1. I hate the thought of him getting picked up by the Spurs and 2. that smaller clubs just have very little hope of keeping players like Benteke to the end of their contracts. I don't blame him for wanting off a team that has no shot of winning, but how are teams supposed to win if they lose their best players? Just don't like it when it seems like a player quits on their team because they're struggling.
Ah, I get you. I don't think that ditching a club that's going nowhere is the case with Benteke. Once it became obvious the kind of season he was going to have, the conventional wisdom was that Villa would have a very tough time holding on to him. I heard "He'll be off to a big club" as early as December. A professional athlete has very few opportunities to grab for the brass ring -- big club, big competition, big wages -- and I can't fault him for not going for them. Playing for a big club will also help him up the pecking order in the national team. This could be Belgium's greatest World Cup ever, and he'll want to take advantage of that as well. He's going somewhere, it seems sure. I just hope for everyone's sake -- including his -- that it's not to Chelsea.
I'm with Heather on this one. He was not better than Bent the season before last and at the start of last season for Villa yet the managers stuck with him, and worked with him. Without that preference and patience, I dont think he breaks out the way he did. I also dont think he needs to worry about pecking order for the national team as Villa's star but he may have to if he goes to a top club and starts on the bench. However, I dont care because I cant stand Villa and want nothing but relegation for them. Brad Guzan will find another, better club.
True but as a Belgian player he is going to expect his pay increase... Dembele, Fellaini, Mignolet, Kompany, Hazard, shall I go on? :-?
Me neither, but sounds like he got some good advice; Get a nice pay raise, w/a release clause. Not have to worry about getting sporadic playing time. Above all, build momentum for a potential WC run w/Belgium and be in even higher demand.
