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Thierry Small - signed a 4 year deal with Preston (p36)
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I agree with all that. Remember too Jones' reluctance to start with him in the early part of his career, until his hand was forced by injuries. I do not think Jones was ever 100% a fan. Small could be moody at times. I am sorry he is gone. The grass is not always greener, but if we sign someone as good as (just for an example) Galbraith, we will be better off. Small was a bit like Brackett-Taylor (though with more potential) in that we had to change the shape of the side to fit him in.DessieValley said:I won't say I didn't want to keep him, because I did. But towards the end of the season to me he looked like he was playing for himself rather than the team. Not always tracking back for one. And always trying to lash his shots top bins would infuriate me. Always remember bowyer telling the players hit them hard and low so there's a chance or a rebound. And then there was the reaction when substituted v wycombe
Good luck to him. We got him on a free, and he helped us get promoted. He owes us nothing. I hope he goes on to great things.
A bit hypocritical to advise him to stay here on lower money. One wild tackle and his career could be over, the same as any footballer, but dribblers are in greater danger of that.3 -
On wages, after Lloyd Jones signed his new deal I guessed he was on about £6-7k a week and someone who will have a lot more of an idea than me said it was a good guess.
Add a promotion clause to that and he could easily be on £10k or close to it - so I imagine it’s more that we don’t want to pay Small that sort of money, rather than no players at all.
Had he stayed I’m sure we’d have been wanting to bring in strong competition. Perhaps we gave him a good offer, but not as much as we’re willing to pay our best players - while he could get to that level, but we know he’s not there yet.0 -
Not really, as I said he probably had the best season of his career, topping it off with a Wembley win and promotion. I’ve no doubt the club and NJ would have played their part in that.Chris_from_Sidcup said:
Pretty harsh.sillav nitram said:PWR
Not sure why Preston are the right club for him, is it location, probably money?
He’s probably just had the best season of his career and topped it off by winning at Wembley and promotion to the championship. No gratitude or loyalty for what the club did for him and for that reason, as far as I’m concerned he’s a C…;)
"What the club did for him" - we gave him a contract but Small is the one who had to go out on the pitch and perform each week. If not then he'd have been let go just like we did with Watson.
With no disrespect to Preston but they’re hardly a big draw for any player, given their recent record.
As others have said, he doesn’t appear to stay anywhere that long, wonder why?0 -
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What’s the noise in Preston on what position he’ll play?NorthEnder said:Ok. So, I’d requested to join this morning but I’ve not long since been approved. Really it was just to give an input from our end on what we’d heard last night. It was mentioned that it had swung in our favour on our forum, yesterday. Which has obviously been proven true now.I think a lot of our fans persistence with a deal for Small comes from the fact we haven’t get anyone with any pace, mainly due to 3 years of Ryan Lowe recruitment. Plus he did well against us in the cup. Our recruitment is sometimes just, who played well against and might be available. Anyway it seems Heckingbottom has had a touch-on for him since then. Rumour was, in the winter window, we’d pushed hard for him late on and Ridsdale was at your game up at The Lashers, but an injury to our centre back meant we had to switch from Small and get Porteous in from Watford instead. All in all I think our pursuit of him has made him feel loved. Most North End fans genuinely thought he’d be staying with you when you came up. Maybe Jones signing that new deal is what made his mind up to leave? For what it’s worth I really rate Jones. He had one foot in the door here before he joined you. Unfortunately the scouse car salesman talked our owner round and he ended up staying on. Good luck for this season.Well, Hecky plays with wingbacks. I think we’ll see more rotation and fluidity of his system this summer, recruitment depending, as we’re expecting about 10 signings. Small is number 4 already. We are still after another RWB (we signed Valentin on a free from Wednesday) so I personally feel he’ll play LWB but I can see him playing on the right as well. Heckingbottom has made it known he wants versatile players. We still have Robbie Brady, who’s probably played his best football here under Hecky, and will no doubt take Small under his wing.1 -
How much do we think we got in compensation? 200k?0
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Our average wage for playing staff was just shy of £10k a week. I’d imagine he’s around the £8k a week mark. Just a guess.NabySarr said:
10k a week would make Small our highest earner, he is not our best player so we may have decided he’s not worth thatSELR_addicks said:Is it considered 'chasing the money' when you're getting a pretty average Championship salary at the level you're now at?
If we offered less, surely if anything that's below the going rate and we've made that decision based on how we value him.
Preston have been at this level a lot longer, 10k a week is probably about average or just above in their squad.I think we will pay players that kind of money, but they are going to be our best players2 -
We are trying to bury the bad news today it would seem with the other 2 more positives.2
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Gutted he's gone but oh well. Hope Preston go down2
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Yeah i don't see it as him chasing money. He's gone to Preston, not Saudi Arabia!SELR_addicks said:Is it considered 'chasing the money' when you're getting a pretty average Championship salary at the level you're now at?
If we offered less, surely if anything that's below the going rate and we've made that decision based on how we value him.
We were always going to make him offer so that we get some compensation, but we'd have known through his agent what Preston were offering and have decided not to bother matching it. I genuinely believe that whilst he'd like to have kept him, Jones wasn't too fussed about keeping him to the extent he'd have been our top earner.3 -
He was offered a contract and looking at his recent past, he likes to move around.Weegie Addick said:Looks to me like he has chosen to go where he is wanted for the starting 11 and paid accordingly while we (NJ) saw him more as a squad player. And we all know NJ loves to sell a fans’ favourite!
inevitable, he would move and good luck to him.0 - Sponsored links:
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Conflicted with this one. Has all the raw attributes to be a Premier League player. When he’s firing he’s quality. So much skill to match too.However, there were times this season where he’d continually run the ball off the pitch and look a bit lost.3
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BarelyForeverAddickted said:
Its North of Watford Gap... He's F**KING Northern... ALRITE!!fenaddick said:
That famous northern town of…BirminghamRonnieMoore said:Plus he a northern lad….
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This one has confused me tbh.
We're a club in the ascendancy whereas Preston barely stayed up last year. I think we're going to finish above them next season.
I can only assume its a financial move because it doesn't feel like a good one for his career prospects.
That said I congratulate Preston - that's a good signing.3 -
Right but the average wage in the Championship is 10k.NabySarr said:
10k a week would make Small our highest earner, he is not our best player so we may have decided he’s not worth thatSELR_addicks said:Is it considered 'chasing the money' when you're getting a pretty average Championship salary at the level you're now at?
If we offered less, surely if anything that's below the going rate and we've made that decision based on how we value him.
Preston have been at this level a lot longer, 10k a week is probably about average or just above in their squad.I think we will pay players that kind of money, but they are going to be our best players
'Good' championship players are likely on more than that.
Wages are also the best indication of future performance in a league than anything else.
I don't mind that we've passed on Small. But we've made a decision as a club he's not worth an average Championship salary. That's all here.2 -
It’s not good news . Hope we can replace him well, if not like for like exactly .Laddick01 said:Conflicted with this one. Has all the raw attributes to be a Premier League player. When he’s firing he’s quality. So much skill to match too.However, there were times this season where he’d continually run the ball off the pitch and look a bit lost.
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Says it’s the best club for him right now ??? he is desperately trying to get back in the big league and does not matter who he uses on the way ?1
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Don’t get the ‘Hope he fails’ comments. I reserve that for Lyle-type characters.25
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Gutted
I genuinely thought he would stay
My 10 year old is proper gutted walked out with him as a mascot been his fav player
Hope we finish above Preston5 -
I have a strong suspicion that would be fairly optimisticjakecafc said:How much do we think we got in compensation? 200k?0 -
Preston….. Hmmm…. Like Living in Sandbanks and choosing to go to Clacton for your Holidays.Can’t, see him following in the Yann May or Taylor history of leavers we talk about years later.2
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I think you'll see the impact Jones had on him now that he doesn't have him coaching him through games.4
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Can't remember who said it on here earlier in the thread, but we had a lot of patience with Small. Preston fans will be expecting him to perform and if he still can't shoot or cross consistently next season then I can't imagine they'll be particularly thrilled about it.4
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RaplhMilne said:Preston….. Hmmm…. Like Living in Sandbanks and choosing to go to Clacton for your Holidays.Can’t, see him following in the Yann May or Taylor history of leavers we talk about years later.The southeast is overcrowded & full of ‘me, me, me’ wankers. On £520k a year, I am sure if he wanted to, he could buy a lovely house in a lovely Lancashire village with lots of character and charm.5
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PWR further on. I think it isn’t necessarily relevant how we looked without him last season as the make up of our squad will be different this year.Lazy_eye_metaphor said:Very disappointed. We looked noticeably weaker when he was missing last season. His power and pace will be hard to replace.
A bit sad as he’s one of those players who gets fans off their seat. He leaves in credit and should only receive a positive reception at the valley.
Always felt he was a bit too much of a maverick for Nathan Jones.2 -
He could buy up half of Burnley - who cares ?Woodwork said:RaplhMilne said:Preston….. Hmmm…. Like Living in Sandbanks and choosing to go to Clacton for your Holidays.Can’t, see him following in the Yann May or Taylor history of leavers we talk about years later.The southeast is overcrowded & full of ‘me, me, me’ wankers. On £520k a year, I am sure if he wanted to, he could buy a lovely house in a lovely Lancashire village with lots of character and charm.0 -
RonnieMoore said:Says it’s the best club for him right now ??? he is desperately trying to get back in the big league and does not matter who he uses on the way ?
Probably a bit of truth in that.RonnieMoore said:Says it’s the best club for him right now ??? he is desperately trying to get back in the big league and does not matter who he uses on the way ?0 -
Didn't want him anyway....🙄2
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For me there’s a hint of Alfie May situation about this… reckon he might have stayed but Jones didn’t really want him or certainly show him the love he would have needed to convince him5
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You can't blame every player leaving on Jones ffspaulsturgess said:For me there’s a hint of Alfie May situation about this… reckon he might have stayed but Jones didn’t really want him or certainly show him the love he would have needed to convince him1
