by Millsy »
02 Apr 2013 01:01
P!ssed Off 2 world wars, 1 world cup That would be spot on if they were talking about someone like Karacan or Tabb or whoever else. Someone relatively modest, on relatively modest wages who just gets on does their job and plays of they're picked and doesn't if they're not.
The trouble is we're talking about a mouthy little so and so likely (I'm guessing) to be on significant wages, who believes he's better than all our other midfielders, has a divine right to play, has a strop and doesn't turn up to games that he's not starting in ( then blames his wife's SPD, stupid excuse, the second time) and has destroyed any team spirit as a result. THis attitude continued even after he was regularly picked by saying something like "well it's no surprise that as soon as I start playing we start doing well" for all to hear on BBC Radio Berkshire. If that's what he constantly chugging out, picked or not, imagine what he's doing to the dressing room.
This little oik really believes he's the bee's knees and is letting everyone know it at every opportunity whether he plays or not, either verbally or with stupid actions not turning up to games.
HE is obsessed with HIMSELF and leaves us no choice but to be respond. If he claims he's so frikking good then he has to be able to perform or it's only natural that we will comment on him.
He has brought this on himself. Don't make this out like a few obsessed people have decided to talk about him for no reason.
I sit on the fence on this btw. I think he's a dick, but I think he's a good player. Not amazing, just good. I can see both sides of the argument, but the argument has been brought on by him, and deserves to be had.
Normally, I would agree with you. In previous years we have had great team morale and a character such as Guthrie may well have been a threat to this. However, this season the team morale and man management has been a complete joke.
McDermott had busts up, (some real, some just rumoured) with numerous members of the squad. Also fringe players, such as Le Fondre and McCleary have spoken many times to the media about 1st team football, it was not just Guthrie. To blame Guthrie alone for the behaviour of the whole squad is unrealistic; was Guthrie's attitude to blame for the early season bust up with Federici and McDermott as well?
McDermott's favouritism of certain players was blatantly obvious, it pissed off many fans so it's unsurprising that it pissed off players.
Obviously Guthrie should have traveled to Sunderland, but if anybody truly thinks that him refusing to do so was the significant moment in our season then they were not watching very closely.
How about Pogrebynak's indiscipline forcing us to play almost half a match with ten men against Wigan, followed by a three match ban. Was this less destructive than Guthrie deciding not to sit on the bench?
It's been a shite season, if you want to blame people there are plenty more deserving targets than Guthrie. Even if you do think Guthrie is a pariah, chances are he'll be off in the summer, so seriously don't worry about it
Your point is basically reasonable, that Brian was at least partly to blame as evidenced by other possible bust ups and Guthrie wasn't the only one to behave badly. But the point is that what Guthrie did stands head and shoulders and several skyscrapers higher than anything anyone else has allegedly done. Others' actions were the background noise of irritated players thanks to poor performances, and *possibly* Brian not having full control. The only interviews I have heard with Alfie for example are full of respect for Brian's selection process, and if he did at some point complain then it certainly didn't leave a mark on me or most fans and it certainly doesnt even begin to compare to Guthrie's antics. Yes Feds didn't control his girlfriend but that's all water under th bridge. Pog losing it could've happened to anyone and he's been a model pro. Etc etc.. With respect I think those examples are scraping the bottom of the barrel to find vague similarities to try and water down Guthrie's behaviour, but I'm afraid there are none. Background noise only, which might have been dealt with a bit better yes, but still minimal background noise/rumour nevertheless.
Guthrie not travelling because he wasnt starting is several orders of magnitude worse, as evidenced by him agreeing to a fine and apologising. When Brian starts him and all seems to be well, he THEN goes on to make the bizarre statement on radio, effectively "we've only been winning because I'm in the team" having a blatant uncalled for nasty swipe at Brian for no reason. Then when he's dropped he doesn't travel again, with the pathetic excuse that his pregnant wife has some routine mild pregnancy pains, a complete excuse. Nothing any other player has done even comes close to his past actions, his persisting attitude and his repeated actions. A one off is acceptable, but persisting bad attitude over several months whether he's played or not is a little more serious. This is why he is talked about so much.
As I say though I think hes not a bad player and would like to see him start but I can't pretend to like him. On balance id like to see him as far from RFC as possible, unless he grows up over the summer and learns to STFU and just get his head down and play if Adkins wants him to. Oe more word out of him and he HAS to go.
