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

[Spun Cuppa]

Then you'd be wrong.

Time will tell

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Time will tell

Time will only tell if Ince is played in the same role by Oscar. But I suspect he won't be. Oscar like Andrews in that position with Ince a little further forward.

If you mean time will tell if Ince will become a very good player....Then yes of course. I suspect he will be. But he is not a ready made replacement for bridcutt. Not yet.

 

[Commander]

I used to be a Gus fan, but I'm first and foremost a BHAFC supporter and I think we should be more willing to abuse, harass and criticise those who disrespect our club. However well he performed prior to May 13th (and it wasn't perfect, bearing in mind our top two squad only finished fourth thanks to a good late run), Gus' actions from 7.45pm on that day were unforgivable and cost us a whole lot of pride and £100m or more. He will be reminded of this by the majority of the crowd when he returns.

I can't be the only one who is really enjoying now having a manager who, regardless of whether we win or lose on the pitch, is actually a really decent, honourable and likeable man.

We only had a potential top two squad from January onwards, once Ulloa had signed and Orlandi and David had finally found their feet. How can you say we had a top two squad when for the first 5 months of the season we didn't have a goalscorer in the squad? And had we had Ulloa from the start, it's pretty clear we would have gone up automatically. And apart from anything else, who put that squad together? Gus didn't inherit it, did he?

As for May 13th, we had an off day. It happens. There were no 'unforgivable' actions, people have just worked themselves up into a frenzy about it because it was Palace. If it was Watford we'd lost to nobody would have got so upset. Barnes hit the bar at 0-0, had that been two inches lower we could well have been on the way to Wembley, and nobody would have said anything about these supposed 'unforgivable actions'.

I don't think Gus will get massively booed when he comes back, it will be a mixed reaction from people.

 

[sparkie]

I think it's more a case that the 'unforgivable actions' were there, win or lose.

However, a win would have meant they would have had little consequence that night.

 

[BHseagull]

We only had a potential top two squad from January onwards, once Ulloa had signed and Orlandi and David had finally found their feet. How can you say we had a top two squad when for the first 5 months of the season we didn't have a goalscorer in the squad?

Bit harsh on Barnes. We were top at the end of September within 1 goal of being the top scorers in the division.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Suppose Poyet is not going to buy him, but someone else? He uses Bridcutt to lever a deal for someone else and we're left with a player that's disappointed & unsettled and one the fans now know doesn't want to stay so get on his back and things are never the same again. Now, Poyet wouldn't want that would he?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Suppose Poyet is not going to buy him, but someone else? He uses Bridcutt to lever a deal for someone else and we're left with a player that's disappointed & unsettled and one the fans now know doesn't want to stay so get on his back and things are never the same again. Now, Poyet wouldn't want that would he?

No, I don't think he would. Whatever our thoughts regards Gus' loyalty to the Albion, I still firmly believe that he would remain loyal to 'his' players.

 

[Commander]

Bit harsh on Barnes. We were top at the end of September within 1 goal of being the top scorers in the division.

Perhaps, but the table at the end of September doesn't mean much. I like Barnes but I don't think anyone would claim he is the 30 goal a season striker that you want to get you promoted.

 

[Hamilton]

Not surprised. This is his chance and he wants to take it. There's no evidence to suggest that Oscar rates him as highly as Gus did, so it's possible that if we went up he might be replaced. That could be at the back of his mind too, so here is a shot at premiership football on a plate.

He has been great for us. We now with agree a fee fast and settle it, or dig in and say absolutely not and then Oscar gets him focused on playing great first team football. Don't hold with all this 'leave him in the reserves' rot. He can do a great job for us.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I don't know why people get so worked up about things like this.

If a player wants to leave a club they are the worst in the world. Yet on the flip side of the ledger football clubs can make a man unemployed as quick as you can click your fingers.

When clubs do that fans seem to accept it without battering an eyelid.

absolutely.

 

[dragonred]

good luck to Liam - handing in a transfer request is bog standard practice these days and it doesn't reflect any disrespect whatsoever to the club or to us supporters. It is simply a mechanism to help facilitate a move elsewhere and if anything it helps the club and TB as no-one can now say they simply let him go without a fight or that they lack ambition. Far better he goes if his head elsewhere and if this request lets them happen on terms that work for us as a club then all the better. If anyone seriously takes this move emotionally or personally then they need to get out more as the bigger we grow the more we are going to experience this happening and as importantly, the more we are going to be doing it to other clubs too, especially if we get promoted to the Premiership.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Perhaps, but the table at the end of September doesn't mean much. I like Barnes but I don't think anyone would claim he is the 30 goal a season striker that you want to get you promoted.

I think that is fair enough, however, that aside the Championship in terms of quality was a very poor division, which is reflected by the fact that Hull, Cardiff and Palace went up, none of whom were particularly good. I'm not sure that I am aggrieved with Poyet for not getting up with a 'top 2 squad', more not getting up in a poor quality league. So I think he is accountable.

In terms of Palace, he is culpable as well through lack of preparation, whilst you can't account for poor performances on the pitch, his whole demeanour, the turning up late, poor team selection (he only had to look at what he did in the March game for a clue), was not good enough.

Despite all of this, there can be no doubt he turned round a mediocre League 1 team and made us challenge again, so I would welcome him back to the Amex.

In relation to Bridcutt, if he goes and we get a good price (£3.5m-ish) then fair enough, the game goes on. Poyet does feel more comfortable with players who are familiar to him, that is no different to other managers (Micky Adams for example). Clough also did it with John McGovern for years. All players have a price its up to Poyet to meet ours, regardless of transfer requests.

 

[Machiavelli]

We only had a potential top two squad from January onwards, once Ulloa had signed and Orlandi and David had finally found their feet. How can you say we had a top two squad when for the first 5 months of the season we didn't have a goalscorer in the squad? And had we had Ulloa from the start, it's pretty clear we would have gone up automatically. And apart from anything else, who put that squad together? Gus didn't inherit it, did he?

As for May 13th, we had an off day. It happens. There were no 'unforgivable' actions, people have just worked themselves up into a frenzy about it because it was Palace. If it was Watford we'd lost to nobody would have got so upset. Barnes hit the bar at 0-0, had that been two inches lower we could well have been on the way to Wembley, and nobody would have said anything about these supposed 'unforgivable actions'.

I don't think Gus will get massively booed when he comes back, it will be a mixed reaction from people.

This. I shall be one of those clapping him.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Don't hold with all this 'leave him in the reserves' rot. He can do a great job for us.

Indeed. Its a moronic, spiteful suggestion. On the evidence to date, I don't have Bloom or Oscar down as spiteful morons.

Do you think Liverpool fans wish that Suarez was 'rotting in the reserves' as punishment for daring to submit a transfer request?

 

[Commander]

I think that is fair enough, however, that aside the Championship in terms of quality was a very poor division, which is reflected by the fact that Hull, Cardiff and Palace went up, none of whom were particularly good. I'm not sure that I am aggrieved with Poyet for not getting up with a 'top 2 squad', more not getting up in a poor quality league. So I think he is accountable.

In terms of Palace, he is culpable as well through lack of preparation, whilst you can't account for poor performances on the pitch, his whole demeanour, the turning up late, poor team selection (he only had to look at what he did in the March game for a clue), was not good enough.

Despite all of this, there can be no doubt he turned round a mediocre League 1 team and made us challenge again, so I would welcome him back to the Amex.

In relation to Bridcutt, if he goes and we get a good price (£3.5m-ish) then fair enough, the game goes on. Poyet does feel more comfortable with players who are familiar to him, that is no different to other managers (Micky Adams for example). Clough also did it with John McGovern for years. All players have a price its up to Poyet to meet ours, regardless of transfer requests.

All this 'lack of preparation' and 'turning up late' stuff, is there any actual evidence to support this? I often hear it mentioned, but I've never actually heard any facts about it. Of course I could have missed something so I'm not necessarily doubting it, but has it been proven?

 

[CheeseRolls]

I think that is fair enough, however, that aside the Championship in terms of quality was a very poor division, which is reflected by the fact that Hull, Cardiff and Palace went up, none of whom were particularly good. I'm not sure that I am aggrieved with Poyet for not getting up with a 'top 2 squad', more not getting up in a poor quality league. So I think he is accountable.

In terms of Palace, he is culpable as well through lack of preparation, whilst you can't account for poor performances on the pitch, his whole demeanour, the turning up late, poor team selection (he only had to look at what he did in the March game for a clue), was not good enough.

Despite all of this, there can be no doubt he turned round a mediocre League 1 team and made us challenge again, so I would welcome him back to the Amex.

In relation to Bridcutt, if he goes and we get a good price (£3.5m-ish) then fair enough, the game goes on. Poyet does feel more comfortable with players who are familiar to him, that is no different to other managers (Micky Adams for example). Clough also did it with John McGovern for years. All players have a price its up to Poyet to meet ours, regardless of transfer requests.

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 ?

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I don't have a problem with Bridcutt wanting to leave. I completely understand it.

I just don't like players trying to force the hand of the club by handing in a transfer request in a bid to get the club to sell for less than their valuation of the player.

And yes, by doing so he may well lose any loyalty payment meaning the Albion get more of the potential fee. But presumably he could just waive that anyway without handing in a request.

I know it is part of modern football. But that does not mean it isn't a shame. I'll still wish him well, I'll still clap him if he comes back. But won't remember him quite as fondly.

 

[British Bulldog]

I don't have a problem with Bridcutt wanting to leave. I completely understand it.

I just don't like players trying to force the hand of the club by handing in a transfer request in a bid to get the club to sell for less than their valuation of the player.

And yes, by doing so he may well lose any loyalty payment meaning the Albion get more of the potential fee. But presumably he could just waive that anyway without handing in a request.

I know it is part of modern football. But that does not mean it isn't a shame. I'll still wish him well, I'll still clap him if he comes back. But won't remember him quite as fondly.

I get where your coming from but on the other hand for all we know it could be the Albion that have told Bridcutt he has to hand in an official transfer request if he wants to leave? I'm not certain how transfers work these days but I know it used to be that if a club sold a player without them handing in a transfer request then said player was entitled to a percentage of the transfer fee.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I get where your coming from but on the other hand for all we know it could be the Albion that have told Bridcutt he has to hand in an official transfer request if he wants to leave? I'm not certain how transfers work these days but I know it used to be that if a club sold a player without them handing in a transfer request then said player was entitled to a percentage of the transfer fee.

Also, I guess we don't know what was said when Crystal Palace bid in pre season. For all we know he might have been given assurances by the club they wouldn't stand in his way if another Premier League club came in for him later.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Handing in a transfer request puts the club in a good position. We can now open it up to the highest bidder as he obviously wants out.

Let's get a bidding war