chara Report post Posted January 3 Any updates on "The Meeting" ?....... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Singleton Report post Posted January 3 1 hour ago, thevelourfog said: I mean ... This is an absolutely wild, insane take. It's literally a text to a mate (though I'd hope Lukaku is smart enough to be reconsidering that friendship given Howard had no problems passing it on to a journalist) to say "now isn't a good time to talk" in response to being asked to talk. Which is literally what anyone feeling sensibly critical of Lukaku would prefer he had said in the first instance. Responding to a mate texting you is only evidence of egomania if you've decided someone is a egomaniac. This is an even more insane take. Has the whole interview even been released yet?! Is there anyone here who genuinely thinks this ends any other way than Lukaku being back in the team within the next few games? Not sure if it's the whole interview, but it certainly seems so. I originally posted the below link on Page 18 of this thread. Whilst I know it's in Italian, there is translation software out there for those not too lazy to find it. I dare say, however, that most of the people so up in arms with Lukaku are basing their anger on what newspaper headlines have told them to think rather than finding out what he actually said (a common problem these days in all spheres of life). Was he silly to do the interview? Yes. Was he silly to do so without seeking permission from the club? Absolutely. Did the press in the UK publish out-of-context snippets that make the interview sound far worse than it is? Undoubtedly. https://sport.sky.it/calciomercato/2021/12/31/lukaku-inter-intervista-video Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chara Report post Posted January 3 4 minutes ago, Bob Singleton said: Not sure if it's the whole interview, but it certainly seems so. I originally posted the below link on Page 18 of this thread. Whilst I know it's in Italian, there is translation software out there for those not too lazy to find it. I dare say, however, that most of the people so up in arms with Lukaku are basing their anger on what newspaper headlines have told them to think rather than finding out what he actually said (a common problem these days in all spheres of life). Was he silly to do the interview? Yes. Was he silly to do so without seeking permission from the club? Absolutely. Did the press in the UK publish out-of-context snippets that make the interview sound far worse than it is? Undoubtedly. https://sport.sky.it/calciomercato/2021/12/31/lukaku-inter-intervista-video Well said Bob...seems to be three factions here...Never Darken Stamford Bridge Again....Nothing To See Here Move On...and some of us Let's See The Whole Picture..... IF the "truth" appears I will join the appropriate camp! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blue Rod Report post Posted January 3 (edited) 1 hour ago, thevelourfog said: The idea that Lukaku deliberately and callously said things to hurt Chelsea fans or the club is insane. The idea that what he said "came from the heart" is genuinely laughable, teenage girls wouldn't react like this. Do people genuinely think he gave a calculated interview designed to engineer an escape ... And then did nothing with it for 3 weeks? To what end? I don't like being rude, but some of these takes are deranged. Object to talking to the media, especially without club permission, sure. Be annoyed at him wheeling out the PR fluff for his previous club's fans, fine, whatever. Think he has unhelpfully disrupted preparations for a big game? Eminently sensible. But this stuff is crazy and says a lot more about people's bizarre sensitivities and existing opinions than it does Lukaku. Lol, your response is actually more insane than mine. Neither my comment nor that of Mana states, or even suggests, that Lukaku set out to deliberately annoy Chelsea fans. I have no idea which comments you are actually responding to. I stated quite elaborately in my comments that the interview, and the text to a friend, who is also a NBC pundit, is part of Lukaku building up his profile as a global football superstar. He must know what he is doing. I take your point that Howard "may" be a friend of Lukaku. But you don't know that, or how close a friend he really is. I can suggest that given how quickly Tim Howard disclosed that information, theirs can't be the most close knit of friendships. What we can officially confirm is that Tim Howard is a PL pundit on NBC, a popular American TV channel just like Sky Italia where he gave the interview. I'll leave it there. Edited January 3 by Blue Rod Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Holymoly Report post Posted January 3 31 minutes ago, Bob Singleton said: Was he silly to do the interview? Yes. Was he silly to do so without seeking permission from the club? Absolutely. Did the press in the UK publish out-of-context snippets that make the interview sound far worse than it is? Undoubtedly. I feel that Sky were being supremely disingenuous when they opined they had no knowledge about this until it hit the media....just before a game against Liverpool, presumably in a brazen attempt to upset our applecart for the benefit of the Scum. Having said that however, take a listen/watch of Gary Neville's podcast I linked above. He was extremely critical of Lukaku's attitude and commitment when at United and suggested no-one there shed a tear when he left. When he arrived here it was to complete "unfinished business" and how CFC were always his boyhood club etc etc. Talking in Italy it's all Inter this and Inter that. I'm guessing the guy's insincerity is off the charts and all he's really intrerested in is the "Netto". After all no-one was stopping him from taking a pay cut in Italy in order to stay at his beloved (until a Chinese team comes in offering him a million a week) Inter Milan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Holymoly Report post Posted January 3 32 minutes ago, chara said: Well said Bob...seems to be three factions here...Never Darken Stamford Bridge Again....Nothing To See Here Move On...and some of us Let's See The Whole Picture..... IF the "truth" appears I will join the appropriate camp! I'm presuming that TT was well aware of the "truth" by the game yesterday, hence his obviously well prepared responses to the questions posed by the media. As far as the "whole picture" is concerned I think it will just come down to just how much Marina and the Board are prepaerd to back the manager against their marquee signing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chara Report post Posted January 3 1 minute ago, Holymoly said: I'm presuming that TT was well aware of the "truth" by the game yesterday, hence his obviously well prepared responses to the questions posed by the media. As far as the "whole picture" is concerned I think it will just come down to just how much Marina and the Board are prepaerd to back the manager against their marquee signing. Good point.... putting aside the right or wrong issues......if that is possible.....what is the feeling from the Forum members? ....back the Coach or the Player? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Backbiter Report post Posted January 3 Just now, chara said: Good point.... putting aside the right or wrong issues......if that is possible.....what is the feeling from the Forum members? ....back the Coach or the Player? If there's anyone on here that would back Lukaku over TT I'd be stunned. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Droy was my hero Report post Posted January 3 21 minutes ago, Holymoly said: Having said that however, take a listen/watch of Gary Neville's podcast I linked above. He was extremely critical of Lukaku's attitude and commitment when at United and suggested no-one there shed a tear when he left. It was a great podcast, but Neville was a little sly about his links with Lukaku. He talked as if they shared a dressing room, but Neville left Man U in 2011 and Lukaku joined in 2017. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thevelourfog Report post Posted January 3 52 minutes ago, Blue Rod said: Lol, your response is actually more insane than mine. Neither my comment nor that of Mana states, or even suggests, that Lukaku set out to deliberately annoy Chelsea fans. I have no idea which comments you are actually responding to. I stated quite elaborately in my comments that the interview, and the text to a friend, who is also a NBC pundit, is part of Lukaku building up his profile as a global football superstar. He must know what he is doing. I take your point that Howard "may" be a friend of Lukaku. But you don't know that, or how close a friend he really is. I can suggest that given how quickly Tim Howard disclosed that information, theirs can't be the most close knit of friendships. What we can officially confirm is that Tim Howard is a PL pundit on NBC, a popular American TV channel just like Sky Italia where he gave the interview. I'll leave it there. First bold ... What you could do is just read my post, which helpfully includes a quote to give you some direction. Your own replies might just improve. Second bold, I think you'll find I'm the one suggesting Tim Howard isn't really much of a friend to Lukaku. You're the one suggesting texting someone you've played with is more likely part of a deliberate brand-elevating strategy than it is just ... texting someone you know a reply when they've texted you. A reply saying he wasn't going to say anything. Strange that Lukaku would feel confident giving an unauthorised TV interview to send a direct message (that he apparently is happy to not be heard for close to a month) ... and then several weeks later text a low level pundit to send a cryptic one. There are things to question Lukaku on here, criticisms to be made. PR Machiavelli isn't among them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
