Players out boozing

[Wapping Blade]

So a few bevs after a crap day at work amounts to not taking your job seriously?

Should I be going home after a crap day and thinking about what the best admin workers do, trying to emulate the Ronaldo's and Messi's of admin? Or does this logic only apply to footballers?

It applies to any professional athlete

 

[sitwell]

I'd rather they took their job seriously to be honest, why not think about what the best players do and try to emulate them?
Theres a big drinking culture problem at the lane, it coincides with the worst period in our history.

Is it a coincidence?

Ive just named you Greaves Best Gascoigne ,the 3 best players of my lifetime.
A couple of young lads downtown having a drink on a weekend does not equate to a big drinking culture problem does it. I prefer drinkers to grasses anyway.

 

[1889]

I remember George Best ,Jimmy Greaves and Paul Gascoigne all going in there ,then up to the Old Harrow for after bird. They were crap players though.

Pleased you didn't finish that post with "Didn't seem to do them any harm?"

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

They're grown men and have the right to do as they please. As mentioned above if they breach the club's disciplinary policy or perform poorly due to their social habits then one way or another it will catch up with them and they will be replaced.

If they can conduct themselves suitably and maintain a high level of performance then what they do in their spare time is their business.

 

[TJB.]

It applies to any professional athlete

So all professional athletes should never ever get pissed until they've retired?

Right, got it.

 

[SwitchBLADE Smiles]

Well on the one hand I bet Bassetts lot used to put away some heroic amounts back in the day, in fact I know Bassett would often join them. So nothing wrong with it in principle.

Can confirm, this was quite a regular thing back in the Bassett days. A certain Mr Flo appreciated a pint or 10 whenever he could squeeze it in. Harry used to watch him like a hawk & could be seen swatting sneaky bottles of Holsten Pills out of his hand when Flo had one too many!

 

[Ricky]

If a lot of our players are out drinking regularly it's very revealing about their mentality and offers a very big hint why they're playing in League One with no hope of playing any higher any time soon. As long as they're earning enough to support their little entourage, who cares?

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

Whats everyone's views on this?

I saw a few of them out on saturday night, and we all know there are a few who frequent the clubs every week. What are peoples opinions on it?

Is it okay for a footballer to be going out in Sheffield after a 3rd home defeat of the season?
Are they allowed to or should they be at home?

I don't know whether it's me being boring, but they seem to be out an awful lot. I wouldn't mind just once or twice a season but there is a certain striker for example who is out every weekend.
I've never seen the pigs players out... I must admit. Well, the faces I know that is...

They have plenty of privileges, and for me staying off the drink shouldn't be too much to ask.
They are atheletes first and foremost, and supping whiskey on the rocks on a saturday (and tuesday...) isn't exactly good for them. You wouldn't see Messi or Ronaldo out doing it. If our lot aspired to be anything more than average football league players they'd do the same.
This team don't seem to care, you wouldn't see Warnock's lads out after a loss at home to Millwall. It's a horrible position we've got ourselves in.

If I'm wrong fair enough, it's just an opinion, but something knocks me a bit sick about the worst set of players in our recent history taking a fair wedge from the club out drinking when a training session on a sunday morning wouldn't be uncalled for.

Pigs' players are out. They were out Friday night, because Rotherham fans have the face on with Chris Maguire who was out celebrating the win with them.

 

[Ricky]

Anyone have any idea who our main culprits are for this - other than McNulty?

 

[YES Blade]

If a lot of our players are out drinking regularly it's very revealing about their mentality and offers a very big hint why they're playing in League One with no hope of playing any higher any time soon. As long as they're earning enough to support their little entourage, who cares?

So you seriously think if our players packed up the booze and dedicated their lives 100% to football they would turn into Premiership players? Personally I think it's a lack of ability that is holding them back, not a few beers at the weekend.

 

[Ricky]

So you seriously think if our players packed up the booze and dedicated their lives 100% to football they would turn into Premiership players? Personally I think it's a lack of ability that is holding them back, not a few beers at the weekend.

No, but I think it goes hand in hand with a more professional mentality which would lead to greater consistency.

 

[robbiez666]

No, but I think it goes hand in hand with a more professional mentality which would lead to greater consistency.

Considering Adkins has complained about their fitness when they returned pre-season and the only consistent thing about the team is that we always come out of 50/50s second best and the opposition almost always puts more of a shift in, you would have assumed drinking would have been banned.

 

[Ricky]

Maybe he has had words about it, and maybe it's why the likes of McNulty aren't in the squad.

 

[Rodley]

I'd rather they took their job seriously to be honest, why not think about what the best players do and try to emulate them?
Theres a big drinking culture problem at the lane, it coincides with the worst period in our history.

Is it a coincidence?

How on earth do you substantiate that? I see Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Boro players out and about up here all the time. Unless you're seeing people falling out of clubs or kebab shops at daft o'clock in the morning, I can't really see what the issue is.

To reiterate, there's enough stuff to be concerned about at SUFC without thinking of / inventing new things to moan about.

 

[Pierre's PC]

How on earth do you substantiate that? I see Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Boro players out and about up here all the time. Unless you're seeing people falling out of clubs or kebab shops at daft o'clock in the morning, I can't really see what the issue is.

To reiterate, there's enough stuff to be concerned about at SUFC without thinking of / inventing new things to moan about.

What about the massive roasting culture at the Lane, they are all too tired to perform...Tru Story!

 

[zablade]

I've never seen anything like it. Never have so many players been seen out drinking, especially after incredibly poor results and performances. It's a joke.

Is there anything you do like or agree with in connection with Sheffield United?

 

[flyingmonkeyuk]

Maybe they are going out, but not drinking alcohol? When on-call, etc I have been known to switch to Beck's Blue, or whatever the equivalent.

 

[Wards]

I've always been a bit torn on this issue as I know for a fact I'd sacrifice my left bollock to do the job they do, never mind stay off the booze for a few months a year. At the very least I don't think they're wise to be going out in town on a Saturday night - there's plenty of dick heads knocking around looking to cause trouble.

 

[Hodgyman]

Has anyone considered the beneficial effects of going out together socially such as bonding, team building etc? As long as the players don't over indulge or get involved in trouble, does it matter? Saturdays and Tuesdays (as quoted) are after matches and provides maximum time for recovery before the next games.

Sheffield Steelers Ice hockey team frequented a Rotherham Night spot on a Monday night regularly when winning all 5 major British competitions.

Wimbledon (under Bassett) over-achieved for years as the crazy gang but I'm sure that they weren't teatotal.

How many supporters will abstain from drinking on a Friday night or pre-game in case it impairs their judgement during the match and supporting negatively?

 

[Small Mendonca]

They can do what they want, providing they don't do it the night before a match. At the end of the day, it's not going to make them worse footballers anyway

 

[PeteBlade]

I never get why people get angry at footballers going out the weekend.

We don't own them.
They're free to live their own lives.

It's none of anyone's business how they spend their free time as long as it's within the rules set down by the manager.

 

[Silent Blade]

I remember going to Josephine's on some Saturday nights in the late 1980s and early 1990s (a friend who was the bouncer would allow me in for free) and many of the Dave Bassett's squad would be drining there. We won promotion both in 1989 and 1990.

Smoking is supposed to be worse. I remember often seeing Eddie Colquhoun and Alan Woodward smoking outside the players entrance after the home games (also after away games). I saw Colin Franks smoking at the Gorsey Brigg pub in December 1978. Do any of our present players smoke?

 

[Tyler Durden]

I have to say it's a bit peculiar how they have no problem socialising and bonding with each other as mates on a weekend but are far too unfamiliar with each other to, y'know run into space for a simple throw-in or help a team mate out who has three defenders surrounding him on a match day.

 

[Grecian2000]

How many supporters will abstain from drinking on a Friday night or pre-game in case it impairs their judgement during the match and supporting negatively?

I'd happily give up booze, sex, TV, music, arm wrestling and ferret trousering on the night before a game if it meant I could make any sort of positive contribution to the result the next day. As I can't it's a pretty pointless question isn't it?

I think the point is for all the boozers and boozing that used to happen "back in the day" when players were skillful before athletic, now it's a game where fitness is far more important. Specialised diets, training regimes and everything tailored to getting them in the best condition they can possibly be. Not sure how being out every Saturday night helps with that.

 

[coaxingstar71]

Don't see a problem with it as long as it's within the rules set by the club and manager. I've noticed that despite several requests, we still don't know which players it refers to (apart from one being assumed to be McNulty) and we don't know where either (I can't imagine it being the Centre Spot, Jaunty Lane, good pub as it is) so there's very little evidence so far.

Anyway I remember a few years ago regularly seeing Carlton Palmer, Sheridan and Waddle in the Leadmill until the early hours on a Thursday night (never saw any of Bassetts Boys) and they (grudgingly) didn't do too badly?

 

[Sheffsteel]

Osvaldo Ardiles and Johan Cruef had amazing skill and vision and were heavy smokers.

Maybe Adkins needs to force our midfielders to pack in drinking and start smoking 20 Woodbine a day.

The other players can have a good pinch of snuff. With the backroom team eating pre match greasy chip butties.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

I think it's up to them. Those that do go out and drink too much had better be damn good players to make up for it if they want to have decent careers. Those who abstain and live healthier lifestyles generally obviously give their careers a better chance. Some do it for a while in their youth learn from it and stop when they settle down. I remember Gordon Strachan (I think) expressing a preference for married players because they were less likely to be out partying and pissing their careers up the wall.

 

[Slim Man]

Ive just named you Greaves Best Gascoigne ,the 3 best players of my lifetime.
A couple of young lads downtown having a drink on a weekend does not equate to a big drinking culture problem does it. I prefer drinkers to grasses anyway.

And the 3 best players in the world today are teetotal. Says something doesn't it?
They drink in the week and on a weekend, very unwise.

Not sure if that's a dig but I didn't name names. Couldn't give a fuck whether that's seen as me being a 'grass' or not to be honest, I've paid enough to have an opinion.

 

[Slim Man]

If no ones read this article from Rio Ferdinand, I'd advise you do

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...and-captain-Rio-Ferdinand-Boozers-losers.html

 

[Houston_Blade]

I wouldn't want to go out in the city where I'd embarrassed myself on a football pitch a few hours earlier, the chances of a good night out versus the prospect of abuse from both Blades and Pigs would put me off. On the other side I'm sure there are tonnes of sycophantic arseholes blowing smoke up the player's backsides and inflating their egos even more and I'm sure that the chances of them going home with an attractive young lady at the end of the night might influence their decision.