Do you want Brad back?

ASHIPP

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
#21
#21
Is the Pope Catholic? Of course we want the Vother back! IF he signs and next season will be his last season for the Devils, don't you think he deserves a proper send off after 5 year's excellent service? Imagine that, Brad celebrating his testimonial...and the Devils celebrate winning some silverware/the League in the same year! :cool: It's a no-brainer! What other teams wouldn't give to have The Face of British Ice Hockey on THEIR team! :mrgreen:
Despite being the victim of farcical officiating in this league which straight-jacketed his play sometimes, Brad still managed to make a crucial contribution on the ice and rack up points for the team. Still one of the best power forwards in the league and is key to the Devils' organisation in so many different ways. A complete one-off.

p.s. This time round Brad would need the support of another tough player to allow him to play his game. And we live in hope that the EIHL revise the rule book on fair officiating. :roll:
 
ASHIPP

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
#23
#23
Finny said:
No chance of a testimonial as you have to have played for at least 10 years here to be entitled to one.
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Finny - I stand corrected! However, would be good to give Vother the send off he deserves, if he does sign for the last time?
 
Finny

Finny

Well-Known Member
#24
#24
He definately deserves a good send off, but suggestions for a testimonial or his shirt number to be retired (which somebody is bound to mention at some point) makes me cringe and tries to devalue previous players' achievements.
 
O

osh

Well-Known Member
#25
#25
Finny said:
He definately deserves a good send off, but suggestions for a testimonial or his shirt number to be retired (which somebody is bound to mention at some point) makes me cringe and tries to devalue previous players' achievements.
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100% agree with that Finny. ASHIPP, would also say that Brad doesn't really need another player to enable him to play his game, what Brad needs to do is take stock of the situation, and tone down the needless penalties and play to the referee like most sportsmen do. Referees in any sport will only let so much go, Brad knows that but continually chose to play to his own rules, instead of being a bit more street wise to the situation. Would of course have him back if he can avoid the penalties that ultimately will cost his team during the season.
 
ASHIPP

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
#26
#26
osh said:
Finny said:
He definately deserves a good send off, but suggestions for a testimonial or his shirt number to be retired (which somebody is bound to mention at some point) makes me cringe and tries to devalue previous players' achievements.
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100% agree with that Finny. ASHIPP, would also say that Brad doesn't really need another player to enable him to play his game, what Brad needs to do is take stock of the situation, and tone down the needless penalties and play to the referee like most sportsmen do. Referees in any sport will only let so much go, Brad knows that but continually chose to play to his own rules, instead of being a bit more street wise to the situation. Would of course have him back if he can avoid the penalties that ultimately will cost his team during the season.
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Osh - completely agree with the level of self-control sportsmen need to have and the importance of weighing up a situation before taking action. The Vother was the first to admit his mistakes but others have also been guilty. Brad also showed self control on occassions last year when he could easily have been drawn into needless situations and I'm sure other posters will also remember many instances when other players tried to force him to retaliate.....and he just smiled or took punches and spearings without reacting. I'm talking about FAIRNESS in officiating. So farcical last season that Brad couldn't blow his nose without getting penalised - it appeared he was punished for every check he made. Yet how do we explain the officials ineptitude of failing to take appropriate action, for instance, against Campbell and Cruickshank for unbridled hooliganism against Devils' players at the Skydome? :twisted:
 
G

Gingers Husband

Active Member
#28
#28
I may be in a minority of one here but I would say no. Brad is, as has been said, the most marketable player in the league, he is Mr. Cardiff Devils and when on form and allowed to play the high intensity physical game that he is suited to he is and has been undoubtedly the best power forward in the league. We all know the officiating and disciplinary procedures are never going to change in our favour though and I think that one controversial penalty which results in a ban could see Brad so demoralised that his season could be over before it gets started. Other teams are signing out and out meatheads in the Mcmorrow mould and I think Brad is too obvious a target for these guys, we all know that Brad for Mcmorrow is never a fair trade off penalty wise and his game will suffer in my opinion as he always seems to come off worse when penalties are being dished out.
 
G

Gingers Husband

Active Member
#29
#29
In a slightly worrying way though, I would like to see him play for someone else. Just to see if he gets treated differently or we are all wearing Devils tinted specs and he is actually a very naughty boy.
 
jwave

jwave

New Member
#30
#30
I hear the sentiments of others saying he is targeted by officials and that may not be good for the team, however we can't build a team based around poor officiating.

I do agree with what you are saying but what we CAN DO is improve the poor standard of the refs. They have had it in for Brad and have gone out of their way with micky mouse calls and inflated pen mins :evil:
I can't think of anyone who wouldn't want him back but PLEASE REFS, LET HIM PLAY HIS GAME :cool: We come to see the hockey not the Black and White Shirt show :lol:
 
Wannabe2

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
#31
#31
Come back home after the summer Brad, and celebrate married life in the best city on the planet. If Brad returns then that would make my day.
 
T

Taffdevil

New Member
#32
#32
Defo want him back next season. He plays an exciting game and adds spark to game nights. I agree he might have gone off the boil a bit towards the end of the season but Vother gets a raw deal from the league officials and i think he's a marked man. If he's left alone by the officials to get on with his game he's defo got another great season in him at cardiff.
Come on Brad, put pen to paper!!
 
C

Centre Ice

New Member
#33
#33
Finny said:
No chance of a testimonial as you have to have played for at least 10 years here to be entitled to one.
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Really, where's that written?

Vez played eight seasons in Cardiff.

Mike Ware played just five seasons and 187 games, Brad Voth has done five seasons and already played more games than Ware.

I'd offer Brad a two year deal with a testimonial at the end of the second season, which would then be his seventh. He is the biggest personality and bums on seats guy in this league, and the club for me don't fully utilise his marketing potential.

Sometimes in life you don't realise what you had until it's gone. Brad's terrific entertainment, loves the club, rink, city and the fans. Yes other players will come and say that as well, but he really does. I want a guy with that passion for the team to be playing for us, not some mercenary who's here one season and gone the next for a bigger pay cheque.
 
Merthyr Devil

Merthyr Devil

Member
#34
#34
According to the ever reliable wikipedia:

"A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club.

By tradition, clubs typically grant testimonials to players upon reaching 10 years of service with a club, although they sometimes are given to players with less service as they approach retirement."


Although Vez and Ware both played UK hockey for 10 years or more which I'm pretty sure is how they got one. Suppose its kind of like how the Blaze retired Stephen Coopers shirt even though he'd only played a few seasons for them, it was where he was ending his career so they honoured that by retiring his shirt.
 
Wannabe2

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
#35
#35
Centre Ice said:
Finny said:
No chance of a testimonial as you have to have played for at least 10 years here to be entitled to one.
Click to expand...
Really, where's that written?

Vez played eight seasons in Cardiff.

Mike Ware played just five seasons and 187 games, Brad Voth has done five seasons and already played more games than Ware.

I'd offer Brad a two year deal with a testimonial at the end of the second season, which would then be his seventh. He is the biggest personality and bums on seats guy in this league, and the club for me don't fully utilise his marketing potential.

Sometimes in life you don't realise what you had until it's gone. Brad's terrific entertainment, loves the club, rink, city and the fans. Yes other players will come and say that as well, but he really does. I want a guy with that passion for the team to be playing for us, not some mercenary who's here one season and gone the next for a bigger pay cheque.
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AMEN to that, agree 200% i would also give Brad a 2yr contract, he has been Mr Cardiff Devils and a great marketing tool, and then would defo give him a testimonial, after all he would be the first Lord Mayor of Cardiff to ever have one.
 
ASHIPP

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
#36
#36
We can argue the small print about the criteria for a 'testimonial' until the season starts! Like I said before, Brad is a complete one-off. He is a key asset to this Club and an ambassador for ice hockey in the UK. If he signs for next season, we should count ourselves lucky....and in return for everything he has done for this Club, he should be given a year to remember if it turns out to be his last season. :D
 
Dwoods

Dwoods

Member
#37
#37
Kind of on the fence with Brad - I like the guy, he has had some great games and provided a lot of entertainment, I also like they way he can be marketed for the Devils etc - and a few years back I thought he was one of our top imports, but I have not been impressed with Brad Voth the player this past season or two - and he is certainly not Captain material. I cannot remember the last time he was our "go-to" player when the chips were down, or when we needed a spark in a game - I am talking an Ivan Matulik type of player that would literally skate through a wall consistently for the good of the Devils, Brad just did not show up IMHO on way too many games this past 2 years - at least the Captaincy issue was addressed part-way through last season.

As mentioned before, when on his game, Brad is un-playable - I just have not seen him "on his game" for a while - including the majority of last season and a lot of the season before. If he were to come back, I would hope we would see the hungry player that we used to see in Brad, not someone that appeared to be going through the motions for a lot of the time. Just look at the Play Off Final this year – by far our biggest game of the season, and Brad was totally anonymous, and that worries me.

P.s one thing that does annoy me though is talk of a Testimonial or retiring his jersey - I mean c'mon...really????
 
N

nmase20

New Member
#38
#38
Unless i have missed a post, no one has actually mentioned retiring his jersey, apart from finny also saying it would be ridiculous.
Although i agree a testimonial does seem a bit over the top, brad has done a lot for this team, but not really enough to be worthy of a testimonial.
 
S

samidevils

New Member
#39
#39
Not overly bothered personally.

Wouldn't like the thought of playing against him but TBH he hasn't been himself since his ban(s).

His size, the way he checks (always seems to make lots of noise - maybe his stick hitting after) but he seems to attract referees attention. Shame as when he's left to play he's the best power forward in the league.
 
Cookies_naughtyboy

Cookies_naughtyboy

New Member
#40
#40
Dont think we should have him back, His service to the club over the last 5 years has been fantastic and has done the best job at his role over the last few years.

But now he is a marked man in this league and he seems to get punished a lot for little things and it does not benifit our team at all, take nothing away from Brad but he is not allowed to play his game, when he does he seems to get put in the bin or suspended, when a player (Bergin) can slash a player twice with his stick and not get a ban even though Brad was suspended for a call similar on Randy, Brad has been a victim of a few cheap shots, Dereck Campbell and Bergin stick out the most, but the league dont really take much notice,

He has done everything for the Devils and i do think it would be time for him to move on, His efforts for this club would never be in question he really was the face of the Devils for the last few years, but we need a younger, more fiesty and same sort player who is not marked in the league so he can produce a season Voth had 2/3 years ago,
 
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