[Albion] Pascal Groß the raumdeuter - officially leaves for Dortmund :(

[Midget]

Of all the players we've lost in recent years, this one I'm saddest about. But I understand and it was always going to happen one day.

He'll leave on good terms with the club and the fans, after signing a contract that brings something to the club in return, which he didn't have to do. It may be below his 'value' to us, but that isn't how it works.

It's also not what this club is about. Some people (see twitter comments) think because we regularly do good business, that we're a 'selling club', or our main priority is to make as much profit as possible. It isn't. The main thing is always the club and its DNA.

A sustainable business model is part of that, absolutely. So is the football, so is our history, so is our community work, so is keeping the fans happy(ish), so is looking after, respecting and rewarding the people who contribute to the club's successes, top to bottom. Groß has contributed so much, it wouldn't matter to me whether he left for twice that amount or for nothing. He deserves to go where he wants*, with our blessing.

And with head rather than heart, 1) it's better business than a free, and 2) the way we treat our loyal professionals, both while they're here and how they leave, is absolutely how to be sustainable - it's one of the reasons good players still come to a low-ish wages, mid table team with an empty trophy cabinet, some way from London.

I know most people on here get this already.

I will miss him massively, be grateful for what he's done for us, and wish him every happiness.


(*except Chelsea, obvs)

 

[Wozza]

What about his pace makes his game bad in any way whatsoever?

Gonna be honest with you here. Given that you don't understand football (soccer) OR English humour, I don't think this site is for you.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Ouch so back to square one in central midfield, more signings needed.

Is that the last Chris Hughton signing to leave the club?

‘Signing of the Chris Hughton era’ is probably more accurate. I doubt if CH had much to do with it.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Gonna be honest with you here. Given that you don't understand football (soccer) OR English humour, I don't think this site is for you.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

After seeing your posts across a number of threads I still can’t tell if you’re a troll or just an idiot.

A Brighton fan who misspells seagull just so he can fit the word eagle in to his username definitely feels like the former though.

I put him on ignore after his second or third post for being either a malignant half-wit or (actually, that possibility was sufficient. Bosh).

As always, I salute the indefatigability of those who chose to continue the important work of chasing him around the playground with a pointed stick.

 

[Hugo Rune]

The mirror are reporting that a fee has now been agreed between us and Dortmund.

Good.

I just want the plaster ripped off so I can mourn properly. I’d hate for this to go on for the next 7 weeks or so.

 

[albionalex]

I’ve said since last summer that this season gone was his last. New contract signed to hold value to the club like MacAllister but he wants his child to go to a German school + from a first hand source he took his child out of nursery at the end of May so was clear he was gone. Shame it couldn’t have been wrapped up at the end of the season

@albionalex owes me an apology when this is finalised

Do I?

 

[Guinness Boy]

Of all the players we've lost in recent years, this one I'm saddest about. But I understand and it was always going to happen one day.

He'll leave on good terms with the club and the fans, after signing a contract that brings something to the club in return, which he didn't have to do. It may be below his 'value' to us, but that isn't how it works.

It's also not what this club is about. Some people (see twitter comments) think because we regularly do good business, that we're a 'selling club', or our main priority is to make as much profit as possible. It isn't. The main thing is always the club and its DNA.

A sustainable business model is part of that, absolutely. So is the football, so is our history, so is our community work, so is keeping the fans happy(ish), so is looking after, respecting and rewarding the people who contribute to the club's successes, top to bottom. Groß has contributed so much, it wouldn't matter to me whether he left for twice that amount or for nothing. He deserves to go where he wants*, with our blessing.

And with head rather than heart, 1) it's better business than a free, and 2) the way we treat our loyal professionals, both while they're here and how they leave, is absolutely how to be sustainable - it's one of the reasons good players still come to a low-ish wages, mid table team with an empty trophy cabinet, some way from London.

I know most people on here get this already.

I will miss him massively, be grateful for what he's done for us, and wish him every happiness.


(*except Chelsea, obvs)

Honestly one of the best posts I’ve ever read on NSC. Very well put.

I’ve said since last summer that this season gone was his last. New contract signed to hold value to the club like MacAllister but he wants his child to go to a German school + from a first hand source he took his child out of nursery at the end of May so was clear he was gone. Shame it couldn’t have been wrapped up at the end of the season

@albionalex owes me an apology when this is finalised

This makes complete sense. Footballers and football coaches are human too. Returning the family to the homeland after an adventure is pretty sensible and should be applauded.

He would have got an incredible send off had we known at the United game though. Hopefully we can sort a friendly with BVB at some point so he gets the farewell he deserves.

 

[WhingForPresident]

Really hope the club have considered some kind of permanent Pascal tribute at the Amex. One of the most important players in the club's history.

 

[Stato]

Can anybody point me to any report of this that doesn't emanate from Florian Plettenburg's tweet? Everybody is discussing this as a settled matter, but I can't seem to find anything from either club, or from Pascal. As I've said on here previously, Plettenburg just seems to be Germany's version of Darmesh Sheth & Kaveh Solhekol and, though he may very well be in the know on this one, I couldn't see us all composing eulogies if we had only the word of one of those two.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Oh how I will miss him. He has been one of our all time best players, turning an average PL side into a European challenger. OK, all players are replaceable, but to lose such a key central link between our defence and attack will take a lot of doing and I hope we can find another gem something like him.
All the best to you and your family Pascal - you deserve to go home on your terms and finish your career at a high level in Germany.

 

[pigmanovich]

Really hope the club have considered some kind of permanent Pascal tribute at the Amex. One of the most important players in the club's history.

Could we name one of the stands after him?

 

[Wozza]

If/when he has a gap in his Bundesliga schedule, we should have a German day at the Amex, and he should be guest of honour.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Can anybody point me to any report of this that doesn't emanate from Florian Plettenburg's tweet? Everybody is discussing this as a settled matter, but I can't seem to find anything from either club, or from Pascal. As I've said on here previously, Plettenburg just seems to be Germany's version of Darmesh Sheth & Kaveh Solhekol and, though he may very well be in the know on this one, I couldn't see us all composing eulogies if we had only the word of one of those two.

This doesn’t look too promising on the bbc website:
Germany midfielder Pascal Gross has agreed personal terms with Borussia Dortmund, who are in talks about signing the 33-year-old from Brighton for between £6m and £8.5m). (Sky Sports Germany)

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Could we name one of the stands after him?

I like the idea of the away fans (Palarse) in the Gross stand. Not quite the same thing, but....

 

[Affy]

Could we name one of the stands after him?

Surely the turnstiles. Then we can all enter the Amex through the Groß Turn(stiles).
Best I could do. Sorry

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

LOL. He has the pace of a 40-year-old already.

Since he was 22

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Really hope the club have considered some kind of permanent Pascal tribute at the Amex. One of the most important players in the club's history.

The collective food offering served up at the Amex could be shaped under a single umbrella that is also a a tribute to the man.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Could we name one of the stands after him?

Tony Bloom stated no stands would be named except for points of the compass, which aren’t accurate anyway.

 

[Stato]

This doesn’t look too promising on the bbc website:
Germany midfielder Pascal Gross has agreed personal terms with Borussia Dortmund, who are in talks about signing the 33-year-old from Brighton for between £6m and £8.5m). (Sky Sports Germany)

They’re also quoting Sky Sports Germany. That’s the same bloke.