He hasn't showed much love so far any way. He couldn't wait to post a definite goodbye post to remove any speculations about his return.
Pointless to discuss all this right now. I think the only thing we know is that, unlike with James, we hold all the cards and this loan was the best resolution for a shitty situation.
The club was put in a crap situation and actually turned it into the best possible outcome keeping in mind the player refused to stay. Now he can always refuse to play next season as well when and if we call him back from his loan but at least we control the situation unlike with James which is possibly the worst piece of business Florentino has done recently. If he does as well as he has done here some EPL team (why not Chelsea) will pay a big sum for him. Of course it would put us in a position to find another midfield gem after we already found him and thought our future was secure but I guess some players have more of a desire to be here than others. It's there lives so its understandable but as a fan of course i'm annoyed by it. @9Qui I haven't been following the news intently these past few weeks but I believe the pic of him training at Valdebebas was when he showed up once which was AFTER his loan was agreed in principle (announced just a day or two later). Before that he was sitting at home. Not a good look but whatever. Our beloved Luka did the same at Tottenham so whatever but I think some of these guys really over value themselves. They see Cristiano and Modric or Ramos navigating their careers a certain way and feel they are in the same boat and can act the same way and take the same route when in essence they aren't and should approach their career decisions with that in mind. It's just one example but Morata forced his way out just like Kovacic has citing the same issue of playing time even though the team was having lots of success. That is as clear cut a signal of putting yourself ahead of the team as anything could be. From both these players. Players who actually have an emotional attachment with the club are so rare these days. Doesn't matter if they've spent a decade with the team (Ramos) they put the business side of it ahead of most other things. That's their prerogative and I think as fans we should stop expecting it from players. If someone does have genuine affection (keylor) for the team that's a bonus. Cristiano was as big a Madridista as any and couldn't stop gushing about us when he signed 9 yrs ago saying every day how he dreamed of the white shirt every night. He didn't even blink when it came to leaving when he could and should have stayed with the team until he called it quits or had a retirement year with Sporting. So this is how it is. I wish him well like I wished Morata well and I hope that he can guide Chelsea into the top 4 and then we can either bring him back or sell him for a good fee.
Kovacic was training every day. That he refused to train was fake news by Marca. Maybe there was some threat, but it was never realized.
Its funny how that goes isnt it? The players you think bleed white then would leave or threaten to leave the club over money (Ronaldo, Ramos, Modric, Pepe), or ask for every last penny if the club wants to move on from them (Iker, Raul). Zidane who was the face of the galacticos left money on the table both as a player and as a coach when he left, and Marcelo and Keylor, both not from the academy seem all about the club over their careers and earnings. We as fans dont have the same intangibles in play so its hard for us to see their POV. But yeah, naive to think everyone who kisses the badge is going to be our Totti.
Absolutely. The culture has shifted as players have become more business oriented and more in control of their careers. I don't see that as a bad thing at all. They saw how their predecessors were at the mercy of greedy owners again and again. We won't see a Totti or a Maldini or a Dirk or a Kobe who played their whole career with the same team through the thick and thin. For most players the "love" is there as long as it's convenient to them and their wishes are being met (salary, playing time, starter status) and even then they don't hesitate to use underhanded tricks like Rene and Sergio did. I've said it for years. The only people really emotionally invested are the fans. People like Zizou are unicorns and hence universally respected and deified. I wasn't completely in tune with all the news this last month so maybe I missed something. Didn't know that the holdout was fake news.
Players have too much control. It's not like the old days where there may have been an axe to grind. You'd think the club was like Alcatraz and not paying them 100K a week.
Kovacic getting excellent reviews from Chelsea fans after his debut today. Didn't see the game but almost every comment I've read was filled with praise.
He looked pretty decent. But I think all of us here know what kind of talent he has and aren’t going to be surprised when he performs well this season for Chelsea. Very few EPL midfielders can hold their weight with anyone on our squad, let alone Kova. The biggest question still for me with Mateo (at least with respect to him becoming world class/elite vs. just very good), is will he improve his descion making and play/key passes/finishing in the final third. He consistently impresses in many aspects of the game, but doesn’t produce enough quality end product. Too many of his nice penetrative moves end with a bad turnover.
Just reading what Chelsea fans are saying that Kovacic and Hazard changed the game when they came on. Totally dominated Arsenal after there introduction
I thought he was average. When he came on he was very eager to show himself and had a few good touches but faded after a few minutes. Hazard did change the game though.
Funny how most Madrid fans think Kovacic was average but most Chelsea fans thought he was very good. Only a matter of time before Kovacic takes over the starting position there.
https://www.givemesport.com/1374987...l-highlights-against-arsenal-have-now-emerged Pretty good stats for Mateo in his debut.
Which would be great for the club because then he can fetch a high transfer fee instead of the breadcrumbs clubs came with for him last summer.
I thought putting him and Hazard at the same time was brilliant. Arsenal could not handle that at all.
Hazard changed the game. I didn't see what Kovacic did to deserve "changed the game" label, but it seems you have your opinion made up even though you didn't watch the game so I'm not sure why you came here to ask.
Mateo Kovacic - “After 3 years of inconsistency in playing time in Madrid I’ve got into a team that wants me and a coach that wants and trust me, that’s how Chelsea happened. That’s what I really need now and I want to keep it that way.” (interview is in Croatian) Well, enjoy PL you ******** .
Dude is a clown. He came here as a project player and he's running his mouth about 3 years of inconsistency in playing.
What an ungrateful twat. I knew we should have sent him to Castilla for the duration of his contract.