BTR, few great points in there.  I have always thought of Aberdeen as the next best thing in this league, we have a wealthy chairman but doesna want to spend alot, we have a decent manager when he wants to be and have some really good players that could become legends at this club if they wanted to.

 

I think players moving to the championship only do it for the money, they ahve no european dreams to chase (unlike us) they make fluke a final like cardiff have done but other than that what does that league offer?

[glasgowdon]

I was pleased to see Kevin McNaughton give a good account of himself in the FA Cup Final yesterday, despite the fact I always thought (and still do think) that him moving to Cardiff was a big step down.  Led me to think about the recent exodus with Clark, Hart, Anderson (arguably) and Nicholson all looking to light up the Championship  , and some of the others in the past who felt that leaving Aberdeen was a good idea.

 

I would argue that no Aberdeen player in the last 15 years has gone on to bigger and better things since leaving Aberdeen.  The notable exceptions might be Stephen Wright (playing in CL with Rangers), Eoin Jess (Premiership relegation battles with Coventry and Bradford), Scott Booth (joining CL winners Borussia Dortmund), Dean Windass (eventually in Premiership) and Stephen Glass (reasonably regular in his early days with Newcastle).

 

Always in the past, Aberdeen FC has always been noted by its players as being a club that looks after their players and it's quite refreshing Lee Miller seemed to suggest this when he re-signed last week.

 

It begs the question as to whether AFC is what you could describe as a "watershed" club.  In other words, a club that is usually the most important non Old-Firm club in Scotland and seen as a prospect for trophies, European competition and resultantly more attractive, bigger, better than Championship clubs while at the same time at a standard far below the Premiership at a time where most of their clubs are battling it out to sign world-class players for £5m+.

 

By "watershed" club, I mean that if you are a player who signs for Aberdeen, then unless you are a truly outstanding talent, it generally means you should realise that you will never play for a better club.

 

So Preston, Plymouth, Stoke, whoever may all be clubs with Premiership ambitions, but (for example) Michael Hart's career will now be restricted to regaling stories about how he once played against an ageing Jay-Jay Okocha on a rainy Monday night at Deepdale rather than playing in front of 70,000 at the Allianz Arena or winning cup finals as captain of the mighty Aberdeen FC.

Aberdeen FC - the only club you want to play for.  Stand Free!!!

 

:KKKHat-Clapping-Smiley:

 

Totally agree. I think your points are emphasised by the fact we've managed to sign up Diamond and Miller on extensions even though they have been our best players this year.

[glasgowdon]

Perhaps in the past but no trophies in 13yrs, two cup finals in the same period and europe twice in eight seasons suggests that is no longer the case, and really we are no more attractive than united or motherwell and probably less than hibs and hearts (although thanks to romanov that is probably changing)

 

Moving to these clubs makes it unlikely that they will play in europe but they probably have a reasonable chance of competing for a place in the premiership, perhaps a chance to play at wembley in the play offs, play in front of full houses every week, big premiership sides in the cup and certainly get paid alot more.  Is pittodrie and the odd game in europe every five years really more attractive?

 

Have you seen the crowds that 'Boro and Bolton have had this year?

[minijc]

Have you seen the crowds that 'Boro and Bolton have had this year?

I think Boro had one of the worst in the history of the EPL and on that same day Leeds had a sell out of around 32k and that's in league one.

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

Boro, Blackburn, Wigan, Bolton all having shit crowds.

 

I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment and probably in terms of what CAN be achieved it absolutely is a step down.

 

The only bigger and better things they have moved on to are bigger and better wages and unfortunately for us, that is the way of things.

[Superstar Tradesman]

Sorry to be the bearer of the negative post in this red-tinted thread, but.....

 

Many factors come into playing for other teams outwith the Dons.  Money being the obvious one, the fact we've never established ourselves as being the 'third force' (which in itself is pretty laughable), no real chance of silverware or Europe.... well not any better than the other 9 teams.  The fans may turn up in larger numbers than those teams but we don't exactly shower our players in glory everytime they grace the park (how many songs of ours are aimed at any one player?) and then you have the league itself.  For instance, seven games in one season versus Livingstone I'm sure, is as enthrawling for the fans as it is for the players.

 

Sure you may not go onto a 'bigger' club, but you sure as fuck might enjoy yourself a fair bit more.

[Ajja]

Footballers are a microcosm for life. 5% of them are smart and balanced enough to look at a bigger picture and make informed decisions about there future and the best road to travel towards it. 5% of them will be guided and aided by someone who has the above. 90% will follow the simple road to more cash and a 'better' life, pushed all the way by agents looking for their pot of gold. Its just the way of it. Don't be fooled into thinking that what Aberdeen FC has to offer outside of its bank balance matters shit to most players who pass through the club.

[manc_don]

I think that that is one of the major drawbacks of playing the SPL, you play each team a minimum of 3 times. It can only be so much fun which is why I can understand why players leave to play elsewhere. Of course they follow the money and it does seem that Miller may have thought about the long term future for a change. He couldn't keep going from one club to the next, wouldn't have been fair on his family. As Ajja said, most are not the smartest of people and will always be attracted by the extra decimal places and I suppose ambition generally doesn't come into it. We are not stable enough to be challenging for honours yet. But I think by signing some of our bigger players we're a step closer.

[Guest swaddon]

The boring SPL set-up is one of the reasons a lot of players go down South, by which I mean they play the same club 3 or 4 times a season in the League, and then perhaps once or twice a season in the cups. Seeing the same grounds and the same players all the time must get very tedious for a footballer.

[sheep_shagger]

I would completely understand why players would want to go down south because its more competitive, they earn better money and though they dont have the possibility of playing in europe in the championship its a lot less mundane.

[rocket_scientist]

Sorry to be the bearer of the negative post in this red-tinted thread, but.....

 

Many factors come into playing for other teams outwith the Dons.  Money being the obvious one, the fact we've never established ourselves as being the 'third force' (which in itself is pretty laughable), no real chance of silverware or Europe.... well not any better than the other 9 teams.  The fans may turn up in larger numbers than those teams but we don't exactly shower our players in glory everytime they grace the park (how many songs of ours are aimed at any one player?) and then you have the league itself.  For instance, seven games in one season versus Livingstone I'm sure, is as enthrawling for the fans as it is for the players.

 

Sure you may not go onto a 'bigger' club, but you sure as fuck might enjoy yourself a fair bit more.

 

Money is the main reason people move, in any walk of life. Football is no different, and although you do get the rare examples like Le Tissier, you get the same loyalty (or perhaps lack of adventurism) again in business. Public sector workers don't do it for the dough.

 

Why is AFC having an ambition to be the "third force" pretty laughable, though? Not saying they even have this ambition, which in itself is limiting, just wondered what you meant?