David James

[kop205]

So his latest call is for performance related pay?

 

Great idea - but why wasn't he saying this 10 years ago when he was quite happy to still pick up his millions whilst his 'performances' were costing us trophies? Easy for him to say now when he is about 38, has made his money, and probably only has a couple of years left in the game.

 

He is a f***ing pseud, with his 'eccentric' haircuts and s**** paintings that look like they were done by a primary school child.

[muleskinner]

Because he has grown up and realised that he was a bit of self-centred prick through his twenties ?

[kop205]

Or because he is so image-conscious and desperate to be seen as somehow more intelligent than his fellow professionals that he is willing to propose ideas that he knows will make him look good without actually making any real sacrifices whatsover?

 

Sorry, I'm just not buying it.

[muleskinner]

Footballer gets invited to contribute a column to a 'quality' newspaper and raises issues that get people talking about something other than the bird they are f***ing or what car they have just bought? Outrageous.

[McBain]

He's Quinn to your Dubred

[kop205]

Footballer gets invited to contribute a column to a 'quality' newspaper and raises issues that get people talking about something other than the bird they are f***ing or what car they have just bought? Outrageous.

 

How ironic then that one of the things that he has written about repeatedly in his column is the car that he has just bought - or rather, had converted to a more eco-friendly fuel. Champion of the environment as well as of the poor football fan who gets fleeced by over-rated, under-achieving players.

 

I just fail to understand how he can have the gall to criticise other footballers for doing exactly what he has done for the whole of his career - take a vastly inflated wage because someone is stupid enough to pay him it. If he is that genuine, will he be refunding people for the times when he has underperformed because he was playing on his Nintendo for hours or f***ing off to Milan to ponce around on the catwalk? Wouldn't have thought so - he'd owe a f***ing lot of money.

[muleskinner]

How ironic then that one of the things that he has written about repeatedly in his column is the car that he has just bought - or rather, had converted to a more eco-friendly fuel. Champion of the environment as well as of the poor football fan who gets fleeced by over-rated, under-achieving players.

 

I just fail to understand how he can have the gall to criticise other footballers for doing exactly what he has done for the whole of his career - take a vastly inflated wage because someone is stupid enough to pay him it. If he is that genuine, will he be refunding people for the times when he has underperformed because he was playing on his Nintendo for hours or f***ing off to Milan to ponce around on the catwalk? Wouldn't have thought so - he'd owe a f***ing lot of money.

 

Don't read his column if it upsets you so much. People change, he would be the first to admit he has been a prick through his career and that he has messed up at various stages of his life on and off the pitch. I'm as much a critic of his footballing career as anyone but he does recognise this and is prepared to admit it.

 

He is merely throwing ideas into the arena of discussion.

[kop205]

Don't read his column if it upsets you so much. People change, he would be the first to admit he has been a prick through his career and that he has messed up at various stages of his life on and off the pitch. I'm as much a critic of his footballing career as anyone but he does recognise this and is prepared to admit it.

 

He is merely throwing ideas into the arena of discussion.

 

Just find him incredibly hypocritcal to be honest. 'Throwing ideas into the arena of discussion' is one thing but what is he actually doing to put his money where his mouth is? The car thing I'll give him, though even then I found him incredibly smug and sanctimonious about it.

 

Reading his column doesn't so much 'upset' me (though I can see why my posts might make you think that!) as just wnat to laugh at the big fraud.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

he is more intelligent than your average footballer.

 

Think it's good he is willing to put some things up for a debate in a considered way.

[muleskinner]

Just find him incredibly hypocritcal to be honest. 'Throwing ideas into the arena of discussion' is one thing but what is he actually doing to put his money where his mouth is? The car thing I'll give him, though even then I found him incredibly smug and sanctimonious about it.

 

Reading his column doesn't so much 'upset' me (though I can see why my posts might make you think that!) as just wnat to laugh at the big fraud.

 

He donated his fee to the Sporting Chance charity to help addiction problems after his column about gambling in football.

[kop205]

he is more intelligent than your average footballer.

 

Probably true - and the fact that he's waited until near the end of his career to open up a debate on performance related pay would support that.

 

He donated his fee to the Sporting Chance charity to help addiction problems after his column about gambling in football.

 

Then fair play to him for that. It is really the way in which he has raised this particular issue (performance related pay) that has riled me.

[Koller49]

There are much, MUCH bigger pricks involved in football then David James.

 

I don't think he's a prick really. A bit naive during his earlier playing years as people have said, but still, a likeable guy in my opinion, even though he did cost us the FA Cup final and countless league games.

[Flight]

he is more intelligent than your average footballer.

 

Think it's good he is willing to put some things up for a debate in a considered way.

 

 

 

Certainly agree with that, but intelligence doesn't equate with common sense.

 

Remember reading an interview with him, when he was playing for us, wondering if his all night Playstation sessions were affecting his concentration.

[guernseygareth]

So his latest call is for performance related pay?

 

Great idea - but why wasn't he saying this 10 years ago when he was quite happy to still pick up his millions whilst his 'performances' were costing us trophies? Easy for him to say now when he is about 38, has made his money, and probably only has a couple of years left in the game.

 

so maybe if it'd been the case then, the so-called 'spice boys' may have come to their senses earlier?

[kop205]

so maybe if it'd been the case then, the so-called 'spice boys' may have come to their senses earlier?

 

Not saying that I think it is a bad idea (I don't), just that I don't know how an ageing, made-his-money, soon-to-be-retired David James can be the one suggesting it and expect me to do anything other than laugh at his hypocrisy or for current players to do anything other than tell him to get f***ed now it is their turn to cash in.

 

Unless of course he is genuinely saying that he wishes they did have back it then as it might have made him drag his sorry a*** of the Nintendo and perform a bit better. And if that is case, it is an indictment of his lack of professionalism.

[muleskinner]

Not saying that I think it is a bad idea (I don't), just that I don't know how an ageing, made-his-money, soon-to-be-retired David James can be the one suggesting it and expect me to do anything other than laugh at his hypocrisy or for current players to do anything other than tell him to get f***ed now it is their turn to cash in.

 

Unless of course he is genuinely saying that he wishes they did have back it then as it might have made him drag his sorry a*** of the Nintendo and perform a bit better. And if that is case, it is an indictment of his lack of professionalism.

 

Are all your opinions and beliefs the same as they were 10 years ago?

[kop205]

Are all your opinions and beliefs the same as they were 10 years ago?

 

I still think David James is a prick for one.

 

But that is the point isn't it? There is nothing noble about this change of opinion from him when the changes he is suggesting wouldn't affect him in any way, shape or form. He is entitled to an opinion of course and it is ironic that I actually agree with him that more performance related pay would be a good thing.

 

What I object to is the image that he has cultivated for himself as the thinking man's footballer, man of the people etc when he was the spiciest of Spice Boys and showed as much contempt for the fans through his lack of professionalism as pretty much any of the team at that time. I don't doubt that he has matured and changed but when it comes to the crunch I have serious doubts about how much he really does regret his underachievement given that he was amply rewarded anyway. I don't know whether he could hand on heart say that even in retrospect he wishes that he'd played under a system like the one he is proposing when it is far from certain that it would have magically meant him winning bags full more trophies. If that is the case, then I don't think he should be lecturing others on this.

 

It is a personal response. I just don't find him that genuine. Just because he can string a few sentences together doesn't mean I'll take him more seriously than I would Ruddock, Fowler, Redknapp or someone like that if they started banging this drum.

[Hassony]

I still think David James is a prick for one.

 

But that is the point isn't it? There is nothing noble about this change of opinion from him when the changes he is suggesting wouldn't affect him in any way, shape or form. He is entitled to an opinion of course and it is ironic that I actually agree with him that more performance related pay would be a good thing.

 

What I object to is the image that he has cultivated for himself as the thinking man's footballer, man of the people etc when he was the spiciest of Spice Boys and showed as much contempt for the fans through his lack of professionalism as pretty much any of the team at that time. I don't doubt that he has matured and changed but when it comes to the crunch I have serious doubts about how much he really does regret his underachievement given that he was amply rewarded anyway. I don't know whether he could hand on heart say that even in retrospect he wishes that he'd played under a system like the one he is proposing when it is far from certain that it would have magically meant him winning bags full more trophies. If that is the case, then I don't think he should be lecturing others on this.

 

It is a personal response. I just don't find him that genuine. Just because he can string a few sentences together doesn't mean I'll take him more seriously than I would Ruddock, Fowler, Redknapp or someone like that if they started banging this drum.

 

Do you think someone like GH or Rafa would have allowed for the "spice boys" if they were in charge, David james and the rest of of the spice boys were just young people with millions in their banks, and they should have been taught to be more profissional if they wanted to make it at a club like liverpool

[Billy Dane]

I think there are far more footballers worthy of railing against than David James.

 

He's not as bad as that Niall Quinn for example.

[kop205]

Do you think someone like GH or Rafa would have allowed for the "spice boys" if they were in charge, David james and the rest of of the spice boys were just young people with millions in their banks, and they should have been taught to be more profissional if they wanted to make it at a club like liverpool

 

I agree, in which case it has nowt to do with performance related pay which raises the question again of why he is making that call.

[Benzo-13]

Hate him so much..

[johngibo YPC]

There are much, MUCH bigger pricks involved in football then David James.

 

I don't think he's a prick really. A bit naive during his earlier playing years as people have said, but still, a likeable guy in my opinion, even though he did cost us the FA Cup final and countless league games.

 

Behave, the whole team were s*** that day

[Stevie H]

he's a bloody wally. just because he's got a broadsheet newspaper column, which is probably ghosted, doesn't make him any less of a clown.

[theredfella]

he's a bloody wally. just because he's got a broadsheet newspaper column, which is probably ghosted, doesn't make him any less of a clown.

 

Spot on.