Can you blame Lescott for leaving Everton for Manchester City?
Posted by Cathal Breathnach on August 26, 2009 | 29 Comments
Let’s face it, the large majority of footballers in Joleon Lescott’s position would have done the exact same thing as him.
After months of speculation, Lescott has today finally left Everton to join the world’s richest club Manchester City for a fee of £24 million.
The England international has come in for some strong criticism from the Everton faithful, however I personally feel that most of that criticism is unwarranted.
The guy knew he would virtually double his wages if he moved to Eastlands, so who can blame him for jumping at the opportunity. It was the exact same thing with Gareth Barry when he left Aston Villa to join City.
People (mostly Villa and Everton fans) have argued that Barry/Lescott are taking a step down in their career by joining City. I would 100% disagree with that. With City, you can virtually guarantee that they will be a top 4 club by the end of next season. The same cannot be said about Villa or Everton.
Neither club has bags of money to spend and we all know that money talks in football. So can you really blame Lescott for joining City? Comments below please.
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29 Responses to “Can you blame Lescott for leaving Everton for Manchester City?”
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August 26th, 2009 @ 5:18 PM
I agree Lescott has more chance of winning things at city, ok Everton and Villa finished higher than City last year but i dont think that will be the case this time round. Add to that the fact if City are near the top four or higher come christmas, then the cheque book will come out again to make sure they definately break the monopoly.
August 26th, 2009 @ 5:29 PM
No…but you CAN blame the the PL for sitting back and allowing what used to be a competetive league to become simply a competition where most money wins. Take it from me, the game eventually will be the loser.
August 26th, 2009 @ 5:30 PM
Yes you can blame him. He says he wants to challenge the top 4, well Everton have finished 5th the last 2 seasons – how about he honour his contract and give it his best shot with Everton. Everything thats wrong with football today summised in this whole greedy saga.
August 26th, 2009 @ 5:32 PM
Yes I can blame him for leaving. He signed a 5 year contract 18 months ago. So he should be made to honour it if the club don’t wish to sell him. Instead he stamps his feet and sulks so the club has no choice to sell him. He was more than happy to sign a contract for a tiny £40k a week. He wanted the commitment and security from the club to a 5 year deal but then jumps straight after. It’s not just Lescott. All players are gready mercenaries. Contracts are not worth signing.
August 26th, 2009 @ 5:33 PM
Totally agree who wouldnt swap Villa or Everton for a club that will make huge strides that they cannot,Barry and Lescott will have the last laugh come may,lets see if they just came for the money
August 26th, 2009 @ 5:51 PM
As a City fan, it’s all quite bewildering. Despite the fact that Lescott isn’t worth anywhere near £22m, that was the price to prize him from Mr Not-For-Sale Moyes et al.
Of course you cant blame him for joining – not just the cash, but also the (however remote) chance of a crack at the title in the not-too distant future. This current bunch of mercenaries could become tomorrows heros.
It may appear arrogant to some, but I think it’s just a (sad) reflection on what football has become over the decades. City know all about destitution, 10 years ago we were all but buried in div 2. It’s our day in the sun.
Still even with all this spend, I defy any City fan NOT to be nervous about this evenings’ trip to the capital; if anyone can b*gger it up?
We won the lottery of life when God gave us the good fortune to be City fans and, in the main, you don’t know how we feel, because you havent been where we’ve been.
August 26th, 2009 @ 5:51 PM
good riddance
August 26th, 2009 @ 5:53 PM
Welcome to Manchester Jolean ! All these ‘good riddance’ people are bitters and understandably so, Everton have lost their best player to a bigger team.
August 26th, 2009 @ 5:57 PM
what a joke ….lescott did’nt leave for the money…..LIAR…city are nowhere near the size of everton or villa for that matter…..never will be….FACT….NO HISTORY..NO TROPHIES……
August 26th, 2009 @ 5:58 PM
but…but…the lad himself said `it’s not about the money’
My a*se!
August 26th, 2009 @ 6:01 PM
“Virtually guaranteed” top four finish? Why because they’ve bought a handful of overpriced players?
No guarantees in football.
After tomorrow night Everton should be in the group stages of a EUROPEAN competition. Lescott has gone to join a club that aren’t in Europe this season and no guarantees they will be next season.
I can understand the “money” argument re his wages but please everyone spare us this “better and bigger team with ambitions” rubbish.
At the moment all they have is a larger chequebook and a vastly larger wagebill.
August 26th, 2009 @ 6:06 PM
With City, you can virtually guarantee that they will be a top 4 club by the end of next season.
Is that right! Your deluded, just like the rest of the City fans. City won’t finish in the top six, now that’s a guarantee.
August 26th, 2009 @ 6:07 PM
So next season according to you, City will be in the top 4, who will they replace?
Chelsea spent a fortune building a team, however they had to get a quality manager to bring it all together.
Hughes aint in the same class or because he has money he his?
August 26th, 2009 @ 6:09 PM
to be quite honest im glad to see the back of lescot,,,when we bought him from wolves he was just a good centre half…under davey moyes he is now an england regular sub….but he has two dodgy knees and …24 millions is good business. mark hughes has been suckered….now lets see what all that cash does for city…I hope they finish about 7th just behind the mighty EVERTON.longest club to play top class football…and with small resouces…
August 26th, 2009 @ 6:21 PM
Matelot blue,
Liverpool
August 26th, 2009 @ 6:23 PM
Let’s all laugh at Brian – a football fan who knows nothing.
Ha ha ha
August 26th, 2009 @ 6:28 PM
i can understand him leaving but why not admit it was for the money and nothing else, does he honestly believe that manchester shity and hughes are a better than everton, come on joleon show some balls and tell the truth your missus wanted the money and like a little puppy dog you said okay, you never had the balls to face moyes when putting in a transfer so shut up with your crap about moyes and everton. what next a book about how bad you were treated and how hard you had to fight for success being a black player
August 26th, 2009 @ 6:29 PM
Good luck to him. Everton might buy another player they want next season with a bit of look. Easy come easy go.
August 26th, 2009 @ 6:49 PM
To all the bitter scousers and brummies on here who cannot get their heads around why any players would want to leave their massive clubs and join city for nothing but money,
1.look at your squads and then ours(not difficult to see a difference is it)
2.Look at the profile of the clubs,we are now huge,nobody outside liverpool or Birmingham look at you.
3From an ambitious outlook would you rather be at Everton Villa or City,(doesnt take a genious to work it out does it.
Nobody is expecting anything other than a top 6 finish this year as the players gell,but with the quality in the squad you never know,also to all the Evertonians who wish Lescotts knees give up,”class”.last week you were all singing his name still, in sheer desperation,peoples club my arse
August 26th, 2009 @ 6:52 PM
@Brian
“what a joke ….lescott did’nt leave for the money…..LIAR…city are nowhere near the size of everton or villa for that matter…..never will be….FACT….NO HISTORY..NO TROPHIES……”
You obviously think that football started in 1992 with the premier league. FACT is the only major trophy City haven’t won in their HISTORY is the (not really) Champion’s league or European Cup as it used to be known. You really should check your FACTS before spouting this drivel.
August 26th, 2009 @ 7:05 PM
I personally think all the bloggers/columnists who pose this question of ‘Who can blame him?’, or ‘Anyone else would do the same thing themselves’ are just trying to get a cheap reaction from football fans who increasingly feel cheated out of the game they grew up loving. Money has always been important but never moreso than these days. To pose these questions (‘but we’re just playing devil’s advocate’) is symptomatic of today’s grasping, greedy society which believes it’s owed a living.
I’m sorry but if poor Joleon can’t manage on £2m a year he should spend more time in the inner cities with people who’d give a limb to play for their clubs. Loyalty, respect and honour are almost completely gone from the game i grew up loving.
I’d rather watch the Unibond League these days.
August 26th, 2009 @ 7:06 PM
Dear Brian
If City have no history then who won the European Cup Winners Cup in 1970; The Football League in 1936-37 and 1968-69; the FA Cup in 1904, 1934, 1956 and 1969; The League Cup in 1970 and 1976; and the Charity Sheild in 1937-38, 1968-69 and 1972-73?
August 26th, 2009 @ 7:44 PM
Lescott is nothing but a money grabbing arsehole, City have never been further from winning the league, lets be honest, it doesnt just take stars to win things!!
Look at Los Galacticos, you cant just fill a team with stars, it takes commitment which barry, lescott, bellamy, adebayor and robinho clearly dont have!
It will be the usual top 6 this season and for atleast the next 3/4
August 26th, 2009 @ 7:46 PM
It’s all very well having a go at Lescott but how about Bill “I’am looking for a buyer” Kenwright. The rumours about Lescott have been going on for months. There was a rumour that City wanted Lescott and Arteta. Knowing this there should have had a centre half lined up in the last transfer window in January. After Jags was injured in May a centre half should have been a priority. So, what did they do? Nothing! Actually they turned down the bids from City, painted themselves as victims of bullying and questioned the attitude of one of their best, and most consistent, players of the last 3 seasons. All this has been done to deflect any criticism away from the Chairman who has not given his manager any money to add to an already small squad. If there was money for him to spend why is it that the first signing takes place after Lescott leaves? I’am sick that we have sold one of our best players because I know that, deep down, Everton are going to get left behind by “smaller” or less “glamourous” clubs with more money. Everyone has known for some Mike Ashley wants £100 million for Newcastle. If “Blue Bill” really is serious about selling why has he never named his price?!
August 26th, 2009 @ 8:57 PM
Odd how the reaction to this common sense article is mainly ridiculous and juvinile.
The top 4 reinforced by Champions League money are choking the Premier League and the cartel needs breaking.
The only club with the finance to do this is Manchester City and it will happen maybe not this season but we are patient.
Everton and Villa are unable to fund a realistic challange apart from the self delusion of the buffoons above.
August 26th, 2009 @ 9:30 PM
Gaming tips,lets be honest your a very bitter little boy with silly comments,have you seen us play yet,and weve nowhere near gelled
August 27th, 2009 @ 12:12 AM
city, in theory, have a better chance of breaking into the top four than everton. so far they’re winning games while playing badly except from that game where ireland and swp were magical, just imagine what city could do once every single unit in the starting line up are settled and in tuned with each other.
August 27th, 2009 @ 12:45 AM
Please ladies and Gentlemen, get a grip on reality! Mr Lescott, Man City and Everton have just played out one of the least convincing ‘he’s ours not yours, your money is no good here’ comedy sketches ever witnessed, so much so Russ Abbot is talking about a comeback. Is he worth £20m +….no way! can he be replaced…yes. Is money the root of all evil? In footballing terms when your team does not have a brass ha’penny fcuking right. Good luck joleon, I hope your wish comes true..and if it doesn’t you earned yourself a fortune trying…who would complain at the chance…he owes EFC fcuk all
August 27th, 2009 @ 11:38 AM
£24 million for an average defender. he shuould show some loyalty to everton, he was only an average championship defender at wolves, football is really gone mad, time for spending cap i think.