Raphina

[norfolk white]

Lots of rumours suddenly appearing that raphina is off to man utd/Liverpool, agent about to have talks with leeds etc, no smoke without fire, but I'd like to see him have one season with the crowd at Elland Road, I'm sure he'd then think twice about absconding.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Lots of rumours suddenly appearing that raphina is off to man utd/Liverpool, agent about to have talks with leeds etc, no smoke without fire, but I'd like to see him have one season with the crowd at Elland Road, I'm sure he'd then think twice about absconding.

Paper speculation will carry on until the next season. If Bielsa stays sure he will and we are supposed to be in for 4 or 5 new players and we don’t have to sell so sure he will stay.

Should enjoy every moment whilst it lasts though

[WTF11]

Paper speculation will carry on until the next season. If Bielsa stays sure he will and we are supposed to be in for 4 or 5 new players and we don’t have to sell so sure he will stay.

Should enjoy every moment whilst it lasts though

Really a fairly straightforward, simple, binary question that the club can answer now, not in 6 months time.....

Is Raphina for sale prior to the end of NEXT season?

Yes = We have an owner who is focussed on short term profit, not long term investment.

No = We have an owner who believes in Bielsas ability to develop all the squad and to exploit (in the best possible definition of that word) the world call talent we have (including Raphina).

Other clubs adopt a "hands off" stance for certain players (no matter what sh1te the player agents spout), no reason we shouldn't do the same.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Really a fairly straightforward, simple, binary question that the club can answer now, not in 6 months time.....

Is Raphina for sale prior to the end of NEXT season?

Yes = We have an owner who is focussed on short term profit, not long term investment.

No = We have an owner who believes in Bielsas ability to develop all the squad and to exploit (in the best possible definition of that word) the world call talent we have (including Raphina).

Other clubs adopt a "hands off" stance for certain players (no matter what sh1te the player agents spout), no reason we shouldn't do the same.

Pretty sure the club have said not for sale the speculation comes from ex players like Mills and Whelan opining on flights of fancy.

Don’t mind the club saying nothing as otherwise they would just constantly be denying rumours

[LeedsFTW]

Think it may be a case of the agent doing his job, stirring up the media to try and encourage the club to offer Rapha a better contract.

[WTF11]

Pretty sure the club have said not for sale the speculation comes from ex players like Mills and Whelan opining on flights of fancy.

Don’t mind the club saying nothing as otherwise they would just constantly be denying rumours

Agreed 100%, which is why I wish the "pundits" would just shut the f00k up on things that don't help the club. They are ex-players, (mostly), who you would like to think had Leeds best interests at heart, not their own f00king wallets, but perhaps not.

[WTF11]

Think it may be a case of the agent doing his job, stirring up the media to try and encourage the club to offer Rapha a better contract.

The agents job should be to serve the best interests of those they represent. Unfortunately there are many who just want a large cut of a large slice (we have plenty of examples of what's best for the agent isn't necessarily best for the player) and f00k their "client"

[spaldy]

would he be better off than where he's at if MB stays?

Another super year at Leeds and the sky would be the limit on what he could command. he'd be at his prime and will have worked under one of the best managers in the world and helped build a club that hadn't been in the prem in 16 years and more than held their own.

If he wanted to get I would hope the going rate is 80 million and it would be higher next year if he has a great year. I know that there are a lot of ifs there but he's up to the challenge.

[WTF11]

As you say, lot's of "ifs and buts", however (that's just a posh "but"!), the same applies were he to leave for one of the big 6, or to a European club. Nothing guaranteed, many players who have shone at one club leave to savour the green grass elsewhere, only to languish in reserve sides, or endlessly warming the bench.

I know a footballers career is a short one (even if fully fit throughout), and making sure there are funds to support a comfortable life after football is a high priority, but at this stage of Raphina career, I would suggest being a big fish in a small pool will generate greater exposure and opportunity, so that even if he was to leave eventually, there are at least another 18 months (so the remainder of this and the whole of next season) where he can be that "big fish" at Leeds. Depends on whether he and his agent can look beyond their nose ends I suppose.

[asturianblanco]

Money talks unfortunately.