These thick as shit players ?

[DavidinSouthampton]

It's odd and the beauty of opinions I guess but for me, I probably haven't liked as many players as I do with this current squad.

That's probably due to my son now liking football and therefore us heading over to get autographs etc. after some games. So many of our players appreciate people coming out to watch them and will take the time to not only sign an autograph but to have a chat with the kids.

My son was over the moon with the players he has met, they have always been brilliant to him. Therefore, to me, they are decent lads. Dale is one of the best for it and takes the time to have a chat with my son despite his insane shyness, he crouches down and has a chat. He is a decent bloke that is just trying to do the best for his family by earning as much money and challenging himself at the highest level.

I have no problem with what he did and accept that we aren't the biggest club ever and a lad from Bolton has limited attachment to us especially if his current employees will be handsomely compensated for his registration.

Let's remember - Inigo had his moment like this despite us giving him a contract when he was training on his own, had no club etc.

......As did Lewis Dunk more recently.

I think the OP and others are a bit harsh. The "wanting to play in the Premier League" attitude is not just about money. It's also about wanting to ply your trade at the highest level and test yourself against the best. I read or heard something from Alan Mullery recently where he said he didn't understand people who said they were happy staying in the Championship because any decent fooball club would want to pit their wits against the best. It's the same thing.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Another reason why i will not be adding to the greed pot and now direct my money to NL where players play for nothing(or x's) and the dog gets to watch also

Each to there own Rev...but the majority of us will carry on supporting the team by going to matches

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

It doesn't have to have been reported, you only had to look at the teamsheets.

You tell me why else CH dropped him while all this was going on. Ahh...unless you're buying this "working on his fitness" line.

The point was whether Stephens said he didn't want to play, or whether it was CH who decided he wasn't going tp play him. We all know he didn't play.

 

[Return of the Rev]

He was distracted by a potential big money move. That's human nature. Same happened to LD this time last year. Same also happened to Duffy pre his move here. Football at this level requires 100 % focus. Blame the daft timing of deadline day not DS.

I think the money he gets paid at this level he would be able to kick a ball about for 90 minutes a week without letting future employment upset his concentration!

Lucky our troops/nurses don't get so easily distracted(He kicks a football about FFS! Not the hardest job)

 

[Easy 10]

He was distracted by a potential big money move. That's human nature. Same happened to LD this time last year. Same also happened to Duffy pre his move here. Football at this level requires 100 % focus. Blame the daft timing of deadline day not DS.

My human nature tells me that when you are being paid more in a month than most people earn in a year to play a game, you should get your head down and bloody well get on with it. These footballers live in such a bubble, their poor cossetted minds apparently can't cope with kicking a ball around effectively for their employer if all they're thinking about is their "dream move". That might be all fine and dandy in your book, indulge him all you like, but it macks me RIGHT off.

 

[Easy 10]

I think the money he gets paid at this level he would be able to kick a ball about for 90 minutes a week without letting future employment upset his concentration!

Lucky our troops/nurses don't get so easily distracted(He kicks a football about FFS! Not the hardest job)

Blimey, I'm in total agreement.

I think I may need a lie down.

 

[El Presidente]

My human nature tells me that when you are being paid more in a month than most people earn in a year to play a game, you should get your head down and bloody well get on with it. These footballers live in such a bubble, their poor cossetted minds apparently can't cope with kicking a ball around effectively for their employer if all they're thinking about is their "dream move". That might be all fine and dandy in your book, but it macks me RIGHT off.

Alternatively CH may have not wanted to play him and risk jeopardising a potential £10-12m fee coming to the club, had Burnley put in a decent offer.

 

[BLOCK F]

Yep - happy days when you could have a game of cricket in Hove Park with the players after training. These times were the basis of my love for the Albion and support of the club come what may. No real bother about what division we were in - the sense of camaraderie with the club and fans alike. Just to turn up on a saturday and just enjoy being there. OK, there was an issue that clubs were ripping off players and we all hoped that the threatened strike would give players their due and everything would be OK.
How wrong I was. I have absolutely no empathy with or sympathy for the modern professional footballer whatever division they are in.

I largely agree with your first paragraph, but cannot agree with your view stated in the second. The world of PL players and many in the Championship is far removed from many in the lower leagues and I find I can empathise more with those plying their trade on a more modest platform rather than their lofty peers higher up the food chain. I have virtually no interest in th PL with all the glitz, money and managerial posturing by the likes of Mourinho(possibly the biggest bore in football) and I even have to admit to not having the same passion for Brighton as I did in years gone by.Perhaps this is just an age thing or maybe the game has changed and I haven't kept up, so we have drifted apart.
Still want us to reach the wretched PL though. I do, however, remember enjoying the journey to the old 1st Division rather more than the arrival!

 

[Easy 10]

The point was whether Stephens said he didn't want to play, or whether it was CH who decided he wasn't going tp play him. We all know he didn't play.

Stephens put CH in a position where he had to make a decision on it. Had he said "I'm fine boss, I'll give it 100% until this is sorted one way or the other", then as a vital 1st choice midfielder I'm sure he would have played. But as we all saw from his tweet, all he seems prepared to do is to "see out my contract". Nothing whatsoever about giving his all.

I think its pretty clear CH felt he had no choice but to leave him out because of his attitude while this was going on.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

My human nature tells me that when you are being paid more in a month than most people earn in a year to play a game, you should get your head down and bloody well get on with it. These footballers live in such a bubble, their poor cossetted minds apparently can't cope with kicking a ball around effectively for their employer if all they're thinking about is their "dream move". That might be all fine and dandy in your book, but it macks me RIGHT off.

You are assuming that not being in the right frame of mind is/was a choice. Psychology and in particular sports psychology is not so black and white, particularly at the top level. His wages are irrelevant. It doesn't matter what you or I think. CH is paid to judge. who is at the top of their game and who isn't and that could be because of transfer speculation, personal problems or whatever but it all comes down to the same thing. Have you never been distracted by outside pressures in your job ? Can you with hand on heart say that your work performance has not been slightly affected ? Well on a championship football pitch that slight distraction that nobody notices in your job (or mine) will be ruthlessly exploited. Hence he didn't play.

 

[Easy 10]

Alternatively CH may have not wanted to play him and risk jeopardising a potential £10-12m fee coming to the club, had Burnley put in a decent offer.

I think its pretty clear the club didn't want to sell him, so I can't see that leaving him out was all about protecting a potential transfer fee. We wanted the player all along, not the money, to the extent of telling them not to bother coming back.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

I think the money he gets paid at this level he would be able to kick a ball about for 90 minutes a week without letting future employment upset his concentration!

Lucky our troops/nurses don't get so easily distracted(He kicks a football about FFS! Not the hardest job)

The problem with your argument is that he doesn't 'just kick a ball about'. There is actually a little more to it. Not sure what troops or nurses have to do with it although I reckon both get distracted at times.

 

[Taybha]

I really enjoy going to football, I think and write about our team every day on here, but I'm not sure I actually like the players very much. Sad really, but there it is.

For the next 10 or so years you have no choice if you like them or not , i saw the look on your kids faces when the team came out on to the pitch tuesday night , total adoration , and they were the U23s

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Anybody's would think the Albion had stolen DS' dream forever, leaving him to become an embittered old man, the way he's going on about it. If he was half-bright, he'd realise he's only got to wait another nine months and then he can go where he damn well pleases. Who knows, he may even get a serious punt at the Prem with the Albion before then.

 

[Easy 10]

You are assuming that not being in the right frame of mind is/was a choice. Psychology and in particular sports psychology is not so black and white, particularly at the top level. His wages are irrelevant. It doesn't matter what you or I think. CH is paid to judge. who is at the top of their game and who isn't and that could be because of transfer speculation, personal problems or whatever but it all comes down to the same thing. Have you never been distracted by outside pressures in your job ? Can you with hand on heart say that your work performance has not been slightly affected ? Well on a championship football pitch that slight distraction that nobody notices in your job (or mine) will be ruthlessly exploited. Hence he didn't play.

Modern football eh. The pressures of earning £9k a week instead of £18k a week for the next 6 months.

I'm sorry, but I really really struggle to have sympathy with players who find they can't kick a ball properly any more for us because they want to play for someone else for more money. I know Stephens is not unique, I know its all part of the game, but the extent these players are cossetted and indulged by clubs is ridiculous. His one responsibility is to play football, and we pay him a kings ransom to do just that. Yet we are supposed to have empathy and understanding if suddenly he's not capable of doing that one thing any more, because he's become "distracted".

I hope he knuckles down and plays out of his skin for us between now and January / June, and fair play to him if he does, I'll have no quarrels. But if he doesn't, if he stinks the place out and sulks, I'm afraid my patience and understanding for his plight will be on a very, very short fuse.

 

[Bigtomfu]

There are only so many that can be in the Premier League squads at any one time (of Dale's age at least). Burnley and Hull were seemingly the only two to show interest but Hull's bid seemed half-hearted to me. With Burnley once they'd got Hendrick I have a feeling that Mr Stephens became less important to them. Had they been pushed for a midfielder at 9 o'clock last night I reckon the phones would have been red-hot between the clubs and the fee would have shot up. Tony Bloom seems to have looked at things and thought the gamble on keeping Dale was worth it. Albion paid around half a million for him(?) two and a bit years ago so stood to make a healthy profit but TB must think that we are well capable of another tilt at promotion and he can stand the loss of that £7 million should it come to it. Fair play to him I say, it's his money.
As for Dale, and most footballers, they are mercenaries in a unique industry. Their careers are short and can be shortened more by injury so I don't necessarily disrespect him over this affair. I'm just a bit bemused why he didn't hand that transfer request in earlier. I just hope he can still have the heart for the battles ahead.
I rate Dale Stephens, always have since he came here. At the Open Training day he was among the last to leave after signing autographs for the kids. I just couldn't see him wanting to leave going by what I saw that day. This has all really p*ssed me off

If a player gets transferred without asking to leave he is entitled to 10% of any transfer fee. If he hands in a transfer request he does not get a penny. Simple, more mercenary behaviour.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Modern football eh. The pressures of earning £9k a week instead of £18k a week for the next 6 months.

I'm sorry, but I really really struggle to have sympathy with players who find they can't kick a ball properly any more for us because they want to play for someone else for more money. I know Stephens is not unique, I know its all part of the game, but the extent these players are cossetted and indulged by clubs is ridiculous. His one responsibility is to play football, and we pay him a kings ransom to do just that. Yet we are supposed to have empathy and understanding if suddenly he's not capable of doing that one thing any more, because he's become "distracted".

I hope he knuckles down and plays out of his skin for us between now and January / June, and fair play to him if he does, I'll have no quarrels. But if he doesn't, if he stinks the place out and sulks, I'm afraid my patience and understanding for his plight will be on a very, very short fuse.

well, we are in complete agreement about your final paragraph !

my point about the distraction is that there is a lot more to it than wages. DS has a family. If he moves up north he has to think about schools etc and that cant help but play on his mind as the uncertainty will have had an effect on his family. These are the things we as fans don't see as we go about our lives between games. They can have a massive effect on performance at top level.Whether he stays or goes it is unsettling and BHA cant take the risk regardless of DS' desire to play. This saga has been a text book example of the negative impact of the timing of deadline day and what I would like to see come from it is pressure by the clubs to move it to pre season. It seems to me that we have dropped points in the first month of the season as a direct consequence of not being able to field our best team and it is yet another example of the way in which clubs higher up the pyramid can negatively affect those below them. By the way it is a 2 way street...see Shane Duffy.

 

[Me and my Monkey]

DS has a really clear cut choice:

1) sulk/underperform for the next 9 months, and be consigned to sit on the bench, stagnate, lose form, and consequently any interest from any PL teams once his contract is spent

2) give his everything, play the best football of his life, win back the support of all the (sulking) Albion supporters. Then come May, he will have either helped the team to cross the line to the promised land, or have impressed onlookers so much that they will be queuing to sign him up.

If he'd gone to a PL side now, he'd most likely have only experienced the misery of a drawn out relegation battle. This way he may be able to experience the joy of a promotion (prior to the subsequent misery of a drawn out relegation battle).

I don't believe DS is either thick or a bad person, and will make the right choice.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Alternatively CH may have not wanted to play him and risk jeopardising a potential £10-12m fee coming to the club, had Burnley put in a decent offer.

It only takes one vicious tackle like Kermogant did to Rosenior.


Btw Return of the Rev, I've seen a few nurses distracted by talking about their nights out. The way my father was treated in Worthing hospital for the last few weeks of his life, was disgusting.

 

[El Presidente]

Modern football eh. The pressures of earning £9k a week instead of £18k a week for the next 6 months.

I'm sorry, but I really really struggle to have sympathy with players who find they can't kick a ball properly any more for us because they want to play for someone else for more money. I know Stephens is not unique, I know its all part of the game, but the extent these players are cossetted and indulged by clubs is ridiculous. His one responsibility is to play football, and we pay him a kings ransom to do just that. Yet we are supposed to have empathy and understanding if suddenly he's not capable of doing that one thing any more, because he's become "distracted".

I hope he knuckles down and plays out of his skin for us between now and January / June, and fair play to him if he does, I'll have no quarrels. But if he doesn't, if he stinks the place out and sulks, I'm afraid my patience and understanding for his plight will be on a very, very short fuse.

I think everyone will be pissed off if he sulks, and rightly so, but let's give him a fair chance first.