Simon Lappin - has there ever been a greater professional at Carrow Road?

[james norwich 0]

When i heard this lunchtime that ''The King of Spain'' was leaving the club i was really sad that one of my alltime favorites would leave us. I can recall visiting the training ground a few years ago when Lappin was going out for training with the youth team. Doherty shouted to him through an open window ''Why are you going out early Lapps''.

Lappin''s reply was simply (and with a smile) ''The gaffer''s making me train with the kids. At the time Roeder was making Lappin train with the youth team for refusing a salary cutting move back to Scotland. 

A model professional through and through who will always stand out as a role model for his perseverence and dedication to the cause.

[Chunky Norwich 0]

Bryan Gunn in 1992

[Alan_Grey 0]

A great man for his years long refusal to accept less money in return for actually playing football. *holds back tears*

[Gingerpele 0]

Greater professional?

Easy, Hucks. Offerd to take a pay cut to stay here. In fact I believe he took a lesser offer to c e here instead of WBA in the first place.

Lappin essentially refused to leave when a manager wanted rid. While he''s been a fine servant, was great in League One and good enough in the Championshipp. I definitely like the guy, but can''t quote see how staying here when the manager wants rid is a professional thing...

[Yobocop 891]

Well thats a ridiculous statement

Lappin was honouring his contract by refusing to leave, Glenn Roeder in all intents and purposes was not honouring lappin''s contract, it''s a mutual understanding. To call a player who has given so much to the club unprofessional is completely unjust and stinks of wanting to provoke a reaction from your fellow pink''uners

If this is your opinion of loyalty in football then I worry about where the game is going.

[ZLF 242]

Lappin has been great for city,  an honest pro who has gone about doing his job for the club irrespective of the managers view of him.   Clearly well liked by his fellow pros and committed on the pitch too.

 

No,  he is not the greatest professional we have ever had - but his attitude is one we would love to see in all our players and definitely above average.

[CDMullins 423]

[quote user="refjezdavies"]Well thats a ridiculous statement

Lappin was honouring his contract by refusing to leave, Glenn Roeder in all intents and purposes was not honouring lappin''s contract, it''s a mutual understanding. To call a player who has given so much to the club unprofessional is completely unjust and stinks of wanting to provoke a reaction from your fellow pink''uners

If this is your opinion of loyalty in football then I worry about where the game is going.[/quote]what a load of utter tosh,

Sitting and collecting your wage without playing doesnt mean you are loyal,Matt Le Tissier, Darren Huckerby, Ryan Giggs, Alan Shearer are examples of loyal. Players who could have signed for bigger clubs but refused. (In Giggs case, turning down Inter Milan.)Not some average Championship player that has sat and collected his wage without really kicking a ball. How would your boss feel if you went to work everyday and watched your colleagues do your job? Thats not loyal is it?I would say a ''model pro'' would drop a level in order to play first team football, not be happy to train with the kids and pick up his inflated wage.He might be a really great guy and great to have around the club (A lot of former and current players have tweeted, wishing him well) And I have no doubt he gave 100% effort and really wanted to play for Norwich City, but to call him loyal, the model pro and talk of him being enrolled in the hall of fame is a joke.

[Jim Smith 2,047]

I agree with the post above. people need to calm down about Lappin. Just because someone is a good bloke and has a good song doesn;t make them a great player or worthy of a place in the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame has already been devalued somewhat due to the excessive number of entrants.

Lappin was clearly a good bloke to have about the place and popular in the dressing room. He''s generally never let us down when called upon as back up to the first choice players. However he was a limited player and I suspect was on a pretty good wage at Carrow Road which he would have struggled to get had he moved elsewhere over the last few seasons.

I wish him well, I hope he succeeds where he goes and I have nothing bad to say about the man''s attitude or the way he has served the club but people really are going over the top about him.

[ZLF 242]

I really cant see why we have let him go.

 

People love whittaker as he is a lucky omen - his record is nothing compared to lappins who retires with a record of never having lost a game he started in the prem, with 10 points from 12 only dropping two at the Emirates.   How unbeatable would we have been with whittaker right and lappin left back???     Such a poor managerial decision

[Gingerpele 0]

[quote user="refjezdavies"]Well thats a ridiculous statement

Lappin was honouring his contract by refusing to leave, Glenn Roeder in all intents and purposes was not honouring lappin''s contract, it''s a mutual understanding. To call a player who has given so much to the club unprofessional is completely unjust and stinks of wanting to provoke a reaction from your fellow pink''uners

If this is your opinion of loyalty in football then I worry about where the game is going.[/quote]

Yes because the poster before me hadn''t already said a similar thing... And many other sh abet said it in the past. And because the other relies since yours have agreed with you. I DiD NOT say he was unprofessional. If it were Lambert who wanted him even les would ''defend'' him, because it was Roeder hes seen as some kind of hero. How is a manager wanting to get rid of a player not honouring his co tract, if a manger doesn''t want a player anymore he loans, sells or releases them, too expensive to flea him so he tried the other options, and Lappin who wasn''t in his plans and wasn''t even training with the first team refused to leave, probably because he was on a higher wage. Which is fine, who really wants to take a pay cut? But he is most certainly not the most professional player to have been here. He has a good attitude and gets on with it, great, but not leaving when an albeit crap manager wants rid doesn''t lift you above the loyalty shown by Hucks, or even Drury.

[Herman 8,974]

The model professionals are players like Crofts and Nelson. Did their jobs to the best of their abilities,liked by fans and moved to a lower division to play football. No complaining,just got on with it.

[Yobocop 891]

I''m not arguing with you GP

Fact is Norwich city and Simon lappin entered a contract where Simon lappin would be part of the squad at Norwich and Roeder tried to break that contract

Lappin instead of complaining carried on with his job albeit with the youth team, if we''re comparing the scenario to a work place environment (like others have tried to above) then this would have been a case of unfair dismissal

A players career is infinitely shorter than any other career and lappin has dedicated a large proportion of said career to NCFC , I feel he deserves a lot more respect than you are giving him

[4th floor 4]

Lappin''s career reminded me of Darryl Sutch, although the latter was at Norwich for twice as long. Both were solid and dependable, if unspectacular.

[CDMullins 423]

[quote user="refjezdavies"]I''m not arguing with you GP

Fact is Norwich city and Simon lappin entered a contract where Simon lappin would be part of the squad at Norwich and Roeder tried to break that contract

Lappin instead of complaining carried on with his job albeit with the youth team, if we''re comparing the scenario to a work place environment (like others have tried to above) then this would have been a case of unfair dismissal

A players career is infinitely shorter than any other career and lappin has dedicated a large proportion of said career to NCFC , I feel he deserves a lot more respect than you are giving him[/quote]Roeder is entitled to ask Lappin to do anything he deems fit, Whether that be captain the first team in the most important game of the season, play in a reserve game against Kings Lynn or make cups of tea for him all day long. He didnt try to break the contract at all, Lappin was well aware he wasnt in Roeders first team plans and he would have been paid until the day his NCFC contract ran out.At this point you could argue that, if Lappin was really ''loyal'' to NCFC he would have realised he wouldnt be playing for the forsseable future and would look else where for first team football, removing himself from our wage bill. You could also say that knowning he wouldnt be playing and probably would have to drop a division and take a pay cut, he milked NCFC by staying on his inflated wage and got paid for nothing.Secondly,How would it be unfair dismissial? He was never dismissed and im sure any termination of his contact would have seen him recieve a hefty pay cheque, which is probably why he was kept training with the kids rather than been paid off.

[Gingerpele 0]

Roeder wasn''t trying to sack him? He was trying to move him on, something that is commonly done.

I''m not disrespecting him, I said I like him and he did a good job. And yet again you have decided to single me out when others are saying very similar things. Yeah Lappin didn''t make a fuss, great, but from what I can tell, and I may have the ''facts'' wrong but Roeder didn''t need him anymore, tried to sell/send him out on loan and Lappin didn''t want to go. And what has been suggested, is that was because it would have resulted in a pay cut.

And why on earth would you start a post with i''m not arguing with you? I don''t want an argument, why can''t we just ''discuss'' this?

[kick it off 1,894]

Roeder never tried to break Lappin''s contract, if you think he''d have had a case for unfair dismissal then you''re utterly clueless about what unfair dismissal actually is.

Lappin is a nice guy, well liked by everyone, but long-serving and loyal are very different things. Yes he stayed with us a long time, but it was always in his own interests to do so. Im sure he did like it at the club etc, but if someone had offered him first team football and a comparable wage, he would have been off like a shot. It was only cuz we were paying him inflated wages that he didn''t go elsewhere. Can''t blame the guy, I''m sure we''d all do the same in his position. HOWEVER that does not make him loyal, that makes him financially sensible.

No-one is trying to disrespect Lappin, but calling Lapps loyal disrespects Huckerby and those through the years who bled yellow and green.

From the hysterical over-reactions I would guess RefJezDavies is either a kid who is upset one of his favourite players is gone, or a bloke with serious mental issues.

[Binky 0]

Gingerpele said: Roeder wasn''t trying to sack him? He was trying to move him on, something that is commonly done....from what I can tell, and I may have the ''facts'' wrong but Roeder didn''t need him anymore, tried to sell/send him out on loan and Lappin didn''t want to go. And what has been suggested, is that was because it would have resulted in a pay cut. "

Bear in mind moneyb was tight under Roeder, we were short of players but he pursued an expensive ( and wasteful) loanee policy when players like Lappin were on the books and could have done a job - a good job. I think the problem was Lappin''s wages at that time - remember he was signed virtually on a free from St Mirren by Peter Grant who enticed him down with a good deal. Can''t blame Lappin for that and City probably paid in higher wages rather than a big transfer fee.Am sure that niggled Roeder. But I for one am thankful he stayed on - and he may have taken a drop in wages under the new contract from Gunn. To say Lappin should have taken the hjnt and departed suggests other good players should do the same - David Fox comes to mind.

As for the OP - impossible to compare but I would think there have been plenty of others. One local man comes to mind: David Stringer - as a player and a manager!

[Yobocop 891]

[quote user="Gingerpele"]Roeder wasn''t trying to sack him? He was trying to move him on, something that is commonly done.

I''m not disrespecting him, I said I like him and he did a good job. And yet again you have decided to single me out when others are saying very similar things. Yeah Lappin didn''t make a fuss, great, but from what I can tell, and I may have the ''facts'' wrong but Roeder didn''t need him anymore, tried to sell/send him out on loan and Lappin didn''t want to go. And what has been suggested, is that was because it would have resulted in a pay cut.

And why on earth would you start a post with i''m not arguing with you? I don''t want an argument, why can''t we just ''discuss'' this?[/quote]

Because you''re incapable of a discussion without flapping all over the place....

I was trying to use the ''unfair dismissal'' comment to compare it to a ''real life'' situation, looks as if I''ve just confused you all (perhaps an easy thing to do?)

[Gingerpele 0]

Oh dear Jez. I want to say something else here, but really whats the point because you are clearly superior to me and it seems all the other posters in this thread. I''ll just have to cry myself to sleep tonight as i''m sure you''ll have some perfect explanation for this post...

Seriously, go and read your posts again, and if you really think what you''ve said then, well I won''t say anymore.

[Yobocop 891]

point proven

[Gingerpele 0]

Lol....

Are you serious?

Can''t even reply without you getting upset. It was a reply mate, get over it, its what happens on a forum. No flapping, no getting upset, angry or any other negative emotion, just want to understand where you are coming from. Its not my fault you are incapable of that. And the fact you''ve ignored the guy who said you''re either child or adult with mental problems to keep up your incorrect assumptions of me speaks volumes.

[Yobocop 891]

hahaha no I''d never seen that but thank you for bringing it to my attention, I''m going to do what you should do when people say the same about you and ignore it.

If it speaks volumes to you then I suggest you take a hard look at yourself....instead of having a reasoned debate you start flapping around this forum like a demented mongoose and starting flinging mud at people.

As i said to you, what? 4 posts ago I''m not getting into an argument with you so get over yourself ''mate''

[Yobocop 891]

http://www.stanford.edu/~siegelr/tz/tz2007/IMG_2364%20mongoose%20teeth.jpg

this is you ''mate''

[drurys testamonials V 15 0]

[quote user="JonnyH"]Lappin''s career reminded me of Darryl Sutch, although the latter was at Norwich for twice as long. Both were solid and dependable, if unspectacular.
[/quote]

 

Had the same thought.

Clearly my hero is in contention too.

[Herman 8,974]

Isn''t Drury in it? Surely some oversight!

[Herman 8,974]

Sorry thought this was the HOF thread. Easily confused.

[Gingerpele 0]

No Jez I do not do that. Just give it a rest. Yes sometimes I overreact, it''s a Internet forum, get over it.

I''m not trying to have an argument with you, not my fault if you can''t handle that fact, I know me, you don''t, I know my intentions you don''t. I''ve explained myself and you don''t care you just keep going on about the same old stuff.

Do you even realise how much of a hypocrite you are being here? It''s just rediclious. I have an opinion on Lappin, with others saying pretty much the same, some harsher than me in fact. I said I like him and he was a decent player for us. I responded to your post, and then you come back with this odd tone and get upset because I reply?

I''m not flapping around this forum, and flinging mud at people. I''m trying to read, discuss, talk about the football club we both support. I''m sorry if you don''t like my opinions and the way I respond, but I''ve explained myself to you many a time, you don''t know me at all and you don''t bother taking any notice of what I say and continue your hypocrisy, Not that I expect you to take any notice of this.

So Lappin. Yes there have been greater professionals than him. I refer back to Hucks and Drury.

[Yobocop 891]

I don''t dispute that sonny, however I found your comments disrespectful to a player who had given a large proportion of his career to NCFC.

This line by you is brilliant by the way, ''Yes sometimes I overreact, it''s an internet forum, get over it ''

[Mister Chops 3]

He''s got more out of Norwich City FC than Norwich City have got out of him.Bye Simon, thanks for, er, no memories at all.

[Gingerpele 0]

That''s fine you found it disrespectful, and I tried to explain my comments further and then found it odd that you were singling me out when others were saying the same. I didn''t intend it to be disrespectful and if I met Lappin one day I''d thank him for his time at the club and being such a loyal player.

I found it odd that someone could suggest he''s the greatest professional the club has ever had. It''s lovely he stayed around, and I''m glad he did. But if a player tries to force their way out, sometimes even them just leaving with no media fuss they get a lot of stick, yet a manager doesn''t want a player around anymore, that player stays he becomes a model professional? I completely understand why he stayed and don''t blame him. And I don''t understand why you find that disrespectful, sorry.