[SOLD] Will Hughes

Hughes was often the one to front up after lockdown when other more senior figures didn't, I doubt it's something they're 'forced' to do

 

Because he cared. It was clear to see, which is why I don't hold with this theory that he's suddenly become a *******.

He was the only player during our relegation run who never left anything on the field and his return was the key to our promotion.

Speculation about what motivated his departure is just that.

Conclusion - clap

 

He definitely cared then, but that's not to say that he hadn't agreed something with Palace a year later when his contract situation here was at a stalemate. Truth is, nobody knows, I'm not going to label him a martyr, but I'm also not going to label him a Judas, I simply don't care enough about a player who was decent for us but nowhere near legendary status

 

From memory and I could be wrong but it was only Capoue and 1 other (I think maybe 2) who trained with the U23s.

Capoue had handed in a transfer request and when the move to Valencia fell through he withdrew it.

If you know a player is not going to be involved and wants to leave, then I have no issue with them not being part of the 1st team squad.

 

It will be in their contracts. Players will be obliged to take part in promoting the club off the pitch - be it public appearances, media, whatever - to a reasonable amount. They won’t be able to just continually say ‘I don’t want to’ all year. I’m not suggesting he was forced - but he may well have been obliged to.

 

For the first game against Middlesbrough, we had 17 players unavailable for selection but at the time, it wasn't clear how many were injured etc.

"The Hornets had 17 players unavailable for the Championship opener..."

 

I’d imagine a large part of that was not wanting to drop into the championship during a pandemic, when as proven, getting a move away would’ve been pretty difficult.

 

I'm leaving my imagination out of it on this occasion.

 

Hughes is a player with several very good quality aspects to his game. Going back as far as 1959/60 I rate him as one of our all-time better mid-fielders. I can also point out several draw-backs to his game: He is relatively slow across the turf; he only has a left foot; He is not very good at finishing. His attitude, both on and off the pitch and including when being played ridiculously out of position, has always seemed to me to be first class.
I'll be sorry to see him go, but it needs to be remembered that there is a hard-edged business side to all this, involving what to both sides will be significant amounts of money, the details of which we will probably never know. Having said that, consigning him to the under-23's does seem pretty rough and crude.

 

The 17 were:

Suarez, Estupinan, Janmaat, Dawson, Deulofeu, Deeney, Penaranda, Success, Sarr, Dele-Bashiru, Perica, Capoue, Welbeck Pereyra, Hughes, Gray, Masina

Based on how the season played out, it's fairly clear which players were desperate to leave, which were happy to stay, and which we wanted rid of/needed to cash in on.

 

1959 ? Wow.
Are you the oldest member on the forum ?

 

Confirmed. Sideways move.

https://www.watfordfc.com/news/official-hughes-departs

 

I won’t believe it until I see a thumbs up from Adam.

 

Was good for us, can be good for Palarse but we can live without him.

 

...and ultimate verification by WdSport.

 

I’ve just read on the Palarse website that he’s only signed a 3-year deal. We offered him a 5-year deal making him one of the highest earners.

It’s a totally insane decision he’s made. I would always wish him the best, but quite frankly, if he’s being that stupid, he doesn’t really deserve it.

 

Ha. I don't know. I doubt it. (Just feels like it, sometimes).

 

Meh...

 

Watford legend.

 

I think he may regret how things have played out. If he’d known that ultimately he’d end up at Palace on a 3-year deal, still in a relegation fight, presumably on the same sort of wage we offered, then perhaps he’d have stayed put.

 

Little runt.

 

Won't miss him at all, and he won't improve Palace either. Toodle-oo.

 

'They aren't just planning for the here and now, but for the future'.

Little dig on his way out? If he thinks that Vieira is nailed on to be there in 6 months, he's a moron.

 

At last.

 

Typo?

 

Their planning ought to involve scoring a goal now or then.

 

Haha, yes, and he will not suddenly become a goalscorer.

 

Heavily linked with Lookman and Nketiah so I'm sure they know this.

 

Sad that it came to this, but best wishes Will. Had an offer of a five year deal with a big wages increase, and could've really been a defining player of this era for the club, but clearly he had other priorities - even if it meant fewer years on the contract.

Hope he does well, hope the rest of Palace are terrible and relegated.

 

I mentioned after the Luton game last year (admittedly ott because of the result) about how little Hughes steps up when you need him.

No doubt a technical player that was always tidy, but he barely improved from when we signed him. I think he was shoehorned in various positions because he doesn't have one particular position that actually suits him.

I wish him luck and I would be pleased for him if he went on to bigger and better things, but I think it's telling that no big clubs felt like paying a relatively modest fee for him