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[Albion] Would you offer Bruno and Bong new contracts?



brighton_tom

Well-known member
Jul 23, 2008
4,817
Let Bruno retire and find a place for him in the coaching set. Then sign a right back to compete with Montoya.

As for the left back situation. Bernardo will obviously be first choice, and we'd probably be fine giving Bong another year as the back up. But it depends how much we really want to improve the squad & how much money there is to spend. If the money is there, and a replacement can be found who is significantly better than Bong then it makes sense to upgrade.
 




Lurchy

Well-known member
Jul 2, 2014
2,350
My thoughts echo many that people have already aired. I would like to see offered another year as he's an able back up, plus I'd like to see how George Cox can deal with competitive football (I'd hope a year at a Championship club could be arranged for him).

Sadly I think it's approaching the point where I wouldn't be surprised if Bruno announces his retirement - he'll be 39 early next season and there's question marks over whether he'll be able to play at the level needed on a regular basis. He'll always be a club legend.
 




jamie the seagull

Well-known member
Jul 27, 2011
2,803
Bruno : Club will offer a job at the club but no playing Contract: We want to replace with Reece James, currently on Loan at Wigan (from Chelsea).

Bong : God forbid.

With Montoya and Bernardo our number 1 RB/LB , Bruno and Bong are blocking a route for youngsters but Bruno has too much to offer the club to be let go.
 


JBizzle

Well-known member
Apr 18, 2010
5,818
Seaford
I think people are looking at this wrong personally. It's not if we can get a better player than Bruno or Bong, it's more can we get a player that's better or on a par with Bernardo or Montoya. We should be looking for someone to push both of those two into second choice, not replacing our existing second choice.

I expect Bernardo and Montoya to (injury permitting) be 1st choice next season but we should still be striving to improve where we can. Same with every position in the team.

If the status quo remains however, I'd probably still move Bruno on and give Bong 1 year but expect Suttner and Schelotto to be moved on first.
 




Gritt23

New member
Jul 7, 2003
14,902
Meopham, Kent.
I would say "Yes" on both counts. I think Bong is a much better player than he gets credit for, and looks to be a very capable back-up to Bernardo. I think Bernardo looks like our left back of choice going forward, so it is a back-up to him that we would be replacing Bong with anyway, so I say stick with what we have, what we know.

Bruno is probably a similar situation at right back as back-up to Montoya, except I think we have a better chance of finding a better right back than either of them and therefore Montoya slips to being the back-up, with Bruno surplus.

It will be a very sad day when El Capitan is no longer at the club, but it does come to everyone in the end. Hopefully there is one more year of him to go yet.
 


pastafarian

Well-known member
Sep 4, 2011
11,902
Sussex
1 year contracts are a waste if you want to be constantly moving forward and upgrading the squad. Its a harsh truth at this PL level.
 


A1X

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 1, 2017
17,763
Deepest, darkest Sussex
Bong yes as an option. Bruno if he's not ready to retire then probably not, but if he was thinking of jacking it in I'd take him like a shot into some role at the club.
 




Betfair Bozo

Well-known member
Jul 24, 2007
2,096
Bong = yes

Bruno = One of the very few players who I would happily leave the decision to. If he wants another year it will be because he believes he is up to it. I am not being sentimental, I genuinely think he is best placed to decide and trust him to make the right call. He is still more than good enough ("the best exponent of the position in the Premier League" - G Neville, only last season) and he will be honest about his fitness. Either way, he has to be retained in some capacity.
 


Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
If many of the posters on NSC had their way, the entire coaching set up at the club would be occupied by past legends of the Albion, nearly all of whom have no coaching badges whatsoever.

Just as well they don't get their way me thinks.

There are quite a few Albion legends coaching who had already got their badges when they retired. You are doing them a great disservice with little knowledge of what they have and what they do.
 


Cowfold Seagull

Fan of the 17 bus
Apr 22, 2009
21,622
Cowfold
There are quite a few Albion legends coaching who had already got their badges when they retired. You are doing them a great disservice with little knowledge of what they have and what they do.

Whereas you do have that knowledge?. I'm sure that there are many posters on here suggesting 'coaching jobs' for all Abion Legends, (another much overused term), who have no idea whatsoever whether or not they are so qualified. Equally to the point of course is do they want to go into coaching anyway?
 




Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
Whereas you do have that knowledge?. I'm sure that there are many posters on here suggesting 'coaching jobs' for all Abion Legends, (another much overused term), who have no idea whatsoever whether or not they are so qualified. Equally to the point of course is do they want to go into coaching anyway?

The players Twitter account often says they are doing coaching badges, and the club also announce it. I have a lot of time on my hands so read a lot about what's going on.
I'm not saying I know every player has done their coaching badges, but I remember the ones who have.
 


chaileyjem

#BarberIn
NSC Patron
Jun 27, 2012
13,881
Bruno.
He's 38 !! and yesterday it was this tackle in our box that sent us on our way, a pass to AK, a run over the halfway line, a pass to AJ, a pass to Locadia and then straight to Glenn's "mid riff".
What a legend. Keep going i say.

bruno.png
 


GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,717
Gloucester
A cautious yes for both from me (although Bruno himself might feel it's time to call it a day), unless we get fullbacks in who are better than Montoya and Bernardo, in which case Montoya and Bernardo would be preferred as squad members to Bruno and Bong.
Personally, I don't think we will be searching too hard for new FBs in the summer - we have, IMHO, higher priorities.
 




spence

British and Proud
Oct 15, 2014
9,814
Crawley
A cautious yes for both from me (although Bruno himself might feel it's time to call it a day), unless we get fullbacks in who are better than Montoya and Bernardo, in which case Montoya and Bernardo would be preferred as squad members to Bruno and Bong.
Personally, I don't think we will be searching too hard for new FBs in the summer - we have, IMHO, higher priorities.

See i disagree with this. We have named 23 players only. In the summer i expect both Bruno and Bong to be replaced. A new midfielder and striker brought in on top. That's 4 new players. Everywhere else we are covered and covered well.
 




southstandandy

WEST STAND ANDY
Jul 9, 2003
5,641
I know many on here don't rate Bong, but in my view he is a relatively reliable left back and provides reasonable support to Bernardo for next season. I wouldn't be wholly unhappy if he had to slot in the left back role for a few games here and there to cover for injury, cup ties etc. Far more pressing will be to strengthen the midfield and forward areas so for me a new deal for Bong makes sense.
 








rippleman

Well-known member
Oct 18, 2011
4,567
If we can't give Bruno an extension - for whatever reason - the club MUST find a role for him.

His experience and the respect their is for him in the game would, to me, be essential in showing the youngsters how to behave and how to prolong their careers. He should be an inspirational role model for all young players.

Yes, there is a certain degree of sentiment.....but an awful lot more commonsense.
 


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