Santa Cruz - Man United want to sign me

[Rich]

So someone who turns down Man United and their offer of megabucks, in favour of staying where he already is (on less money!), is a money-grabber?

The point is Santa-Cruz is happy, performing to a higher level than he ever has done and isn't short of money. If I were in his shoes, as an ardent LFC supporter, I wouldn't bat an eyelid if United came knocking. I'd tell them to **** right off.

By accepting Blackburn Santa Cruz is effectively giving up any chance of winning any more honours in football, so yes he's a money-grabber - has no passion to actually be the best he could be; he's content to win **** all and get paid handsomely for it.

If I had been good enough to be a professional I'd play for the very best club I could, in the hope of winning the biggest and most honours I could - because, shock horror, it's what I dreamed of as a kid, to win things.

Number 1 choice would have been Liverpool - obviously, but if that wasn't to be then it would be any other club which would give me the best chance to do so.

[Shaggy]

By accepting Blackburn Santa Cruz is effectively giving up any chance of winning any more honours in football, so yes he's a money-grabber - has no passion to actually be the best he could be; he's content to win **** all and get paid handsomely for it.

If I had been good enough to be a professional I'd play for the very best club I could, in the hope of winning the biggest and most honours I could - because, shock horror, it's what I dreamed of as a kid, to win things.

Number 1 choice would have been Liverpool - obviously, but if that wasn't to be then it would be any other club which would give me the best chance to do so.

With respect, IMO that is complete and utter balls.

You make out Blackburn are Accrington Stanley.

It would be refreshing to see Santa Cruz say "No thank you, I am perfectly happy here - at a club doing well, with a chance of winning a Cup and qualifying for Europe. I play every week. At United I would not play every week and, although they would treble my wages, I would prefer to stay here where I am playing every single week, scoring lots of goals and earning more than enough money - thank you very much."

It depends if Santa Cruz wants to earn **** loads for playing less, or earn less (but plenty) for playing football every week. As a kid I assume he dreamt of playing football - not playing football occasionally and sitting on a bench the rest of the time.

But that isn't really the point. The point is if I, as an ardent LFC supporter, were in his shoes - I'd tell United to **** themselves.

[Shaggy]

Is Peter Crouch a 'money-grabber' for 'forsaking the chance of winning things' to move to a lesser club with bleaker prospects of winning things?

Or does he just want to play football - regardless of whether he will be earning less money?

[Pablo]

Santa Cruz would be on a much bigger wage should he join United. Surely that makes him a money grabber for moving according to your theory, not the other way around, no?

[Shaggy]

Santa Cruz would be on a much bigger wage should he join United. Surely that makes him a money grabber for moving according to your theory, not the other way around, no?

So someone who turns down Man United and their offer of megabucks, in favour of staying where he already is (on less money!), is a money-grabber?

[Rich]

With respect, IMO that is complete and utter balls.

You make out Blackburn are Accrington Stanley.

It would be refreshing to see Santa Cruz say "No thank you, I am perfectly happy here - at a club doing well, with a chance of winning a Cup and qualifying for Europe. I play every week. At United I would not play every week and, although they would treble my wages, I would prefer to stay here where I am playing every single week, scoring lots of goals and earning more than enough money - thank you very much."

It depends if Santa Cruz wants to earn **** loads for playing less, or earn less (but plenty) for playing football every week. As a kid I assume he dreamt of playing football - not playing football occasionally and sitting on a bench the rest of the time.

But that isn't really the point. The point is if I, as an ardent LFC supporter, were in his shoes - I'd tell United to **** themselves.

Santa Cruz will be paid handsomely by Blackburn but the question for me; is he happy to stay at a club where the chances of him winning anything (perhaps apart from the League Cup) is virtually nil? Fine, if he's happy with his lot then OK but surely a professional player wants to win things, no? Otherwise whats the point?

Blackburn = **** all chance; Manchester United = high likelihood of winning things.

Is Peter Crouch a 'money-grabber' for 'forsaking the chance of winning things' to move to a lesser club with bleaker prospects of winning things?

Or does he just want to play football - regardless of whether he will be earning less money?

Thing is - why is Crouch so reluctant to leave? Which is obviously the case; well it's because he knows he's going to a club where his chances of winning anything will be - oh yes - **** all. That is why he's torn, he's handsomely paid now, and I'm sure he'll get paid shed loads where ever he ends up.

Santa Cruz would be on a much bigger wage should he join United. Surely that makes him a money grabber for moving according to your theory, not the other way around, no?

He might get more money at United but I'm sure the motivation would be to win things.

Fundamentally it's about ambition - have you got it or haven't you?

[stevie_gerrard_8]

The fact of the matter is that most players are not ardent supporters. They may be fans, but I bet most of them aren't ardent supporters apart from a few like carra, fowler, gerrard etc.

Football is a job and if you were asked to work with a better team, have a chance of winning trophies which is something you have dreamt about for years, and having an increased salary, why would you not join.

[PTP]

- if Man Utd came to me today and said - right mike, we will pay you £2000 a week for the next 5 years to play football/train/etc etc you may only be a squad player tho - i'd ****ing bite their hands off - of course i would - i'd easily live off a grand a week for 5 years and put the rest in savings so at the age of 31 i'd have lived a good life for five years and have a quarter of a million in the bank - i'd be happy with that thats got to be a life changing situation for 99% of the members on here.

If tho, I was good enough to be a good squad player at united (say saha on £50'000 a week) then sadly I would probably also be good enough to be a first team player at any other club in england and probably europe too - So given the choice of being a squad player at united for £50'000 a week or a first team, key player for £30'000 a week at say villa/man city/blackburn then i would prefer that to being at the ****ing scum - if you are that good you will already be a millionaire and set up for life.

[PTP]

The fact of the matter is that most players are not ardent supporters. They may be fans, but I bet most of them aren't ardent supporters apart from a few like carra, fowler, gerrard etc.

Football is a job and if you were asked to work with a better team, have a chance of winning trophies which is something you have dreamt about for years, and having an increased salary, why would you not join.

oh i agree - for me personally - i'm and ardent red and given the choice would never play for united or everton - if i was good enough to play for either of those teams yet liverpool didn't want me then i would be good enough to play for another team who would pay you the same.

Tho for people like Santa Cruz, then i don't blame him for wanting to go for united - he isn't a blackburn lad or lifelong supporter and he has the chance to play and possibly win the champions league, as well as compete and possibly win the premier league - the fact that his pay packet will rise by a few grand will just be a nice little extra

[dww]

Don't they have Manucho who is pretty similar in stature if not bigger in weight and height to Cruz and is a decent finisher

Has he got a work permit yet? Also Cruz is now PL proven and that would be a big plus. I agree that he may be redundant to a degree if Manucho comes and is a success but if Ronaldo stays united are in a position of power where they can afford to spend money on players who might be third or fourth choice as their first XI is already pretty much sorted.

[dww]

On Caco's point I don't think every players ambition has to be the same. Obviously wining things would be a big part but remember when Roy Keane refused his CL medal because he didn't play in the final - maybe some players only feel they have achieved if they really contributed to the success and at United Cruz might well be a bit part player.

There is, in this particular case, a good reason why Cruz might want to leave with Hughes jumping ship for a team no better off in the league but with more money. Without a good manager Blackburn may well struggle and certainly if one or two key players go it will be hard for them to attract suitable replacements. You would have to say without a manager in place the chances of success even at the level of a cup suggested by Shaggy are pretty bleak at the minute.

I would however like to see more loyalty in football - but I guess that is a complex issue with some players feeling more attached to managers than particular clubs etc. I would never however criticise a player for staying with a club he felt strongly for/about even if he sacrificed the potential to win things.

[Rich]

I hear Winston Bogarde was a die hard Chelsea fan....

[dww]

I always assumed he stayed because he wanted to win things.

[Rich]

Interestingly his autobiography is titled:

Deze Neger Buigt Voor Niemand (This Negro Bows for No One)

[Joe King]

I'm with Shaggy on this one. Surely Santa Cruz wants to prove his mettle and improve his chances for playing for Paraguay by playing at Blackburn? At Manchester United, who will he replace? Rooney? Tevez? Doubt it. I can see him being drafted in whenever those players were injured or suspended or it was a cup game.