Dale Stephens Summer 2016 shenanigans (Merged Thread)

[Gazwag]

16.15 on 10.09.16 Stephens scores in front of the NS slides on his knees kissing his badge, everything's forgotten and we can all go back to cheering on the best team I have ever seen in the stripes.

 

[GT49er]

16.15 on 10.09.16 Stephens scores in front of the NS slides on his knees kissing his badge, everything's forgotten and we can all go back to cheering on the best team I have ever seen in the stripes.

Yes, that would do fine. Even those who seem determined to defend his strop to the hilt have to admit that he'll have to work a bit to get back in the fans' (and probably his team-mates') good books, and that would be a fine start.

Maybe not kiss the badge, though.......................................

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I'd feel sick if he kissed the badge. I can't see it happening.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

I've only just seen his Twitter post. I feel patronised and insulted as a fan of our club, to be quite honest. I'm sure it's all been said before, but we've supported him through a lot and whilst I have absolutely no issue with anyone wanting to improve themselves, there is a way to deal with things that shows an element of class. Handing in a transfer request on deadline day showed a lack of class, and he's shown an even greater lack of self-awareness with his Twitter post

Unfortunately he's lost me as a fan. I shan't boo him at a game, because, quite frankly, I'm better than that. But I shan't sing his name or cheer when he scores for us because he doesn't deserve it.

 

[BensGrandad]

I've only just seen his Twitter post. I feel patronised and insulted as a fan of our club, to be quite honest. I'm sure it's all been said before, but we've supported him through a lot and whilst I have absolutely no issue with anyone wanting to improve themselves, there is a way to deal with things that shows an element of class. Handing in a transfer request on deadline day showed a lack of class, and he's shown an even greater lack of self-awareness with his Twitter post

Unfortunately he's lost me as a fan. I shan't boo him at a game, because, quite frankly, I'm better than that. But I shan't sing his name or cheer when he scores for us because he doesn't deserve it.

But the team do of which he will be part of hopefully.

 

[Stato]

I've only just seen his Twitter post. I feel patronised and insulted as a fan of our club, to be quite honest. I'm sure it's all been said before, but we've supported him through a lot and whilst I have absolutely no issue with anyone wanting to improve themselves, there is a way to deal with things that shows an element of class. Handing in a transfer request on deadline day showed a lack of class, and he's shown an even greater lack of self-awareness with his Twitter post

Unfortunately he's lost me as a fan. I shan't boo him at a game, because, quite frankly, I'm better than that. But I shan't sing his name or cheer when he scores for us because he doesn't deserve it.

All the bloke has done is explain his disappointment about not getting the move he wanted. Its time for all of us to be pragmatic and follow Bobby Z's advice. We are all happy to cheer goals scored by Glenn Murray who's list of perceived crimes against all things Albion include not only leaving us for Palace, but also coming back and scoring for them at the Amex and diving to win penalties against us. If his 'disloyalty' rap sheet can be torn up for the greater good, surely we are all grown up enough to forget a Twitter post that merely confirms that players have personal ambitions that may sometimes win out over group ambitions; something that, if we consider things honestly and objectively, we all knew to be the case anyway.

 

[marlowe]

We shouldn't criticize a player for wanting to play at the highest level. We also shouldn't criticize someone who wants to maximize their earning potential, although when you are already earning £10,000 a week, this becomes something of a moot point because you are already earning in a year what most people take 20 years to earn, so the argument for seeking financial security isn't really that valid, as I'm sure in Dale's case it has already been achieved. However it's human nature that no matter how much money you have, you are always going to want more, because once you achieve a particular lifestyle, that lifestyle becomes a normality for you, but there are always going to be things that you yearn for that are financially out of your reach no matter how well off you are.
Having said this I think how Dale handled this whole situation was totally misguided. Fair enough he wants to play at the highest level and fair enough he wants to increase his salary. As that was his stated desire he should have followed the correct procedure and put in a transfer request at the appropriate time, thereby affording the club ample time to secure a replacement. It could only have been greed that prevented him from following the correct procedure and submitting a transfer request, as by doing so he would, I assume, have lost his loyalty bonus and signing on fee, which is ostensibly there for players who haven't asked to be sold but are faced with the upheaval of uprooting themselves and more importantly their family to some location in which they wouldn't necessarily choose to live if they had the choice of remaining where they are. But if it's your own choice that you uproot to another location and change employer when your current employer would prefer you remained with them, then you shouldn't really expect the added bonus of leaving that employer, in the shape of a loyalty bonus and signing on fee, as the rewards of your vastly increased salary and increased playing level and status should be reward enough. A loyalty bonus is exactly that, a bonus for remaining loyal. If you prefer to seek pastures new, for whatever reason, be it a better salary or to play at a higher level, then by all means that is your prerogative and you shouldn't be criticized for that, but don't expect to reap the other rewards which by your actions and stated intention you should, with all reason, expect to forgo.

 

[bhanutz]

We shouldn't criticize a player for wanting to play at the highest level. We also shouldn't criticize someone who wants to maximize their earning potential, although when you are already earning £10,000 a week, this becomes something of a moot point because you are already earning in a year what most people take 20 years to earn, so the argument for seeking financial security isn't really that valid, as I'm sure in Dale's case it has already been achieved. However it's human nature that no matter how much money you have, you are always going to want more, because once you achieve a particular lifestyle, that lifestyle becomes a normality for you, but there are always going to be things that you yearn for that are financially out of your reach no matter how well off you are.
Having said this I think how Dale handled this whole situation was totally misguided. Fair enough he wants to play at the highest level and fair enough he wants to increase his salary. As that was his stated desire he should have followed the correct procedure and put in a transfer request at the appropriate time, thereby affording the club ample time to secure a replacement. It could only have been greed that prevented him from following the correct procedure and submitting a transfer request, as by doing so he would, I assume, have lost his loyalty bonus and signing on fee, which is ostensibly there for players who haven't asked to be sold but are faced with the upheaval of uprooting themselves and more importantly their family to some location in which they wouldn't necessarily choose to live if they had the choice of remaining where they are. But if it's your own choice that you uproot to another location and change employer when your current employer would prefer you remained with them, then you shouldn't really expect the added bonus of leaving that employer, in the shape of a loyalty bonus and signing on fee, as the rewards of your vastly increased salary and increased playing level and status should be reward enough. A loyalty bonus is exactly that, a bonus for remaining loyal. If you prefer to seek pastures new, for whatever reason, be it a better salary or to play at a higher level, then by all means that is your prerogative and you shouldn't be criticized for that, but don't expect to reap the other rewards which by your actions and stated intention you should, with all reason, expect to forgo.

Heard of a paragraph?

 

[Icy Gull]

Heard of a paragraph?

What he has written is very coherent and true though

 

[GT49er]

We shouldn't criticize a player for wanting to play at the highest level. We also shouldn't criticize someone who wants to maximize their earning potential, although when you are already earning £10,000 a week, this becomes something of a moot point because you are already earning in a year what most people take 20 years to earn, so the argument for seeking financial security isn't really that valid, as I'm sure in Dale's case it has already been achieved.

Very true, but try telling that to some on here!

 

[marlowe]

Heard of a paragraph?

There is one. The sentence starting, "Having said this...." was intended as a new paragraph.

I apologise for not making it clearer by the additional use of the return key, thereby creating the requisite gap to make it more obvious.
I could of course have simply employed the use of the indent key to signal the new paragraph but as I did neither I must humbly accept any admonishment that you deem appropriate.

I will certainly endeavour to be more careful in future and just hope that I can live with the ridicule and humiliation that I have brought upon myself by my negligence and inattention to written protocol.

 

[Gazwag]

Heard of a paragraph?

Should of gone to specsavers

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

All the bloke has done is explain his disappointment about not getting the move he wanted. Its time for all of us to be pragmatic and follow Bobby Z's advice. We are all happy to cheer goals scored by Glenn Murray who's list of perceived crimes against all things Albion include not only leaving us for Palace, but also coming back and scoring for them at the Amex and diving to win penalties against us. If his 'disloyalty' rap sheet can be torn up for the greater good, surely we are all grown up enough to forget a Twitter post that merely confirms that players have personal ambitions that may sometimes win out over group ambitions; something that, if we consider things honestly and objectively, we all knew to be the case anyway.

Firstly, you don't know my feelings about Murray, so you're making a big assumption.

Secondly, we're discussing the Stephens case. In this case, he has had all summer to illustrate his ambition to move to a higher and put said ambition before money. He even states in his Twitter post that the club have known 5 years - he however, took until the last day of the window to make his stance clear. Had he put in a request 5 weeks ago, then no one would be complaining, but to do it on transfer deadline day, is, itself, a ****ish thing to do considering how the club and fans have treated him. To then moan that it's about personal ambitions and then try to turn it around on the club is both patronising and insulting, as he could easily have handed said transfer request in a long time ago (say, 5 weeks), which would have made his position clear and given the club a chance to find a replacement. It would also have proven that his ambition was to play in the Premiership and not to make the switch primarily for money, which is how his strop actually comes across when you read even remotely between the lines. As I said, it's about doing things with a bit of class and dignity, and he simply hasn't done that. In fact, he's acted like a ****.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Only just over a week until the next game ...sigh

 

[GT49er]

There is one. The sentence starting, "Having said this...." was intended as a new paragraph.

I apologise for not making it clearer by the additional use of the return key, thereby creating the requisite gap to make it more obvious.
I could of course have simply employed the use of the indent key to signal the new paragraph but as I did neither I must humbly accept any admonishment that you deem appropriate.

I will certainly endeavour to be more careful in future and just hope that I can live with the ridicule and humiliation that I have brought upon myself by my negligence and inattention to written protocol.

Welcome to NSC!



P.S. It is also worthwhile CULTIVATING the habit of RANDOMLY using CAPITALS..................

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Welcome to NSC!



P.S. It is also worthwhile CULTIVATING the habit of RANDOMLY using CAPITALS..................

I lOvE ThE CAPitALs (I'm mixing it up from the way Ernest does it though).

 

[drew]

Firstly, you don't know my feelings about Murray, so you're making a big assumption.

Secondly, we're discussing the Stephens case. In this case, he has had all summer to illustrate his ambition to move to a higher and put said ambition before money. He even states in his Twitter post that the club have known 5 years - he however, took until the last day of the window to make his stance clear. Had he put in a request 5 weeks ago, then no one would be complaining, but to do it on transfer deadline day, is, itself, a ****ish thing to do considering how the club and fans have treated him. To then moan that it's about personal ambitions and then try to turn it around on the club is both patronising and insulting, as he could easily have handed said transfer request in a long time ago (say, 5 weeks), which would have made his position clear and given the club a chance to find a replacement. It would also have proven that his ambition was to play in the Premiership and not to make the switch primarily for money, which is how his strop actually comes across when you read even remotely between the lines. As I said, it's about doing things with a bit of class and dignity, and he simply hasn't done that. In fact, he's acted like a ****.

I'm assuming you don't wish us to take that post seriously!!!

The club were apparently aware he wanted to move to a premiership club. It is irrelevant whether he handed in a transfer request or not. We all know the likely reason he didn't hand it in earlier and that is because he would probably have lost sizeable bonuses etc. I don't blame him for that. His 'stance' might not have been clear to you or I but I very much suspect the club were fully aware.

I really don't understand why so many people are making a big issue of the transfer request.

 

[drew]

We shouldn't criticize a player for wanting to play at the highest level. We also shouldn't criticize someone who wants to maximize their earning potential, although when you are already earning £10,000 a week, this becomes something of a moot point because you are already earning in a year what most people take 20 years to earn, so the argument for seeking financial security isn't really that valid, as I'm sure in Dale's case it has already been achieved. However it's human nature that no matter how much money you have, you are always going to want more, because once you achieve a particular lifestyle, that lifestyle becomes a normality for you, but there are always going to be things that you yearn for that are financially out of your reach no matter how well off you are.
Having said this I think how Dale handled this whole situation was totally misguided. Fair enough he wants to play at the highest level and fair enough he wants to increase his salary. As that was his stated desire he should have followed the correct procedure and put in a transfer request at the appropriate time, thereby affording the club ample time to secure a replacement. It could only have been greed that prevented him from following the correct procedure and submitting a transfer request, as by doing so he would, I assume, have lost his loyalty bonus and signing on fee, which is ostensibly there for players who haven't asked to be sold but are faced with the upheaval of uprooting themselves and more importantly their family to some location in which they wouldn't necessarily choose to live if they had the choice of remaining where they are. But if it's your own choice that you uproot to another location and change employer when your current employer would prefer you remained with them, then you shouldn't really expect the added bonus of leaving that employer, in the shape of a loyalty bonus and signing on fee, as the rewards of your vastly increased salary and increased playing level and status should be reward enough. A loyalty bonus is exactly that, a bonus for remaining loyal. If you prefer to seek pastures new, for whatever reason, be it a better salary or to play at a higher level, then by all means that is your prerogative and you shouldn't be criticized for that, but don't expect to reap the other rewards which by your actions and stated intention you should, with all reason, expect to forgo.

I agree with some of what you say but not about the transfer request. The club knew he wanted to leave and I would suggest that the signings of Sidwell and Norwood probably, at least to me, suggest they were preparing for his departure.

As for loyalty bonuses, it happens all the time. Players don't submit transfer requests but clubs still want to sell. Any bonuses due are no doubt included in the fee required by the selling club. How many transfers during the window occurred because the player submitted a transfer request? I suspect, very few however the selling club were no doubt aware that agents were touting their players around. Did Pogba put in a request? Don't recall reading about it but it was clear for many months that he was going to leave.

 

[perseus]

Going around in Circles

Congrats to Andy Naylor for putting the alternative view (alternative to an agent's view).
Close this thread now. Unless you have anything useful and a new view.

 

[Easy 10]

Bobbys tweet is all well and good, I don't think anyone is blaming Stephens for wanting to maximise his earnings by moving to a PL club, I'm certainly not. But there are ways of going about it. As a professional, he should be capable of staying focussed, keeping his head down and carrying on with the job he is contracted and being paid HANDSOMLY by BHAFC to do. That's really not much to ask, it should really go without saying. If he got sold under those circumstances then no problem at all, he'd leave with mine and everyones thanks and best wishes.

However, losing your head to the extent that the manager then feels he has to drop you from the team, stewing for 5 weeks before putting in an 11th hour transfer request, and then grizzling on Twitter when you don't get your own way is absolutely NOT the way to go about it. That's whats got up my nose.