Oh. Christian Eriksen. He plays for Manchester United. They’re f’ing shite. Or however it is the song will now go. Brentford fans were last night left reeling from the news we’d all suspected but had hoped against hope wouldn’t be confirmed. Now, it would seem, the die is cast with even the BBC reporting the player has agreed a deal at Old Trafford. To be fair, whomever he had joined would have been seen as a slap in the face or a crazy move. Everton. Newcastle. Leicester City all amongst the other clubs being talked up. Now, rather than Brentford, the decision is Salford.
There’s been a lot of frustration out there last night. Others, with the ‘enjoy what we had ; it was only ever short term’ mentality.
I can sympathise with both view points but, personally speaking, right now it feels like a punch to the gut. Joining a club in complete disarray in return for a wheelbarrow load full of cash and the chance of Europa League football. Manchester United – a club whose fans will bang on about being one of the biggest in the world but who, realistically, have not been able to compete even domestically for years. Whose desperate chuck of the dice at Cristiano Ronaldo is now imploding in dramatic style. Whose defence is shot to pieces and attacking options about as potent as a toothless lion. For whom throwing money at the problem – see also: Pogba, has hardly been a recipe for success in recent seasons.
Good luck to both of them. Brentford enjoyed the very best Christian had to offer once his fitness had returned. The Brentford that guided him back into the game and took a chance on a player whom, well, we all know what had happened. The Brentford that gave him a surrogate Danish family and the chance to play alongside his international team mates going in to this winter’s World Cup. Who were ideally placed for the London lifestyle his nearest and dearest had, apparently, been so comfortable in.
Instead, as with everything in life, money talks. Certainly, if you believe what you read about signing on fees and a salary what will be, at the least, three times what we were able / prepared (delete as applicable) to offer. No doubt we’ll hear talk about the stature of Manchester United and the chance to return them to former glories. Perhaps he will achieve that. Perhaps the lure was the chance of reigniting a former giant. A club where reminders of Sir Alex Ferguson’s legacy still hang from every available space like some footballing albatross around the neck. Good luck to him. Genuinely.
We had some good times together. Some amazing times. Chelsea and Watford away in particular but, to be fair, every time he started we upped our game. He hit our own top five pretty much every time he played. Christian didn’t ‘save us from relegation’ but he did help get us going again.
Let’s not forget how well we were placed and how strong we were doing before David Raya got crocked against Leicester City. As Kitman Bob said in his own insider’s perspective last time out on these pages: “ At the point we hit a sticky patch the mood at the training ground never changed from that first game. Staff and players knew we had a plan and there was never any panic or worry amongst us. The signing of Christian Eriksen, I cannot lie, gave the whole place an even bigger boost but on the same level was seeing the return of David Raya.”
I’m just a naive fool. A footballing romantic. Despite the talk of money and the chance to play in Europe (albeit the Champions League is a long, long way off right now), I honestly thought we’d be seeing him again. 100% convinced. Instead, I’m left with that same numb feeling as when Jota left for Birmingham City. A talisman departing for a godawful club. That awful emptiness. Them, of all places.
Things will be good again. They always are. Aaron Hickey and Keane Lewis-Potter are seemingly coming in. Josh Dasilva is back. Ethan Pinnock is fit. David Raya showed just how much he does for us whilst Christian Norgaard was a goat. Or whatever it is the kids say.
Plus, as importantly, we’ll never have to sing that chant again. Sorry but like Oldham’s song, I’ve always struggled with it. That’s the polite phrase.
Fate, as ever, has administered a further blow to the unmentionables with Brentford’s first home game seeing a visit from Manchester United. One can only expect that will now be moved from a Saturday 3pm kick off to accommodate TV coverage and the inevitable media circus. Joy.
The positivity of what Christian brought to Lionel Road will never be forgotten. I’m just struggling to feel it this morning.
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
Don’t worry Nick , every time we’ve taken a step backwards I’ve the the last 13 years we’ve always jumped 2 forwards . 🐝🐝🐝
It’s a shame a d it looks to me like his relationship with the new man u manager and a promise of first team football in the new ajaxball man u may have been football reasons alongside the big bucket of cash .I think he has made a mistake as it is 50/50 that it is doomed to failure and he will get booed every week by 70000 .Bees now need to go back to plan a as someone once said ,we only needed to sign ce because josh dasilva was injured and we needed an attacking midfielder ,ce helped us in our hour of need so good luck to him .The bees march on
Oh the bitterest of tears. Like he was ever going to stop at Brentford. Thanks for getting him fit but United will take it from here. And giving him 150000 a week wasn’t to gazump little Brentford, it was to outbid every other PL side sniffing round.
Worry about your own team mate he Would of gone to spurs if he could get in the team .shows where united are at the moment.
So be it. Eriksen had an unbelievable few games with Brentford, but he was just one of 10 others, that once David rays was back, performed magnificently. Just how long Eirksen will be able to continue at his peak with a damaged heart is the unknown question. What is certain is you just cannot repair damaged heart tissue and scar tissue increases as stress is placed on the heart. The ability to perform is compromised as the condition worsens. If reports of a 3 year contract at mega millions is correct then he has set himself and his family up for life financially, so good luck to him. I watched my daughter, who was a World Champion and clearly the best by a country mile come back to the field as her heart slowly deteriorated and unfortunately it is almost a certainty the same will happen to Eriksen. Brentford once again were brave and very smart securing Eriksen on a short term deal and Man U, lacking the same vision as Brentford have probably bought a lemon. There is no doubt this coming season will be better for Brentford than last and will continue to develop into a leading PL team. European completion will come and Eirksen will be under enormous pressure from Man U fans as the team continues to struggle, Sure Man U have plenty of money, but wisdom is the most important ingredient of success and Brentford have that by the bucket load. Meanwhile, the best of luck to Eriksen and thanks for the few cameo’s last season.
Mate United finished higher than Brentford. If they’re that awful how come?
Patience Badger, patience. Brentford have been on the ascendancy for a decade, about the same time that United have been in decline.
Personally I think Ericsson and his agent have given Brentford the run around. If he was going to sign for us, he should have done it weeks ago not kept us waiting while his agent touts him around all over the Premier League. He could have signed for one if the most imaginative, forward thinking clubs in the league instead he gas taken the money from the basket case that us Man Utd – looking forward to the first home game now!
Well said Nick but don’t be too down. Money wins again. FFS. I don’t blame him for going for the reported £10m signing on fee and £200k a week but it’s disappointing to say the least. And given the state of Man U, odds on he would have been happier staying here. But we move on. And, tbh, I’m not sure I want the Bees to be a club that throws money around like confetti.
Oh well never mind the world won’t stop because he’s at Manchester.. no one is bigger than the club .. let’s bring on some youngsters
Good luck and thanks
Remember the mass hysteria (well ok, mass hissy fits) when the three amigos went to Brum. We moved on well enough. Caricaturing Man U as a basket case has become a rather lazy national pass-time; even if an enjoyable one. It is not just extra money that the outfit that got 6 points and as many goals against us last year can offer.
I do not think we have an in-house replacement. The expectations on JDS concern me, as he seems to have got better with every game he missed, at a time when he is still learning the disciplines and decision making required for his considerable talent to flourish. We will miss CE, but I think the benefit we got from him will linger. He was a catalyst that reminded a few struggling players that they could cut it at this level. Some of that will stick.
I have to admit my overly ample gut remains remarkably unpunched. Thanks Christian, and good luck.
Let’s be honest, with the money floating around at the top of the league it was unlikely he was ever going to stay. In his position, at 30 years and 2-3 years at the top level left who wouldn’t want to set up their finances? The price is being a squad player, not regularly starting and maybe having a new manager to contend with in a year’s time with the MU system as it is. It was a joy having him and it has shown Brentford management the quality of player required and the squad will have benefited from his presence. Good luck to him and whilst nice to have him on board we will carry on with our journey.
You write as if he’s come through the Brentford ranks as a teenager and been playing his trade with you for years.
*plying
A one named man club and an unsettled dressing room because of what we would have had to pay him wages-wise gives me a good grounding and coping feeling that is the role model at Brentford.
We will never be big spenders and that is the right way to run a football club …. which is why our successes taste sweeter than those who pay out ridiculous amounts of wages to players.
We’re a great club with community and fans as its heartbeat.
Any player being offered the chance to become a multi-millionaire with a three year contract will take it …. including every player that dons our shirt …. and I mean every player. I personally think Man U is a bad choice for Christian (possibly be proved wrong on that one! But I don’t think so and Champions League football …. hmm not so sure you’ll get it Christian) but to pick up £20 million as he heads towards the age of 34 is not a bad retirement package.
I’m more excited about about what’s coming in and that we seem to be keeping our squad together. In these terrible hard times financially that we live in it’s good to support a club that regularly gives itself reality checks. If Christian had been paid 4? 5? 6? 7? times the amount of our top earner to keep him at Brentford and no doubt his wages would be an unsettling factor in the dressing room no matter what people will say would we be happy? As important if we didn’t improve our league placing significantly with Christian would we be happy?
All hypothetical I know but one thing seems to remain ….. the ethos of our club is in tact and that’s very important.
And who knows a little bit of Christian’s magic dust might have settled on Mathias Jensen!
As always up the Bees.
Pint half full of Isleworth
I think Christian Eriksen Will fall on his face because of his condition!!! I’ve been through it because the Brain says yes but the body says No
None of us really know if CE kept Brentford in the loop. If he did he would probably have done it discretely with only two or three in the know.
If a move to MU goes ahead, (after medicals etc) then I wish him well and thank him for his time at Brentford. Let him not forget that it was Brentford who gave him an opportunity to restart his career, showcasing his talents and he was fortunate that Raya also returned for the latter part of the season. It was by no means a one man show and Brentford helped facilitate his future (rather enormous) remuneration package at MU.
Whilst I would have enjoyed watch CE in a Bees shirt again this season, there is a part of me that is relieved that he is heading elsewhere. There is no guarantees in sport, any player can be injured in an instance. Becoming reliant on an individual and putting all your eggs in one basket is a bad idea. Its an even worse idea when that player has a heart condition.
I strongly believe that Brentford would have been the best place for CE to continue his football, I’m not sure however that CE would have been the best option for Brentford though.
CE, thankyou for last season, good luck with your future, we’ve now all moved on!
Westernbee
What a disappointment, especially since we had to wait such a long time to receive the bad news. BUT … every time we lose someone supposedly indispensable (Hogan, Maupay, Watkins) things work out. We were promoted without Eriksen and we started well without him, too. He worked some magic for a short time but I would far rather lose him than Raya or Nørgaard.
United the Arsenal of the first home game last season,lets really get behind them Bees fans with the same result please. now that would be karma.