da dobrowin： Ravel Morrison is closing in on a return to England with Championship side Newcastle, according to reports from The Sun.
da prosport bet： The former West Ham and Queens Park Rangers midfielder has spent the past season in Italy, having joined Lazio last July on a free transfer courtesy of the Bosman ruling, yet has failed to make an impact for the Serie A side – making only 6 appearances in what has been a difficult year.
Lazio coach Stefano Pioli has been vocal with his criticism of Morrison for his performances as well as his effort and inability to speak Italian, fuelling rumours of an early departure from I Biancocelesti.
A move back to England seems the likeliest option for the troubled star, with Newcastle allegedly leading the chase for the Englishman’s signature with both Aston Villa and Hull also supposedly interested in rescuing Morrison from his Italian nightmare.
The proposed move to St James Park would represent a step down for the Lazio man, but could give the controversy-shrouded yet talented midfielder a chance to rebuild his career in the lower tiers of English football.
We think Morrison has been given one chance too many however, so here are five reasons why we think a move to the Geordie side would be a disaster for both club and player…
Trouble Ahoy
This boy cannot avoid controversy.
Caught in a drugs bust; a warning for assault on his own mother; a further prison sentence for assault on an ex-girlfriend; as well as numerous tales of misconduct, training room bust ups and more: the midfielder has a more impressive criminal record than footballing one.
It seems that no matter where he goes, trouble will follow and at 23 there seems to be little sign of him letting that lifestyle go.
Need for Stability
Leading on from the previous point, with Newcastle having calamitously dropped from the Premier League last season and having had a less than impressive start to life in the Championship, the last thing the club needs is distraction from there goal of reaching the play-offs come the end of the season.
The Championship season is a long and difficult one, and requires a solid group of players all pulling together in the same direction to get out of it. Morrison – while extraordinary at times – will not be helping that cause.
Learn from the Past
Trying to salvage a talented young player from his own controversies? There are plenty of examples to follow, little to none of which turned out to be successful.
Liverpool’s Mario Balotelli, former Brazil striker Adriano and none other than Newcastle’s own tattooed troublemaker Nile Ranger provide perfect examples of players that are beyond rescue.
Proven Ability?
Yes, Sir Alex Ferguson may have described him as one of the most talented players he’s ever seen. And yes, he did score THAT goal for the England U21 squad in training that went viral quicker than Andros Townsend jumping ship for Crystal Palace.
Has Morrison ever proven it, however? The simple answer is no. A few glimpses of world class ability cannot make up for five seasons of underwhelming performances and a lack of effort.
Benitez
Rafa is not famed for his man management ability, and is notorious for his work ethic and difficulty to please, with even Steven Gerrard admitting he longed for a ‘well done’ from the collected Spaniard.
While you could argue the former Chelsea boss could install the mentality that Morrison has craved for so many years, it is clear to see the iceberg in the water.
Benitez and Morrison are a match made in hell, and the 23-year-olds inevitable antics will only cause rifts between himself and the management at St James Park.