Knockaert and Stephens

[Nixonator]

We will sell to a big selling championship club as we won't have the finances to compete with clubs like villa,wolves, etc....I'm sure there's hundreds of quality midfielders around the world who would perform in the prem.Point is he didn't sign a contract and won't unless we go up.If this was a championship scenario then yes but not the premiership as don't see him being good enough.

Ok i'm trying to make sense of this.

If we were to fall short of promotion, you believe that we will sell Knockaert (and he would want to go) to a championship rival in Villa or Wolves?

If we clinch promotion, you believe Stephens would not be good enough in the PL to justify a fairly minimal (comparitive to a transfer) signing on fee?

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

That must be based on the fact that he doesn't want to leave, we don't want him to leave, he's under contract, and we have a history of not letting important players leave even if they want to.

Come on, you don't really think he will stay if we don't go up do you? No matter how much he loves the club, he will have the three teams that go up plus most of the bottom half of Prem after him. The chance to play in the premier league will surpass any feelings or love he has for us.

I seem to recall Bloom all but admitting that if we don't go up this season he would find it hard to stand in players way if the premier league came calling. I suspect at the start of this season he asked for one more year from all of them and said that if you don't make it with us this year we will listen to offers ( assuming of course those offers match our valuation)

 

[KLUNK]

Enough of this negativity. We are gonna go up!

(There may be players who may be replaced, but AK's position in safe)

 

[chaileyjem]

They would be just 2 of many who would want to leave.

it would be tough but TB has reinvented this club many times now after losing players and managers. No reason why he couldn't/wouldn't succeed again. This idea that its all over if we don't go up is nonsense. He'll brush himself down and start again.
It will be a horrible old summer but by August we'll be ready again.

Gus, Garcia and Hughton have all made the play offs with very different teams. Albion will still remain an attractive team for many of the squad who do stay and others, and a new coaching team if needed. And TB has deep pockets. And they'll have a sold out Amex to play in front of.

It might not be with perhaps Knockaert, Stephens, Dunk or er, actually who else ? (and we'll need some ££ because of FFP) but its far fetched to suggest the whole squad would be sold to Prem teams.

 

[Triggaaar]

Come on, you don't really think he will stay if we don't go up do you?

I think (know) it's possible.

No matter how much he loves the club, he will have the three teams that go up plus most of the bottom half of Prem after him. The chance to play in the premier league will surpass any feelings or love he has for us.

So why didn't Stephens go last summer?

I seem to recall Bloom all but admitting that if we don't go up this season he would find it hard to stand in players way if the premier league came calling.

Like he did with Stephens.

I suspect at the start of this season he asked for one more year from all of them and said that if you don't make it with us this year we will listen to offers ( assuming of course those offers match our valuation)

I suspect he didn't have a group meeting where he said that to everyone. It's particularly unlikely he said 'one more year' to players who hadn't even been with us one year don't you think? Do you think our top scorer will be off too, given that he's only just signed for us?

 

[sparkie]

Look, less of the gloom please.

Stephens would go for sure, but the £15 million or so for Dunk would sort out FFP and mean no one else would need to be sold.

I am absolutely sure that having already played in the PL, it is far from certain that Knockaert and Stockdale would head for the exit.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

I think (know) it's possible.
So why didn't Stephens go last summer?

Like he did with Stephens.
I suspect he didn't have a group meeting where he said that to everyone. It's particularly unlikely he said 'one more year' to players who hadn't even been with us one year don't you think? Do you think our top scorer will be off too, given that he's only just signed for us?

Stephens didn't go last summer because Bloom did not want him to go. Bloom has already said that he would struggle to keep the team together if we fail to go up this season.

No I don't think he got everyone in a room and said one more season but you know what I mean, I believe conversations were had with certain individuals that they were not going anywhere last summer but next summer would be different if we don't make it.

No I don't think Murray will leave this Summer but he is at a different stage of his career and has already played in the premier league 50 ish times, Dunk, Stephens, Duffy etc have not and Knockaert had a handful of games.

 

[Two Professors]

Think it would be like after the Cup Final if we didn't get promoted.Don't think Bruno would get a job offer elsewhere,but everybody else would!Just as well it won't happen

 

[Triggaaar]

Stephens didn't go last summer because Bloom did not want him to go. Bloom has already said that he would struggle to keep the team together if we fail to go up this season.

So firstly he said he'd struggle, not that it's impossible. Secondly, keeping the team together would mean not losing any player, whereas you're saying it's guaranteed Knockaert would go.

No I don't think he got everyone in a room and said one more season but you know what I mean, I believe conversations were had with certain individuals that they were not going anywhere last summer but next summer would be different if we don't make it.

It wouldn't surprise me if there were conversations like that, but I doubt they were with Knockaert since he'd only just joined.

 

[GloryDays]

If we don't up everyone will go.

Even Chris O'Grady.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

So firstly he said he'd struggle, not that it's impossible. Secondly, keeping the team together would mean not losing any player, whereas you're saying it's guaranteed Knockaert would go.

It wouldn't surprise me if there were conversations like that, but I doubt they were with Knockaert since he'd only just joined.

Don't think I have used the word guaranteed, very little is guaranteed in football but certainly if I had to put my last £100 on Knockaert being here or not by the end of August if we are still in the Championship, my money would be on not. Where would you put your last £100 ??

 

[OzMike]

This is definitely the season for us as many have said and I personally think that we will do it, albeit in 2nd place.
Will have to spend big in the closed season because our current squad is nowhere near big enough for the PL.
I really don't want us to be a one season wonder once we get there.

 

[Triggaaar]

Don't think I have used the word guaranteed

You said he'd go without a doubt. So no doubt at all - none. I simply pointed out that it's not a given, there is doubt.

very little is guaranteed in football but certainly if I had to put my last £100 on Knockaert being here or not by the end of August if we are still in the Championship, my money would be on not. Where would you put your last £100 ??

Well what odds am I getting? With no doubt at all, I imagine the odds of him staying are pretty long, and I'd like to take them.

 

[Megazone]

I've heard from a few insiders that Stephens is planning to sign a new contract, on the pitch, as part of a goal celebration he's been working on. Apparently CH is in on the surprise goal celebration as well.

Knockaert looks like he's off. I lip-read him saying he wants to play for Bournemouth as he was walking off the pitch against Brentford. Worrying times.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

You said he'd go without a doubt. So no doubt at all - none. I simply pointed out that it's not a given, there is doubt.

Well what odds am I getting? With no doubt at all, I imagine the odds of him staying are pretty long, and I'd like to take them.

Wrong choice of words on my part, i accept there is some doubt he would go (just not much in my opinion)

Forget about the odds, it is your last £100 would you put it on him staying or going assuming we don't go up ?

 

[sparkie]

Wrong choice of words on my part, i accept there is some doubt he would go (just not much in my opinion)

Forget about the odds, it is your last £100 would you put it on him staying or going assuming we don't go up ?

I'd say staying myself.

 

[Triggaaar]

Wrong choice of words on my part, i accept there is some doubt he would go (just not much in my opinion)

Fair enough, then we're not really disagreeing.

Forget about the odds, it is your last £100 would you put it on him staying or going assuming we don't go up ?

Well the odds are a big part of the decision. If it's evens, I guess I'd bet on him leaving, but I wouldn't be surprised if he stayed.