[sing on our own]

Typical of modern footballers, don’t say Fosters loyal he only came because Blues went down he loved them at one point. The clique in the dressing room needs breaking up they can’t keep trying to run the club, if they hadn’t downed tools they would still be prem players. Odemwingie was spot on what he said about Foster and others.

[Dexy]

Couldn't be more shocked with Foster , I do believe with him its not just money/ new club . Suspect more from him soon and until then I'll wait to hear his side.
Massive and unfair test of Darren Moore so far.

[royhan]

The shambles our proud club has found itself is beyond belief. Someone needs to take a stand and tell those under contract with no release clause  that they are going nowhere. They signed their contracts and they need to honour them.

[Standaman]

Sticking to what we know.

Dawson and Foster have refused to go on the training camp. It is reported they are disgruntled with the club's stance on offers that have been made. In Foster's case a reported bid of £10m from Watford. I have also seen it suggested that he was unhappy with the decision to let Myhill and or McAuley go.

It was barely a month ago that he was unequivocal that he was staying next year and beyond to retirement. He was also a prominent lobbyist for Darren Moore's appointment. It seems odd that things have unraveled so quickly.

I have zero sympathy. Whatever has gone on this is absolutely not the way to go about things. It is hugely disrespectful of both club and Darren. Regardless of where they end up they will need the fitness work so it is no hardship for either to go. This a very public burning of bridges and it is difficult to see this being resolved amicably.     

[Dan]

I don't really see what's going to be achieved by being massively unprofessional like this, it just hurts both the club and player. Look at Evans who even when available for a bargain price none of the top clubs would touch him with a barge pole after his antics last season despite bidding 5, 6 times that last summer.

If he wants to move on, ok, but giving that interview was seriously ill advised, and to leave like this would be in the most unprofessional manner possible. If you want to leave that much at least have the decency to hand in a transfer request. But that means forfeiting some money of course so that won't happen.

[geoff]

Let them all go ASP
Fingers crossed the club back their choice for manager in whatever he needs because if they dont we could well be playing in
div 1 in the 19/20 season. 

[SirTonyM]

West Bromwich Albion go on pre-season tour. All playing staff as employees of the the club need to be there as they are employees of the club!

Foster and Dawson no thanks...

Funny they are mad at the hard line stance of the club over transfers. I think they were happy to pick up their wages while we got relegated. I assume as they aren't going they are happy to not receive their wages this week...

[GREGMT]

What we've had for years is a clique of players running things.  The appointment of Moore has them on side.  Unfortunately these blokes are complacent as people are pandering to them. 

That's why the Technical Director has gone as he's have identified players to better WBA  and the clique are frightened of losing their place.

Absolute shambles.

[iwastherein68]

It all started last season with first of all Chadli not going on tour, and then the club failed to discipline the "taxi crew" properly. Now a complete shambles by the look of it.

[paulosull]

Two can jog on as far as I'm concerned get rid asap

[zippyandbungle]

1) why are people shocked, they are employees who have just lost 50% of their weekly wage
2) people moaning that "these players got Darren Moore the mangers job" more fool the club if that is what the appointment was made on
3) I'd sell anyway, his knees are shot (or at least would struggle with volume of champ games) we can get 10m for foster now....take it
4) foster has not been bad for us, IMO Rondon has not contributed anywhere near as much...but Rondons in Portugal so he's ok , foster isn't he's the devil......same as Odemwingie ....the bloke was amazing for us, one misdemeanour and he has horns...overreaction Utd

[baggie82]

Releasing G-Mac appears to have been a colossal error. Respected pro, proven at premiership level, ditched. The club is a shambles, no surprise level headed players want out. No real board, no strategy or clue what they are going, rookie manger. This is probably the start of the circus not the end.

[Dan]

Releasing G-Mac appears to have been a colossal error. Respected pro, proven at premiership level, ditched. The club is a shambles, no surprise level headed players want out. No real board, no strategy or clue what they are going, rookie manger. This is probably the start of the circus not the end.

He also turns 39 next season and very much looked his age whenever he played last season.

[LiamTheBaggie]

Releasing G-Mac appears to have been a colossal error. Respected pro, proven at premiership level, ditched. The club is a shambles, no surprise level headed players want out. No real board, no strategy or clue what they are going, rookie manger. This is probably the start of the circus not the end.

No it wasn't - we released a 38 year old whose legs in his final games with us looked beyond him

If the players cannot accept that decision then tough.

Personally, I'd urine them off by refusing every transfer offer received and therefore letting them rot

[TheBrom]

With these two players though I think the club should respect the fact they were arguably two of the players who performed last season. Certainly gave their all. As such and in light of their service to the club I don't think we should stand in their way if a Premiership club comes in with a suitable offer. That is the key though, it has to be a realistic price.

Both have just had 50% wage cuts on the back of solid individual Premiership campaigns where they'd have no trouble finding a Premiership club. That and Foster hasn't got long left in the game and Dawson is in his prime are obviously factors to be considered as well as the club doing nothing yet that shows any ambition. If anything, the actions of the club are amateurish in too many aspects and that too is going to impact.

I dislike their lack of professionalism and they should just hand in a transfer request (but then they also waive money). It's all gone Pete Tong.

I’m sorry but both signed their respective contracts and knew that if we got relegated then their wages would be decreased. Nobody forced them to sign it so that’s not an excuse

[baggie82]

He also turns 39 next season and very much looked his age whenever he played last season.

I understand that argument. But he never had a run of games to get his fitness and legs up to speed and when he did play under Pardew it was in a shambles of a team pushed up the pitch. I still think he could have been invaluable in the championship with 46 games to deal with. We actually need a bigger squad than last season.

[caravanc58]

so Watford offered £1m for Foster not £10m according to the Daily Mail.

[baggie82]

so Watford offered £1m for Foster not £10m according to the Daily Mail.

£10m was never realistic at his age. We just need to make it clear to Ben that he's not for sale and he will come around and get his head down. Probably actually concerned at playing too much football with us if anything as his body isn't right for three games a week. Need another keeper in who can compete and support him asap, shouldn't have released Myhill if we didn't have a signing ready on the dot.

[17GD]

I’m sorry but both signed their respective contracts and knew that if we got relegated then their wages would be decreased. Nobody forced them to sign it so that’s not an excuse

It was my understanding that they HAD to sign their new contract, as did the other players. It's probably still in the region of 15-20k pw anyway.

As far as I'm concerned I'd rather have players that want to play for us, as opposed to those who are here simply for the money. But then I suppose that does rule out the vast majority. Bit disappointed in all this if it's true.

Out of the squad, I'd have put money on Jimmy Mc doing this sort of thing, given his history. Quite surprised it's these two.

[Westie]

The Club is a complete shambles and the responsibility goes to the top. We have Lai over in China who is utterly clueless regarding the running of a football club, he’s the Chinese equivalent of the Venkys. I have respect for Foster and Dawson and something serious has happened to make them act as they have. Perhaps Big Dave has been undermined regarding player retention and recruitment? If that is the case, maybe we should be prepared for Big Dave’s resignation before the season starts? There is something stinking behind the scenes!

[TheJacko2000]

Agree. Until we hear from Darren or the players I'm firmly in the Foster and Dawson camp. It's entirely out of character so the club needs to explain itself.


I don't trust Jenkins one bit.

[ex coseley kid]

Jenkins is the problem I think.... which of course is very worrying for us.

[Nice1Cyrille]

Worrying news and we need to know what is going on at the club.
If its just a holdout to move to other clubs, then I would fine them all their wages and tell them until you are willing to play you don't get paid.
It works both ways, if they are selected on game day and play like sh*te then they will damage their own chances of moving elsewhere

I fear we will be fighting relegation at this rate.  July 1st can't come soon enough for some transfer activity.

[Nice1Cyrille]

One more thing I meant to say.  As a kid I remember players spending their entire careers at clubs.
Yes there were big money moves but the crazy wages and signing bonuses weren't available to disrupt teams as they do now.
Football is now full of greed from the owners down to managers down to players.

FFS all they do is kick a ball around for 90 minutes every weekend and practice during the week.  I'm afraid the sport has now become a bunch of overpaid, ungrateful, prima donnas with no respect for the people that pay them or the fans that watch them.

[costa blanca baggie]

One more thing I meant to say.  As a kid I remember players spending their entire careers at clubs.
Yes there were big money moves but the crazy wages and signing bonuses weren't available to disrupt teams as they do now.
Football is now full of greed from the owners down to managers down to players.

FFS all they do is kick a ball around for 90 minutes every weekend and practice during the week.  I'm afraid the sport has now become a bunch of overpaid, ungrateful, prima donnas with no respect for the people that pay them or the fans that watch them.

Don’t forget the damage being done by agents. For virtually no outlay, they sign up players, then trade them from club to club for a vast amounts of cash. Ben is one these players, and we don’t know what he’s being advised to do by his agent, but you can be sure it’s everything to do with dosh. Top players are only cash cows to certain people, and I’m afraid Ben is rapidly turning into a dog. Personally, I think there’s a whole lot of reasons why Ben decided not to travel to Portugal, and we’ll never find out what they are. I just hope it gets sorted soon.