When players leave a club there is always a risk that there will be some bad blood between both parties. Most players can leave their former teams in a dignified manner, moving on to the next challenge quietly whilst others see the unexplainable need to have a pop at a former employer after they have left. But just why do players criticise their old clubs?
Jose Enrique’s move to Liverpool was on the horizon a long time before the deal was finalised earlier this month and you’d have been wise to use your bwin 25 promo betting on his departure. The controversy surrounding the departures of their best players and his decision to criticise the club on Twitter meant the whispers about his exit from St James’ Park were getting louder. But after eventually completing his move to Merseyside the Spanish defender had one last dig at his former club. Enrique was quoted as saying,
“It is not settled like it is here at Liverpool and I think that is why everyone is leaving Newcastle. I think Joey Barton will leave soon and Andy Carroll left in January and it is really, really hard for Alan Pardew. You want to be as high as you can in the table but maybe Newcastle don’t think the same and that is why they sell their best players and that is why everyone moves. I’m worried not for the club, but more for the fans because they are amazing. They are like here, it’s really similar. I have a lot of friends in the dressing room and they are a little bit nervous because they don’t know what the club is going to do.”
Enrique’s sense of frustration is understandable in what has been a difficult summer for Newcastle but what bemuses me is why Enrique feels the need to voice more direct criticism at a club that has served him well since he arrived in England. Few had heard of Enrique before Newcastle took a chance on the defender, signing him from Villarreal in 2007. Enrique has shown commendable loyalty when staying with the club through relegation to the Championship but his outburst seems extremely uncalled for and very unhelpful to his former club, including the fans and players.
Is Enrique just making public what everyone is thinking? The problems at Newcastle has been a hot topic over the summer but when former players with inside knowledge come out and criticise the club it only makes the problems worse. In his mind he was right to look for a move and a new challenge this summer after enjoying a successful spell with Newcastle, but shows a lack of respect by feeling the need to have one final dig at the club that gave him his first opportunity in England.
Written by Lauren Rutter
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He has every right to criticise the shower that is our owner and chairman
Enrique may have been an unknown in England but he wasn’t in Spain, when we signed him he was being watched by Real Madrid and Barcelona. He was a decent servant to the club and understand his stance towards our management. He applauds our fans although I’m not keen on being compared to Liverpool fans. I do however think he crosses a line talking about our ‘big’ players leaving especially those who are still st the club i.e. Barton in this instance. Not sure what Nolan is doing either.
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