O'Neill concerned that homesickness could force Sessegnon out of Sunderland The Benin international's family have struggled to settle in the north-east and the Black Cats' boss faces a battle to keep the creative midfielder at the Stadium of Light. Stephane Sessegnon could leave Sunderland after Martin OâNeill revealed the Benin international is suffering from homesickness. The creative midfielderâs family have failed to adjust to life on Wearside and OâNeill fears that he could be forced to leave the Stadium of Light as a result. But the Black Cats' boss expects the club do its utmost in an effort to keep the 27-year-old, who has been instrumental in the Mackems' rise up the Premier League table. He said: "We wouldn't want to lose Sessegnon because of homesickness. âHis family concerns over there are something we will really have to look at, particularly now. âI think the club has got a good reputation for trying to help. We will do everything we can, put it this way. âWe have someone here at the football club that is in constant touch with Sess. We have given him a little bit of time to go and see his family.â The Ulsterman also admitted that Sessegnon wouldnât be short of suitors if he decided to leave, but insisted the midfielder has not hinted he wants to leave. âFor normal reasons we should do it [keep him] and for very obvious reasons, because he is going to attract an awful lot of attention from big clubs,â he continued. âI'm hopeful but never confident, particularly when it comes to players. He has not mentioned anything. I haven't had a word from his agent yet. "I believe his name will be bandied around significantly, we'd hate to lose him at this point, we really would. If it's because of homesickness it is something we would have to look at.â O'Neill is keen to avoid similar problems with other players, claiming that those moving from other areas of Britain are also affected. The 60-year-old explained: âIt is not just appertaining to foreign players, but players moving from one side of the country to the other - it seems crazy, but they have a bit of difficulty and some part of their family don't want to move. âThat is something, particularly with Sessegnon, we really need to have a look at.â
These rumours just won't go away, there's another article in the papers today with MON saying we will do everything we can to keep him but if his family can't settle I don't think it looks good for us. If he does go we need to get a good fee and a suitable replacement in. The ban he picked up may come as a blessing in disguise as we probably do need to learn to play without him, it's a shame because he is the best player I I've ever seen to play in red and White and is worth the entry fee alone. As for replacements they won't come cheap, I rate Moses at Wigan really highly and he has said if they go down he will leave, he tore us a new one at the Sol an has looked good whenever I've seen him. I like the look of Hoilet at Blackburn but feel he may be destined for bigger things. I know this is a bit doom and gloom on a big day for us but I am a bit resigned to losing him now, enjoy him while we can lads.
****e journo's who can't be arsed to leave the pub stirring up crap again. This was doing the rounds two months back FFS.
Why do you never hear about homesickness from players in London or Manchester? Bunch of whinging pansies. Man up and stand by your decision to come in the first place. I've spent the majority of my life away from home, as I'd guess many on here have. Just get on with it. Rant over
Spot on billy. It's either that, or other clubs trying to unsettle him. I think if has never looked happier. Apart from the scum game of course. Lol.
What will be will be, it can be hard being away from home but with the wages they get they do have options many of us don't have. I have worked and lived away and lived in cheap digs, a bedsit and rented houses.
Syd - done all of that, plus a squat for 6 weeks (don't ask). Living in my 42nd residence now - one for each year of my life!
True but as he has said, neither the lad or his agent has even brought it up. He's been allowed to go see his family who, last I heard are still in France. How the **** have they not settled here if they've never been over & the quotes are recycled from two months ago anyhow. At the end of the day, if he go's, he go's. We move on.
On another thread some lad is not watching the match cos he has to get a suit measured for his mates wedding. We keep hearing the wags do not like here or there, some men just need to grow a pair and get on and do what they need to do. They should realise women like that are really into them that much.
What worries me, is that his family did come over in December. Now, if they have buggared off again, that doesn't bode well at all. There's no getting away from the fact these are direct quotes from MON, so this isn't smoke, it's very much fire. Is Sessegnon even replaceable for us? It's ****ing difficult to imagine how we could find another player with such creativity & work rate, without spending absolute mega-money. We will just have to cross our fingers, as Cest mentioned, he looks happy on the pitch now, and certainly he didn't for a long while. I cling to the hope that he's been here a season and a half come seasons end, and hasn't said anything to MON, the fact that he can fly direct from Newcastle to Paris is a bonus, and if needs be, the club should be getting the lad a helicopter!
Its funny how Gardner has settle since he has become a first team regular? I wonder if a new contract on big buck would help Sess settle?? Let see shall we.
Is it time we considered(and I'm playing devils advocate here) having the first team actually based further down South and only coming to Sunderland on match days eve. This would give us a greater chance of signing players who(god knows why)prefer to live down South. I believe there is at least one Russian club does this. As i said, just mooting the point for discussion -I don't like it myself, however if the proverbial Mohammed won't come to the mountain, the mountain could go to Mohammed. After all, does Ellis live in the North east?
But not in Sunderland Billy, I guess you will be giving Sess a lift to the airport then!! I agree with your sentiments though Billy.
I don't think it's a coincidence that two of your players, living in Sunderland, have felt homesick and wanted to leave
If he did go how much would we get. He must be in the 12m-15m bracket after the season he has had especially if you look at the fee for someone like Mata who went for around £23m I believe. Mind you if the mags think Tiote is worth £25m as I have read on some threads Sess must be worth £40m, I am however not a deluded mug.
