Dale may stay....

[Big_Unit]

Could you explain how his performances have indicated he's a bit "meh"? You must have been watching different games to me, in the ones i've watched (all of them minus Portman Road) he's been throwing his body around as frequently as last season. He also doesn't look particularly "meh" when we score goals, save penalties or the final whistle when we win games, or in the January window where he could have taken his "meh" to further engineer a move.

We simply disagree. I thought the bloke was an utter beast for most of last season. Less so this.

 

[dingodan]

That pass tho.

 

[NooBHA]

You'd be looking at someone like Howson who would cost less, but command a higher wage. Having said that, he is looking to be Norwich's PotS so maybe i'm underestimating it.

But yes I agree with your point, it is certainly not economical to let Stephens go because of a signing on fee.

I think Norwich tied Johnny to a long term contract at the start of the year so they won't sell him.

 

[sparkie]

Dale Stephens says if we get to the Premier promised land and the deal is ok he could stay. Says he likes it here.
BBC Sussex interview.

Good news. Let's hope this works out well.

 

[Weststander]

Shelvey certainly made it look that way at the Amex.

Shelvey made every Albion midfielder look inferior for the last hour, as he has the rest of the division and many an opponent playing for LFC/Swansea/Newcastle. He's earned several caps for England.

That doesn't mean DS would fail as PL midfielder.

 

[TSB]

The countryside near both Burnley and Middlesbrough is lovely. You don't think our players actually live in Brighton, do you? I can only think of two.

Bruno, Beram, Casper, Murray, Uwe, Maenpaa & Hemed, top of my head.
Probably Liam.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Bruno, Beram, Casper, Murray, Uwe, Maenpaa & Hemed, top of my head.
Probably Liam.

Bruno lives in Hove, not Brighton.

 

[Nixonator]

Bruno, Beram, Casper, Murray, Uwe, Maenpaa & Hemed, top of my head.
Probably Liam.

Liam Hove, Shirley Drive

 

[Nixonator]

Bruno lives in Hove, not Brighton.

Yes but wasn't your point how only one or two of our players live in the city of our club? Hove is part of that surely.. it was in our name last I checked

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Yes but wasn't your point how only one or two of our players live in the city of our club? Hove is part of that surely.. it was in our name last I checked

It might be a city in name, but I've never thought of Hove and Brighton as the same place #set in my ways.#oldfashioned.

 

[TSB]

Bruno lives in Hove, not Brighton.

It's the same place.
I also forgot Knocky.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

WRT the topic of the thread, I watched him closely last night and felt that he was his usual smart and classy self, but with a return to the edge and bite that he had before his 'head was turned'. Not completely back (as there were no nasty challenges - lol!). However, I smiled quietly to myself at waht I saw.

What fool would want to leave this set up to take one's chances elsewhere, probaly with little or no better pay increase than what we will offer? No, the only two things standing in the way of the full return to the fold is our actually guaranteeing promotion (just a metter of time) and his being able to face up to himself and accept that things have changed and we can move on and staying here is the best option.

So he'll be off to Palace, mark my words

 

[lancyclaret]

WRT the topic of the thread, I watched him closely last night and felt that he was his usual smart and classy self, but with a return to the edge and bite that he had before his 'head was turned'. Not completely back (as there were no nasty challenges - lol!). However, I smiled quietly to myself at waht I saw.

What fool would want to leave this set up to take one's chances elsewhere, probaly with little or no better pay increase than what we will offer? No, the only two things standing in the way of the full return to the fold is our actually guaranteeing promotion (just a metter of time) and his being able to face up to himself and accept that things have changed and we can move on and staying here is the best option.

So he'll be off to Palace, mark my words

I still think Stephens will be playing for the PL team that offers him the best financial package (eg huge multi-million signing-on fee).

 

[Weststander]

I still think Stephens will be playing for the PL team that offers him the best financial package (eg huge multi-million signing-on fee).

Most fans seem to have always agreed about this. Let's hope it's us. If we let say Burnley win with a larger fee, we will then have to replace DS at huge expense, when our finite budget will be required to upgrade our squad in many other positions.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

I still think Stephens will be playing for the PL team that offers him the best financial package (eg huge multi-million signing-on fee).

Yep, this will be the biggest contract of his career, i think that is exactly what it comes down to. I hope we are now able to offer that to him.

 

[lancyclaret]

With Barton's career effectively finished, Dean Marney probably not recovered from injury before Oct/Nov and Steven Defour out-of-favour and unsettled, I would guess that Sean Dyche's interest in signing Stephens will have increased rather than diminished.

 

[Paris]

With Barton's career effectively finished, Dean Marney probably not recovered from injury before Oct/Nov and Steven Defour out-of-favour and unsettled, I would guess that Sean Dyche's interest in signing Stephens will have increased rather than diminished.

Then we'll need to offer a pound more than whatever Burnley offer Dale.

 

[Soulman]

The South Coast Riviera, the weather, the state of the art training ground, the 30,000 Amex Stadium, the schools etc........only money will take him back to Burnley.

 

[ManOfSussex]

The South Coast Riviera, the weather, the state of the art training ground, the 30,000 Amex Stadium, the schools etc........only money will take him back to Burnley.

I thought his other half was homesick though/missing chips and gravy?

 

[Weststander]

The South Coast Riviera, the weather, the state of the art training ground, the 30,000 Amex Stadium, the schools etc........only money will take him back to Burnley.

One would hope so.

The only advantage they have is that it would him home to his family and roots.