Dale Stephens Summer 2016 shenanigans (Merged Thread)

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Doc Lynam

I hate the Daily Mail
Jun 19, 2011
7,347
Be nice if someone had the time to write an open letter to players!

Kayal has acted professional throughout this whole window.
 




One Teddy Maybank

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 4, 2006
22,990
Worthing
I just think he has been extremely badly advised.

Wasn't his original agent unauthorised and we received a fine when he moved here etc...

The 'tweet' is unhelpful and I think credibility wise, he'll need to ensure his performances remain at a good standard.


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Monkey Man

Your support is not that great
Jan 30, 2005
3,224
Neither here nor there
I agree - the player was poorly advised and the whole thing has been handled badly by Stephens' representatives.

And far from coming across as an honest, let's-clear-the-air announcement, the tweet shows zero respect for Tony Bloom, or for Chris Hughton, who has clearly been trying to shield him from speculation and criticism.

Of course he has an ambition to play in the Premier league. That goes for every Brighton player. But it doesn't mean we should accept derisory bids on deadline day to make that happen.

I'm not going to boo the guy but I've lost a lot of respect for him and I hope his attitude doesn't affect the togetherness in the dressing room that we like to believe has been excellent in the Hughton era.
 


perseus

Broad Blue & White stripe
Jul 5, 2003
23,461
Sūþseaxna
The tweet has pissed me off more than the transfer request.

1. He doesn't believe we are good enough to be promoted this season despite the fact he has an influence over this.
2. Nothing about giving 100% until his contract ends.

The club supported him admirably when he was injured - it's payback time Dale and you have some serious making up to do.

It could mean Burnley had not tapped him up enough (via the agent) with details of the deal? Or vice-versa: they had and it was better than expected.

Has he got a new agent ?

If I was a player, I would like to be able to speak with a potential employer. I think this is only possible if a transfer fee is accepted. To get around that as a player I would want a transfer fee release clause in the contract.
 






Bwian

Kiss my (_!_)
Jul 14, 2003
15,898
Well imagine if there wasn't... Dale Stephens would be playing for Burnley now.

It was more a rhetorical question than anything-we all know contracts mean nothing these days. At least when clubs fire managers with time left on a contract there is usually some form of compensation paid. No such honour from players.
 


Bwian

Kiss my (_!_)
Jul 14, 2003
15,898
Having turned down £8m, and with Dale potentially leaving for free in the summer, if he plays every league game from now on we've effectively chosen to pay £190,000 per game for him.

He'd better bloody play well.

Based on that, I'd rather he went to Burnley. We could have got one hell of a player(s) for that.
 






Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,411
Location Location
One thing this last year or so has proved is that BHAFC are certainly no pushover in the transfer market any more. Multiple bids for Dunk, Knockaert and Stephens all swatted away. Its a message to other clubs that if you're interested in our prize assets, you'd better be prepared to pay through the NOSE for them, or don't bother wasting our time.

No bad thing.
 


Hungry Joe

SINNEN
Oct 22, 2004
7,636
Heading for shore
One thing this last year or so has proved is that BHAFC are certainly no pushover in the transfer market any more. Multiple bids for Dunk, Knockaert and Stephens all swatted away. Its a message to other clubs that if you're interested in our prize assets, you'd better be prepared to pay through the NOSE for them, or don't bother wasting our time.

No bad thing.

No bad thing in attracting the right sort of player too, ones who don't just see us as a stepping stone to the first 'better' offer that comes along.
 


symyjym

Banned
Nov 2, 2009
13,138
Brighton / Hove actually
I don't have a problem with his tweet because we now know how he stands. As long as he does the job that he is contracted to, and doesn't sabotage his team mates it's not really an issue for me. To be fair though there are worse clubs to be stuck at, like Burnley next season.

One thing to bear in mind is that Hughton would have had a big say in this. If he thought that keeping DS would be disruptive, or worth £8m to the transfer kitty, DS would be gone.

Ultimately Hughton has to weigh up the pros and cons and the final decision would be down to him. Hughton may be certain that DS is key for a promotion challenge.

That said when trying to rationalise it with the info we have, I still think that £8m in the transfer kitty is a massive amount to turn down. I think he cost us around £750k and we would have almost seen the same financial return as Ulloa.
 




Lower West Stander

Well-known member
Mar 25, 2012
4,753
Back in Sussex
Stephens has had one good season for us, he did ok in the previous one but was injured a lot of the time.

Its a massive show of faith by the club to turn down that kind of money on the basis of one year's performance and let him run his contract down. I really hope he repays the trust we've shown in him by performing on the pitch.

Throwing his toys out on social media is not the best start...........
 


cunningplan

New member
Apr 1, 2011
354
Sussex Coast
It's all a matter of integrity.
Stephens has a contract to work through, is no doubt on a good salary, and is a regular in the first team.
As it happens, I am not his biggest fan - but I am angry at his assumption that his ambition should automatically take precedence over the ambitions of the club that pays him well in good times and bad! One could drive a coach and horses through the logic of his tweet in terms of 'telling the truth' etc. I am pleased the club has the resources to make a stand - many clubs don't have the luxury to ensure that a contract is honoured!
 


symyjym

Banned
Nov 2, 2009
13,138
Brighton / Hove actually
The tweet has pissed me off more than the transfer request.

1. He doesn't believe we are good enough to be promoted this season despite the fact he has an influence over this.
2. Nothing about giving 100% until his contract ends.

The club supported him admirably when he was injured - it's payback time Dale and you have some serious making up to do.

He doesn't say he doesn't believe we are good enough to be promoted this season. I very much doubt that he would sabotage his team mates when he is on the pitch either.

As it stands he has probably got to motivate himself even more this season to attract Prem clubs when his contract ends. To get all moody about it and "not giving 100%" is really like shooting yourself in the foot and nothing good will come of it. I doubt he is that stupid or selfish to his team mates.
 




Giraffe

VERY part time moderator
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patron
Aug 8, 2005
27,227
I think it's a bizarre decision financially other than the club want to set in hand that players can't make demands and always get them.

Up to now Buckley, Bridcutt and Ulloa have all been left to move to the premiership, maybe Bloom said enough is enough it stops here. Otherwise players will think they can call the shots.

However £8million plus the Pritchard money would have got you a bloody good player, arguably better and more important than Stephens who lets be honest has only really had one good season. He could actually have already peaked.
 


Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,468
Brighton
My main concern now is that the second he puts in a sub-par performance, he's gonna find himself under huge pressure.
 


Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,411
Location Location
No bad thing in attracting the right sort of player too, ones who don't just see us as a stepping stone to the first 'better' offer that comes along.

Yup. It shows that we're a club that will not let players and agents call the shots, but will do whats in the best interests of BHAFC. I think overall the club has come out of this pretty well.

I am concerned at Stephens attitude though. Up until the transfer request, and then that tweet, I was under the impression that he'd knuckle down and give us his best until his time here is done. Now though, I'm not so sure. I guess we just have to trust Hughton to "get his head right" I suppose.
 


CHAPPERS

DISCO SPENG
Jul 5, 2003
45,092
Yup. It shows that we're a club that will not let players and agents call the shots, but will do whats in the best interests of BHAFC. I think overall the club has come out of this pretty well.

I am concerned at Stephens attitude though. Up until the transfer request, and then that tweet, I was under the impression that he'd knuckle down and give us his best until his time here is done. Now though, I'm not so sure. I guess we just have to trust Hughton to "get his head right" I suppose.

Well he COULD have indicated that he'd get his head down try to get to the Prem with us instead of basically saying we aren't good enough couldn't he, the prick.
 




mejonaNO12 aka riskit

Well-known member
Dec 4, 2003
21,922
England
Put in crap performances and prem teams won't come calling in the summer

Put in good performances and we may get there or he will get his move.

There is little incentive for him to down tools.
 


pasty

A different kind of pasty
Jul 5, 2003
31,032
West, West, West Sussex
I am concerned at Stephens attitude though. Up until the transfer request, and then that tweet, I was under the impression that he'd knuckle down and give us his best until his time here is done. Now though, I'm not so sure. I guess we just have to trust Hughton to "get his head right" I suppose.

I guess (hope) he will knuckle down as it is surely in his own best interest to do so. If, as looks likely, he is only going to be with us for this season he will do himself no favours by sulking, playing poorly and finding himself playing with the stiffs. To get his desired move he is going to have to play bloody well, putting himself in the shop window to a point where the Burnleys of this world put in a proper bid for him.
 


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