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Walsall blast “unprofessional” Deeney
Thursday 5th August 2010, 10:45AM BST.
Walsall manager Chris Hutchings today branded want-away star Troy Deeney “unprofessional” over the handling of his transfer request.
Hutchings believes the striker should have gone to him directly to ask to quit rather than leave it to his agent.
The Saddlers are still considering the 22-year-old’s demand, after Deeney expressed his desire to go yesterday following four bids from Watford.
Walsall have rejected every offer – the latest being £375,000 last Thursday – but this week Deeney criticised the club for keeping him against his will.
But Hutchings insists the Saddlers have done nothing wrong and added the striker must take some blame.
He said: “I read Troy is going to hand in a transfer request in without knocking on my door and I find that quite unprofessional.
“We’ve had a transfer request from his representatives, Troy hasn’t actually told me. I found it quite strange that he hasn’t knocked on my door and said ‘I’ll be handing a transfer request in.’
“What we have done is keep him informed, a club has made offers and they’ve been rejected.
“It remains behind closed doors if we talk to him but it was disappointing.”
The Saddlers start their League One campaign at home to Milton Keynes Dons on Saturday before the visit of Tranmere in the Carling Cup first round on Tuesday.
Watford are believed to be preparing a fifth bid but Hutchings, who is happy with the striker’s attitude in training, added Deeney will still be considered for selection.
He said: “If he’s employed by this football club, yes. He has trained hard and if nothing has happened he will be available for the games.”
But Hutchings is playing a waiting game over how long his star striker stays with the Saddlers.
He said: “How long is a piece of string? If they want to make offers it’s up to them, they know the situation, we rejected the last offer and the ball is in their court.
“These things happen in football, Martin O’Neill has got it with James Milner and that’s on a huge scale, much bigger than us.”
Watford have remained tight-lipped over their pursuit of Deeney, who top scored with 14 goals last season, but are believed to have made him their top target.
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Football is a short career. Deeney and his agent have probably realised what Watford hasn’t and that he is nto going to be a top top striker. He has to make his money whilst he can.
And with one exception…no one has never got rich at Walsall Football Club.
Thing is though, I can’t believe that the deal is going to be worth that much to Walsall. It may evenutally be worth the figures mentioend, but is probably heavily weighted in terms of add ons which may never come to pass.
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POT KETTLE thats all I have to say
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Er – isn’t that what you pay an agent for Chris? To manage your affairs?
Why employ an agent and then do it all yourself?? It’s not 1970 anymore!
He deserves his chance, and we could use the cash.
Let him go.
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And you think we will see the cash?.. no chance
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Get a deal done and get him out the door. You can’t blame him for wanting to take a step up. I’m not convinced he’ll do much in the Championship anyway.
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let him go and loan vokes from wolves !
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You snooze, you lose!
Big Sam Vokes has already gone on loan to Bristol City today.
Shame that because he would have bagged us a good 20 goals in a season.
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So yesterday you have your captain coming out saying that the supporters should stay behing Deeney whilst he is at the club and that he has a proffesional attitude. A day on and now you have the manager coming out slagging the player off. From an outsider looking in it seems strange.
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There are a couple of real ponts to ponder:
1. Deeney is on one of the better wages at the club, this can be spent on another player.
2. The transfer fee, which will probably be paid in stages will not be available to the Mr Hutchings straight away.
At this late hour (again), I expect a freeby and the fee will be kept back to blolster the team into the season.
As for Deeney, well his talent is raw at best, and it still remains a question if that be refined enough for the next League. One thing is striking, he is’nt quick enough to play in the Championship a must have at that level.
Young GRIGG seems to have the ability, with a little prolonged exposure to Division 1 he will prove a far better player than Troy.
Whatever best of luck Mr Deeney I think you will need it!
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To answer your points:
1. No he’s not.
2. What do you mean “the money wouldn’t be available straight away”??? If Watford are paying the fee in installments (say 8 installments of £50k), why couldnt Walsall go and buy someone and pay in 8 installments of £25k???
I just love the way Walsall fans are just full of excuses as to why we’re not going to buy anyone! 20 years of Bonser and the sycophants do his job for him!
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That’s it Chris. The old comforting arm around the shoulder routine.
He’s bound to want to stay now ….
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I am so sick of hearing football is a short career and players have to make as much money as they can. why not get a job when they are finished, as other people do?
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I don’t blame Chris for stating his displeasure with Deeney – I think Troy’s got an over-inflated opinion of himself and I think all the hard-work in the world will not make up for his lack of pace and finishing quality in a higher standard of football. It’s not as if Watford is a great move – if it were Nottingham Forest or Burnley, teams with a chance of promotion, then I could understand it. Sell him now Chris, and get another striker in – there must be one or two Premier or Championship reserves we could get on loan.
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Jack the lad, perhaps that’s why Hutchings has said what he has, he was worried that the transfer was about to fall through :-)
How would Hutch cope without the £4.99 that Bonser would hand him from the proceeds of the sale for team strengthening? :-)
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Get rid AND BRING SOME ONE ELSE IN NOW..
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He is bound to go now. Anyway I think Will Grigg will be able to do a few things for us. If we give him time he will be a much better player than Deeney.
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He can go for all I care, he’s always looked useless in my eyes, for the amount of chances he has, his finishing is woeful, let him go on the bopund for gunna get a suitable replacement, I see an ambitious looking move to bring in……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….a 5 bedroom villa in cyprus ay bonsor.
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And in my eyes too where have all these Deeney fans come from?????
wasnt it just last year when nobody could understand why he was on the pitch???
Let him go its a great deal for us its obviously gone to his head that a relegation outfit from the championship are after him so his head will not be with WFC.
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cmon mr hutching give the lad a break this is all new to him hes a little naive,yes. but slagging him off Publicly for it is out of order
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when is transfer deadline?
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I don’t think we can blame him for wanting to step up and have a go at a higher level every week, I think if he gets better service he will do well for them.
Hutching has no chance of getting him to stay now he has publicly had a go about the way he has handled it. Shame because he was definately our best player last season. I think those that are critisising him are just tongue in cheek cos they dont want him to go.
Let’s just get it done before it drags on in the dressing room and causes problems with others.
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get the cash and run
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