For >95% of fans, it boils down to two contradictory impulses: should he be allowed to play football again? Yes. do I want him at my club (even while playing for someone else's)? No. Given the facts of the case, he can argue that if the other guy was found not guilty it's perverse that he went to jail. What he can't argue about is that he comes across as a disgusting low-life because that's what people who do what he did are. This is actually his third chance at having a future in life (I know a little about his family background: father worked for an acquaintance of mine and by all accounts said father was a worthless and disgusting low-life). Let's hope he doesn't f*%k this one up.
Ray Lewis covered up a murder and the Ravens built him a statue. Adrian Peterson beats the hell out of his kid and is revered by Vikings fans. Brett Favre sexually harassed a staffer and just got inducted into the Hall of Fame. Mike Tyson raped a woman and was also convicted of assault, and now he gets movie roles where he's portrayed as just sort of eccentric. Dany Heatley killed his teammate in a reckless car accident and played another 12 seasons in the NHL. Michael Vick ran a dogfighting ring and got signed by the Eagles within a month of his release from prison. Lee Hughes killed someone in a (probable) drunk driving accident and signed with Oldham as soon as he got out of prison. Point is, fans and teams get over abhorrent behavior all the time if the player is good enough.
http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/08/03/chesterfield-to-lose-star-winger-gboly-ariyibi/ Sounds like several clubs are interested. I'd love it if he joined Danny at Reading!
He's bound to be a hot commodity. Tall, tricky, attacking...wingers like him will always get a lot of looks
Starts in the EFL Cup match: Here we are with the full set of squads for tonight's #EFLCup match with Rochdale. pic.twitter.com/pAG3EUsCPa— (C)hesterfield FC (@ChesterfieldFC) August 9, 2016
Fan comments from the game: "Aryibi -6. A couple of runs first half and linked up well with Mcginn. Received very little service and Rochdale doubled up on him when required. Not his night." "I would give Aryibi a 4 - he's been crap so far this season for 70% time" "Boly tore Dale to pieces last time, he hardly saw any of the ball, when he did Dale were quick to double up and in some instances treble up on him."
He wants to leave so they aren't going to be impartial about him, and even if he is lackluster, he wants to leave so he's biding his time. Hopefully that move happens sooner rather than later. Gotta at least do the bouncy to the 'Ship. Blackburn, for example, would be pretty hot. He'd get onto the radar if he was good. Hard to do it in a 3rd tier, no matter how well you play.
The interesting comment is the third one. The lad has one foot out the door and so isn't going to be entirely focused, playing for a team that's still giving him no effing service - and the opposition still have to put 2-3 players on him. That's gonna open up one hell of a lot of gaps for his team mates.
Well . . . it should have. Still, if he's being double/treble-teamed he's probably too good for this league. Let's hope he gets a D2 move soon so we can see what he's made of. League 1 is full of players who have the skill to play at a higher level but lack something extra - tactical intelligence, stamina, pace, dedication, whatever - to get that move. He'll have a nice enough life in England's D3; average pay is 70k Sterling or $90K plus bonuses and there are usually fringes (accommodation, car) thrown in, but it's a whole different level in the Championship; about 300k Sterling, which is getting close to DP money in MLS. He could easily expect to make half of that that at the clubs that have been linked with him.
Starts today: First home line-up of the season, and it looks like this: pic.twitter.com/c1yGXskuyW— (C)hesterfield FC (@ChesterfieldFC) August 13, 2016
Picks up an assist: 3-0!!!! GOAL FOR CHED EVANS, GBOLY ARIYBI MADE IT FOR HIM!!! pic.twitter.com/2skx3vd9er— (C)hesterfield FC (@ChesterfieldFC) August 13, 2016 64' All about Ariyibi he somehow shuffled past man after man, got to the byline and squared for Evans, who happily tapped home! 3-0— (C)hesterfield FC (@ChesterfieldFC) August 13, 2016
Quotes from their fans: "Boly Aryibi...wow!! When was the last time we had a winger like him???? They were shiz scared every time he got the ball.....pace, power, dribbling, crossing.....get goals into his game & he will be £3m" "Ariyibi at the moment is too slow to get into the game. Its as if he needs to make a mazey run or two to gain enough confidence to have a good match. The problem is (like today) he didnt really get going until the final 10mins of the first half. Get that sorted and goals will start to follow aswell. " "Boly is unstoppable & what a fantastic poachers finish by Ched " "gboly had a field day down the right" "special mention for Gboly, he was immense and looked dangerous everytime he got the ball. If you ever doubt his quality then just watch our third goal today. Took 3 players and they still couldn't stop him; he didn't panic, looked up and found Evans."
He also set up the last one. He is lanky dude, not as smooth as a Navas or as fast as the Ox but more of a Yannick Bolasie/ Sadio Mane type. Still got good pace, just has to get more experience.
I think I'd use this tactic is I was playing against @GbolyAriyibi at the moment! Mind you, this didn't stop him! pic.twitter.com/h33BusAzzz— TJP (@TinaJennerPhoto) August 14, 2016
Starts today: Here we are, tonight the unchanged #Spireites look like this: pic.twitter.com/9zcnPt0wfa— (C)hesterfield FC (@ChesterfieldFC) August 16, 2016
I understand #ChesterfieldFC have rejected a bid for Gboly Ariyibi from a Championship club #spireites— Sean Taylor (@seantaylorpress) August 19, 2016
Barnsley have had two bids for #USMNT U23 winger Gboly Ariyibi turned down by Chesterfield and are preparing a third, per Derbyshire Times.— Kyle McCarthy (@kylejmccarthy) August 22, 2016 Barnsley is the club
According to these sources, Barnsley values Gboly at 3 million pounds, yet Barnsley's initial two offers were only around 150K and 250K, prompting Chesterfield manager Danny Wilson to call the offers "derisory for a player of his ability and potential." http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/sp...for-chesterfield-star-gboly-ariyibi-1-8081847 http://www.skysports.com/football/n...wilson-confirm-barnsley-bid-for-gboly-ariyibi
Wilson says there have been no new bids for Gboly Ariyibi this week and the bids received have been "nowhere near our valuation".— (C)hesterfield FC (@ChesterfieldFC) August 25, 2016 Wilson says Ariyibi has been "brilliant, fantastic" with his attitude and has been very focused on what he needs to do with the Spiretes.— (C)hesterfield FC (@ChesterfieldFC) August 25, 2016