Not many One-Club Man nowadays

[Scion]

used to be an honourable thing

 

such as Maldini, Baresi, Puyol, Scholes, Giggs, Gary Neville, Carragher, Le Tissier

 

just this season, Gerrard, Xavi and now Casillas have left their only club after serving for so many years

 

maybe next seasons, remaining legendary one-club men like Totti and John Terry will be dumped too

 

http://www.espnfc.com/club/real-madrid/86/blog/post/2516735/iker-casillas-real-madrid-exit-ill-fitting-for-a-club-legend

Iker Casillas' exit from Real Madrid tinged with turmoil

 

Real Madrid have waved an emotional goodbye to one of the most decorated players in the club's history, at the same time bringing a sad but much-needed conclusion to an unwanted and complicated drama.

 

Long-serving and hugely decorated goalkeeper Iker Casillas has somewhat begrudgingly brought his 25-year relationship with his boyhood club to an end and will now move across the border to Porto. After rumours of moves to Arsenal and Roma among other clubs, this time it's happening.

His departure comes during a summer in which tears were shed in Barcelona over Xavi's departure for Qatar and in Liverpool, where Steven Gerrard moved to LA Galaxy. On paper, Casillas should receive a similarly compelling farewell from the Bernabeu and there will be tears, and plenty of them, but the reality is it won't be quite like the flood at the Camp Nou or Anfield.

 

The goalkeeper, born in Mostoles, a suburb in the southwest of Madrid, has won it all as a player. With his hometown club he has won the Champions League three times, La Liga five times, the Copa del Rey twice, the Spanish Super Cup four times, the European Super Cup twice, the Club World Cup once and the Intercontinental Cup once. Internationally, he has won the World Cup and the European Championships twice. He has won the majority of these while captaining his team.

 

On top of the accolades, he is Spain's most-capped player, he should surpass Xavi as the player with most Champions League appearances and he is only the third player, as a captain of his team, to win the holy treble of the Champions League, European Championships and World Cup. The other two? Didier Deschamps with Juventus and France and Franz Beckenbauer with Bayern Munich and West Germany.

 

With that kind of trophy cabinet, and 725 appearances for Madrid, he will go down in the history books as one of the greatest players to have played the beautiful game, but his farewell at Madrid, the club where he achieved it all, will not be as beautiful as it should be. The majority will bid the player a fond and sad farewell, but there will be others who will be glad to see him go. That some reports suggest he has been advised not to bid one last farewell to the Bernabeu speaks volumes.

 

It wasn't meant to end this way. Casillas is a "Madridista," a guy who would be sat in the Bernabeu stands had he not had the privilege of wearing the famous badge on his chest. He is a player who rose through the youth ranks at the club and made it, the kind of player who should be penned in as a club legend even if he didn't have the accolades to rubber-stamp his status.

 

He joined the youth ranks 25 years ago and was included in the first-team squad for the first time in the Champions League on Nov. 27, 1997, at the age of 16 in Rosenborg, a full year before now-former Madrid teammate Martin Odegaard was even born. He was the youngest goalkeeper, at 19 years and four days, to play in a Champions League final when he helped Madrid to their eighth European crown with a 2-1 win against Valencia in 2000. His career took off and the trophies followed. If Madrid are synonymous with the Champions League, Casillas is too in the modern day having lifted three of them aloft.

 

 

RM is the worst... see how it treated Raul and Guti last time

 

hope Barca will keep Messi and Iniesta until they retire

 

[Leinad8919]

Brother Staff69 is also another. He jumps from club to club on a good Friday night 🏣 🏃🏻 🏦 🏬

[Xefera]

The WAGs these days are different as well, with many being high maintenance. Not easy being a footballer and family man at the same time. Sometimes I wonder if they yearn the humble life that we enjoy. Haha

Edited July 12, 2015 by Xefera

[Toothiewabbit]

Maldini, Baresi, Puyol, Scholes, Giggs, Gary Neville, Carragher, Le Tissier were able to grow as players because they all come play for clubs that has good development and training structures in place (maybe with the exception of Le Tissier, whom I think was underated genius)

 

For others, besides money, it makes sense to move to another club where they can grow as a player.

 

.

Edited July 12, 2015 by Toothiewabbit

[Xefera]

Maldini, Baresi, Puyol, Scholes, Giggs, Gary Neville, Carragher, Le Tissier were able to grow as players because they all come play for clubs that has good development and training structures in place (maybe with the exception of Le Tissier, whom I think was underated genius)

 

For others, besides money, it makes sense to move to another club where they can grow as a player.

 

.

 

or clubs that can afford them to play out their sunset days and still earn insane amount of money.

[Kopites]

Football club? Reading the thread title I thought you are referring to the real club for men. Haha

[Blackyv]

Football club? Reading the thread title I thought you are referring to the real club for men. Haha

Yalor.. hehe...

[Scion]

Casillas broke down in tears at the press conference as he bid farewell to the club where he had a 25-year career

 

 

 

[Bismarck]

I am also a one-club man. I am a man who only support liverpool football club. Does that count?

[Yuan]

Casillas broke down in tears at the press conference as he bid farewell to the club where he had a 25-year career

 

 

 

 

The way he was unceremoniously "ushered" out of the club is indeed a very sad affair.

 

Then again, the club has a terrible habit of dealing with its own players. Examples include Vincente Bosque (their former manager who brought them 2 European Cups), Fernando Hierro (former captain), Raul (former captain), Guti, etc.

[Scion]

 

The way he was unceremoniously "ushered" out of the club is indeed a very sad affair.

 

Then again, the club has a terrible habit of dealing with its own players. Examples include Vincente Bosque (their former manager who brought them 2 European Cups), Fernando Hierro (former captain), Raul (former captain), Guti, etc.

 

yes i agree

 

which is why i like Barca more than RM

 

Barca shows more EQ when dealing with its long-serving players (Puyol retires there, Victor Vlades and Xavi chose to leave, Messi and Iniesta will retire there unless they choose to leave too)

[Yuan]

 

yes i agree

 

which is why i like Barca more than RM

 

Barca shows more EQ when dealing with its long-serving players (Puyol retires there, Victor Vlades and Xavi chose to leave, Messi and Iniesta will retire there unless they choose to leave too)

 

I am on the same page as you.

 

I prefer Barca and that was partly because of the values that club place its emphasis on and these values are passed down to the players.

 

Of course, its historical heritage cannot be ignored as well with the likes of La Masia Academy, Johan Cruyff, Dream Team etc.

[Scion]

Good read...

 

http://www.espnfc.com/blog/espn-fc-united-blog/68/post/2523055/casillas-xavi-and-gerrard-illustrate-death-of-one-club-man

[Lala81]

I have the most respect for totti and Stevie G cos they could definitely have won more titles if they have left. Similarly for Le Tissier.

 

U can argue that the ones at Bayern, RM, Barca all have had their share of the pie and ate it. Hence no need to go looking for food.

 

But the above ones who had nibbles (Le Tissier actually none), but still didn't choose to go anywhere.

[Scion]

actually it's the same for us common folks too

 

how many of us will stay at the same company for 20 years?

 

many will want to look for better pay, or new challenges, or simply jump when the company is not doing well

[Spring]

actually it's the same for us common folks too

 

how many of us will stay at the same company for 20 years?

 

many will want to look for better pay, or new challenges, or simply jump when the company is not doing well

Whilst u have some valid points comparing us work folk but footballers abit different in my view cos salary wise they are already highly paid so won't make much diff jumping but what is more important is the bond with the fans build over years should not be discounted so easily.

 

Football n all sport for that matter can be very emotional and worse still if u hail from the town itself, u will be considered one of their sons and to jump ship in this circumstance is like being a traitor so for me, I wouldn't want to move even if $ is attractive elsewhere but admittedly what may tempt me is the chance to win trophies in a better team but not sure if my head will win over my heart in this situation?