Tuesday, January 12, 2021
How’s it going with … Max Meyer?
London’s most expensive carver since Mesut Özil
Needed by David
He was once praised as a “world-class player” and leaves Schalke 04 in a dispute, then Max Meyer experiences very bitter years at Crystal Palace. In the beginning it doesn’t work at all – afterwards even worse. His coach praises Meyer, probably so that he can find a new club.
It’s a very bitter winter balance. Max Meyer only played four season games in the Premier League and one game in the Carabao Cup for Crystal Palace, but he did not manage to score or assist. A change before the start of the second half of the season seems likely. That was the status in December 2019. A year later, not much has changed for the four-time ex-international. Whereby: Meyer’s situation at Palace has become much sadder.
This winter, the balance reads as follows: a single mission on the island in the insignificant and unloved league cup, in the second round against Bournemouth. That’s it. That’s it A year ago Meyer played a very subordinate role in the team of trainer Roy Hodgson, today he doesn’t play any more. Although, the offensive player was allowed to play once. In the U23. In the demotion and a bitter 2: 5 defeat against Fulham’s second team, Meyer managed the only assist of the year.
“I’m talking about the world-class player Max Meyer”
Palace had landed something of a coup in August 2018 when the Londoners pulled the young national player ashore. At least that’s what people thought, because the highly acclaimed, 22-year-old German when signing the contract, moved from Schalke 04 to the Premier League on a free transfer (and in a dispute). The fact that the advance praise was set too high, and that was quickly noticed on the Thames, was also due to the midfielder’s agent, Roger Wittmann. The then S04 manager Christian Heidel recited it like this after the contract negotiations: “Christian, we first have to find out whether we are talking about the same player. I am talking about the world-class player Max Meyer, who will be a regular in every top European team and who is very likely to go to Russia for the World Cup. “
Well, Schalke did not see the world-class player, only wanted to offer Meyer a lavish but not a fantasy contract and let him join the, well, European top team Crystal Palace, where he promptly posted it on the homepage presented with photos by Joshua Kimmichs has been. But the #MeyerofLondon (original hashtag after its introduction, a silly play on words with Mayor of London, the mayor of the capital) never managed to develop in England. In his first season he played at least 29 league games, but only scored one goal and provided three assists, the games became fewer and fewer, the goal participations no longer took place. The move to London was not at all worthwhile for Palace – and only financially for the midfielder. Because Meyer should earn around 140,000 euros per week, according to the “Daily Mail” even up to almost 190,000 including bonuses.
The fact that Palace would have had no problem with the German leaving a year ago seems logical given his annual salary of around 10 million euros. Usually only Arsenal FC treat themselves to such an expensive bench press, because like Mesut Özil (supposed to earn around 390,000 euros per week) Meyer hasn’t even been in the squad since the end of October. Even if attackers like Wilfried Zaha, Luka Milivojevic and James McCarthy failed. And so some British media are speculating again this winter about an early departure from London. But as in the previous year, the interested parties don’t seem to be standing in line.
Soon against the descent with the Effzeh?
And that’s probably why coach Hodgson grabbed a rather surprising extra praise last Thursday: “Max is the perfect professional, he did all the work, barely missed a day of training.” A perfect footballer who can help any team – just not his own. And to make it very clear that a move could soon be over the table, the coach added: “I wouldn’t be surprised if Max knocks on the door to move on. Then I’ll have to reluctantly agree that he doesn’t have the chances here to show what he can do. If someone else gave him the chance, we’d have to consider that. “
After all, FC Köln is said to have had an eye on a Meyer loan. Then the world-class player might soon play against relegation. At least, Meyer would think, he’ll play again at all.
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