Overgangene til Kewell og Smith kan ikke sammenlignes. Smith ble solgt til Man U fordi klubben var i desperat behov for penger. Smith drev aldri noen form for "utpressing" overfor Leeds.
Det tåpelige "hatet" mot Smith bare illustrerer Runar's kommentar om at "haters gonna hate".
Så når man går fordi klubben er i desperat behov av å selge, ja da er det greit. Men når man går fordi kontrakta er ute og klubben ikke tjener penger på en, ja da er det greit å legge en for hat.
Da burde vi være prinsipielle her, og nekte å signe spillere uten kontrakt. Samme som det tullet med å hate spillere som går fra Leeds til Manu, mens det er helt ok å hente spillere fra Manu
Det virker som du ikke husker de faktiske forhold rundt Kewells exit og spillet han og agenten hans drev for å mele maksimalt ut av sin egen kake, på klubbens bekostning. Kewells opptreden var både sjokkerende og graverende, trolig iscenesatt av en av bransjens sleipeste og mest grådige agenter. Smiths opptreden var den rake motsetningen. Han valgte den klubben som tilbød mest penger up front. På toppen av det sa han fra seg et Sign on fee million beløp som han hadde krav på, noe han gjorde fordi klubben var i en desperat økonomisk situasjon. Club before self. Jeg synes det er bare trist at noen sidestiller de to, oppfatter det som en hån mot en som viste seg som en genuien venn av klubben i en kritisk situasjon og en håndsrekning til en av de som gav mest faen.
Så hva var egentlig de faktiske forholdene knyttet til Kewell sin exit?
Husker du?
Ja jeg husker, og for de som ikke husker, Google er din venn:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2407449/Leeds-fury-as-Kewell-pockets-4m.htmlOg lesestoffet fra 2003 er her:
Leeds fury as Kewell pockets '£4m'
Holding out for Liverpool: Harry Kewell
By Mihir Bose12:01AM BST 10 Jul 2003
Harry Kewell's transfer to Liverpool erupted into acrimony last night when it emerged that the player could be making more money from the sale than his club, Leeds United.
Leeds will get £3 million from the deal, while Kewell nets up to £4 million - £2 million each from Leeds and, it appears, Liverpool.
Professor John McKenzie, the Leeds chairman, was "angry and frustrated at the outrageous situation" and said Kewell had "stabbed the Leeds fans in the back". He claimed his club had no alternative but to agree to the deal as Kewell had threatened to otherwise stay until next summer and then leave on a free transfer.
He also alleged the club had received offers well in excess of the fee they eventually received for Kewell, only for the player to turn down the proposed moves.
Liverpool win race to sign Kewell for £7m 08 Jul 2003
Kewell move to Liverpool hits a hitch 09 Jul 2003
"Last Friday I agreed a deal of £7 million with Liverpool, which Kewell and his agent refused to countenance," McKenzie said. "Instead, they made a condition of not doing a Bosman that we pay £2 million to Kewell's representatives, and Liverpool then reduced the fee to £5 million. What happened to the remaining £2 million, only Liverpool or Harry Kewell could tell you." The implication was clear, Liverpool reduced their offer to pay £2 million to Kewell.
McKenzie was also outraged by Kewell's admission on television that he had been talking to Liverpool for six months. McKenzie felt that "it would be impossible for him to play for Leeds ever again. So, sadly, the plc felt it had no alternative but to accept the paltry sum."
I understand that the Kewell saga started just over a month ago when Leeds received offers from Barcelona and Manchester United. Barcelona were prepared to pay £7 million, so were United, and, unlike the Spaniards, as cash, up front. Leeds were then approached by Arsenal, who made no formal offer but who talked of paying between £4 million and £5 million, plus two players. At every stage Leeds allegedly turned to Kewell and his agent, Bernie Mandic, but they were unhappy with any of these clubs.
About a week ago Mandic approached Prof McKenzie and told him that a mystery club, who were later revealed to be Liverpool, were interested in buying the Australia forward.
Last Friday Prof McKenzie and Rick Parry, chief executive of Liverpool, agreed the figure of £7 million only for Kewell and Mandic, McKenzie claims, to refuse to countenance the deal.
Kewell had another year of his contract to go and Leeds were aware that he could then 'do a Bosman' and leave for nothing, as did Lee Bowyer last season. What is more, on Jan 1 he could have talked to another club and arranged a free transfer for the end of the 2003-2004 season.
It also appears that Kewell and Mandic were not only making demands on Leeds but also on Liverpool. Liverpool have not commented but they came back with an offer of £5 million.
McKenzie went on: "I believe that Kewell and Mandic have taken no account of the contribution Leeds have made to the player's development. This relates to the time and energy invested in Kewell by the management and coaching staff, as well as the fact that he has been in the elite group of our highest-paid players."
Mandic responded: "If he [Prof McKenzie] wants to make wild, outrageous statements then fair enough, and if he wants to create a mess around the pre-season of Leeds, fair enough. I think that maybe is a very good reason to justify Harry actually leaving the club. With the way things have gone in the past week, it is the best decision he has ever made.
"But people are forgetting one simple fact: many players have left clubs on Bosmans and Harry could have pocketed the entire £5 million or whatever the figure would have been at other clubs."
Leeds have partly consoled themselves with the thought that the deal is effectively worth £5.5 million as they are saving the £2.5 million they paid annually in wages for Kewell.
Liverpool have called a press conference at Anfield for midday today to unveil Kewell, alongside fellow new signing Steve Finnan, bought last month for £3.5 million from Fulham.