Bassong: 'I want to leave for my career and my future'

[jimmymag]

No surprise...but why even conduct that interview this week? What relevance does it have? Wait until what's happened has happened. No class doing that at a point when the clubs future is in the balance imo.

 

I agree.

 

I concur with the agreement. Strikes me as an act of self interest above the team needs tbh.

 

Reporters ask questions, he answers them.

 

If he refuses to comment, people will think he's hiding away and wants away. If he lies, and then moves on in the Summer he gets accused of being someone who can't be trusted. No win situation tbh.

 

You're the biggest apologist for our players, and their fuck ups, on here.

 

He could, and should have said that this isn't the time to be talking about his or anyone elses future at the club.

[Guest Mantis]

odds are it will be the Championship, but if it is, we will still be here and we can go about forgetting those who move on, just as Shay is now a distant memory.

 

And things will be exactly the same next year.

 

Players don't want to be here because the club has no ambition and the only players who will come are much like the ones we have - overpaid and over-the-hill wasters. Shola Ameobi wants to be here more than anything because eventually we'll get bad enough for him to get a game - and somehow that's a good thing?!

 

NUFC's solution of "he's good but not happy because we're s***, better flog him" is the most retarded approach to the problem imaginable and one of the major reasons we're going down. If Milner, N'Zogbia, Faye and Given were all still here, we wouldn't be. Big clubs, clubs who want to be successful don't sell their best players (unless they're 100% confident of replacing them properly) - no matter how much they whinge.

 

I dont disagree with either of the highlighted bits above as the execs have shown a total lack of understanding of this game, but the situation being as it is, if we go down, its bye bye to those who want off.  Obviously i'd rather it didnt come to that.

[afar]

No surprise...but why even conduct that interview this week? What relevance does it have? Wait until what's happened has happened. No class doing that at a point when the clubs future is in the balance imo.

 

I agree.

 

I concur with the agreement. Strikes me as an act of self interest above the team needs tbh.

 

Reporters ask questions, he answers them.

 

If he refuses to comment, people will think he's hiding away and wants away. If he lies, and then moves on in the Summer he gets accused of being someone who can't be trusted. No win situation tbh.

 

You're the biggest apologist for our players, and their f*** ups, on here.

 

He could, and should have said that this isn't the time to be talking about his or anyone elses future at the club.

 

Exactly, how difficult is it to make that kind of statement.

[Heron]

I thought it was a fairly honest, open-minded professional interview tbh. I don't blame him what-so-ever, I blame the shit that this club has put itself into, I just hope to God we can keep a hold of him and Beye - by far our best two players.

[1878]

I think he is still very raw and makes a lot of mistakes but has shown great promise.  Arsenal need an experienced centre-half so I am not sure if they would splash the cash on him at this stage especially if they don't have much money to spend as to me, he would be more of a squad player there.

 

There have been rumours about Lescott going to Arsenal - if that was the case, then I could imagine Moyes wanting him as a replacement and turning him into a top player in time.

 

 

Not around here there hasn't. Arsenal can't even afford him anyway. There was a rumour they wanted Yobo because he's 3rd choice now and out of contract soon.

 

Anyway- if you stay up, which I think you will, then you can hold on to Bassong. Even if he does eventually leave at least you will make a healthy profit on him.

 

Is that you Mike? So it's Everton, not Spurs ey?

 

I meant on the off chance you go down at least you've got a healthy profit which will buy you a centre half more than good enough to get promoted.

 

If you stay up then the club just need to dig their heels in a bit and he will stay.

[Dave]

I think he is still very raw and makes a lot of mistakes but has shown great promise.  Arsenal need an experienced centre-half so I am not sure if they would splash the cash on him at this stage especially if they don't have much money to spend as to me, he would be more of a squad player there.

 

There have been rumours about Lescott going to Arsenal - if that was the case, then I could imagine Moyes wanting him as a replacement and turning him into a top player in time.

 

 

Not around here there hasn't. Arsenal can't even afford him anyway. There was a rumour they wanted Yobo because he's 3rd choice now and out of contract soon.

 

Anyway- if you stay up, which I think you will, then you can hold on to Bassong. Even if he does eventually leave at least you will make a healthy profit on him.

 

Is that you Mike? So it's Everton, not Spurs ey?

 

I meant on the off chance you go down at least you've got a healthy profit which will buy you a centre half more than good enough to get promoted.

 

If you stay up then the club just need to dig their heels in a bit and he will stay.

 

Yeah but we'd have to actually spend the money for that to happen.

[Big Geordie]

The timing of the interview isn't great (hasn't Jones at the mackems done something similar?) However, you can't blame the kid when the club has been ran as it has, since Keegan departed. Hopefully Shearer will be able to convince him to stay on (if only for a season) if we do go down, and of course - Alan wants to stay too. The latter is Ashley's last chance for redemption, so he should MAKE it happen.

[Mowen]

No surprise...but why even conduct that interview this week? What relevance does it have? Wait until what's happened has happened. No class doing that at a point when the clubs future is in the balance imo.

 

I agree.

 

me too

[Guest Brazilianbob]

I hear Smith might be going out on loan so why don't we send Bassong on a seasons long loan to one of the teams promoted to the EPL, then if we go straight back up we can recall him.  He gets top flight football next season and continues to raise his profile and value if he plays well, and we get a quality defender for nothing on our return to the EPL.  If we don't get promoted we agree to sell him.  Everyone's a winner that way!

[Mowen]

I hear Smith might be going out on loan so why don't we send Bassong on a seasons long loan to one of the teams promoted to the EPL, then if we go straight back up we can recall him.  He gets top flight football next season and continues to raise his profile and value if he plays well, and we get a quality defender for nothing on our return to the EPL.  If we don't get promoted we agree to sell him.  Everyone's a winner that way!

 

If we get relegated, don't come back up and sell our best player I'm not sure we are.

[TRon]

I hear Smith might be going out on loan so why don't we send Bassong on a seasons long loan to one of the teams promoted to the EPL, then if we go straight back up we can recall him.  He gets top flight football next season and continues to raise his profile and value if he plays well, and we get a quality defender for nothing on our return to the EPL.  If we don't get promoted we agree to sell him.  Everyone's a winner that way!

 

He's out of contract at the end of the season (I think)  so we'll lose out on a fee as well as the player if we do that.

[Dave]

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/05/22/sebastien-bassong-angered-by-quit-reports-72703-23688733/

SEBASTIEN Bassong is angry at claims he has upset the applecart ahead of Sunday’s crucial game with Aston Villa.

 

The Chronicle understands that Bassong is desperately hoping that the Magpies avoid relegation to the Championship and is heartbroken that his one-match ban was not rescinded by the FA.

 

And it isn’t a foregone conclusion that he will automatically quit the black-and- whites if they are relegated at Villa Park.

 

Bassong was quoted saying he had no desire to play in England’s second tier.

 

However, a source close to Bassong said today: “Somebody asked him if he wanted to play in the Championship.

 

“And, naturally, because he is ambitious like any young player should be, he said he didn’t want to.

 

“He knows that this isn’t the time to talk about contracts because of the position of the team.

 

“He will be hoping that Newcastle can do it without him on Sunday because he wants them to be in the Premier League again next season.

 

“And he wants to play for Newcastle again next season.

 

“He will be right behind his fellow players and the staff on Sunday, and that’s all he is thinking of at the minute.”

 

Contract talks between Bassong and United will start on Monday.

 

But sides interested in the 22-year-old Frenchman would have to pay the going rate in any case, with Bassong having another year left to run.

 

Newcastle would be stupid to accept anything less than £10m for the former Metz defender who has been the player of the season in the eyes of many fans.

 

And given that Bassong’s wages are so low there would be no reason to want to shift him off the wage bill if Newcastle were relegated, with substantially bigger earners certain to be moved on first.

 

It has also emerged that Dennis Wise almost blew the chance of signing Bassong. The controversial transfer chief sent out his scouting network to the Toulon tournament last summer where he was playing for France Under-21s.

 

But after Bassong played twice against Holland and Japan in defeats, while he was carrying a knock, Wise didn’t follow up with any interest.

 

And it was Keegan who offered the player a trial before a £500,000 bargain fee was pushed through.

 

The source added: “It was Kevin who was offered the chance to look at the player on trial and he was very impressed with him.

 

“Afterwards, Dennis was unhappy and angry that he hadn’t been consulted first.

 

“But it was Keegan’s signing.”

 

[Decky]

Ashley is bound to try and cash in on him, an absolute dead cert

[TRon]

I find it staggering that Llambias insisted that Bassong was a Wise signing when from that report it's clear Keegan was the driving force behind the deal.

[Shak]

I find it staggering that Llambias insisted that Bassong was a Wise signing when from that report it's clear Keegan was the driving force behind the deal.

 

Do you really find it staggering though, considering what manner of dickheads the people running the club have been proven to be time and time again?

[TRon]

I find it staggering that Llambias insisted that Bassong was a Wise signing when from that report it's clear Keegan was the driving force behind the deal.

 

Do you really find it staggering though, considering what manner of dickheads the people running the club have been proven to be time and time again?

 

Dickheads is one thing but to go out of your way to mislead people about something which didn't even need to be brought up is just pathetic.

[Skirge]

Sébastien Bassong reveals: I’ll leave NUFC if we’re relegated

May 22 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journa

 

SÉBASTIEN Bassong has revealed he will leave Newcastle United after just one season if they are relegated to the Championship at Aston Villa on Sunday.

 

Although few United fans would blame the young Frenchman for not wanting to follow the Magpies into the second tier of English football, the timing of his announcement will anger many.

 

Bassong’s performances have provided some of the few bright spots in a consistently dismal campaign, but the threat about his future will not go down well behind the scenes at St James’s Park, particularly as he will miss the trip to Villa Park as a result of his costly sending-off against Fulham last weekend.

 

“In the case that Newcastle go down, then I would have to hold talks with the club after the last game of the season,” said Bassong, who was also relegated with Metz in France’s Ligue 1 last season.

 

“Everybody knows that I am an ambitious boy, and playing Championship football never crossed my mind. You have to have a plan for your career and playing in the second division would be a step backward.”

 

Bassong will not be the only player who would look to leave in the summer if relegation is not avoided and Newcastle will be desperate to get most of them off the wage bill. However, Bassong would be one of the players Alan Shearer would fight to keep at the club, although it looks as if the ambitious 22-year-old has already made up his mind about what he wants to do.

 

Signed by Kevin Keegan – despite claims by Dennis Wise that he was responsible for bringing him over from France – the powerful centre-back has emerged as one of the best young defenders in the Premier League.

 

Indeed, even without relegation, Newcastle – who are refusing to print numbers on the back of replica shirts because they only have Premier League ones in stock at the club shop – will have to fight to keep the youngster, who only has one year left on a contract which is believed to earn him less than £7,000 a week.

 

As with any good young French player, Bassong has inevitably been linked with a move to Arsenal, with his agent keen to talk up whatever rumours there are regarding a possible transfer.

 

Newcastle have insisted they will offer him a vastly improved deal at the end of the season, but all contract negotiations are on hold until the club know which division they will be playing in next term.

 

Whether safety would persuade Bassong to remain in the North East remains to be seen, although he has nothing but positive things to say about Shearer as a manager. He said: “I hope that Alan Shearer will stay, whatever happens on Sunday. I understand that he likes the job and is enjoying his time as manager. Of course he uses his charisma, status and experience as a player, but it helps him transmit his message to the squad.

 

“Obviously, some managers are more about tactics than him, but he makes you forget his so-called lack of experience as a coach, thanks to his experience on the pitch.”

 

Meanwhile, United assistant manager Iain Dowie hopes he will have left Newcastle United in better shape than he found it, even if he and Shearer do not become the permanent management team in the summer.

 

Shearer is expected to be unveiled as permanent boss whatever happens on Sunday, although Dowie has claimed nothing is certain at this stage as he looks to keep the focus on Aston Villa.

 

He said: “I hope that, whatever happens, we’ve left Newcastle in a good shape. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time here and I don’t think we’ve seen many bad performances.

 

“I look at Chelsea in the second half when we were chasing the game; Tottenham in the first half. But overall the performances have been good. We’ve just not been able to put the ball in the back of the net.”

 

A point will be good enough against Martin O’Neill’s sixth-placed side on Sunday to keep the Magpies up, if Hull lose at home to Manchester United, and Newcastle will not go to Birmingham with a gung-ho attitude.

 

Dowie explained: “If we play an expansive game, we could get torn apart.

 

“They have got midfielders who have pace and skill, and (striker) John Carew is a handful and has been since his days in Spain (with Valencia).

 

“We have got to cope with that. Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young will be a handful, whoever’s in our defence. They’ve got pace and power and they’re not up there by accident.”

 

Brad Friedel, meanwhile, has warned Newcastle that Aston Villa will not roll over and gift them three points on Sunday.

 

Keeper Friedel insists Villa will be aiming to put their recent poor form behind them in the race to secure fifth place and edge out Everton.

 

He said: “Our form has been a bit disappointing recently.

 

“But we are still fighting for a fifth-place finish and that might not bode well for Newcastle as we definitely have something to play for.

 

“After finishing in sixth place last season, we do want to do better this season.

 

“I know we’ve already qualified for the Europa League, but we are professionals and we do want to do the best we can all the time and we do want to secure that fifth spot.”

http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/05/22/s-bastien-bassong-reveals-i-ll-leave-nufc-if-we-re-relegated-61634-23686167/

[Willow]

Bassong was in my dream last night, he was sat with a reporter right next to a huge map of London - he was laughing and joking about how hes exciting to be moving there and can't wait to join a new club...

 

 

[BottledDog]

I find it staggering that Llambias insisted that Bassong was a Wise signing when from that report it's clear Keegan was the driving force behind the deal.

 

Do you really find it staggering though, considering what manner of dickheads the people running the club have been proven to be time and time again?

 

Dickheads is one thing but to go out of your way to mislead people about something which didn't even need to be brought up is just pathetic.

 

Hope the story is true and only playing devil advocate here but the source for this story is, well, an unamed source.

[Dave]

Bit late with that, Skirge.

[TRon]

I don't know why there's a price of £8-10m being bandied about, why would anyone pay that when they can pick him up for a free at the end of next season? He might want to leave but we should make him stay, on a new contract if he agrees on his current one if he doesn't. We aren't going to get an offer which will make it worthwhile selling anyhow.

[Skirge]

Bit late with that, Skirge.

aye in trhe morning he is going in the afternoon he is staying... its all to Zoggy for me..

[Tooj]

I find it staggering that Llambias insisted that Bassong was a Wise signing when from that report it's clear Keegan was the driving force behind the deal.

 

Do you really find it staggering though, considering what manner of dickheads the people running the club have been proven to be time and time again?

 

Dickheads is one thing but to go out of your way to mislead people about something which didn't even need to be brought up is just pathetic.

 

That's the people we have running this club though.

[Teasy]

I don't know why there's a price of £8-10m being bandied about, why would anyone pay that when they can pick him up for a free at the end of next season? He might want to leave but we should make him stay, on a new contract if he agrees on his current one if he doesn't. We aren't going to get an offer which will make it worthwhile selling anyhow.

 

The media seem undecided on wether he has a year left or two years left on his contract.  Seems a bit odd to me to offer a young player on small wages only a two year contract so I'd lean towards believing he has two years left.

[Dave]

We never actually confirmed the details of his signing, that's why.