Would you play for City for free?! (1 Viewer)

[bamalamafizzfazz]

I was just wondering if the club were to propose the offer, would people be in favour of fans volunteering to play for the Sky Blues for free?!

I thought about the idea the other day and wondered if they held professional trials would we find a few local gems who maybe played semi pro but never got the break etc.

Obviously this would be very low risk for the club financially and may give us an extra few bodies for the season. I think this could have a great community affect also as it may encourage more people to go as they may go to support friends or family who have made the team.

Obviously there is potential for the club to become a laughing stock but it could also have the opposite affect.

Just an idea I had, let the criticising commence...

 

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[Nathccfc]

I would play for a hell of lot less than what they are on, if I could keep my job and play then yes I would for free pride and passion to wear the shirt.

 

[ccfctommy]

Are you serious?

Mate, this is League One. It's not amateur football.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

Yea but then I would leave in January to play for Man City for 50k a week, make sure I get a hefty signing on fee as well.

 

[We'll_live_and_die]

Were you by chance frequenting the lavatory when you came up with this idea?













Cause it's a bit shit.

 

[Otis]

I would pay them to play.

So, yes, of course, I would totally play for free. Daft question for me.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

I thought about the idea the other day and wondered if they held professional trials would we find a few local gems who maybe played semi pro but never got the break etc.

There were plenty of talented footballers at the school I attended, but one kid stood head and shoulders above everyone else. He'd collect the ball on his own goal line, dribble past 20 other kids, and still have time to get down on his hands and knees and head the ball into the goal. This kid got a youth contract with a Premiership team and represented England at a junior level. By the age of 21 he was playing deep in the non-leagues.

Not many slip the net. Even the players in L2 are really, really, really talented.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

A few get released as kids then work their way back up the ranks, a few (e.g. Kightly, D.J. Campbell and even Freddie) are plucked from obscurity and make it into league football. If City tried it, chances are the person signed would never play or would be a total abomination.

 

[skybluebeduff]

First Champ Manager experts/wannabe managers, now we have FIFA players/wannabe footballers on this forum, sorry mate but no-one on this forum would get in Bedworth United's team let alone our beloved SkyBlues :facepalm:

 

[hill83]

Ha ha ha ha ha, this surely isn't serious?

Are you in the 'I'd score 10 goals if I played up front for Man Utd" crowd?

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Ha ha ha ha ha, this surely isn't serious?

Are you in the 'I'd score 10 goals if I played up front for Man Utd" crowd?

Don't be ridiculous, I'd hit 25.

 

[bamalamafizzfazz]

Are you serious?

Mate, this is League One. It's not amateur football.

Seems to be the most negative response, thank you.

I just thought it might encourage the club to be more involved in the community and trials to play for YOUR club may just help that significantly. Who cares where we get players from if they turn out to be half decent? I for one am fed up of signing shit ex premier league players looking for a last paycheck before disappearing into obscurity. Who says that there aren't 'amateur' footballers out there that have the ability to play at a higher level just the opportunity never presented itself.

Just an idea and I apologise for wasting your time, I will let you get back to posts about ' do you think we'll sign anyone this decade?' and 'Do you think SISU will sell within the next century?'

 

[hill83]

Don't be ridiculous, I'd hit 25.

Amateur.

The amount of chances created you should easily be hitting 30 plus.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Amateur.

The amount of chances created you should easily be hitting 30 plus.

I'd score more if it weren't for that goal hog Rooney. Cramps my style.

 

[hill83]

Seems to be the most negative response, thank you.

I just thought it might encourage the club to be more involved in the community and trials to play for YOUR club may just help that significantly. Who cares where we get players from if they turn out to be half decent? I for one am fed up of signing shit ex premier league players looking for a last paycheck before disappearing into obscurity. Who says that there aren't 'amateur' footballers out there that have the ability to play at a higher level just the opportunity never presented itself.

Just an idea and I apologise for wasting your time, I will let you get back to posts about ' do you think we'll sign anyone this decade?' and 'Do you think SISU will sell within the next century?'

It would never work.
Even professional players people consider 'poor' would demolish the entire amateur league in and around Coventry and Warwickshire. Yes, even Roy O'donovan.

 

[ajsccfc]

As a rule of thumb, the worst professional player you've ever seen would be one of the best you'd ever play with. Unless you're awesome yourself, of course.

 

[bamalamafizzfazz]

It would never work.
Even professional players people consider 'poor' would demolish the entire amateur league in and around Coventry and Warwickshire. Yes, even Roy O'donovan.

Whoa! Steady there mate. Don't go throwing out statements that you can't back up.

 

[hill83]

Whoa! Steady there mate. Don't go throwing out statements that you can't back up.

Too late

 

[bamalamafizzfazz]

Obviously I'm proposing this under the suggestion that we don't sign enough proper players. What harm can an extra few heads in the dressing room who are desperate to play for their club be as a way of putting pressure on the the players we currently call professionals? They would have to demonstrate that they could be good enough to play at this level. It would cost the club very little to hold trials and be very little risk.

At the end of the day who is to say one person is better than another person if they have never had the opportunity to prove themselves?

It doesn't matter who you are, what you do or what you get paid, we all shit out of our arseholes!!

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Chelsea held a widely publicised talent search along those lines on Sky 1 a few years ago-I don't know what the winner of that's doing now, but it did unearth a few decent young players.

 

[SkyBlueScottie]

Congratulations on creating the most retarded thread on here ever.....

Basically with the scouting that goes on now, talented kids get picked up, then train every week with the club where there development is monitored closely. Very rarely are such gems missed, clubs are run in this way they sont just stick their finger in the air on a chosen day and make decisions.

Then just imagine the effect of having a "few" fan heads around the dressing room, imagine the effect on morale it would have on the pther players, its akin to having a novice walk into your place of work and then telling you what to do.

Currently there are very few players playing in the premier league who have come up from non league football, so to step up from open day trials is an even bigger ask. By all means scout the leagues below us, have feeder clubs such as Nuneaton, Bedworth etc but your idea? no way.

To answer the original question, no I would not pay for free, I would however play for my current salary, but would soon want paying more.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

What harm can an extra few heads in the dressing room who are desperate to play for their club be as a way of putting pressure on the the players we currently call professionals?

Dressing room resentment? Off-putting to potential signings? National humiliation?

At the end of the day who is to say one person is better than another person if they have never had the opportunity to prove themselves?

But they have. Exceptional football players always go as far as they can. It probably is fair to say that there are underrated and overlooked players in the lower and non-leagues, and that more advanced scouting and evaluation systems could be set up to recruit them; but this notion that the bloke doing your MOT is a Pele-in-waiting is madness.

 

[hill83]

I'm not totally against an open trial, in fact it's a good idea. And to an extent happens all the time.
But the idea of Twinkle Toes Trev who plays for the Dog and Duck turning up to play for free made me laugh.

 

[bamalamafizzfazz]

Congratulations on creating the most retarded thread on here ever.....

REALLY??!! You honestly think that? I see all the arguements and appreciate them and that is what we are here to debate.

Hypothetical situation,

Say for example your brother (I don't know if you have one or not) goes for a trial, proves his fitness and ability and is told that he is going to get a few reserve games to prove himself further. He does well in these reserve games and is told he is on the bench against Dagenham and Redbridge in the cup as we are carrying a few injuries as we had such a small number of players for our preseason friendlies and our players are all exhausted. Are you telling me that you and a lot of your family and friends would not go and support him playing for his club? (assuming they don't already).

You say about playing for the club for your current salary. Most of these players are on a few grand A WEEK. If a player proves himself and is adament that they want their salary matching then I'm sure with the national average wage well below what professional footballers earn that the club would be able to afford this for a player who has proven his worth after a trial period.

I understand people questioning the ability of players but we are not talking about finding the next Pele just players who might play with their hearts on their sleeves.

 

[ccfcway]

Chelsea held a widely publicised talent search along those lines on Sky 1 a few years ago-I don't know what the winner of that's doing now, but it did unearth a few decent young players.

FOOTBALL ICON

Series 1
The first series began in June 2005, and 5,000 young footballers took part. The series was won by Chelsea fan Sam Hurrell. After two seasons in the youth team at Stamford Bridge, Hurrell was released in the close season of 2007. He has gone on to play for semi-professional teams St Albans City, Welling United, Worthing, Woking, Boreham Wood and is currently playing for New Orleans Jesters.

Series 2
The eventual winner was Carl Magnay, who now plays for Gateshead and also included woking striker Moses Ademola

 

[bamalamafizzfazz]

FOOTBALL ICON

Series 1
The first series began in June 2005, and 5,000 young footballers took part. The series was won by Chelsea fan Sam Hurrell. After two seasons in the youth team at Stamford Bridge, Hurrell was released in the close season of 2007. He has gone on to play for semi-professional teams St Albans City, Welling United, Worthing, Woking, Boreham Wood and is currently playing for New Orleans Jesters.

Series 2
The eventual winner was Carl Magnay, who now plays for Gateshead and also included woking striker Moses Ademola

Don't forget football's next star, Ben Greenhalgh. Looked half decent on the show.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/sport/2012/february/16/ben_greenhalgh.aspx

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

Did any of you see that documentary on one of skys 2 billion channels , about Messi. It was fantastic and i could honestly see his resemblance to myself back in the days i used to play.
The swerve of the body was exactly like mine, but mine were caused by my body convulsing uncontrollably from the night before's pub crawl.

I'd play for Cov for nothing of course I would, and in my first season i would be really gutted not to get to Messi's 72 goals hes scored this season, though at nearly 50 my stamina may be in question

The Rev

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

Chelsea held a widely publicised talent search along those lines on Sky 1 a few years ago-I don't know what the winner of that's doing now, but it did unearth a few decent young players.

Think they did one for Inter Milan as well

A quick search tells me the player who won that is back playing for the local club he left after he won the show :laugh:

Still don't doubt the experience was good for him
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/sport/2012/february/16/ben_greenhalgh.aspx

Nevermind someone beat me to it.

 

[ajsccfc]

Mourinho must have had some kind of interest in the production company making those shows if they're following him to different countries.

 

[Macca]

Don't forget football's next star, Ben Greenhalgh. Looked half decent on the show.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/sport/2012/february/16/ben_greenhalgh.aspx

You made a schoolboy error in thinking that people might just chill the fuck out and take your thread in the spirit it was meant

 

[Nick]

I wouldn't mind a run out. I know I'd run myself into the ground, hopefully score and get sent off for a 50/50 against a Robbie Savage or Bellamy type player to get the fans going

I don't think this is actually serious. Some people should maybe lighten up a little bit.

 

[Nonleagueherewecome]

A few get released as kids then work their way back up the ranks, a few (e.g. Kightly, D.J. Campbell and even Freddie) are plucked from obscurity and make it into league football. If City tried it, chances are the person signed would never play or would be a total abomination.

Exactly, they are out there. But we don't even have the budget to go and get the best of them-an art Peterboro perfected. Boyd, Mackail-Smith, MacLean: all the best player in the Conference/BSP when they signed them. This years best BSP player (Jamie Vardy) would cost you 1.5m+! That's what Leicester have paid for him.

I genuinely believe that if you signed the best 20 players in nonleague today, you'd have yourself a mid-table Championship squad, at least. Just go through the players signed out of nonleague every season and where they ultimately get to, that's all the proof you need that the talent is there. But that's a very different thing to a load of blokes who play Sunday league! Never mind BSP being high standard, the next 5 divisions below that will have plenty of future good L1 players in it-but you'd need a scout to spot them, and ours has been busy most Saturdays..

 

[skybluegod]

i would play for nothing i might not have the ability but i have the heart and the legs

 

[skybluelee]

Surely the most ridiculous thread of all-time on this board?! And there have been a few.

 

[ccfctommy]

Seems to be the most negative response, thank you.

I just thought it might encourage the club to be more involved in the community and trials to play for YOUR club may just help that significantly. Who cares where we get players from if they turn out to be half decent? I for one am fed up of signing shit ex premier league players looking for a last paycheck before disappearing into obscurity. Who says that there aren't 'amateur' footballers out there that have the ability to play at a higher level just the opportunity never presented itself.

Just an idea and I apologise for wasting your time, I will let you get back to posts about ' do you think we'll sign anyone this decade?' and 'Do you think SISU will sell within the next century?'

To be fair to your it has happened before, when AFC Wimbledon were formed, they had open trials on Wimbledon Common. That was the Combined Counties League however..

My point is, we have Thorn and what? Two coaches? Thats three people to try and find a needle in a haystack. It will be very time consuming for a possibly fruitless exercise.

You never know if one such player out of nowhere may be found, you have to pay him some kind of wage. After all he is training five times a week and playing on a Saturday.