Dale Stephens Summer 2016 shenanigans (Merged Thread)

[AZ Gull]

Turn up to see what the crack is, looks like nothing much has changed since May...

I am sure Tony Bloom will feel very happy with himself having an unhappy player who wants to leave desperately being forced to stay on a lower salary, in a lower division, against his wishes - potentially being a bad influence in the dressing room, and absolutely resulting in mixed reactions from your fan base each game.

As it is, off the record it's pretty obvious we have already got personal terms with DS agreed, hence the repeated bids. If you think £7m+ for a guy who is nearing 28, has one year left on his deal and is desperate to leave is a poor offer, that is your prerogative. I would imagine the anticipated action now by Burnley FC is to either get him for £5m-ish in January or agree a pre-contract and get him for free next summer. For a man as canny as Tony Bloom no doubt is, it seems a rather petty way of doing business.

 

[atomised]

Turn up to see what the crack is, looks like nothing much has changed since May...

I am sure Tony Bloom will feel very happy with himself having an unhappy player who wants to leave desperately being forced to stay on a lower salary, in a lower division, against his wishes - potentially being a bad influence in the dressing room, and absolutely resulting in mixed reactions from your fan base each game.

As it is, off the record it's pretty obvious we have already got personal terms with DS agreed, hence the repeated bids. If you think £7m+ for a guy who is nearing 28, has one year left on his deal and is desperate to leave is a poor offer, that is your prerogative. I would imagine the anticipated action now by Burnley FC is to either get him for £5m-ish in January or agree a pre-contract and get him for free next summer. For a man as canny as Tony Bloom no doubt is, it seems a rather petty way of doing business.

Off the record but you have evidence of and are admitting to the fact youve tapped him up as it were. Excellent news. You do know thats poor form and against the rules dont you?

 

[One Love]

Turn up to see what the crack is, looks like nothing much has changed since May...

I am sure Tony Bloom will feel very happy with himself having an unhappy player who wants to leave desperately being forced to stay on a lower salary, in a lower division, against his wishes - potentially being a bad influence in the dressing room, and absolutely resulting in mixed reactions from your fan base each game.

As it is, off the record it's pretty obvious we have already got personal terms with DS agreed, hence the repeated bids. If you think £7m+ for a guy who is nearing 28, has one year left on his deal and is desperate to leave is a poor offer, that is your prerogative. I would imagine the anticipated action now by Burnley FC is to either get him for £5m-ish in January or agree a pre-contract and get him for free next summer. For a man as canny as Tony Bloom no doubt is, it seems a rather petty way of doing business.

He says, knowing absolutely nothing about the situation whatsoever.

Time to unplug yourself?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I hope you're right but there's a lot of ifs in that. I repeat, unless Stephens does a complete volte-face, in my mind, he may as well not be here. Bloom, Barber and CH, not to mention us, the fans, are rightly angry with him. I suspect for many fans, its too late - he's well and truly burnt his bridges. It will be interesting to see what CH does with him but my line is if players don't want to be here, there's no point in keeping them. We should have sold him.
On the striker issue, if we want promotion, which is Bloom's publicly stated aim this season, then a new goalscorer wasn't just nice but essential.

Honestly, did you hate Elliott Bennett when he handed in his transfer request? We got promotion, he got his transfer at the end of the season.

 

[Ernest]

Honestly, did you hate Elliott Bennett when he handed in his transfer request? We got promotion, he got his transfer at the end of the season.

And what HAPPENED to him ? Downhill EVER since so let that be a WARNING to Stephens

 

[Eric Youngs Contact Lense]

As it is, off the record it's pretty obvious we have already got personal terms with DS agreed, hence the repeated bids. If you think £7m+ for a guy who is nearing 28, has one year left on his deal and is desperate to leave is a poor offer, that is your prerogative. I would imagine the anticipated action now by Burnley FC is to either get him for £5m-ish in January or agree a pre-contract and get him for free next summer. For a man as canny as Tony Bloom no doubt is, it seems a rather petty way of doing business.

I think that is exactly the odds TB is playing.. by January we will know if we are in with a shout of going up, and you will know if you are in danger of coming down.. and that has a habit of changing peoples perspectives. If we sell him for the figure you quote, that still represents a huge profit for us, and in the meantime we get half a season of a top championship midfielder and maybe a better chance of keeping him beyond the end of the season. Your speculation about influence on the dressing room is just that..speculation, and probably hopeful speculation. Either way, increased wages in the championship at Burnley may not be as attractive a proposition as huge wage increase at Burnley in the PL.. others would be interested. Anyway, clam down, its not 11pm yet.. you might pay £10m for him yet!!

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Fantastic if he stays, his partnership with Kayal is the most important thing to preserve this transfer window and it looks as if we'll do it. Really hopeful for promotion now, wasn't before when I thought he was leaving.

Seems like Burnley really really wanted him, well done TB for holding on - just 6 and a half hours to go

 

[Thunder Bolt]

And what HAPPENED to him ? Downhill EVER since so let that be a WARNING to Stephens

He's got the money in the bank. Having an ACL injury didn't help him, to be able stay in the Premier League.

 

[Taybha]

Wonder if this post makes it 100 pages

 

[Zebedee]

If Stephens stays, as now looks likely, I wonder how long it will be before his fitness level improves sufficiently for him to play for us?

 

[nwgull]

I would imagine the anticipated action now by Burnley FC is to either get him for £5m-ish in January or agree a pre-contract and get him for free next summer.

I imagine that Stephens would want to go and play for a Premier League club if and when he leaves Brighton on a free next summer.

 

[Zebedee]

I imagine that Stephens would want to go and play for a Premier League club if and when he leaves Brighton on a free next summer.

A good point, well made.

 

[Sheebo]

Turn up to see what the crack is, looks like nothing much has changed since May...

I am sure Tony Bloom will feel very happy with himself having an unhappy player who wants to leave desperately being forced to stay on a lower salary, in a lower division, against his wishes - potentially being a bad influence in the dressing room, and absolutely resulting in mixed reactions from your fan base each game.

As it is, off the record it's pretty obvious we have already got personal terms with DS agreed, hence the repeated bids. If you think £7m+ for a guy who is nearing 28, has one year left on his deal and is desperate to leave is a poor offer, that is your prerogative. I would imagine the anticipated action now by Burnley FC is to either get him for £5m-ish in January or agree a pre-contract and get him for free next summer. For a man as canny as Tony Bloom no doubt is, it seems a rather petty way of doing business.

Petty way of doing business - you made 6 (SIX) bids & the latest is believed to be TOTALLING £7m WITH add ons - so prob £5.5mil and another £1.5mil if you stay up - which is 50/50. You just signed a midfielder from Derby who hasn't even been a regular there recently for TEN MILLION POUNDS. And you have the cheek to say we're being unreasonable?!

 

[Shy Talk]

Wonder if this post makes it 100 pages

It doesn't, yet!

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I imagine that Stephens would want to go and play for a Premier League club if and when he leaves Brighton on a free next summer.

Or he becomes a Premier League player with us. I haven't given up hope of promotion yet.

 

[Prince Monolulu]

Time to go for 110.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Time to go for 110.

25 pages with my settings. It makes life a lot easier.

 

[Sheebo]

If Stephens stays, as now looks likely, I wonder how long it will be before his fitness level improves sufficiently for him to play for us?

Can't believe there were actually some people buying that line. It was only a few days later that the Argus admitted his 'head had been turned' by speculation or something along those lines...

 

[Diego Napier]

CRAP! Stats don't back up your assertions. Goal threat from midfield in career history is Stephens 15%, Sidwell 14% Norwood 7% and Kayal less than that (can't remember might be 7%). cf. Bridcutt 1.3%.

Apart from the goals, the physical presence, abrasion, and set pieces in midfield needed. Couldn't match Newcastle without him.

Pende

 

[Collingburnian]

If Stephens doesn't go, could his transfer request backfire? OK, he's a free agent at the end of the season but if he doesn't play regularly, and play well, other Clubs' interest in him will wane and his options to pick and choose where he goes will be fewer.