Koeman said in one of the pressers that the affair had damaged team spirit. Questions have already been asked about how this affected our European campaign. Personally, I am glad he was left out yesterday. The team looked as if it had just had a huge weight lifted from it.
Oh, and also, Iâm surprised by the lack of outrage from media commentators on this situation. Maybe itâs following on Monday.
I listen to talkSPORT, mostly to vicariously fulfil the white van man dream. As a consequence, I hear the daft fuckers that are on in between the adverts. Micky Quinn has been trying to flog Stones to Chelsea so much that Iâm surprised he hasnât pulled a bag over the ladâs head and driven him down to Stamford Bridge, hovering around the car park in an upmarket repeat of Odemwingieâs Loftus Road adventure.
Quinny will be screaming in the car park âTake him, Jose! Heâs fâckinâ dying up there, lad. He needs a big club to fulfil his big ambitions. Please, for the love of god, take this player away from this historically successful team to practically ensure they never get a fkn sniff again!â
And yet, the very same Micky Quinn is crying all over the airwaves that Raheem Sterling didnât decide to stay on for Brendanâs bullshit. This is not atypical of presenters. They donât check the stuff theyâre saying for any sort of internal consistency. Chelsea have got deep pockets and were fucking nowhere before Abramovich rolled up with the readies, while Everton were winning trophies left, right and centre in the 1980s.
People think that such commentators are in thrall to big clubs, but I reckon itâs more accurate to say that theyâre in thrall to money. Chelsea are a relative upstart, and get fawned over. Kenny Dalglishâs Blackburn Rovers with Jack Walkerâs money behind them is another example of the media going crazy over a moneyed team, and with the benefit of hindsight, were a total flash in the pan. Last year we saw people losing their shit over Di Maria, largely because he cost 64M.
I am starting to think that the perfect environment for these people is one so frenetic, chaotic and filled with large numbers, that no-one ever has time to pull them up on the shit they spout.
One of the things that concerns me about this depressingly familiar saga is that if Saints deny Wanyama and his agent the move they desire and force him to stay here, does the player have it in his character to knuckle down and give one hundred percent to Saints for another season like Morgan did (donât forget Morgan had much more of an attachment to the club by dint of his length of time here) or will he just languish around sulking on the fringes. If itâs the latter, then, especially in the light of Koemanâs comments concerning our European campaign, the question then has to be asked: how will this affect the atmosphere around the squad and team spirit?
Then, of course, thereâs the question of a playerâs ever-decreasing value (both in playing and financial terms) if heâs not actually playing.
I like the fact that Saints are playing hard-ball on this; I hope it turns out as successfully as it did with Morgan last season; however, itâs a strategy not without risk, imo. Itâs a miserable situation, and one which, as Spudders says, we are likely to see every season so long as there are other teams paying larger wages than us.
One of the things that concerns me about this depressingly familiar saga is that if Saints deny Wanyama and his agent the move they desire and force him to stay here, does the player have it in his character to knuckle down and give one hundred percent to Saints for another season like Morgan did (donât forget Morgan had much more of an attachment to the club by dint of his length of time here) or will he just languish around sulking on the fringes. If itâs the latter, then, especially in the light of Koemanâs comments concerning our European campaign, the question then has to be asked: how will this affect the atmosphere around the squad and team spirit?
Weâve faced this before and have gone different routes, depending on the underlying offence. Puncheon had a pop at Cortese and was back in favour when he apologised. Osvaldo was shipped off.
If he doesnât want to play, just keep him away from all teams. I wouldnât have him near the first team or the youth team. Weâre lucky in that we do have other players that can slot into that position. I am not going to pretend that results are going to be as good without âGood Wanyamaâ, not even after a 3-0 win when he was absent from the team. We havenât got that right now, so put him wherever heâll cause the least damage if the impasse continues.
Then, of course, thereâs the question of a playerâs ever-decreasing value (both in playing and financial terms) if heâs not actually playing.
That is a good point, but I do wonder how much money weâll save long-term if weâre not having to make reactive moves after one of our players goes on a big money move. There is a lot of cost associated with every acquisition. There is also the question of precedent. Morgan didnât get his move when he stamped his feet. Victor probably wonât get his. And yes, that may deter some of the more opportunistic players from ever considering us, but I donât think that is necessarily a bad thing.
I like the fact that Saints are playing hard-ball on this; I hope it turns out as successfully as it did with Morgan last season; however, itâs a strategy not without risk, imo. Itâs a miserable situation, and one which, as Spudders says, we are likely to see every season so long as there are other teams paying larger wages than us.
Which is why it is all the more important to make a stand now. I could live with Victor not contributing any more and leaving for free if the message is finally received and understood. Respect your fucking contract.
Jose Fonte admits it is vital Southampton donât lose anymore players before the transfer window closes tomorrow.
Tottenham target Victor Wanyama wants to quit St Maryâs and was left out of yesterdayâs 3-0 win over Norwich after telling boss Ronald Koeman he wasnât in the right frame of mind to play.
Winger Sadio Mane is also wanted by Manchester United.
After seeing a host of stars leave St Maryâs since he came to the club last summer, Koeman insisted nobody else is for sale.
And captain Fonte said: âThat would be a help to us once the transfer window is closed and hopefully no one will leave, and possibly add a couple more, so we will see, but the main thing is not letting anyone go.â
Koeman warned Wanyama he is âplaying with his own futureâ by letting the transfer talk unsettle him and trying to force a move to Spurs.
And Fonte admitted Southamptonâs players have tried to talk Wanyama round.
Fonte said: âWe all had conversations with him and try to explain, so now itâs up to the club and to him.â
LIVE: Follow all the latest transfer news, gossip and done deals as they happen
âŚcontradictorily formulated by Optimus trousersâŚbeta v1.6
Victor Wanyama has not travelled to join the Kenyan national team as planned on Monday morning, according to Sky sources.
Wanyama was left out of Ronald Koemanâs squad for Southamptonâs 3-0 win over Norwich at the weekend as the manager felt he was not âmentally and physically good enough to playâ.
Sky sources understand the 24-year-old has asked to leave the Premier League club, with former Saints manager Maurico Pochettio keen on bringing him to Tottenham.
Koeman is desperate to keep him at St Maryâs having already lost fellow midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin to Manchester United this summer.
The Southampton boss insisted Wanyama and Sadio Mane, who has been reportedly linked with Manchester United, would not be leaving before Tuesdayâs transfer deadline.
Koeman told Sky Sports following Sundayâs win: "They will stay in Southampton, Iâm 100 per cent sure about that.
âThe same answer for Victor as for Sadio, we donât sell that kind of player because they are key players for the team and they have to respect the contract. Thatâs most importantâ.
âŚanyway instituted by Optimus trousersâŚbeta v1.6
Oh, and also, Iâm surprised by the lack of outrage from media commentators on this situation. Maybe itâs following on Monday.
I listen to talkSPORT, mostly to vicariously fulfil the white van man dream. As a consequence, I hear the daft fuckers that are on in between the adverts. Micky Quinn has been trying to flog Stones to Chelsea so much that Iâm surprised he hasnât pulled a bag over the ladâs head and driven him down to Stamford Bridge, hovering around the car park in an upmarket repeat of Odemwingieâs Loftus Road adventure.
Micky Quinn was a dirty drink driving skate. Not surprising he has no moral fibre.
I really couldnât give a fuck if Wanyama goes - not that it looks like he will be at this point. Interesting to see how his grovelling goes down though.
Well, he could never have signed another deal without the clubâs consent, but if they have done this, heâll be sitting on that plane knowing he ainât going.
Spurs were set to pay up to ÂŁ20m for Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama, 24, in exchange for either Andros Townsend, 24, or Erik Lamela, 23, but the Saints were unwilling to sell.(London Evening Standard)
Hmmm, I would maybe have taken Lamela but definitely not TownsendâŚ
Saints are looking to offer Big Vic a five year contract.
Les Reed
"Weâve already tried to start negotiations on that,â Reed told Sky Sports. âWeâve offered him the opportunity for a long-term extension.
"Weâd like to tie him down for another five years. Whether thatâs possible or not, I donât know, but the opportunity is there to do that.
"He was a little bit unsettled and I think that has to happen probably at most clubs with different players. The speculation does raise a few eyebrows.
"Maybe it got a little bit too hyped up and maybe Victor thought there was a bit more truth in the rumours than there was.
âNow itâs over, heâs gone home to Kenya and I think heâll enjoy some time with his family and come back and be settled and raring to go in our team.â
Clubs will need to start employing counsellors with all that messing with peopleâs heads. De Gea, Stones, Wanyama all befuddled by transfers that didnt happen. Bless. It is just as well our public services are made of sterner stuff, can you imagine the turmoil if no nurses turned up to work because they werent mentally right? I am sure it is a pain not being sure where you are going to be playing football (a sport) next season but some people really need to man up.
(Actually I have been harsh on Stones here as he hasnt thrown his toys out of the pram yet)
Itâs only really Vic & Berhino that threw strops. De Gea hasnât either, really.
I think itâs perhaps a tad harsh to think of it as just sport. It is their livelihood. Clearly there are worse professions, of course, but not knowing whether you are going to be working/living in Manchester this time tomorrow/next week/next month does come with a fair amount of stress. Having family and partners if different cities/countries canât be easy either.
Again, it could be much worse and Iâm sure most would admit that. But I imagine it is still pretty stressful, behind all the success, adoration and (mostly) money. These are mostly pretty young guys. I found moving from West to East London stressful enough last year, and I wasnât even changing job!