Sage is sage

[CrazyBadger]

Very harsh. He did throw a massive hissy fit, some of which i think we'd all agree was justified.

Did he try and get sacked? I think he said he didn't care if he was sacked i.e. it needed to be said and he was prepared to accept the consequences.

I wasn't always his biggest fan, but when he had a fit 1st XI the football was a good standard and of course ultimately he helped us win some trophies, something we've struggled with over the last 120 years.

When he 'only' signed a 2.5 year contract i was pretty sure at that point he would use the club as a stepping stone - something he is perfectly entitled to do. It's a thank you and we move on.

I have no issue with him getting a massive pay rise, however, the choice of club and in particular the chairman is a strange one. I'm pretty sure he will not see out his contract in full

He did throw a massive hissy fit. His reasons may have been justified, but the manner in which he did it and the methods he employed were not, and were damaging to the club.

Yes, he most definitely tried to get sacked. SP wouldn't pay him off, and he was not gonna pay the penalty to get out of the contract early. Fortunately for him, Sarr then came back from AFCON and made his formation work again, so he could see a way of actually coming out of it with some credit.

 

[dg1937]

This article on the BBC website is about De Zerbi at Spurs but it articulates pretty well the situation facing Sage at Palace which is why I have posted it here rather than in Football Talk. If the mods feel it is in the wrong place, I’m sure they will move it:

Tony Pulis column: Why international break has come at worst time for De Zerbi & Spurs

BBC Sport columnist Tony Pulis explains the different factors that mean Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi needs time with his players to build a proper team.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[mtp1958]

I can't remember Richards having a good game as the CCB for us. Similarly, Lacroix looked poor in his first couple of games as the RCB, and only when he shifted central did his performances climb. I can also vaguely remember Guehi having some stinkers playing centre of the three.

The more I've watched us play with three central defenders, the more convinced I'm becoming that the CCB is really quite a specialist role.

In the back line its horses for courses , if you have people playing in the right position which suits there game , means you have a very balanced defence , which in return gives more clean sheets ,

 

[BromleyMonkey]

In the back line its horses for courses , if you have people playing in the right position which suits there game , means you have a very balanced defence , which in return gives more clean sheets ,

It’s funny but back in the day you hardly ever had players playing out of position, I.e Kenny sansom would never have played at right back or Billy Gilbert wouldn’t have covered at left back, the squads were smaller so if you had injuries or suspensions they’d bung a youngster in who actually played in that position
Now a manager just bleats about not having enough players and won’t trust a youngster

 

[PatrickA]

It’s funny but back in the day you hardly ever had players playing out of position, I.e Kenny sansom would never have played at right back or Billy Gilbert wouldn’t have covered at left back, the squads were smaller so if you had injuries or suspensions they’d bung a youngster in who actually played in that position
Now a manager just bleats about not having enough players and won’t trust a youngster

Indeed.
A player like Paul Madeley at Leeds was seen as a novel rarity being able to feature in a number of positions
Some argued his career suffered as a result as he was seen as something of a generalist

 

[eritheagle]

Indeed.
A player like Paul Madeley at Leeds was seen as a novel rarity being able to feature in a number of positions
Some argued his career suffered as a result as he was seen as something of a generalist

Steve Nicol was the best Jack-of-all-trades when I was young and started watching football. He’ll play full back for a few weeks, then be moved to striker for a game or two and then back in midfield the following game . Got player of the year award doing this around 1990 time.

 

[palace99]

He did throw a massive hissy fit. His reasons may have been justified, but the manner in which he did it and the methods he employed were not, and were damaging to the club.

Yes, he most definitely tried to get sacked. SP wouldn't pay him off, and he was not gonna pay the penalty to get out of the contract early. Fortunately for him, Sarr then came back from AFCON and made his formation work again, so he could see a way of actually coming out of it with some credit.

We just don't know that and it is pure speculation. The rumours were that he had a set amount in his contract if he was sacked (c£5m) regardless of the timing, however, that has never been confirmed.

After the Sunderland meltdown a club representative had a chat over the weekend and supposedly all was resolved by the Monday morning, where he took training as usual.

If the bloke definitely wanted to be sacked he was talked out of it pretty quickly.

I didn't like his actions, but the joke of the summer transfer window last year was always going to have an impact and it did in December/January.
His behaviour seems to mirror the issues he had at previous clubs when things turned against him.
Essentially we knew what we were getting.

Time to move on IMHO.

 

[Willo]

Steve Nicol was the best Jack-of-all-trades when I was young and started watching football. He’ll play full back for a few weeks, then be moved to striker for a game or two and then back in midfield the following game . Got player of the year award doing this around 1990 time.

Steve Nicol was perhaps the greatest utility player in the history of the British game. He 'Ploughed his furrow' at left back, right back, centre half, in the centre,right and left of midfield. He played in all these positions to a high standard.
I was privileged to meet Steve Nicol and Alan Hansen seated at the same table after a Liverpool game at Selhurst Park.

 

[Palacesince64]

In the back line its horses for courses , if you have people playing in the right position which suits there game , means you have a very balanced defence , which in return gives more clean sheets ,

Richards definitely seems more comfortable on the right. Riad looked decent on the left but not sure he’s going to make it back any time soon. Canvot is decent there. I thought he might work in the centre given he likes to carry the ball out but he seems weak in the air and not as quick on the ground as Lacroix. Disasi is decent in the air but a bit of a car crash. Ahanor is going to be a top player but unfortunately not ours. Tomiyasu is quality and can organise the back three but a short term option as is Lerma. We can muddle through this season but a quality centre back is needed in the middle of our three with Canvot and Richards either side. The lad with the broken toe is struggling but could be the answer in due course.

 

[BromleyMonkey]

Indeed.
A player like Paul Madeley at Leeds was seen as a novel rarity being able to feature in a number of positions
Some argued his career suffered as a result as he was seen as something of a generalist

We had Terry Fenwick and Steve Lovell who could both play in various positions, but they weren’t exactly the greatest players we had in that era

 

[PatrickA]

We had Terry Fenwick and Steve Lovell who could both play in various positions, but they weren’t exactly the greatest players we had in that era

Fenwick never really impressed me and I was amazed at the successful career he had, which included games as an England International during a period when there were decent defenders around.
His main attribute seemed to be aggression and fouling off the ball ( nowadays termed as professionalism with fulsome praise forthcoming i e 'he had to do it' 'what a great foul').
Fenwick certainly wasn't a patch on Gilbert, Nicholas or Sansom

 

[mtp1958]

Steve Nicol was perhaps the greatest utility player in the history of the British game. He 'Ploughed his furrow' at left back, right back, centre half, in the centre,right and left of midfield. He played in all these positions to a high standard.
I was privileged to meet Steve Nicol and Alan Hansen seated at the same table after a Liverpool game at Selhurst Park.

I give you Chris Coleman front or back 😍

 

[Casual]

We just don't know that and it is pure speculation. The rumours were that he had a set amount in his contract if he was sacked (c£5m) regardless of the timing, however, that has never been confirmed.

After the Sunderland meltdown a club representative had a chat over the weekend and supposedly all was resolved by the Monday morning, where he took training as usual.

If the bloke definitely wanted to be sacked he was talked out of it pretty quickly.

I didn't like his actions, but the joke of the summer transfer window last year was always going to have an impact and it did in December/January.
His behaviour seems to mirror the issues he had at previous clubs when things turned against him.
Essentially we knew what we were getting.

Time to move on IMHO.

Time to let him know what he now is , when we play Forest.

You know what you are, you know what you are……
Used to be a hero, but now your a c*nt.

Something like that.

 

[Palace Old Geezer]

Time to let him know what he now is , when we play Forest.

You know what you are, you know what you are……
Used to be a hero, but now your a c*nt.

Something like that.

That's catchy. Probably has more impact without the asterisk though.

 

[Teddy Eagle]

Steve Nicol was perhaps the greatest utility player in the history of the British game. He 'Ploughed his furrow' at left back, right back, centre half, in the centre,right and left of midfield. He played in all these positions to a high standard.
I was privileged to meet Steve Nicol and Alan Hansen seated at the same table after a Liverpool game at Selhurst Park.

Alec Ferguson when asked for his greatest ever team lineup named John Charles twice; as both centre half and centre forward.

 

[est1905]

It’s funny but back in the day you hardly ever had players playing out of position, I.e Kenny sansom would never have played at right back or Billy Gilbert wouldn’t have covered at left back, the squads were smaller so if you had injuries or suspensions they’d bung a youngster in who actually played in that position
Now a manager just bleats about not having enough players and won’t trust a youngster

Remember Paul Warhurst? Was a defender that was played up front by Sheffield Wednesday as an emergency measure and he was incredible. Prompted Blackburn Rovers to sign him thinking he was going to be a great striker for them. He wasn't. Then they must have seen us coming in 97/98 as we signed him and he was no better for us. So we tried him all over the pitch before realising he was pretty crap everywhere 🤣
Forget where we offloaded him to but I'm sure he was one of the departures once our relegation was confirmed.

 

[est1905]

We had Terry Fenwick and Steve Lovell who could both play in various positions, but they weren’t exactly the greatest players we had in that era

Fenwick was a far better player than he was a manager though. Pompy are not fans!

 

[PatrickA]

Alec Ferguson when asked for his greatest ever team lineup named John Charles twice; as both centre half and centre forward.

That's quite an accolade.
We had our own version in Chris Coleman, but perhaps not at the same level in the two roles.
He was a decent centre half though with a good left foot.
Charles had a real physical presence and was brilliant in the air.
One of the best headers of the ball I've seen at Palace is Craig Moore.
Despite being short for a centre half, he had terrific spring and timing.
I'm not sure I saw him lose an aerial duel.

 

[Painter]

Lets be honest he tried.

He also wanted a big job, and ended up at a team with no European, a mental chairman, but with one of the biggest wages in world football.

He sold out, and everyone knows it.

He fulfilled his contract to Palace and brought us unprecedented success and trophies. Its well known that he has an intense personality and a difficult person, as I expect Parish knows and his previous clubs managements.
He could of walked out of his contract at anytime at Palace, but he didn't. He would of got another job, if he did, as football clubs want success at any cost. Wanting to move onto a bigger job is not unusual, as players do it all the time.
He didn't sell out, he gave us a European trophy.