Dale Stephens Summer 2016 shenanigans (Merged Thread)

[Pavilionaire]

Hopefully Burnley will go on a bad run, the worse they do the better Stephens is likely to perform.

 

[Nixonator]

Hopefully Burnley will go on a bad run, the worse they do the better Stephens is likely to perform.

I don't think it has ever been about the success of his club. I doubt he gives a stuff how burnley are doing. Is he going to think "damn look Burnley have reached the blistering heights of 10th in the PL, i'm gutted"?

He wants a few seasons earning a PL wage, as soon as possible, wherever that might be. He knows even if burnley are relegated he would still be earning substantially more than here.

 

[Dick Head]

Don't like that 'explanation' one bit. It's 'not an apology'. You've got some ****ing making up to do Dale. Also not just saying it but we have so, so much more going for us than Burnley. It's literally just about a season or 2 in the prem lg & £s - part of me doesn't blame him but part thinks he can't see the bigger picture and what we're building here. You owe us some seriously good performances now Dale.

A season or 2? Two? TWO?

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Not according to [MENTION=805]Kalimantan Gull[/MENTION]

He also brought into the extra training gaff

Of course I didn't, but I also don't believe for one second he refused to play. Bottom line, he's a great player, we needed him to have a shot at automatic, and he's still here. The future remains unwritten.

 

[saafend_seagull]

Lol he didn't say he hoped to fill promotion with us because the dream is not to play in premier league, dream is to earn as much cash as possible - that's what he's missed out on. Much like what anyone else would do.


Also if we go up and burnley go down we need to be joke bidding for everyone of their half decent players.

 

[Bwian]

The only villains here are Burnley. Like others have said, i'm sure they could have had him weeks/months ago if they had matched the asking price.

They tried to get a bargain and it backfired. They have now paid 10.5m for a lesser player, in my opinion.

Dale is obviously pissed off, I wouldn't have expected the tone of anything he says to be good until he's had at least a few days to come to terms with it. Most of his message is fair game, though I disagree that this could be his 'last chance' to play in PL. That is just bollocks that I doubt even he believes. What he really means to say is he wants 'at least a couple of years earning PL money'.

Also, people are interpreting wrongly about him not thinking the albion can make it, who's to say we would want him if we go up? I hope we would keep him as I rate him very highly, but CH/Recruitment may have other plans.

I hope their search for a replacement started the moment Stephens went on Twitter so we can bring somebody in as soon as the January transfer window opens because I think we'll be going through this same crap in a few months.

A pox on Burnley once again - shitty tinpot outfit.

 

[Bwian]

Of course I didn't, but I also don't believe for one second he refused to play. Bottom line, he's a great player, we needed him to have a shot at automatic, and he's still here. The future remains unwritten.

So, a key midfielder for us is 100% fit but sits out a couple of games because? Hughton isn't going to drop a vital player for 2 tough games is he?

He will be gone in January.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Perhaps it went something like this.

Burnley make enquiry about Stephens. Albion reply that not keen on selling but that the asking price is (say) £10 million.

Burnley offer £3.5 million (the same as their initial offer for Hendrick). Albion say no, pay the asking price or no deal.

Stephens is aware of deal and fancies chance of playing in EPL. His agent advises not to put in a formal transfer request as will lose out on a cut of the sale proceeds.

Burnley come back with further offers, still substantially less than the Albion's valuation, trying to get DS on the cheap. At the same time they also increase their offer for Hendrick by roughly the same amount.

Derby also play hardball until Burnley cave in and offer asking price and cough up £10.5 million.

Stephens' agent realises that needs to try to force the deal by putting in a transfer request. Burnley fail to meet Albion's valuation once more so no deal. You don't **** with Tony Bloom.

Fair play to DS for stating his position. Most people want to work at a high level in their profession. There's no reason why he would sulk for rest of season because (a) he won't let down his work colleagues, he's not that type of bloke, (b) the better he plays the greater the chance of playing in the EPL next season, either with the Albion or another club, (c) he's on appearance and win bonuses just like every other player for the club in all probability, so why cut off your nose to spite your face?

I don't think he's the bad party in all this, Burnley could have had him a month ago had they met the valuation, the Albion would have had time to find a replacement.

Burnley chose a different approach via making six bids, each only a small increment higher than the previous one.


Sent from Konnie Huq's lingerie drawer.

That's how I read the situation.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

I love that line that he will 'honour his contract' What else was he going to do after the window shut? Gap year in Thailand? Work experience in a bank?

Get you head down you overpaid bell cheese. It's Burnley FFS not Real Madrid. Lifelong ambition to play with George Boyd? Feck me.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

The part about being 27 is quite funny, when you realise that Ulloa was 28 when he came to us. Now aged 30, he's played in the top division winning the title.
Dale, 27 is not too old. You're not on your last legs, so just get on with it.

 

[sdmartin1]

I think Dale is being a bit dishonest here. If he wanted a move purely to 'play in the premier league' he would have handed in a transfer request long ago. Fact is he was also very interested in getting a chunky fee once the deal was done, so only handed it in yesterday to try and force a deal through. It's only natural to want a move to a higher division and more money but he shouldn't make out it was purely to do with the level of football he would be playing at.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

The part about being 27 is quite funny, when you realise that Ulloa was 28 when he came to us. Now aged 30, he's played in the top division winning the title.
Dale, 27 is not too old. You're not on your last legs, so just get on with it.

I'm 41 and I worry about how close slugs are to my plant pots. That's when you know your best years are behind you, not when you are driving a Porsche playing pro football.

 

[neilbard]

I love that line that he will 'honour his contract' What else was he going to do after the window shut? Gap year in Thailand? Work experience in a bank?

Get you head down you overpaid bell cheese. It's Burnley FFS not Real Madrid. Lifelong ambition to play with George Boyd? Feck me.

Please not Thailand although the work experience in the bank thingy looks most attractive!

 

[MattBackHome]

I'm 41 and I worry about how close slugs are to my plant pots. That's when you know your best years are behind you, not when you are driving a Porsche playing pro football.

Slugs are the bane of my life.

 

[Hugo Rune]

I think Dale is being a bit dishonest here. If he wanted a move purely to 'play in the premier league' he would have handed in a transfer request long ago. Fact is he was also very interested in getting a chunky fee once the deal was done, so only handed it in yesterday to try and force a deal through. It's only natural to want a move to a higher division and more money but he shouldn't make out it was purely to do with the level of football he would be playing at.

This.

His tweet has made me very angry with him.

He needs a new agent as a good one would have had him in the Premier League today. This 'club knew 5 weeks ago' is just not on! He should have handed in a transfer request 5 weeks ago then!

I'll be a massive DS fan again when we next play at the Amex but for now I'm very pissed off with him.

 

[HantsSeagull]

i think he should have slept on that tweet.

 

[Prince Monolulu]

I now hope we can all move on, with Dale making a top contribution to the side as he did last season. Whilst I think the tone of the tweet is somewhat muted, I am sure Dale is a 'true' professional and will indeed 'full fill' (sic) his contract to the best of his ability.

The proof of the pudding will be in the eating.

Good luck Dale, here's to a great season.

 

[Perfidious Albion]

Can't help thinking we might have been better off cashing in than have a dispirited player....

 

[Finchley Seagull]

I think Dale is being a bit dishonest here. If he wanted a move purely to 'play in the premier league' he would have handed in a transfer request long ago. Fact is he was also very interested in getting a chunky fee once the deal was done, so only handed it in yesterday to try and force a deal through. It's only natural to want a move to a higher division and more money but he shouldn't make out it was purely to do with the level of football he would be playing at.

Agreed. That's where he loses the argument. If you want a move, hand in a transfer request initially, not on the last day. He was trying to win both ways by getting a move and extra payments, which he would forfeit by handing in a transfer request. I think he's behaved pretty badly from the sound of it and hope the club can sort him out as he's a very important player to us.

Also agree with others comments re Burnley. Their tactics of only slightly upping bids for Stephens and others to try to get a slightly better deal are disrespectful and I hope they are relegated again this season. Fair play to Tony Bloom for standing up to them.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Dear Dale

Knuckle down old son and there's every chance you'll be playing Premier League football with us next season, on an improved contract, in front of a full house at the Amex.

Meanwhile take some time to look around your current surroundings. See the training ground with new eyes. Marvel at the skills of our new unpronounceable left back. Look at the downs, the sea, the award winning restaurants, abundance of quality bars, theatres and entertainment. The quiet and intelligent encouragement of your boss. The supreme real estate,.

Then thank your lucky stars you're not tucked away in a northern shithole where boarded up houses sell for tuppence and the pubs still have meat raffles, being yelled at by a psychotic ginger dalek.

Yours, GB.