Dale Stephens & David Stockdale contracts...

[bobby baxter]

Is it time for TB & PB to play hard ball and insist on signing by 15th June, or no deal and they leave? I dont know if it still is so but it was that players could be approached and offered deals by other clubs from 1st June to 14th June a 2 week period and this was not classed as poaching. So 15th or 16th June seems a reasonable deadline. If they leave it will give us time to look about more deeply than at present for replacements. I hope that they will both sign a new contract.

What he said

 

[Gritt23]

You won't get Tomori on the cheap and certainly not for free as his development has to be bought up at the very least. Tomori wasn't exposed at left back, if you were to ask me. He was coming into a Promotion chasing side. Probably just nerves and a keenness to do well - That lad is gonna be a star. Hopefully at Brighton but if he is then he will have to be bought and paid for and I am sure we are well aware of that.

You talk as if Chelsea never release players. They churn through LOADS every year, and if he was to be the next Bridcutt or Ince, then I think we would be interested. If he stays on tehir books, I very much doubt we would look to pay what they would be asking.

 

[DavidRyder]

I'm not ready for the good news to end any time yet, so beat Norwich (title & party), party v Bristol (& presentation), party at Villa, trophy parade on the front, then Stockdale signs a few days later, then Stephens days later. That should keep the good news going until the play offs, when Fulham go up and Yorkshire becomes a sea of tears.

 

[samtheseagull]

Anyone that thinks Tomori has not got great potential is mental. Done really well for us(even at left back against Newcastle) and is only 19! He has got all the attributes of being a top defender.

 

[DavidRyder]

Anyone that thinks Tomori is has not got great potential is mental. Done really well for us(even at left back against Newcastle) and is only 19! He has got all the attributes of being a top defender.

If he became available I'd be very pleased to sign him, he has a real future.

 

[NooBHA]

You talk as if Chelsea never release players. They churn through LOADS every year, and if he was to be the next Bridcutt or Ince, then I think we would be interested. If he stays on tehir books, I very much doubt we would look to pay what they would be asking.

We were willing to pay £8m for Alex Pritchard as a Championship club. All depends on how highly the manager rates his potential don't you think ?

 

[Triggaaar]

Both players have held out as they want Premier League football and have PL clubs interested. Now we're a PL club, can see them both being buttoned down fairly quickly. Honestly, team spirit like they have doesn't come round every day, they'd be mad, any of them, not to give it a go next year.

Exactly.

Money is important, for long term security for their families etc of course it is, but they will get enough money with us, and it's unlikely they'll find this much happiness elsewhere.

 

[Da Man Clay]

Anyone that thinks Tomori has not got great potential is mental. Done really well for us(even at left back against Newcastle) and is only 19! He has got all the attributes of being a top defender.

Indeed. He is going to be an exceptionally good CB. When you consider what Dunk was like at his age it's scary how good Tomori could be. He is unbelievable in the air. He would be one of the first players I would get back on loan. Young enough not to count towards the 25 and versatile enough he could come in real handy through next year.

 

[Gritt23]

We were willing to pay £8m for Alex Pritchard as a Championship club. All depends on how highly the manager rates his potential don't you think ?

Of course, but generally I think the top Prem teams massively over-value their young talent right up until the moment they give up on them and release them, or eventually sell them for something reasonable .... such as Josh Mcechran. He was touted really highly, and Chelsea seemed unwilling to ever let him go, but loaned him, and loaned him and loaned him before eventually selling him for about £0.5m to Brentford.

£8m for Pritchard looked too much to me last year, and I haven't changed my opinion with anything I've seen of him since. Also, I've not seen anything to warrant a significant spend on Tomori. But as I've said, don't get me wrong, I like him, and I'm pulling for him, as he used to go to my sons school, and his sister is at the same school as my daughter. Because of that I have watched him quite closely. I just don't see him being a key target unless he became available.

 

[NooBHA]

Of course, but generally I think the top Prem teams massively over-value their young talent right up until the moment they give up on them and release them, or eventually sell them for something reasonable .... such as Josh Mcechran. He was touted really highly, and Chelsea seemed unwilling to ever let him go, but loaned him, and loaned him and loaned him before eventually selling him for about £0.5m to Brentford.

£8m for Pritchard looked too much to me last year, and I haven't changed my opinion with anything I've seen of him since. Also, I've not seen anything to warrant a significant spend on Tomori. But as I've said, don't get me wrong, I like him, and I'm pulling for him, as he used to go to my sons school, and his sister is at the same school as my daughter. Because of that I have watched him quite closely. I just don't see him being a key target unless he became available.

Ah well. Lets agree to disagree, seeing as I don't seem to have as much knowledge of him.

 

[trueblue]

Stockdale talking about next season in this article, Who's bottling it now?'

http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/15232288.Albion_keeper_Stockdale___Who_s_bottling_it_now__/

"Don't write us off, we've still got a job to do. Let's make it seven or eight on the spin. We can reach a hundred (points) now. There are boundaries now which will put a lot of smiles on people's faces for a lot of months before we go into the Premier League and a different type of fight."

A fight, realistically to begin with, for survival. Stockdale, 31, knows how tough it is, having made 39 appearances over the course of six seasons in the Premier League with Fulham, culminating in relegation.

"We've got to consolidate and the gaffer's the perfect man to do that," he said. "He's been there and done that, I'll leave it up to him.

"We'll take it game by game and who knows we might be in the Champions League in the next two years? That's a joke by the way! But why not, who said Leicester were going to win (the league)?

Excellent. That sounds like a player who's staying and really why would he leave? This is a guy who has had a taste of the highest level before but is surely at an age where he wants to show he is a top, top keeper. If he stays and plays here he can be pretty confident that he'll get the chance to prove that with a manager and supporters that will be with him all the way. A move is always a risk and just don't see why he'd want to be a top flight bench-warmer again, even if he got offered stupid money. Probably just wanted to keep his options open in case we didn't make it, would be my guess.

 

[BrianWade4]

Absolutely vital
Don't both want to move north for family reasons though?

 

[dangull]

Absolutely vital
Don't both want to move north for family reasons though?

Bring the family down south would be my advice to them.

 

[sparkie]

Not sure either will stay, but you never can tell.

 

[whitelion]

Both have deals on the table but unfortunately I feel with at least Stephens it will drag on until July

Good call sir.

 

[Springal]

Good call sir.

I already admitted on the other thread that I was MORE than happy to be wrong with my judgement on Stephens. Great news

 

[sparkie]

Great news about Stephens.

Now for the other DS.