We need to talk about Dale

[chaileyjem]

is his contract for one more season with us? If it is and he wont sign a new one then cash in now 7m plus if there is offers on the table from Burnley. We wont get that much in January or clubs will wait to get him on a free next summer and we wont get a penny.
Obviously I hope he decides to stay and sign a longer contract but its not looking that way at the moment.

The club will sell him if he won't sign a contract. He has a longer, more expensive contract on the table.
Presumably either
a) not expensive enough or
b) he's hoping to wait until later into the window to use his leverage see if he gets offered a more expensive one
c) waiting to see if the club get an offer from another (ideally Prem) club that they can't turn down.

Its a waiting game. They'll fight to keep him. They might succeed. Bloom is clearly prepared to fund it.
On the other hand Hughton won't put up with any nonsense. Which perhaps explains whatever happened yesterday...

 

[Albumen]

Hughton's full quote when asked about Stephens yesterday was
"Its very simple, he missed a good chunk of the pre-season. He was involved in three of the games but no 90 minute games in that pre-season (actually it was 2 - Crawley, Lazio). He missed the first game as well [Forest - suspended], and he missed the midweek cup game [Colchester] and we just felt that if i wasn't going to start him today he would value more from a couple of good days training yesterday and today. and of course be back firing for midweek and Saturday"
https://audioboom.com/boos/4955403-hughton-pleased-with-reading-draw-but-albion-not-at-our-best

He didn't mention of course that he played 90 minutes on Tuesday.

I'm blindly going with this from Chris. It's just easier for my nerves.

 

[Steve in Japan]

I'm blindly going with this from Chris. It's just easier for my nerves.

I am trying to because I'd like him to stay. The trouble is, it doesn't make a lot of sense. You wouldn't voluntarily not play our strongest midfield in a League fixture. IMHO of course.

 

[GreersElbow]

But he looked right up for it the other day, though, right!?

 

[Albumen]

I am trying to because I'd like him to stay. The trouble is, it doesn't make a lot of sense. You wouldn't voluntarily not play our strongest midfield in a League fixture. IMHO of course.

Rotherham: Kayal was on the bench all game, same situation.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

I am firmly in the 'he's off' camp. Hughton's explanation just doesn't wash. I have never heard that sort of excuse before. We're ok, we will continue without DS and do well. One man a club don't make.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

I am firmly in the 'he's off' camp. Hughton's explanation just doesn't wash. I have never heard that sort of excuse before. We're ok, we will continue without DS and do well. One man a club don't make.

you are right,also i may add two men make a club,Kayal and Knocky....keep those two and the rest will slot into place.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

Rotherham: Kayal was on the bench all game, same situation.

that was our worst display of the season and i seem to remember we saved him for the end of the season vs cardiff,another woefull display,yet stephens played in both?

Edit: forget that....Doncaster?

 

[Albumen]

that was our worst display of the season and i seem to remember we saved him for the end of the season vs cardiff,another woefull display,yet stephens played in both?

Edit: forget that....Doncaster?

Rotherham ... 5 days ago ....

 

[biddles911]

I am trying to because I'd like him to stay. The trouble is, it doesn't make a lot of sense. You wouldn't voluntarily not play our strongest midfield in a League fixture. IMHO of course.

No idea what the truth is behind the Stephens saga though the tinkering over the first few games suggests to me that CH expects to lose either BK or DS and is experimenting with alternatives.

Why would you fiddle around with a highly successful midfield from last season unless there's an injury or ANO problem? Can hardly claim we need to rest them already!

BUT the idea that these very highly paid people should be able to sit out important games just because they may have other clubs interested in them is anathema to me.

I must remember to try that one with my boss when my head's not quite "right".....!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bob!]

Rotherham: Kayal was on the bench all game, same situation.

NOT the same situation.

Kayal WAS on the bench, Stephens wasn't.

 

[spence]

You don't leave out your best central midfielder all together.

People still think otherwise though and believe the extra training excuse

He was back in Lancing on a Saturday to catch up on some fitness work lol

 

[BensGrandad]

You don't leave out your best central midfielder all together.

People still think otherwise though and believe the extra training excuse

He was back in Lancing on a Saturday to catch up on some work lol

I can see the logic in him being at Lancing doing training rather than sat in the stand at Reading if CH had already made the decision to not play him .

 

[Turkey]

I would happily sell him if:
-- he doesn't want to be here
-- we get a decent fee for him (ie £7m+)
-- we reinvest that in the squad

I agree with you about Stephens vs Norwood (on the little I've seen of Norwood), but there isn't a massive amount in it, whereas there could be a far more substantial difference between Baldock and a new signing.

If we sign someone before we sell him, of equal or better ability, fine but I think that's unlikely to happen. Even if you could, you have no idea if there'll be a chemistry with Kayal. Stephens will get stuck in and battle, as well as being comfortable with the ball and an attacking threat. Norwood looks good on the ball but as others have said, he doesn't look like a battler, he looks like someone who'd play in a 3 man midfield with a couple of others doing the leg work. It's the amount of ground that Kayal and Stephens cover that set them apart and allow us to play 4-4-2. I can't help but feel it would be an massive, massive error to sell him. We'd get far, far more than 7m in TV rights and sponsorships if we got promotion. If he leaves on a free next summer, good luck to him, but the £7m now does nothing for us. We are so close to having a team that could get promoted from this league, it would be such a shame to weaken the squad now. We've already bid 8m on Pritchard so it's not like we need the Stephens money to fund a new signing.

 

[spence]

If we sign someone before we sell him, of equal or better ability, fine but I think that's unlikely to happen. Even if you could, you have no idea if there'll be a chemistry with Kayal. Stephens will get stuck in and battle, as well as being comfortable with the ball and an attacking threat. Norwood looks good on the ball but as others have said, he doesn't look like a battler, he looks like someone who'd play in a 3 man midfield with a couple of others doing the leg work. It's the amount of ground that Kayal and Stephens cover that set them apart and allow us to play 4-4-2. I can't help but feel it would be an massive, massive error to sell him. We'd get far, far more than 7m in TV rights and sponsorships if we got promotion. If he leaves on a free next summer, good luck to him, but the £7m now does nothing for us. We are so close to having a team that could get promoted from this league, it would be such a shame to weaken the squad now. We've already bid 8m on Pritchard so it's not like we need the Stephens money to fund a new signing.

That's what Hudderfield fans said about him not being a battler and goes missing. They preferred Clayton and even Butterfield

 

[*Gullsworth*]

If we sign someone before we sell him, of equal or better ability, fine but I think that's unlikely to happen. Even if you could, you have no idea if there'll be a chemistry with Kayal. Stephens will get stuck in and battle, as well as being comfortable with the ball and an attacking threat. Norwood looks good on the ball but as others have said, he doesn't look like a battler, he looks like someone who'd play in a 3 man midfield with a couple of others doing the leg work. It's the amount of ground that Kayal and Stephens cover that set them apart and allow us to play 4-4-2. I can't help but feel it would be an massive, massive error to sell him. We'd get far, far more than 7m in TV rights and sponsorships if we got promotion. If he leaves on a free next summer, good luck to him, but the £7m now does nothing for us. We are so close to having a team that could get promoted from this league, it would be such a shame to weaken the squad now. We've already bid 8m on Pritchard so it's not like we need the Stephens money to fund a new signing.

l think every one who has an interest in The Seagulls would agree but I am afraid if Dale Stephens head has been turned and he wants Premier League football now no amount of ambition by our club will stop his transfer, we can only delay it and get as much money out of the deal as possible. We all would love him to stay but I doubt the Dale Stephens of last season would surface if he was refused the chance to move forward with improved wages and Premier League football now and the club know it.

 

[Nixonator]

If we sign someone before we sell him, of equal or better ability, fine but I think that's unlikely to happen. Even if you could, you have no idea if there'll be a chemistry with Kayal. Stephens will get stuck in and battle, as well as being comfortable with the ball and an attacking threat. Norwood looks good on the ball but as others have said, he doesn't look like a battler, he looks like someone who'd play in a 3 man midfield with a couple of others doing the leg work. It's the amount of ground that Kayal and Stephens cover that set them apart and allow us to play 4-4-2. I can't help but feel it would be an massive, massive error to sell him. We'd get far, far more than 7m in TV rights and sponsorships if we got promotion. If he leaves on a free next summer, good luck to him, but the £7m now does nothing for us. We are so close to having a team that could get promoted from this league, it would be such a shame to weaken the squad now. We've already bid 8m on Pritchard so it's not like we need the Stephens money to fund a new signing.

This all day long.

Anybody who is claming 'Stephens is replacable' and 'i'd take the 7m' and other such bollocks are going to be in for a shock, if Reading wasn't enough already. If you honestly think Norwood or even Sidwell are going to get around the pitch like DS did for us last season... I don't know.. words fail me.

What the **** are we going to do with 7m anyway? The issue being when you're going for players around that pricetag, they will normally be looking higher than coming to Brighton AND/OR want more money than we can offer.

There is literally one, and only one reason for letting him go, and that is if he is causing issues and refusing to play. Even then, there was a way back for Dunk when a he signed a new deal.

 

[sdmartin1]

If we sign someone before we sell him, of equal or better ability, fine but I think that's unlikely to happen. Even if you could, you have no idea if there'll be a chemistry with Kayal. Stephens will get stuck in and battle, as well as being comfortable with the ball and an attacking threat. Norwood looks good on the ball but as others have said, he doesn't look like a battler, he looks like someone who'd play in a 3 man midfield with a couple of others doing the leg work. It's the amount of ground that Kayal and Stephens cover that set them apart and allow us to play 4-4-2. I can't help but feel it would be an massive, massive error to sell him. We'd get far, far more than 7m in TV rights and sponsorships if we got promotion. If he leaves on a free next summer, good luck to him, but the £7m now does nothing for us. We are so close to having a team that could get promoted from this league, it would be such a shame to weaken the squad now. We've already bid 8m on Pritchard so it's not like we need the Stephens money to fund a new signing.

I agree completely, and to be honest would not be averse to spending some of the money we allocated for Pritchard on a new contract for Stephens. However, if his head has been turned his agent will be rubbing his hands at the cash he could make from a Premiership move, so there's no point in keeping hold of him if he wants away.

 

[NooBHA]

I agree completely, and to be honest would not be averse to spending some of the money we allocated for Pritchard on a new contract for Stephens. However, if his head has been turned his agent will be rubbing his hands at the cash he could make from a Premiership move, so there's no point in keeping hold of him if he wants away.

His Agent would get a percentage cut of any new deal he negotiates, whether it be with us or someone else

 

[Turkey]

I agree completely, and to be honest would not be averse to spending some of the money we allocated for Pritchard on a new contract for Stephens. However, if his head has been turned his agent will be rubbing his hands at the cash he could make from a Premiership move, so there's no point in keeping hold of him if he wants away.

I would keep him. If he throws a strop and doesn't play well because his head isn't right or whatever bollocks (I don't think he would fwiw) then he's only hurting his own prospects of a move next summer as why would a Prem club sign someone who'd just had a poor season? The best thing Dale can do, if we don't sell him, is play out of his skin so that come next May, he can either sign a new deal with us or sign a better deal with someone else. If he gives us 100% this season and leaves for nothing next summer, that's absolutely fine by me. If I was TB I'd be gambling by keeping here. It'll be interesting to see what happens, I sure hope Tony agrees with me!