Bridcutt "not focused enough"

[Creaky]

Breach of contract= no wages.
If I didn't turn up for work, I'd be docked pay or given a written warning.
Sell him asap.

But there is no suggestion he didn't turn up for work, (or chose not to play) - he wasn't selected - OG could have selected him to play if he'd wanted to.

Some of the hyperbole on this thread is ridiculous.

Those who are trying to make comparisons of Bridcutt's attitude to their own jobs need to ask themselves how they'd feel if their employer was publicly negotiating with a competitor to sell their services - I'd guess they'd tell their boss they wanted to leave and if this was refused wouldn't be in a 'frame of mind' to put in a 100% effort.

 

[Giraffe]

Sell him asap and use the money to finance a forward and a midfield replacement.

Simple as that really.

 

[Easy 10]

Those who are trying to make comparisons of Bridcutt's attitude to their own jobs need to ask themselves how they'd feel if their employer was publicly negotiating with a competitor to sell their services - I'd guess they'd tell their boss they wanted to leave and if this was refused wouldn't be in a 'frame of mind' to put in a 100% effort.

Err...hang on. Did we INVITE this interest from Sunderland, or anyone else ? How are we "publically negotiating with a competitor" to sell his services ? Sunderland have made a few bids, all of which have been rejected, and (for what its worth) we have also rejected Bridcutts transfer request. So our stance is pretty clear - we want to keep hold of him.

I don't blame Bridcutt for wanting a move to a Premier League club, and the ££££££ are obviously buzzing around his brain right now like nobodies business. But its still unprofessional and disrespectful to (a) his employers and (b) the fan,s for him to start bleating about him "not being focussed enough" to do his frickin' JOB for us while he is still here - a job for which he is handsomely paid, and was still getting handsomely paid for while he spent half the season on the treatment table.

I don't begrudge Bridcutt a move up the ladder to further his career. But the way he is conducting himself right now absolutely REEKS. You don't just down tools and turn your back on your team, your club, whilst continuing to pick up a wage. I've lost a lot of respect for him over this.

 

[Leighgull]

Calm down you lot. Football is just a job to players. They go where they get paid the most and have little or no loyalty to the fans of whichever club they are playing for.

Once you realise this then it all gets less painful. Liam wants more money and to feel the love with Gus...Poyet just needs to add a couple more zeros to his bid and we'll part as friends.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

Err...hang on. Did we INVITE this interest from Sunderland, or anyone else ? How are we "publically negotiating with a competitor" to sell his services ? Sunderland have made a few bids, all of which have been rejected, and (for what its worth) we have also rejected Bridcutts transfer request. So our stance is pretty clear - we want to keep hold of him.

I don't blame Bridcutt for wanting a move to a Premier League club, and the ££££££ are obviously buzzing around his brain right now like nobodies business. But its still unprofessional and disrespectful to (a) his employers and (b) the fan,s for him to start bleating about him "not being focussed enough" to do his frickin' JOB for us while he is still here - a job for which he is handsomely paid, and was still getting handsomely paid for while he spent half the season on the treatment table.

I don't begrudge Bridcutt a move up the ladder to further his career. But the way he is conducting himself right now absolutely REEKS. You don't just down tools and turn your back on your team, your club, whilst continuing to pick up a wage. I've lost a lot of respect for him over this.

Well put. As with anything, the context of a scenario like this is imperative and you've demonstrated it perfectly.

 

[Triggaaar]

But there is no suggestion he didn't turn up for work, (or chose not to play) - he wasn't selected - OG could have selected him to play if he'd wanted to.

Some of the hyperbole on this thread is ridiculous.

Those who are trying to make comparisons of Bridcutt's attitude to their own jobs need to ask themselves how they'd feel if their employer was publicly negotiating with a competitor to sell their services - I'd guess they'd tell their boss they wanted to leave and if this was refused wouldn't be in a 'frame of mind' to put in a 100% effort.

I agree. The reality, as always, is we don't know the full story. It's likely that Bridcutt doesn't know who he'll be playing for. He might feel unsettled etc. I'd have hoped that he can just focus on the job (playing for us) until such time he's with another club, so it is disappointing he's not been able to do that, but I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that he's deliberately not wanting to give 100%.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Liam is in danger of losing the respect he has built up over the last few years.

He is basically saying he no longer cares for the Albion and is looking after No1.

Given we haven't accepted an offer he shouldn't be speaking to anyone so why the lack of focus?

Tho whole thing stinks.

This is so right.

If we freeze him out for the rest of the season, and we go up regardless, will he 'kiss the badge'

 

[Binney on acid]

He's a footballer for godsake, not a brain surgeon, and not a particularly good one at that. I've seen few players whose game is more one dimensional. All he has to do is try to win the ball legitimately from his opponent and pass it 5 yards to another bloke wearing the same colour top as him. Not focussed enough? Please don't insult the intelligence of the fans who actually pay the salary that miraculously he's focused enough to collect and maintain a lifestyle that few of us can aspire to. If he's so interested in the facilities offered to visiting clubs at the AMEX, why don't they just show him around the visitors changing room, because those are the facilities that he'll be using next season if he secure his big money move to Sunderland. I would like to express my gratitude for his goalscoring contribution to our team. That's why we'd struggle to get more than 2.5 million for him.

 

[BHseagull]

But there is no suggestion he didn't turn up for work, (or chose not to play) - he wasn't selected - OG could have selected him to play if he'd wanted to.

Some of the hyperbole on this thread is ridiculous.

Those who are trying to make comparisons of Bridcutt's attitude to their own jobs need to ask themselves how they'd feel if their employer was publicly negotiating with a competitor to sell their services - I'd guess they'd tell their boss they wanted to leave and if this was refused wouldn't be in a 'frame of mind' to put in a 100% effort.

Think you've missed a key part out though haven't you?

The negotiation has only happened since Liam handed in a transfer request. Before that, it was a flat "no" to their offer, not publicly negotiating his price. In actual fact, if he had any feeling for the club he would have taken it as a compliment that we value him so highly and don't want him to leave.

 

[melias shoes]

What an unprofessional selfish prick.

That's the professional footballer for you. Contracts only apply when they are being wronged. They do what they like.

 

[drew]

He's a footballer for godsake, not a brain surgeon, and not a particularly good one at that. I've seen few players whose game is more one dimensional. All he has to do is try to win the ball legitimately from his opponent and pass it 5 yards to another bloke wearing the same colour top as him. Not focussed enough? Please don't insult the intelligence of the fans who actually pay the salary that miraculously he's focused enough to collect and maintain a lifestyle that few of us can aspire to. If he's so interested in the facilities offered to visiting clubs at the AMEX, why don't they just show him around the visitors changing room, because those are the facilities that he'll be using next season if he secure his big money move to Sunderland. I would like to express my gratitude for his goalscoring contribution to our team. That's why we'd struggle to get more than 2.5 million for him.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

NJ: How are you feeling Liam?
LB: To be honest, Nathan, I feel a little unsettled by everything that is going on.

HANG HIM.

 

[Mellotron]

NJ: How are you feeling Liam?
LB: To be honest, Nathan, I feel a little unsettled by everything that is going on.

HANG HIM.

Spot on. This thread is hilarious. Or embarrassing. Bit of both.

 

[BigGully]

He as most footballers didnt really play for the SEAGULLS, he played primarily for himself and his own career progression, which by the way evolved from being an out of work footballer without the security of any contract, before Poyet offered him a short term contract ( paid trial ), he worked his socks off to become a first team regular and grew into our most influential player.

Predominately that was his own efforts, the coaching staff that trusted his progression and no doubt helped are no longer here anyway.

The club aren't naive, they will play hardball and demand and probably succeed in getting a sizable profit on their player, all parties will shake hands and move on.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Spot on. This thread is hilarious. Or embarrassing. Bit of both.

Exactly what i was thinking

 

[Pavilionaire]

The CONTEXT is that in the last week a starting holding midfielder in Crofts has just been ruled out for the season, while Barnes and El-Abd had been sold. We needed him yesterday and he wasn't there for the club.

It's the equivalent of not working out your notice when the business is already short- staffed. As an employer I know what that can be like.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Spot on. This thread is hilarious. Or embarrassing. Bit of both.

Normally I would agree with you on this but actually I'm pretty pissed off with Bridcutt. Due to selling a couple of players and a long injury list, we were short of options yesterday and to have our player of the year for the last two years fit and available would have been great. If he's not focused enough to play, we shouldn't be paying him, it's as simple as that.

It's a real shame that Bridcutt, as with Gus before him, will go out on a sour note. If he handled this well, nobody would have begrudged him a move. The irony is, if he moves to Sunderland, he may well end up back in the Championship next season. He'd be better off waiting until the summer and moving to a team in the Premier League then.

 

[Pavilionaire]

He's only going to get more pissed off too. We lost, Sunderland drew ar home so his Prem experience may be brief.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Maybe if he focussed a bit more, he might contemplate that if/when Sunderland get relegated, the manager will more than likely bugger off in the Summer and the player will be stuck in the Championship and stuck in the North East, possibly missing out on playing in the Premier League with the Albion. If he was even a little bit smart, he'd hang around for a couple more months and see how the rest of the season pans out shirley.

 

[B.W.]

Err...hang on. Did we INVITE this interest from Sunderland, or anyone else ? How are we "publically negotiating with a competitor" to sell his services ? Sunderland have made a few bids, all of which have been rejected, and (for what its worth) we have also rejected Bridcutts transfer request. So our stance is pretty clear - we want to keep hold of him.

I don't blame Bridcutt for wanting a move to a Premier League club, and the ££££££ are obviously buzzing around his brain right now like nobodies business. But its still unprofessional and disrespectful to (a) his employers and (b) the fan,s for him to start bleating about him "not being focussed enough" to do his frickin' JOB for us while he is still here - a job for which he is handsomely paid, and was still getting handsomely paid for while he spent half the season on the treatment table.

I don't begrudge Bridcutt a move up the ladder to further his career. But the way he is conducting himself right now absolutely REEKS. You don't just down tools and turn your back on your team, your club, whilst continuing to pick up a wage. I've lost a lot of respect for him over this.

That sums up perfectly how I feel about this. Oh, and the club should only let him go if the bid received meets its valuation.