PJust; aka The Chuckle Brothers #mastertactician

Tobes · Oct 11, 2016

astro said: ↑

Everton’s Oumar Niasse: ‘It’s really sad. I don’t think I deserve this’

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/oct/11/everton-oumar-niasse-ronald-koeman-roberto-martinez

The striker was signed for £13.5m towards the end of Roberto Martínez’s reign at Everton and is refusing to give up on his Premier League dream despite being left without a locker and training with the under-23s

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Oumar Niasse was told by Ronald Koeman that he was not wanted at Everton after one 45-minute appearance in pre-season. The Senegal striker was stripped of his shirt number and he was ordered to train with the club’s under-23 squad. But it is a finer detail that shines a light on just how far the 26-year-old has fallen since what was a dream £13.5m transfer from Lokomotiv Moscow last February.

“I’m in the dressing-room with the under-23s but I don’t have a locker,” Niasse says. “The other players have where they put their stuff but I don’t. I come with my bag and I just have a place that I know. I put my bag down, I train and after, I put everything in my car and go home.”

There are many questions for Niasse as he sits down to talk at his house in the Manchester suburb of Worsley but there is one that practically screams at him. How has it come to this?

When Niasse was signed by Koeman’s predecessor, Roberto Martínez, he had torn up the first half of the Russian league season. He became the third-most expensive signing in Everton’s history – behind Romelu Lukaku and Marouane Fellaini – although he would be bumped down to fourth when the club took Yannick Bolasie over the summer.

The move has turned into a personal nightmare and the headline statistic is that Niasse has appeared for just 152 minutes across seven matches. There were initial fitness concerns. He had last played for Lokomotiv on 10 December, before the Russian winter break, while he had also undergone a wrist operation. His match fitness would deteriorate further as Martínez continued to overlook him – his first start did not come until 30 April in the home win over Bournemouth. It has been a vicious cycle.

But the overriding impression was that Martínez realised he had signed a dud. There has been ridicule. Before this interview, an Everton-supporting friend suggests that the photo-shoot ought to feature a cow-field and a banjo, so that Niasse could test the veracity of the old saying.

It reflects a perception of the player and things have got worse under Koeman. It is hard to ignore the feeling that the lack of a locker for Niasse is an attempt to humiliate him, or punish him, for his decision to stay on after the 1 September transfer deadline.

“It’s sad, it’s really sad,” Niasse says. “And, to be honest, I think that I don’t deserve this. But what I can do is just keep my head and fight to change things. I’m not going to make a drama over this. I just deal with it. I know that it’s just one period.”

Niasse is a fighter and he makes it perfectly clear that he intends to fire an upturn in his fortunes; to show his true levels to supporters in England – be that at Everton or another Premier League club, when the transfer window reopens in January. He wants it to be at Everton and he clings to the notion that he could yet force Koeman into a rethink of his opinion. Niasse’s self-belief is unshakeable.

But what shines through is his humility and the complete lack of malice, particularly towards Koeman. Niasse played in the second half of Koeman’s first game in charge – the 1-0 friendly win over FK Jablonec on 16 July – and he thought that it did not go too badly. Forty-eight hours later, he was called into the manager’s office.

“Koeman said: ‘You have to leave,’” Niasse says. “I couldn’t understand how that decision could have been made after 45 minutes but I just said: ‘OK, thank you.’ It’s his decision. He’s the manager. What can I do? I called my agent and he said that he would look into the opportunities for me. To be honest, I didn’t ask Koeman to explain his reasons. I just thought, even if I asked why, I would never understand. After just 45 minutes, you cannot say to me: ‘You are no good.’”

Niasse has since had one further conversation with Koeman, which was when he learned of his demotion to the under-23s. “He changed everything,” Niasse says. “He took my shirt number and he told me I wasn’t allowed to be in the dressing room for the first team; that I wasn’t going to train with them. I had to go with the second team.

“I said: ‘OK, no problem.’ When you say you don’t need a player, you don’t have to see him. I’ve just kept working in training. Even if I’m training with the under-23s, I give them the respect.”

There are several occasions when Niasse attempts to explain away what has been a remarkable sequence of events as simply being “football” – as if the sport’s capacity to defy logic ought to be explanation enough.

Everton had scouted Niasse at Lokomotiv; they watched him many times and he was no impulse buy. Other leading clubs in England and mainland Europe wanted him too but, after Everton had paid the money, they came to feel that he was not for them. Moreover, through the words and deeds of Martínez and Koeman, they have made it plain to Niasse’s potential suitors that they see little value in him. How is that £13.5m asset looking now? Football, eh?

The saga says much about the modern Premier League, with its power plays and financial imperatives, and it reinforces the image of England’s top division as the place to be; a ticket to be seized and not relinquished. Niasse believes that he has been harshly treated but he has a good contract until 2020 and he is not blind to the bigger picture. A football career must be plotted with the utmost care.

It is also interesting to consider Koeman’s position. He has made a judgment call, in good faith, on Niasse and it is one that, at the very least, represents a serious setback to the player’s career. He has backed him into a corner and yet the manager has been unable to make him blink.

“It is all up to the player whether he doesn’t leave, I can’t understand it but that is normal,” Koeman said on 22 September. “Football players like to play football, that’s how I see it, and I explained to Niasse why he was not in my plans for the season.” Koeman is not in the best position to get too huffy about the situation.

Niasse wants to play football but not just anywhere. He wants it to be at a club of his choice and he wants it to be in the Premier League. He had offers over the summer from Germany, Spain, Portugal and Turkey but there was never a decision for him to make over a Premier League move, despite interest from Crystal Palace, West Bromwich Albion and Hull City.

“It’s not only about having opportunities and then, you’re going to leave,” Niasse says. “I always think about my career – to make good choices. Yes, I had opportunities but I wanted to play in the Premier League and it’s because I know I can do a lot of things in the Premier League. That’s why I am keeping my head, even if it’s hard now.

“Anything can change. Koeman just wants the best for him and, in two months, if I can be the best for him, he will take me, because he doesn’t have any problem with me and I don’t have any problem with him. It’s football and bigger players than me have had this problem with their coaches. How many times did Real Madrid say they didn’t want Lassana Diarra and, at the end of the season, who was playing?”

Niasse had it tougher, much tougher, at Lokomotiv, after his €6m transfer from the Turkish club, Akhisar Belediyespor, for whom he scored 15 goals and had seven assists in 2013-14. Niasse knew nobody in Moscow, he could not speak the language and the temperatures of -15C were brutal. There were also the depressing brushes with racism.

“It’s very hard to be a black guy in Moscow,” Niasse says. “Even in the games, you can sometimes hear the fans doing some ****. I remember they did it to me. Away to CSKA Moscow [in September 2015], we had a penalty and I took it but all the fans were making these noises. It didn’t bother me. I scored the penalty. I didn’t say anything.”

Niasse struggled desperately during his first season at Lokomotiv. The club had Roman Pavlyuchenko and Dame N’Doye up front and, after the latter moved to Hull in February 2015, they signed the Serbian Petar Skuletic to replace him. Niasse kicked his heels. Between 24 November 2014 and 18 April 2015, he did not appear for a single minute.

But he was given a chance towards the end of the season and he responded by scoring the equaliser in the Russian Cup final against Kuban Krasnodar. Lokomotiv would win 3-1 after extra time. When the following season kicked off, Niasse caught fire. He scored 13 times and made 10 assists, before the Russian League broke for the winter.

“People say Russia is not a strong league but you go to Moscow, with the weather, with the way that they play, with everything, and you’ll see that to play there is much more complicated.

“If I did it in Russia, why can’t I do it in England? What happened in Moscow makes me know that I can turn it around here.”

Niasse starred in Lokomotiv’s Europa League matches last season and it really is bizarre that he has gone from that kind of form to his current predicament of having to pick up the pieces with Everton Under-23s. Since 19 September, he has played four times for David Unsworth’s team, scoring goals against Arsenal and Manchester United.

“I’m just thinking about what I have to do,” Niasse says. “If, at any time, Everton need me – for the 23s or the first-team – I will be there, because I work for Everton. They paid a lot of money for me and that’s why I feel I have to show something. People say what they think but they don’t know me in England. They have never seen me fit and playing.

“I want to show myself in the Premier League and I hope it can be at Everton, because it’s the team that I’m feeling. Every weekend, I’m watching the games, I’m supporting the team, I’m behind them. I’m a blue. But, if I get the opportunity to show what I can do at another Premier League team, I will go and I will do it. You never know what can happen. This is football.”
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He's absolute ****e, the worst signing in our entire history.

Koeman played him in a pre-season game and realised immediately that he was gash, so didn't give him a squad number and told him to go and find another club.

He had offers to leave on loan and rejected them to sit on his arse and take his salary here, only he knows why he made that choice.

Red Hadron Collider · Oct 11, 2016

Why?

LuisDiazgamechanger · Oct 11, 2016

Red Hadron Collider said: ↑

Why?
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Don't we had Borini and Mario who caused us problems too?.

astro · Oct 11, 2016

Jigsawklopp said: ↑

Don't we had Borini and Mario who caused us problems too?.
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Borini was potentially valuable to the right club so ended up going

Mario we clearly wanted rid so just wrote off the money

Everton want to write off Niasse as if they have #ambition but Moshiri won't dip into his pocket to pay off the player

Rorschach · Oct 11, 2016

I don't blame Niasse for sitting and taking the money. Everton offered the contract and he signed. Only a big offer will probably move him. It was the same with Mario. Xxxx pounds a week is a nice incentive.

astro · Oct 11, 2016

Rorschach said: ↑

I don't blame Niasse for sitting and taking the money. Everton offered the contract and he signed. Only a big offer will probably move him. It was the same with Mario. Xxxx pounds a week is a nice incentive.
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TBH he's probably just building his case for constructive dismissal so he walks next season on a free with his contract paid in full

Stuff like not letting him have a locker is just pathetic and #bitter

johnsonsbaby · Oct 11, 2016

Any news on the stadium? [no wum intended]

astro · Oct 11, 2016

johnsonsbaby said: ↑

Any news on the stadium? [no wum intended]
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Dodgy billionaire plans new stadium for the blues by 2020, don't like the look of it though, brickwork looks like a prison

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sp...s-plans-60-000-seater-stadium-built-2020.html

johnsonsbaby · Oct 11, 2016

astro said: ↑

Dodgy billionaire plans new stadium for the blues by 2020, don't like the look of it though, brickwork looks like a prison

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sp...s-plans-60-000-seater-stadium-built-2020.html
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It's one of those structures that looks vastly different aerially to close up ground level. Not sure what I think of it, brick work is certainly different. Also reminds me of the bird's nest thingy at the Beijing Olympics.

Page_Moss_Kopite · Oct 11, 2016

They made a lot of it brickwork so the headhunters have plenty of space to use their spraypaint on, innit!

Peej · Oct 12, 2016

astro said: ↑

TBH he's probably just building his case for constructive dismissal so he walks next season on a free with his contract paid in full

Stuff like not letting him have a locker is just pathetic and #bitter
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Pay him off? Why, he has a squad place and is getting games with U23's and scoring.

Diego · Oct 12, 2016

PJS - BACK AND BOSSING IT said: ↑

Pay him off? Why, he has a squad place and is getting games with U23's and scoring.
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Because that's what Klopp does when he has no idea how to get the best out of a player, he can't improve them or change them so he just pay's them off.

Peej · Oct 12, 2016

Diego said: ↑

Because that's what Klopp does when he has no idea how to get the best out of a player, he can't improve them or change them so he just pay's them off.
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He doesn't pay them off.

Who has he had the club pay off?

Diego · Oct 12, 2016

PJS - BACK AND BOSSING IT said: ↑

He doesn't pay them off.

Who has he had the club pay off?
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Balotelli ?

Peej · Oct 12, 2016

Diego said: ↑

Balotelli ?
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In which way?

Not sure of the time he was milking the club for wages and the fee paid and money lost. Educate me.

Solid Air 2 · Oct 12, 2016

Diego said: ↑

Balotelli ?
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nah we gave him to Nice with a 30% sell on clause if reports are to be believed

terrifictraore · Oct 12, 2016

Solid_Air 2 said: ↑

nah we gave him to Nice with a 30% sell on clause if reports are to be believed
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30% of feck all is still feck all!

johnsonsbaby · Oct 12, 2016

terrifictraore said: ↑

30% of feck all is still feck all!
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It's 30% of the fee when Nice sell him on.

terrifictraore · Oct 12, 2016

johnsonsbaby said: ↑

It's 30% of the fee when Nice sell him on.
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When, WHEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Surely nobody is going to pay any money for that useless bag of shyte.?

Solid Air 2 · Oct 12, 2016

terrifictraore said: ↑

30% of feck all is still feck all!
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hey if he carries on scoring at his present rate they may end up selling him for 6m euros - mind you in a couple of months our 2m euros will equate to about a litre of petrol the way the £ is going

PJust; aka The Chuckle Brothers #mastertactician

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