Mcleish - Slams Rumours of Darren Bent Sale

[john2710]

Everyone has his price, EVERYONE at every club.

Will Bent be going to Newcastle - No, but if they offered Carrolls £35m, I'd take it

Will Sunderland offer £15m for N'Zogbia - No, but if they I'd take that too

Will Bannan go to Man U - No, he's not good enough to play regularly for us, so Man U is just a dream. Young Mr Bannan needs to keep his feet on the ground & become a premiership footballer first.

[JJ-AV]

Darren Bent scores goals, we aren't going to sell him at a loss, therefore we're right to demand at least £25mil+. Can I see a club stumping up huge money to sign him? No, honestly I can't. Look at the clubs bigger than us, Would they consider him? This isn't a knock at Bent, but the bigger clubs could probably attract a better all round player, who does score goals. Could I see Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, Man Utd, City signing him? No. Probably not even Liverpool, so, where would he go then? There's not many choices left. Abroad? Doubt it. Does he want to keep moving around? He's got in the England side now from being at Villa, and he's scoring for us. He earns great money. I think he'll be with us for a couple of years at least.

I don't think he'll go but Liverpool, QPR and Newcastle are all potential places he could go. As are Spurs when Redknapp gets the England job and Adebayor goes elsewhere next Summer.

[dave.woodhall]

We won on Saturday and there was a reasonable attendance. So obviously today's pessimism quota has to come from somewhere else.

[Somniloquism]

Bannan isnt good enough for Manure .   

Bannan isn't good enough for our first team let alone Man Utd's or anyone else's.

In three or four years he might be. That's probably the way managers look at things. I'd say he's on Fergie's radar. He'd have to become a top player for us first though. Sad, but that's the way it is.

It wouldn't surprise me that Fletcher is having words with him every Scotland match. The rumours about Bannan going there have been around since he was on loan at Blackpool. He would definitely replace Scholes in their team.

what you on . replace Scholes , youre having a laugh

Scholes wasn't exactly setting the world on fire when he was first in the team with the rest. In fact I remember him being linked with us along with others before when Gregory was here but he stayed after talking with Fergie. He might not have the shooting ability of him but the passing side of can be as good. And they both are as bad at the defensive and ball winning side.

[eamonn]

As much as I  like Bannan, Scholes was quite a bit ahead of him at the same age.

[Greg N'Ash]

End of the day AM can say what he wants because its not up to him. If we get a big offer in January or next summer he'll be off, and as we've given up trying to be anymore than also-rans, you couldn't blame the player. I'm not even sure he would have come to us if he'd known we'd be selling all the better players a few months after he joined.

[UsualSuspect]

Bannan isnt good enough for Manure .   

Bannan isn't good enough for our first team let alone Man Utd's or anyone else's.

In three or four years he might be. That's probably the way managers look at things. I'd say he's on Fergie's radar. He'd have to become a top player for us first though. Sad, but that's the way it is.

It wouldn't surprise me that Fletcher is having words with him every Scotland match. The rumours about Bannan going there have been around since he was on loan at Blackpool. He would definitely replace Scholes in their team.

what you on . replace Scholes , youre having a laugh 

My thoughts exactly

I think Bannan is a good little player with great vision and an eye for a pass but let's be honest when he was at Leeds he was getting splinters in his arse and AM prefers to play Ivanhoe above him.

I expect Bannan, Albrighton and Delph to be on their way within the next 18 months simply because I think AM doesn't rate them and/or doesn't know how to get the best out of them

[Dante Lavelli]

End of the day AM can say what he wants because its not up to him. If we get a big offer in January or next summer he'll be off, and as we've given up trying to be anymore than also-rans, you couldn't blame the player. I'm not even sure he would have come to us if he'd known we'd be selling all the better players a few months after he joined.

What would you consider to be a decent offer?

I'm not positive what his contract situation is but I'd guess that it is not an issue for it to affect his price (yet).   Therefore unless we get an offer in excess of 24m I doubt we will sell.  A I mentioned earlier I think we paid pretty much Bent's Ceiling price so I cannot see anyone offering enough money.

[nigel]

Bannan isnt good enough for Manure .   

Bannan isn't good enough for our first team let alone Man Utd's or anyone else's.

In three or four years he might be. That's probably the way managers look at things. I'd say he's on Fergie's radar. He'd have to become a top player for us first though. Sad, but that's the way it is.

It wouldn't surprise me that Fletcher is having words with him every Scotland match. The rumours about Bannan going there have been around since he was on loan at Blackpool. He would definitely replace Scholes in their team.

what you on . replace Scholes , youre having a laugh 

My thoughts exactly

I think Bannan is a good little player with great vision and an eye for a pass but let's be honest when he was at Leeds he was getting splinters in his arse and AM prefers to play Ivanhoe above him.

I expect Bannan, Albrighton and Delph to be on their way within the next 18 months simply because I think AM doesn't rate them and/or doesn't know how to get the best out of them

I don't think its a case that AMcL doesn't rate them.
Albrighton is struggling for form so is on the bench.
He is using Bannan, but was aware that he'd played quite  a lot of games, inc Scotland, so rested him. BB then had his faux pas with his car and was suspended for a week.
Delph lost his place when he picked up a knock, If I remember correctly.
He's also using the squad, which is quite refreshing.
I reckon he's got his system now, so players can fit in and get used to it.

[seanthevillan]

But using Scholes as an example of breaking into a team, rather than a player, Bannan isn't too far behind. Scholes wasn't a regular by any means for the first few years of his career (admittedly the midfield/attack was a bit harder to get into but even so).

Bannan is still 21 - he can develop into a decent attacking midfielder with us even if it takes him another 2/3 seasons to become a regular.

[UsualSuspect]

Bannan has played a lot of games so is being rested??

Bugger me the kid at 22 should be in his prime and chomping at the bit to play twice a week.

AM doesn't know how to use him because he isn't a right ringer and why start Heskey above him?

I don't know where the rubbish about Scholes not being a first team regular has come from, he made his debut at 19 and in his first season he made 17 league appearances and from then he made at least 20 league appearances per season until he retired.

Compare that to BB who is 22 next month and has made 20 appearances for us

No comparison whatsover

[Vanilla]

It is quite odd reading some of the replies that state we shouldn't sell Bent at any cost or for an extortionate amount. Yet when Young or Downing are mentioned, it is said we couldn't keep them as they wanted to go.

So all Bent really has to do is say, 'Hey boss, I wanna go.' Then we sell him, and the club and fans can blame the player.

[Concrete John]

Bannan isnt good enough for Manure .   

Bannan isn't good enough for our first team let alone Man Utd's or anyone else's.

In three or four years he might be. That's probably the way managers look at things. I'd say he's on Fergie's radar. He'd have to become a top player for us first though. Sad, but that's the way it is.

It wouldn't surprise me that Fletcher is having words with him every Scotland match. The rumours about Bannan going there have been around since he was on loan at Blackpool. He would definitely replace Scholes in their team.

what you on . replace Scholes , youre having a laugh 

My thoughts exactly

I think Bannan is a good little player with great vision and an eye for a pass but let's be honest when he was at Leeds he was getting splinters in his arse and AM prefers to play Ivanhoe above him.

I expect Bannan, Albrighton and Delph to be on their way within the next 18 months simply because I think AM doesn't rate them and/or doesn't know how to get the best out of them

I don't think its a case that AMcL doesn't rate them.
Albrighton is struggling for form so is on the bench.
He is using Bannan, but was aware that he'd played quite  a lot of games, inc Scotland, so rested him. BB then had his faux pas with his car and was suspended for a week.
Delph lost his place when he picked up a knock, If I remember correctly.
He's also using the squad, which is quite refreshing.
I reckon he's got his system now, so players can fit in and get used to it.

Quite right.

Delph started the first half dozen games or so for us, although IMO in the wrong position, Albrighton has been struggling for form and Bannan was worked into the team when Heskey got injured.  They've all had their chances.

The only one I think does have some reason to moan is Clark.

[UsualSuspect]

But don't forget AM saying that if players were rubbish they would be dropped.

I think Clark will be another one on his way.

[Dante Lavelli]

But don't forget AM saying that if players were rubbish they would be dropped.

I think Clark will be another one on his way.

I am not sure that Collins or Dunne has been consistently rubbish enough to justify dropping them though.  They seem to share the cock-ups pretty evenly between them, and mix it all up with some sterling bits of defending too.