Bridcutt sold £3.25million. (with Sunderland kit picture)

[Marshy]

As Liam has now handed in a request, does this now save us money with regard to paying up his contract ?

If we had sold him without this would we not have had to pay him money etc ?

 

[ThePolishJig]

I just want us to play Sunderland in the FA CUP, as Bridcutt wouldnt be cup tied? Also Bridcutt can play in the Capital One Cup too?

 

[Springal]

I just want us to play Sunderland in the FA CUP, as Bridcutt wouldnt be cup tied? Also Bridcutt can play in the Capital One Cup too?

Cup tied as he came on against Newport

 

[Biscuit]

Doesn't matter a jot. He's still under contract.

He's ours for the duration of his contract until someone pays us circa £4m. The fact he wants to go to Sunderland and Sunderland want him isn't our concern.

 

[Phat Baz 68]

Good luck to the lad !
Judas ?? Is he ****, the lads done brilliantly for us and none of us know the true circumstances although some of you clearly think you do and that's a complete joke.
Thanks for everything lad and onwards and upwards to Albion and to him.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I am not sure that I agree with you on quality. None of the promoted teams, have spent crazy money and yet they are managing to stay competitive in the second tier of the premiership. Just before the FA Cup draw I could only find Stoke away that made me shudder. Sure I wouldn't expect us to go to one of the top six sides and win, but pretty much everyone else, we could make a game of it. If the Championship is poor quality, what does that say about the Premier League ?

I think the Championship is poor. We are hardly playing fantastic stuff consistently but are 'hanging on in there'. Palace are shocking, Cardiff spent during the Summer and are bottom 4 or 5, Hull are the only team doing anything and they have a few on loan, and may go into freefall yet. If we went up I think we'd need up to 8 new players.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Do you honestly believe that? Genuine question.

Sunderland are only 4 points from safety with a better goal difference than Fulham who are only 5 points above them. Poyet will keep them up partly down to him making them difficult to beat now and partly down to the fact that there are some crap teams at the foot of the Premier League. It's going to be a 7 team fight to stay up and I think Sunderland will survive along with Palace. Unfortunately.

They've got 14 points in 20 games. 4 or 5 points is massive for them. They have 18 games left and need at least 22 points you would think. It will be a dramatic escape if they make it. I think Gus can improve them, but survival is asking a lot. Fulham have actually picked up 9 pts in their last 6 games, compared to 6 from Sunderland. I think Fulham and Norwich will just have enough. I'll stick my neck out and suggest by the end of February, we're looking at more like a 4 team fight to stay up between Sunderland, WHU, CP and Cardiff.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Doesn't matter a jot. He's still under contract.

He's ours for the duration of his contract until someone pays us circa £4m. The fact he wants to go to Sunderland and Sunderland want him isn't our concern.

Spot on. When he leaves good luck, but his transfer request is irrelevant, other than confirming what everyone knows - that he wants to leave.

 

[Bwian]

Good luck to the lad !
Judas ?? Is he ****, the lads done brilliantly for us and none of us know the true circumstances although some of you clearly think you do and that's a complete joke.
Thanks for everything lad and onwards and upwards to Albion and to him.

True circumstances of what exactly? Or have I missed something? The fact that Sunderland made a derisory offer which was rejected by The Albion followed by a transfer request by Bridcutt is a joke?

 

[AndyO]

It always amazes me when people can knock a player who wants to improve his career. If you worked as an Asst Mgr in a small pub and someone offered you more money to become an Asst Mgr or Mgr in a bigger pub MOST people would take it and say they deserved it as they've worked hard to clearly demonstrate they are worthy of progression. It's 100% the same with a footballer, simple question, Mr Bridcutt do you want to earn say £10k a week or £20k a week? Do you want to play for a Premiership club or a Championship club? Forget the end of the season, if he plays well he'll be snapped up as Sunderland look to reduce costs or he'll be playing back in the championship ON MORE MONEY FFS!

I think the difference between a player and normal work (such as a pub manager) is that the the assistant pub manager has not hapilly signed a long term contract which usually secures a hefty pay rise in the process. It has an end date at which the player can either renew with their existing club or seek an alternative with a signing on fee. It is all so geared up to the players these days and I think that this is the cause of the ill feeling when this sort of thing happens. A pub manager would simply serve notice in line with their contract and move on and has therefore not broken or attempted to break the agreement.

 

[Bwian]

They've got 14 points in 20 games. 4 or 5 points is massive for them. They have 18 games left and need at least 22 points you would think. It will be a dramatic escape if they make it. I think Gus can improve them, but survival is asking a lot. Fulham have actually picked up 9 pts in their last 6 games, compared to 6 from Sunderland. I think Fulham and Norwich will just have enough. I'll stick my neck out and suggest by the end of February, we're looking at more like a 4 team fight to stay up between Sunderland, WHU, CP and Cardiff.

Haven't most of those points come since Poyet arrived? Again, a genuine question because I've not been paying close attention to Sunderland's season.

I still think they'll stay up-it'll be difficult but they'll probably do it. I still think there'll be more than 4 clubs fighting it out because there's always 1 or 2 that get sucked in about now (please Buddha-let it be the Mancs) in addition to the bottom 4 or 5. Swansea in 13th are only 4 points above the relegation zone-it's really tight down there.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Anyone know if he's still training with the first team

 

[Bold Seagull]

Haven't most of those points come since Poyet arrived? Again, a genuine question because I've not been paying close attention to Sunderland's season.

I still think they'll stay up-it'll be difficult but they'll probably do it. I still think there'll be more than 4 clubs fighting it out because there's always 1 or 2 that get sucked in about now (please Buddha-let it be the Mancs) in addition to the bottom 4 or 5. Swansea in 13th are only 4 points above the relegation zone-it's really tight down there.

Yes, you're right there. Gus was appointed with Sunderland at P7 W0 D1 L6. His record is P13 W3 D4 L6. So he is averaging 1pt per game. Clearly their trip to Fulham on Saturday is a big one. A beautifully cliched 6 pointer.

 

[B.W.]

I'm just not sure why you think a player agitating for a move would result in driving down his price to the buying club.

Do you think TB will knock a few grand off for Gus, just because Liam's had his head turned ?

I've already explained why it may have an impact. Just my opinion. Gus seems to be trying to distance himself from Liam's transfer request. You may want to reflect on why that is.

 

[JBizzle]

Doesn't matter a jot. He's still under contract.

He's ours for the duration of his contract until someone pays us circa £4m. The fact he wants to go to Sunderland and Sunderland want him isn't our concern.

Spot on. When he leaves good luck, but his transfer request is irrelevant, other than confirming what everyone knows - that he wants to leave.

I think in some cases there's a loyalty incentive which then gets waived when you hand in a transfer request. One would assume there's no such incentive in Bridcutt's one as, as you rightly point out, a transfer request means nothing these days. Look at Suarez: he requested a transfer, Liverpool said "no", rejected all bids and he stayed.

Transfer request or no, he's going nowhere unless his valuation is met...

 

[dadams2k11]

Anyone know if he's still training with the first team

Didnt see him today but thats not to say he was not in.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I think in some cases there's a loyalty incentive which then gets waived when you hand in a transfer request. One would assume there's no such incentive in Bridcutt's one as, as you rightly point out, a transfer request means nothing these days. Look at Suarez: he requested a transfer, Liverpool said "no", rejected all bids and he stayed.

Transfer request or no, he's going nowhere unless his valuation is met...

Yes, but Liverpool are now paying the consequences keeping a player that clearly doesn't want to be there.

 

[Easy 10]

I've already explained why it may have an impact. Just my opinion. Gus seems to be trying to distance himself from Liam's transfer request. You may want to reflect on why that is.

He told reporters after the game: “Liam Bridcutt putting in a transfer request? It’s nothing to do with me.”

When a reporter tells him Bridcutt has handed in a transfer request, what else is Gus going to say ? Any answer other than the one he gave would lead to accusations of tapping up.

Gus could be lying through his teeth of course. He might have been on the blower to Bridcutt all week - it'd be naive to believe this doesn't go on, particularly when you consider what a close working relationship they've had for the last 3 years or so. But we'll never know.

Gus, like all managers, will always be coy when it comes to discussing other clubs players and transfer targets, and rightly so. Theres nothing to reflect on as far as I'm concerned, it was just a stock answer to the media.

 

[brightn'ove]

Yes, but Liverpool are now paying the consequences keeping a player that clearly doesn't want to be there.

Yes, what a shambles.

 

[B.W.]

He told reporters after the game: “Liam Bridcutt putting in a transfer request? It’s nothing to do with me.”

When a reporter tells him Bridcutt has handed in a transfer request, what else is Gus going to say ? Any answer other than the one he gave would lead to accusations of tapping up.

Gus could be lying through his teeth of course. He might have been on the blower to Bridcutt all week - it'd be naive to believe this doesn't go on, particularly when you consider what a close working relationship they've had for the last 3 years or so. But we'll never know.

Gus, like all managers, will always be coy when it comes to discussing other clubs players and transfer targets, and rightly so. Theres nothing to reflect on as far as I'm concerned, it was just a stock answer to the media.

Now reflect on why Gus would want Liam to hand in a transfer request.