Elliot Daly: 'I didn't want to leave Wasps - it was just my time'

[Rossm]

Bobby Bridge speaks with Elliot.

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/england-saracens-elliot-daly-wasps-16183100

[HCWasp]

Winner of the most opaque and disingenuous comment of the year award!

[BG]

Hmm - What he says in the interview (or what his agent wrote) doesn't really tally with his actions though. I doubt any supporter would begrudge a player moving on for a new challenge, a change of scenery (or being honest, more money) but the way he went about it probably goes some way to explaining some of the animosity towards Sarries on the other board.

He does look like he is getting back to his old form when playing 13 for us so lets hope that continues for the remaining games

I'm sure I stumbled on a recent video clip of him on youtube where I think he was giving a similar summary but I have a feeling it was one of the internal Wasps interviews. Of course, I can't find it now.

[Eezamarlowman]

I think this is him realising that he went about things the wrong way and now trying to leave as amicably as possible. He is a young guy, never moved clubs before, so should be cut a bit of slack in my opinion. However, his performances this season have been poor and his demeanour at times has been well off. Let’s hope he can perform for us over the coming weeks starting with the rule abiding estate agents this weekend!

[Brandnewtorugby]

It's a little bit clumsy saying he doesn't want to do what he wants to do. Life's too short to be bothered by it though, and he didn't have to say anything. I choose to think he is trying to be generous, he has given lots to the club and not hard to wish him well. He has denied the training facilities story.

I suspect after the recent issues that players will start to be more media trained and controlled. We will get lots of bland approved 'nothing' statements. Give me clumsy any day.

[Rossm]

He has denied the training facilities story.


I wish he had done that a bit earlier. Resulted in a lot of ill informed sh*t stirring.

[BG]

He has denied the training facilities story.


I wish he had done that a bit earlier. Resulted in a lot of ill informed sh*t stirring.

I wish he had confirmed the training issue rumour as that would have given him a valid reason for breaking his contract.

If that's true though, then I'd expect Wasps have been recompensed in some way

[westwaleswasp]

His statement is if not mendacious then at least designed to obfuscate what has happened. Denying the training facilities rumour is actually worse than if he was actually hiding behind the alleged broken promises about facilities, because if it has nothing to do with facilities then he was surely under contract- how has he left the club then? He has not been forced out, and was under contract. If he has activated a break clause about training facilities in his contract, but is leaving not because of them then he should explain that, even if it makes him sound like a bit of a weasel, because to be honest I can accept a player being a bit of a weasel in order to further themselves in some way- in this case his likely property or investment portfolio that Sarries claim to not be part of players' salaries, or the fact that his mates play for the club. Right now this statement comes across as the full weasel, its contradictory and attempting to square the fact that he has chosen to leave with the fact that he wants to stay and has given no reasons as to why he wants to leave.

On a personal level I cannot understand how some put him in the same category as Wade, for example, a completely different kettle of fish whose departure has not left a sour taste in my mouth save for the regret at a loss of a great talent. I don't wish Daly ill, but should his move fail to live up to his expectations, I certainly won't be feeling sympathy for him.

[Tervueren]

Maybe he activated a break clause that he had inserted for whatever reason, but not conditional. Has actually seen a copy of his contract with specific reference to training facilities? Or, has it become fact through repetition?

[Brandnewtorugby]

Wasps reported that Daly triggered a release clause. In Daly's comments about leaving, he said it wasn't to do with the training ground. Based on that it doesn't seem like breaking a contract or being petulant so personally don't really see what he has done wrong.

I don't think the media did Daly any favours.

[mike909]

On a personal level I cannot understand how some put him in the same category as Wade, for example, a completely different kettle of fish whose departure has not left a sour taste in my mouth save for the regret at a loss of a great talent.

Who the hell had a go at Chris? That's just not on - if your ambition is to play for England and its blocked by short sighted coaches - then if you're going to have a go at something else - you can't wait around

If he'd been Scotland qualified, he'd have 50 caps and would be torturing 6Ns wings for fun....

[welsh wasp]

Actually I am more unhappy about Wade rather than Daly. He left us early in the season giving us no opportunity to find a replacement. Why should Wasps suffer when the England selectors did not pick him. At least Daly was here for the whole season which is what I would have expected of Wade too. That was his contract for which he was paid quite well.

[westwaleswasp]

Given the way Daly played for us, I am not sure he was "here" this year.
Wade I completely understood, Daly not at all. If he activated a clause, can anyone tell us what it was for?

[coddy]

I can't say I'm over the moon with either of them but Daly moving to one of our rivals for salary cheating financial reasons trumps Wade moving to a different sport fairly easily.

[jamestaylor002]

For me it was the way it was all handled. I could forgive Elliot if his poor performances were all down to form but I don't think it is.
I think he checked out before this season even started, particularly with the way our results were going.
Wadey is a difficult one too because he upped and left without any real indication prior to him leaving (more so to the fans but I'd hazard a guess Wasps didn't either seeing as he left a couple of weeks into the season).