As season five draws to a close, I was forced to retire a legend in his own way last night. I feel that this player deserves some sort of a tribute, so you will have to make due with this rant for now.
'I don't care too much for money, 'Cos money can't buy me love.'
So goes the classic Beatles song, penned in 1964 by a fresh-faced Paul McCartney. In the case of Damien Grégorini, this may just have been the case. Quite a few times, managers have made me offers for the stylish French goalie, but I simply couldn't bring my self to part with him.
Loyalty and loyal players who stick by the club through thick and thin are a rarity. Players like Giggs, Scholes, Neville, Maldini, Totti, Raúl, Gerrard and others are a dying breed of footballers, and that's in the high-paced transfer circus of real life. The FML market is even more insane, with people switching clubs faster and easier, especially guys like Grégorini who are not top class.
Tall and slim, Grégorini was a safe, unflappable keeper who rarely needed to be spectacular. Quick and agile, he had good positional sense and great concentration, an asset particularly useful when playing behind a semi-successful Fortuna team that might be on the attack for much of the game only to be faced with a break away move from the opposition. Above all, he rarely made mistakes in big games, setting himself above many of the other keepers I brought in as back-ups for him.
Theo Zwarthoed, Jeroen Lambers, Tyronne and Rune Almennig Jarstein. They all got a few games between the sticks, they were given a fair chance, but they just couldn't compete with Grégorini, mister safe-hands.
Last night however, I felt the time had come for Grégorini to move on. He was slipping up. He was losing it. He made mistakes he normally didn't. He was getting older. At 33, he wasn't as agile and quick as he used to be.
Unfortunately, this isn't FM, where I can leave a legend like that in the reserve squad to finish his career with some honour and dignity. I need his wages in order to compete, so I had to release the Frenchman on a free transfer, only to replace him within minutes with Lithuanian Zydrunas Karcemarskas.
I hope Grégorini does well in the remaining seasons of his career. I noticed he had gone on trial with some Portuguese team. I really hope the manager thinks he's good enough for a contract deal there. He deserves this. After 1,476 appearances, 599 clean sheets and an average rating of 6.8, I wish I could've given him a more worthy good-bye, fitting of his status within the team. Unfortunately, he will have to make do with this tribute.
'I don't care too much for money, 'Cos money can't buy me love.'
So goes the classic Beatles song, penned in 1964 by a fresh-faced Paul McCartney. In the case of Damien Grégorini, this may just have been the case. Quite a few times, managers have made me offers for the stylish French goalie, but I simply couldn't bring my self to part with him.
Loyalty and loyal players who stick by the club through thick and thin are a rarity. Players like Giggs, Scholes, Neville, Maldini, Totti, Raúl, Gerrard and others are a dying breed of footballers, and that's in the high-paced transfer circus of real life. The FML market is even more insane, with people switching clubs faster and easier, especially guys like Grégorini who are not top class.
Tall and slim, Grégorini was a safe, unflappable keeper who rarely needed to be spectacular. Quick and agile, he had good positional sense and great concentration, an asset particularly useful when playing behind a semi-successful Fortuna team that might be on the attack for much of the game only to be faced with a break away move from the opposition. Above all, he rarely made mistakes in big games, setting himself above many of the other keepers I brought in as back-ups for him.
Theo Zwarthoed, Jeroen Lambers, Tyronne and Rune Almennig Jarstein. They all got a few games between the sticks, they were given a fair chance, but they just couldn't compete with Grégorini, mister safe-hands.
Last night however, I felt the time had come for Grégorini to move on. He was slipping up. He was losing it. He made mistakes he normally didn't. He was getting older. At 33, he wasn't as agile and quick as he used to be.
Unfortunately, this isn't FM, where I can leave a legend like that in the reserve squad to finish his career with some honour and dignity. I need his wages in order to compete, so I had to release the Frenchman on a free transfer, only to replace him within minutes with Lithuanian Zydrunas Karcemarskas.
I hope Grégorini does well in the remaining seasons of his career. I noticed he had gone on trial with some Portuguese team. I really hope the manager thinks he's good enough for a contract deal there. He deserves this. After 1,476 appearances, 599 clean sheets and an average rating of 6.8, I wish I could've given him a more worthy good-bye, fitting of his status within the team. Unfortunately, he will have to make do with this tribute.
Crocodile tears, You monster :P
ReplyDelete33 is still ok for a GK. I have Engelaar, who is a 33 yo DM, and I am still keeping him despite high wages and red arrows.
You're like me if you can't say goodbye.
ReplyDelete