Patrick Roberts...the grass isn’t always greener.

[vagrant]

I've been reading about the Mahrez transfer saga. It seems Leicester wanted £95 million which was to include a player as well. That player was Patrick Roberts.

When he was with us, I thought he was one of the most exciting players I had ever seen. Brave, tricky, and knew where the goal was. Whether it was his agent or his own greed, he decided to leave us far too early in his career, and now, a player who should be setting the Premier League alight, has all but disappeared from the limelight. Sad.

Take note Ryan...

[copthornemike]

Still at least he must be on the radar of other clubs then if Leicester were interested!

[fulhamben]

Still at least he must be on the radar of other clubs then if Leicester were interested!

Im guessing Leicester weren't interested though

[bog]

I've been reading about the Mahrez transfer saga. It seems Leicester wanted £95 million which was to include a player as well. That player was Patrick Roberts.

When he was with us, I thought he was one of the most exciting players I had ever seen. Brave, tricky, and knew where the goal was. Whether it was his agent or his own greed, he decided to leave us far too early in his career, and now, a player who should be setting the Premier League alight, has all but disappeared from the limelight. Sad.

Take note Ryan...

:plus one:

[Twig]

Still at least he must be on the radar of other clubs then if Leicester were interested!

Im guessing Leicester weren't interested though

Sorry, I'm confused; if they weren't interested why did they want him as part of the £95 mil package they demanded?

[HatterDon]

He took the opportunity to benefit his family financially. He's had plenty of pitch time on loan. Had he stayed with us, he'd be in the Championship playing for less money and being of less value in transfer.

What next? Criticizing Malcolm MacDonald for not staying at CC playing fullback? Jeez

[Frackleheath]

Sorry but I thought that Man City offered him, it was not Leicester that asked for him!!

[fulhamben]

Sorry but I thought that Man City offered him, it was not Leicester that asked for him!!

that's my understanding too

[Tabby]

He left for a decent fee, which financed getting Cairney, Fred and Ream in (and a couple of others that didn't pan out as well). I've nothing against him, and think he'll go on to have a decent career.

[Carborundum]

When he was with us, I thought he was one of the most exciting players I had ever seen. Brave, tricky, and knew where the goal was.

Sat in the Johnny Haynes stand watching his occasional cameos, I also knew where the goals were.  The similarity doesn't end there because like him, I've never actually scored in them for the first team.

[Rhys Lightning 63]

When he was with us, I thought he was one of the most exciting players I had ever seen. Brave, tricky, and knew where the goal was.

Sat in the Johnny Haynes stand watching his occasional cameos, I also knew where the goals were.  The similarity doesn't end there because like him, I've never actually scored in them for the first team.

Actually, he did. This is one for the Fulham FC Pub quizzes for the future. He did actually score ONE goal for us... And it was in the penalty shootout, in the snow at Wolves

[Lighthouse]

Funnily enough I always thought he was far too easily knocked off the ball and would always be good in exhibition type games but never make it in the cut and thrust of the modern game. Shows how much I know.

[Baszab]

Great bit of business selling Roberts - as it will be when we sell RS - as long as it's reinvested and not trousered

[aaronmcguigan]

you can clearly see the potential in this group of players, this manager and coaching team. you can see the togetherness , spirit and belief as well as the sense of belonging of some players.


Rewind back to 2015, just Before Roberts left for a club where he could train and develop under a world class manager alongside world class players, we had signed O Hara, Pringle and Jazz Richards. You can all sit there and say the grass isn't greener, but that squad and under Kit was a recipe for disaster, which would have made no use of Roberts talents the same way the City transfer went.
You can all say he should have stayed because look how far we have progressed. Surely one could argued we have only progressed through investing the sorts of money we received from transfers including his.

The Fulham he left was a Fulham going nowhere. For any kid to be offered that City move with silly money, regardless of how it turned out, 99% would have done the same thing. Sessegnon has stuck around but who's to say he wouldn't have done the same if he had to play with the OHaras, Matillas and Lonergans of that era under a manager who was clearly out of his depth.

[The Rock]

Great post Newry  :plus one:

Lighthouse, he was far too lightweight. Is he still? He's maybe only 21 now? He'd probably do a proper job for us now, but time will tell. Club got 12-15m + add ons? Just a few years ago that was real money (and still is)

[HatterDon]

Funnily enough I always thought he was far too easily knocked off the ball and would always be good in exhibition type games but never make it in the cut and thrust of the modern game. Shows how much I know.

and, when on the ball, he tended to ignore his teammates -- something not too terrible in a young player, mind.

[bog]

He took the opportunity to benefit his family financially. He's had plenty of pitch time on loan. Had he stayed with us, he'd be in the Championship playing for less money and being of less value in transfer.

What next? Criticizing Malcolm MacDonald for not staying at CC playing fullback? Jeez

Malcolm played all his games for us in the number 9 shirt, certainly all as a forward. Or number 12 when he made his debut up at Bramall Lane. I was there folks.

Thank you and good night.

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[jarv]

Malcom was a full back at Tonbridge when he was a teenager. I worked with a guy who's daughter got married to him. He lept me up to date on his performances because by then I was playing every Saturday so never atually got to see him play. Question is, if he was no.9 why didn't he bang them in like he did at Luton? (It was Luton wasn't it).

[b+w geezer]

Malcolm played all his games for us in the number 9 shirt, certainly all as a forward.

Once the season started, indeed so.  Just remember going to Southend pre-season, seeing '2 MacDonald' on the teamsheet and wondering if it was a misprint of 'Mealand.'  May even have been his sole appearance for us at full-back.

[General]

Think it's a bit unfair on the lad. He moved to man city one of the best clubs in the world and has been involved in and Android their first team squad when with them. Was loaned out to Celtic where he was part of a title winning side and an undefeated team.. he did well enough to not only achieve that but get Celtic to get him back in. On top of that he's also got champions league games under his belt and scored against man city in one of them.

There are two things with pat that I think may define him.. his attitude comes across as perhaps overconfident as if the league win with Celtic makes him think he's made it and achieved it in football.. which makes him look as if he's contented with his lot.

Playing for Celtic is good but it's his mind selling his talents short in my opinion if he does get comfortable and doesn't push himself further.