End of the road for Defour

Grumps · Post by **Grumps** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:33 pm

Retiring at the end of the season

Bosscat · Post by **Bosscat** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:35 pm

Sad really ... pity his legs had gone when we signed him ... what a talent

evensteadiereddie · Post by **evensteadiereddie** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:35 pm

That's a pity. He never had the chance to show his class on a regular basis. Good luck to the lad.

Vegas Claret · Post by **Vegas Claret** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:37 pm

get him doing some scouting for us

evensteadiereddie · Post by **evensteadiereddie** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:38 pm

Not a bad shout, Vegas.

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:38 pm

A frustrating joy. Such a wonderfully talented footballer, the like of which would all love to see more of at Burnley. If he had been fitter, I think we will all accept, he wouldn’t have graced our club colours: he would have been at a much bigger club.

RalphCoatesComb · Post by **RalphCoatesComb** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:45 pm

Good luck Steven. You deserve a happy retirement.

Pity we didn't see more of you in Claret & Blue

Iloveyoubrady · Post by **Iloveyoubrady** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:45 pm

The guy was pure class and loved his time here after a difficult start. He got fit and played 20 or so games in that Europe qualification season and ran the show. We didn’t have a great squad back then compared to now as well. Imagine if he would have been around with Dwight...

Newcastleclaret93 · Post by **Newcastleclaret93** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:46 pm

A real real shame. I still think a 50% fit Defour is better than any of the CMs we currently have.

Best technical player I have seen in a Burnley shirt

LS7 · Post by **LS7** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:58 pm

That free kick past De Gea will live forever

onewillieirvine · Post by **onewillieirvine** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:59 pm

The best midfielder we've had since Martin Dobson for me.

gsyclaret · Post by **gsyclaret** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 7:00 pm

Oh no, that means he will be home with his wife

bobinho · Post by **bobinho** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 7:00 pm

Bosscat wrote: ↑
Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:35 pm
Sad really ... pity his legs had gone when we signed him ... what a talent

Absolutely incorrect.

Injury curtailed his career with us (and prior to coming here), his legs most certainly hadn’t “gone”.

What a player, technically superb. I said it at the time, he was absolutely the best player in the pitch in almost every game he played for us. He was a pleasure to watch, and have here despite it being a brief stay hounded by injury.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 7:21 pm

Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑
Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:46 pm
I still think a 50% fit Defour is better than any of the CMs we currently have.

And that clearly wasn't and wouldn't be the case which is why in the end he wasn't able to play for us. When he came back in the 2018/19 season he was embarrassingly poor because he just couldn't do it any more. But, as has been said further up the thread, in the first part of the 2017/18 season he was outstanding. I watched that opening day 3-2 win against Chelsea again recently; opened my eyes as to just how good he was that day. Not in his class, but shows how injuries effect a player, Brady was also outstanding that afternoon as he was for much of the time up to the injury he got at Leicester at the beginning of December.

Woodleyclaret · Post by **Woodleyclaret** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 7:32 pm

A class act which shows how, with decent scouting what we can sign

Devils_Advocate · Post by **Devils_Advocate** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 7:40 pm

Not a Dyche player Im afraid but for half a season he was a joy to watch as was the rest of the team for that particular period

elwaclaret · Post by **elwaclaret** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 7:47 pm

It was a pleasure to see him in a Burnley shirt, a world class talent.

All the best in retirement.

Claret Toni · Post by **Claret Toni** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 9:26 pm

Devils_Advocate wrote: ↑
Mon Apr 05, 2021 7:40 pm
Not a Dyche player Im afraid but for half a season he was a joy to watch as was the rest of the team for that particular period

Signed by Dyche, so clearly a Dyche player, but I'll agree he was a joy to watch.

Devils_Advocate · Post by **Devils_Advocate** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 9:37 pm

Claret Toni wrote: ↑
Mon Apr 05, 2021 9:26 pm
Signed by Dyche, so clearly a Dyche player, but I'll agree he was a joy to watch.

Maybe he was a Garlick signing and that seems to be the current craze on here

To be honest my comment was parodying and sending up the idiots who like to dismiss suggestions of players we might sign as not being a "Dyche" player whatever that is.

Based on the reasoning and logic (I use the terms loosely) they use then the Defour who played for us would have fallen into that category hence my flippant comment.

GodIsADeeJay81 · Post by **GodIsADeeJay81** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 9:43 pm

I'm not sure why people see your comments as anything but parody tbh DA.

Devils_Advocate · Post by **Devils_Advocate** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 9:45 pm

GodIsADeeJay81 wrote: ↑
Mon Apr 05, 2021 9:43 pm
I'm not sure why people see your comments as anything but parody tbh DA.

Yep you'd think they'd have learnt by now

tiger76 · Post by **tiger76** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 9:50 pm

Defour was great for that early 17/18 campaign, and he played a major role in our EL qualification. He lifted the whole squad and the likes of Brady and Cork played their best football during this period.

Shame his Burnley career was blighted by injuries, but as others have stated if it's wasn't for his fitness concerns we probably wouldn't have been able to sign him in the first place as in all probability he'd have been plying his trade at a CL club.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned his brilliant finish against Bristol City, and besides the obvious free kick at OT, that's my abiding memory of his Burnley tenure.

Enjoy your retirement Steven and thanks for the memories.

Swizzlestick · Post by **Swizzlestick** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 9:54 pm

That finish against Bristol City was obscene.

To see a player of his quality in claret and blue was just something else.

A real shame injuries got the better of him, but hope he can visit the Turf again as a guest (or coach?!) in the future.

bfcjg · Post by **bfcjg** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 10:05 pm

Brilliant players make the players around them better Defour did that for us.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 10:17 pm

tiger76 wrote: ↑
Mon Apr 05, 2021 9:50 pm
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned his brilliant finish against Bristol City, and besides the obvious free kick at OT, that's my abiding memory of his Burnley tenure.

Everyone seems to mention the free kick at Old Trafford but for me that was the third best of his three Burnley goals. His first goal against Hull, the outrageous turn in the centre circle before the run and the shot from outside the box, that's his second best.

But the one against Bristol City was downright ridiculous, a goal you would never, ever tire of seeing. I'm not so sure of the 'hacked it forward' suggestion in the commentary though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5t0iqCbWFyE

Bigvince · Post by **Bigvince** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 10:28 pm

Fabulous player just wish we could have seen more of him. ATB in the future Steven

Paul Waine · Post by **Paul Waine** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 10:56 pm

Claret Toni wrote: ↑
Mon Apr 05, 2021 9:26 pm
Signed by Dyche, so clearly a Dyche player, but I'll agree he was a joy to watch.

Not only that, the way Steven Defour defended and cleared off the line - at wembley - what would have put Spurs 2 up, showed Steven Defour fully bought into to all that Sean Dyche wants in a Burnley team.

Great to watch you play for Burnley, Steven Defour. Best wishes for all your plans beyond the end of the season.

UTC

wilks_bfc · Post by **wilks_bfc** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 11:12 pm

ClaretTony wrote: ↑
Mon Apr 05, 2021 10:17 pm
Everyone seems to mention the free kick at Old Trafford but for me that was the third best of his three Burnley goals. His first goal against Hull, the outrageous turn in the centre circle before the run and the shot from outside the box, that's his second best.

But the one against Bristol City was downright ridiculous, a goal you would never, ever tire of seeing. I'm not so sure of the 'hacked it forward' suggestion in the commentary though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5t0iqCbWFyE

That goal against Hull was something else
From the touch & turn in the centre circle then the run towards us in the JML before that perfectly placed shot into the corner showed just what we had got in signing him.

SGr · Post by **SGr** » Mon Apr 05, 2021 11:51 pm

Sad. Had genuine ability like I’d never seen in a Burnley midfielder (or player), or possibly since. I suppose for the same he has retired, he played for us and not a much bigger club. Top class.

Wile E Coyote · Post by **Wile E Coyote** » Tue Apr 06, 2021 12:27 am

free kick against utd was sublime moment, more so because it was united. but the seconds after when it sank in just how perfect that strike was, sheer bliss.
I watched it sat next to a united fan, so it was extra special.

claretandy · Post by **claretandy** » Tue Apr 06, 2021 7:50 am

The most technically gifted player I've ever seen in a Burnley shirt, and probably of the last 45 years.

Belgianclaret · Post by **Belgianclaret** » Tue Apr 06, 2021 8:24 am

Everyone on here will already know what I think of D4.
Thought he was unjustly sacrificed after a beating at WBA, after which the gaffer reverted to his championship formula (which at the end did the trick to obtain survival).
I remember having some interesting discussions here about him with claretspice (where is he nowadays?) about his fringe role from then on.
The pivotal moment came the following summer during pre-season, in which Dyche convinced D4 to give it another go.
His partnership with Cork was magic and from then on I think we saw some terrific performances and results, leading us into Europe.
Scored some absolute beauties, but the way he made the team click in games such as the one away to Everton remain the highlights for me.
Super talent, shame the following injury then signaled the end for him, but I remain convinced these are the players we need to sign to move forward.

P.S. He was recently asked to answer twelve questions on his favorite team and he selected Burnley (he got ten out of twelve right - missed the one on the smallest ground in the PL)

Glad to see he wore our shirt with pride, he'll always be a claret.

RalphCoatesComb · Post by **RalphCoatesComb** » Tue Apr 06, 2021 8:56 am

Belgianclaret wrote: ↑
Tue Apr 06, 2021 8:24 am
I remain convinced these are the players we need to sign to move forward.

Can you find us some more from Belgium ?

Murger · Post by **Murger** » Tue Apr 06, 2021 11:16 am

Without a doubt, the most talented footballer I've ever seen wear a claret shirt.

MACCA · Post by **MACCA** » Tue Apr 06, 2021 11:56 am

He loved it here, and we loved him in return.

Absolute class act, and when you cant decide from the goal against Hull, The obscene goal v Bristol C, or the inch perfect free kick that 2 goalkeepers wouldn't save v Man United it shows just how good he was.

3 very different goals, each showing a different area of skill and ability, but all 3 generally world class.

Thanks for the memories Steven, and all the very best for your future.

Bigvince · Post by **Bigvince** » Tue Apr 06, 2021 12:00 pm

That touch in the centre circle, to leave the Hull midfielder for dead summed up his quality for me. He knew what he was going to do with the ball before it got to him.

Newcastleclaret93 · Post by **Newcastleclaret93** » Tue Apr 06, 2021 12:37 pm

He’s put a message on Twitter, wonder if he is being lined up as a coach

NewClaret · Post by **NewClaret** » Tue Apr 06, 2021 12:40 pm

He replied with a thank you message to the club’s happy retirement tweet an hour or so ago... ending it “see you soon”... so Vegas might be right on the coaching point.

Personally see it as a huge plus to get these great pro’s back at the club. I’d like Bardo to become a coach after he retires too. Keeps the building the culture of the club, setting the standards. And with a women’s team and improving Academy setup, there’s plenty to develop coaches too.

bf2k · Post by **bf2k** » Tue Apr 06, 2021 12:56 pm

This is like a RIP thread, so sad a talent has retired

.

After Robbie Blake, one of my favourite players to have watched at Burnley

IanMcL · Post by **IanMcL** » Tue Apr 06, 2021 9:23 pm

ClaretTony wrote: ↑
Mon Apr 05, 2021 10:17 pm
Everyone seems to mention the free kick at Old Trafford but for me that was the third best of his three Burnley goals. His first goal against Hull, the outrageous turn in the centre circle before the run and the shot from outside the box, that's his second best.

But the one against Bristol City was downright ridiculous, a goal you would never, ever tire of seeing. I'm not so sure of the 'hacked it forward' suggestion in the commentary though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5t0iqCbWFyE

Agreed! That's my order too. The goal against Bristol City was exceptional and beautiful- a work of art by a football artist.

So very pleased he did those things in a Claret and Blue shirt.

Amazing player who brought joy to Burnley.
Thank you Steven and best wishes for the future.