What's going to get results? Sulking or keeping head down and keep playing?
I don't want players to be happy about their predicament. I want players to be working to improve the team and themselves.
If that's wrong, can you explain why players who sulk never achieve the highest results that their talents suggest that they could achieve.
Berbatov and Anelka could have had greater careers if they put work rate up there with ability. As it was, their ability helped them high but not as high as may have been possible.
You're equating "sulking" to work rate, not sure if that's right. Tevez and Suarez sulk like little bitches at times, but they work hard and their whiny attitude helps their teams.
Have you ever seen anyone look as sulky and whiny as Christiano Ronaldo? But it seems he uses that pain to push himself to improve day by day.
What kind of attitude do you think Vertonghen has had that has given him the touch and ability on the ball he has, one that has seen him keep working hard to improve or one where he hasn't? Now look at some of the players that's spent a lot of time at the club... The words stagnation and unfulfilled potential unfortunately comes to mind a bit too often.
What was it Vertonghen didn't do to deserve to be called someone who doesn't keep playing and doesn't keep working? He attempted the most passes of any of our players, he did occasionally get forward although understandably not that often considering we had no proper defensive midfielder, Rose who likes getting forward at left back and Dawson who's uncomfortable defending against counter attacks as the other centre back.
Jan Vertonghen will make sure that he doesn't spend his career at a club where this kind of limp performance leading to a weak surrender happens too often. It frustrates him too much, it visibly and obviously hurts him. Some of the "head down, keep playing" lads have done just the opposite.
Don't mistake my frustration as a generalization that keeping your head down and keeping up playing your best is a bad thing, it's a fine attitude. But when we're not performing as a team, when we're not at the races it doesn't help lift anyone, it doesn't change anything. At best it has a neutral effect. It's been the same for ages. Gallas came in with a different attitude, with a bit of a reputation as a sulking moaning player, and although he wasn't made club captain Redknapp gave him the armband within months iirc. Partly because of injuries yes, but he was clearly a leader. I wish he'd been younger. The group of players that we all like because they're likeable were apparently surprised to see Parker enter the dressing room and take charge straight away. He wasn't the greatest, but he got some **** done and apparently some people listened when he talked and responded well for a period at least. In the end it wasn't enough, but it was something.
Now Vertonghen isn't the mirror image of Gallas or Parker in terms of attitude or anything. But there's a part of me that really thinks the nice guy attitude we've seen in recent years from King, Dawson, Lennon, Friedel, Jenas, Modric, Defoe etc just isn't enough. There's a glass ceiling there. And I think the pained look in Vertonghen's face tells a story, a story of someone who won't stand for it. We can build around that or we can shift him out for not fitting in, for not just keeping his head down.
/rant (and yes, I realize this post is ranty, I could probably have worded myself better, only part of this is a direct response to you El G - absolutely nothing personal meant. I'm frustrated too and the attitude we've shown for years and years is starting to get to me, I see Vertonghen as a potential part of the solution.)
