Championship 2021-2022

The only time I went to Highfield Road was that snowy cup game. 1986 I think.

 

Do you think we let him go too soon ? A bit like Vydra.

 

Based on last night's goal, it was a MASSIVE mistake not giving him another 5 year contract. Pozzo out.

 

No need. I support Watford. Only interested in the players at the club.

 

Reading rising up the table after a poor start, admittedly TDB is the only reason I'm interested in their results.

 

Once their 9pt deduction hits they’ll be right back into the mix at the bottom.

 

Even if it doesn't put them in danger of going down, it'll probably scupper any chance they had of going up.

 

Is this the second time he's caught it? I'm almost certain I read he contracted it during the break in the PL the year he was here.

 

He did (the article also says so).

 

Andre gray in dropped to the bench shocker!

 

Deeney and Gray both unable to make 90 minutes in a championship game. I think getting rid just might have been the right call after all.

 

They didn't even make 90 minutes in their minutes combined!

Going down to League 1 - taxi for Nigel Adkins surely?

 

Deeney in hooked after 57 minutes shocker!

 

Troy probably just has an injury/covid, next year will be his year.

 

Chalo also subbed early for Fulham last game, (maybe injured?). Quina not in match squad. Hughes yet to get off the bench I believe at CP?

 

Perhaps but expectations at Doncaster are nothing like those at Charlton and they have gone down to League 2 before relatively recently - he could take them back up like he did with Swindon.

But he’s already failed at this level, taking Oldham down (who haven’t been back up since) and reasonably they might get someone else in if they are anxious about staying in this division.

 

If they give him the minutes, he'll score the goals.

 

In his best shape in years.

 

Some choice cuts from a Birmingham forum this evening:

 

It’s a real shame, really. Not for us as a club of course, him leaving has benefited us in more ways than one, but for him personally. I really don’t know why from a personal point of view he didn’t just stay here and fade into the background. Instead he not only tarnished his legacy here, he’s going to tarnish his legacy there despite never actually even having played for them before. I believe he signed a two year deal? So things could turn very sour there for him and the fans, as I assume his wages are still not insignificant.

I think that journeyman comment from one of their fans is completely inaccurate though, he probably took a paycut to join his boyhood club, he’s not a journeyman, unfortunately his ego just massively outstrips his ability and he believed he could create some sort of fairytale for both of them. He clearly believes all these excuses he’s trotted out the past few years, otherwise I don’t know why he’d put himself in this position if he saw the reality of his ability as the rest of us do.

Maybe he’s a bit of a Gazza type, and just can’t accept his football career coming to a close.

One benefit at least is that it should provide closure to some of our fans who still beloved he could contribute for us this season.

 

FTFY

 

Totally disagree that he “tarnished his legacy” at Watford, but it’s sad that the Birmingham fans are unlikely to ever have the love for him that we did.

 

By saying he tarnished his legacy that isn’t a black/white binary statement, I think he definitely hung around for two seasons too long and to an extent did tarnish his legacy. Nothing can take away what he did, but he definitely started to take the shine off of it for various reasons.

 

Yeah in fairness another poster immediately replied to that pointing out exactly what you have, that he's not in any way a journeyman, but obv I didn't include it because it wasn't a comment on his ability/performance.

And yet he gave it large about finally managing to get to a manageable weight this summer, in direct contrast to the last five, as well as 'writing' in the programme about how it was his task to earn the starting place be believed he deserved in the Prem, before pulling the ripcord not two games later when he hadn't done so - it seems like a very strange mix of delusion and calculation.

The Birmingham move must have been part an exercise in fan fairytale, and part in legacy-building/defining, but, as you say, sorely misjudged in the end. Apparently when he's on the pitch up top they play a lot of crosses into the box, which is great for him, because he's never in the box and can't get on the end of crosses!

Then again, with his current ability, if he didn't want it exposed the only realistic option open to him was to retire, and he was never going to do that at 33. As you say, the smartest move would have been to stay here and play whatever role was asked of him rather than demanding the headline act, but that doesn't seem to be in his character.

 

No, I didn’t want Troy to stay her picking up his £70-100k per week at all, not in the slightest, but all things considered, it would’ve been the best thing for him personally by far.