Dunk - Refusing to play?

[KZNSeagull]

That quote from the Argus reveals precisely....nothing.

Other than the manager wants him to stay.

 

[severnside gull]

Tescos?

............ but not their Huddersfield branch

 

[Withdean11]

What would be your thoughts (if Dunk stayed) on our best, regular partnership at CB this season? Would be interested to know...

I couldn't possibly say as i have not seen Uwe play, but i'd certainly include GG. Not the best player technically, but his leadership and organising offers the team so much more. Dunk plays a lot better when alongside him, we really missed him when he did not play last season. We didn't really miss Dunk.

 

[Withdean11]

Meant to say saw Lewis? in his range rover in carden hill at around 8am this morning. Was his vehicle and looked very like Lewis driving.

How do you know it was his car?

 

[Sheebo]

I couldn't possibly say as i have not seen Uwe play, but i'd certainly include GG. Not the best player technically, but his leadership and organising offers the team so much more. Dunk plays a lot better when alongside him, we really missed him when he did not play last season. We didn't really miss Dunk.

Yeh I'm sort of guessing the German is of adequate ability based on the fee paid and the good reports from Fulham. I love GG and all his qualities you've mentioned but can't see his body holding up to regular first team football all year. He has let some players have good leaps on him and win headers that could easily have gone in on other days and he'd be getting slated on here if that had happened... Fine margins.

 

[cardboard]

Transfer Centre Live ‏@TransferCentreL 6 mins6 minutes ago
Fulham have made a new bid for Brighton defender Lewis Dunk worth in excess of £5m.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I couldn't possibly say as i have not seen Uwe play, but i'd certainly include GG. Not the best player technically, but his leadership and organising offers the team so much more. Dunk plays a lot better when alongside him, we really missed him when he did not play last season. We didn't really miss Dunk.

That's EXACTLY what Uwe offers (well that and tackles and full length body blocks). We won't be lacking leadership or orgaisation at the back if GG doesn't play but BFG does. (Can we call him the BFG, it would appeal to my book loving nature and it's easier to spell than his surname).

 

[Easy 10]

Other than the manager wants him to stay.

Is he really likely to say anything else ?

 

[BBassic]

I had a feeling, when he trudged past us down by the corner flag on Saturday, that we wouldn't be seeing him at the AMEX again.

 

[Triggaaar]

That is true, we can charge what we want, but are a team likely to spend +5m on a championship centreback who isn't an automatic first choice?

If the club don't want to sell Dunk, then it doesn't matter what other teams would spend. If they want to sell him, then they need to accept the best offer, which I'd think they'd have done by now.

Great we keep someone of Dunk's quality. But will he, Uwe and Greer be happy to not get to play every game, potentially be dropped after a strong performance (Dunk was dropped after a MotM performance - admittedly with mitigating circumstances, but still)?

The mitigating circumstances explain why he was left out, they wouldn't normally be after a MoM performance. I don't know how the players would feel about being rotated through the season, but clubs trying to do well need to do it and I'm sure the players know that, and want us to be fighting for promotion.

Can the club really afford to keep them all, or have they signed Uwe (and others) on the basis that they expect Dunk to go and some of the money from that funding the new signings?

I've no idea.

Before long you then get the issue of Dunk's contract winding down and the risk of losing him on a free.

That doesn't mean you have to sell a player at the first sign of interest. He's got about 4 years left still.

Yes, we can charge what we want, but realistically, the change in his importance to us, will change how much other clubs are willing to pay.

Not over the short term. If a club have decided they'll bid £5m this summer, that's not going to go down just because we have a replacement. If he didn't play so much this year, then understandably the offers could be lower in the next windows.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

What would be your thoughts (if Dunk stayed) on our best, regular partnership at CB this season? Would be interested to know...

I've not seen Uwe play so not really qualified, but if he's as good as reports suggest, then it HAS to be Dunk and him, in the long term (IF Dunk stayed).

 

[Sheebo]

I've not seen Uwe play so not really qualified, but if he's as good as reports suggest, then it HAS to be Dunk and him, in the long term (IF Dunk stayed).

Thanks for re-assuring me - I'm not going mad then...

 

[Bra]

How do you know it was his car?

Live round corner from him and seen him out and about a lot. Registration number is a bit of a give away as well.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Is he really likely to say anything else ?

He could have said nothing at all or fudged an answer. The impression that I have from what CH has been saying all along is that he wants LD to stay, I could interpret "very, very committed" as meaning LD wants to stay, but perhaps not everyone else at the club feels the same way (which is understandable if the offers supposedly on the table are as reported).

 

[Bozza]

The £5m story came from the mirror. 10:21 on this:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/transfer-news-live-manchester-united-6271040

 

[rool]

Transfer Centre Live ‏@TransferCentreL 6 mins6 minutes ago
Fulham have made a new bid for Brighton defender Lewis Dunk worth in excess of £5m.

I'm not getting into the whole sideways move idea here but, wages aside, surely we have shown enough ambition this season to demonstrate that his chances of playing in the prem are pretty even between the two clubs at this moment. That's my opinion anyway.

BUT the whole refusing to play, head turned, whatever, shenanigans, if it turns out to be true, is very disappointing for me considering the loyalty the club showed during the court case when he was assumably being paid but not playing. If, If, If, it is true he will be forever tarnished in the same way as Bridcutt which is a shame.

 

[heathgate]

If it's true, we should just sell him into obscurity like we did with Elphick and Cook........whatever happened to them eh?.....that'll teach 'em.

 

[Eric Youngs Contact Lense]

The longer it goes on the easier I feel about it. I would much rather have Dunk than not, but the odds seem to say that he is very likley to be on his way. The fact that he was in the squad probably just means that a deal is close, but not done, and our success in sourcing a suitbale replacement might just be the trigger. I cannot really understand the logic of not starting him vs Fulham if he is not going. It was a risk to play Uwe vs Smith and McCormak in his 1st outing, and I dont think that Hughton is a high-risk manager unless his hand is forced. As for Dunk, I am sure he would like to play, earn the money that possibly is on the table at another club, at Brighton - but it isn't. For a defence that was pretty mean last season, but by all early indications appears to be stronger than last year, then I am not overly concerned, because good, solid CB who can defend well are easier to find, (not least because almost everyone has 2 of them playing week in week out in a standard back 4 - examples fo rme -Halford and Hughes were perfectly adequate cover I think) and/or with the loan market we will be fine in the short to mid-term, and can then seek a longer term solution to replace GG as the season develops.

 

[Acker79]

If the club don't want to sell Dunk, then it doesn't matter what other teams would spend. If they want to sell him, then they need to accept the best offer, which I'd think they'd have done by now.

Not necessarily, as the impact of siging Uwe hasn't really been felt. They still have time to push for the best deal.

That doesn't mean you have to sell a player at the first sign of interest. He's got about 4 years left still.

I've not said they have to take the first offer. His contract expires June '18, so three years, but if we don't sell him this window, and demand too much in february, then it will be two years in the summer window. It will all come around quickly, and if Dunk isn't playing frequently enough for his liking, he might be less willing to extend his contract.

Not over the short term. If a club have decided they'll bid £5m this summer, that's not going to go down just because we have a replacement. If he didn't play so much this year, then understandably the offers could be lower in the next windows.

Which is, essentially, my point. The bids could well be lower, and if the club feel they have to sell because of contracts running down (should Dunk stay that long), because of unhappy players, because of budgeting, they might not get as much as if they would if they sell in this window.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I'm not getting into the whole sideways move idea here but, wages aside, surely we have shown enough ambition this season to demonstrate that his chances of playing in the prem are pretty even between the two clubs at this moment. That's my opinion anyway.

BUT the whole refusing to play, head turned, whatever, shenanigans, if it turns out to be true, is very disappointing for me considering the loyalty the club showed during the court case when he was assumably being paid but not playing. If, If, If, it is true he will be forever tarnished in the same way as Bridcutt which is a shame.

Personally i think the leaving of Dunk of the bench was down to CH's man management and not Dunk refusing..re this purported new offer even if its a ''sideways'' move for the player maybe it will be the club who decide they want him out the door because of the size of the fee