Stewart Downing Interview In The Times Today

Sheriff_John_Bunnell_ret said:
He ended up getting stuck on the left, and he really wasn't that player anymore. I think he realised that and wanted to play the 10 role but fabbrini and Ramirez were more impactful there, as Tomlin was the season before.

Watching the highlights of the ak promotion season again though, he is involved with a fair amount of goals. Just people were expecting a Merson season, or the crossing machine he was in his first spell.

I think he could have been really useful in the woodgate season as a player who could just put his foot on the ball amidst all the madness. Howson stood out for just this reason.
Click to expand...

Think Pulis played him in a midfield 3 once or twice and I thought he looked really good there. Great touch, great range of passing and while he wasn't the sort to go crunching into tackles always worked hard off the ball blocking space etc. That's where I'd have used him towards the end.
 
DCI_Gene_Hunt said:
Might not be an accurate picture but now when I recall his second spell all I can picture is him holding up play and passing backwards.

Karanka clearly didn't want to sign him and it was obvious the pair never got on, we'll never know the full details of the Charlton melt down but I bet some of the blame is Downing's.

I have good memories of him as a player in his first spell, can't deny his quality but he was never a player I warmed to and would regard as a favourite. The "Marton Mafia" tag probably didn't help his cause nor his dubious hangers on.
Click to expand...
Isn't this exactly the kind of rumours that downing mentioned in the interview about fans listening to whispers?

I was expecting/hoping for a Merson like season from him second time around and that didn't materialise but I think he tried his best and he was electric in that first spell at the club.

Wish him all the best in whatever he does next.
 
Colgates_shaving_foam said:
Isn't this exactly the kind of rumours that downing mentioned in the interview about fans listening to whispers?

I was expecting/hoping for a Merson like season from him second time around and that didn't materialise but I think he tried his best and he was electric in that first spell at the club.

Wish him all the best in whatever he does next.
Click to expand...
I know some of his hangers on and what they got up to - not rumours I'm afraid.

I wish him well also, nothing against him just not one of my favourites.
 
Downing has had “three” spells in my view.

His first was when he first broke through. My, what a player. Quick, direct, fearless. He looked a proper winger, bursting past people with pace and whipped in great crosses. Two memories stand out. His home game v Fulham when he returned from his loan spell at the Mackems. He tortured them that night and a goal against Portsmouth where he weaved inside and outside of a couple of defenders and drilled an equaliser home. A great goal. Then he had a serious knee injury in 2005 that kept him out for months.

His second ”spell” was when he returned from injury. He noticeably had lost a yard of pace and was never as quick as he was when broke through. Instead he played a lot like David Beckham had by knocking a ball slightly ahead and then whipping great balls into the box. His performances v Steaua and Bolton (5-1) highlighted this. He was then moved further forward under Southgate but ultimately it was a lot of pressure on him to keep the team up on his own as he had a poor supporting cast and I don’t blame him for leaving when we went down.

His ”third” spell was very poor. I remember we got him off the back of a good season with West Ham and I thought he’d be a class above in the Championship. One game in particular at the start of the season was MK Dons at home and we were struggling to break them down and with 15 mins left Stewy bent a ball around the keeper from outside the box and I turned to the bloke who I sit with and said “ that’s why we brought him back. For moments like that in these types of games”. Alas I cannot genuinely think of any other game he influenced until he left the club (Sorry: Rotherham home where he intercepted a ball on halfway and ran through and scored for a 1-0 win). He was a huge disappointment and I always thought he looked slow and never got into forward positions where he could score or influence the game.

Best young player produced by Boro since Pallister but to be fair he doesn’t have much competition does he? Adam Johnson, James Morrison, David Wheater. Although we’ve produced players who have had solid careers a lot of them have been in 3rd/4th tiers and not many who played at the top level for a sustained period of time.
 
I loved the day he first put on a Boro shirt.
It was obvious the relationship between all the players and Karanka had hit the rocks.
Stewart had the balls and maturity to say so.
I hope he gets his qualification and achieves all he desires.(y)
 
A nice read. Brilliant career for a local lad. Seems quite down-to-earth, don't know many folks that know Stewy personally but never heard a bad word about him. He can retire a proud man.

I Will never forget the form he was in during those nights against Basle/Steaua/Rome etc, he played in teams that I had seen during some of the best nights of my life at the Riverside. Particularly being at Basle/Steaua games ... Christ, I thought I was going to have a heart attack the way the place erupted during those goals as we fought back in both games :ROFLMAO: Brilliant memories.

Thanks, Stewy. Hope he does well in management if that is the route he goes down. (y)
 
festa5 said:
Think Pulis played him in a midfield 3 once or twice and I thought he looked really good there. Great touch, great range of passing and while he wasn't the sort to go crunching into tackles always worked hard off the ball blocking space etc. That's where I'd have used him towards the end.
Click to expand...

Yes, I always envisaged him in that role that gave Zenden a new lease of life, left hand side of the centre midfield. Downing's vision, passing and ball retention were excellent and I could see him doing well there, but he never really played much in that position.

In his last spell here where he got a lot of stick it was definitely the 'Merson effect' that caused people to be negative as they expected him to rip up the league like Merse did. His performances whilst not at that level were largely fine, he showed lots of good touches and passes, just didn't score or hit the final pass much, but he was often integral to moves that resulted in a chance/goal, often by switching the play etc.

Had a great career and he can be proud of his achievements. I don't see his future in the media or as a manager though, but could definitely see him coaching.
 
Great read and interesting to get his take on his career. Downing is without doubt the best player to emerge from the Academy. He was brilliant before leaving for Villa. His second spell was a bit hit and miss, but I don't think that's entirely his own fault. I remember when he returned many comments on this board were "he's the best player in the league by miles" or "he'll walk this league". That level of expectation was impossible to live up to.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top