Anybody else pick up that rlb is best mates with Will Still ? Wonder how often they pick each others brains, and if Will had any influence (even if only minor) on us in reaching out to Regis? Might be nothing, but I found it interesting
Only one we have is Isidor who is number 18. 9 is freed up for Abdullahi if he wants it 6 is freed up for Samed (was 6 at lens) 39 freed up too Aleksic was number 70 at his last place
Need to listen to it again, but "both had discussions about me and the coach (Regis) decided I was the player he wanted" Still joined Lens on the 10th June, Regis joined us 22nd of june. I don't think Regis wasn't talking to the previous lens manager about Samed in July and August. That would have been between Regis and Still imo
I think he will mean RLB checked his personality and attributes etc. with the manager who had coached him for a long period. No someone who hadnt played him in professional game.
If he was asking about his personality and doing due diligence on him I think he would, particularly if they're best friends. For me, that's more likely than Still and Le Bris being best mates.
Guess it depends if loans departing frees up the numbers or if they need to be permanent. I don't think there's a hard and fast rule and its probably up to the club.
Ironically Haise helped put the wheels in motion for Le Bris ending up here. Left for Nice meaning that the Lens job was vacant for Still....
The rest of the quotes are interesting too: FULL OF QUALITY “With the ball, he’s a creative player. He can recover balls. What I find remarkable is his ability to play as a number 6 - he’s a real 6 - and then to direct the game, giving it both pace and a kind of accuracy in his choices. It could be between the lines or at the back of the defence. It can be a reversal or a combination. Pierre knows how to do a lot with both feet. His left foot in particular, but he knows how to use his right. You’ll see for yourself, as soon as he touches the ball, you’ll say to yourself ‘he’s got something’. He exudes a kind of confidence and quality that allows him to create imbalance from the moment he receives the ball and set the tempo of the game. That’s very useful in this position. In terms of positioning, Pierre is good in front of the defence. He can also be a little bit higher up. But he’ll particularly enjoy playing between the defence and the midfield. That’s his preferred position. But he’s also capable of scoring goals from distance. That’s another of his qualities, because not all the players in his position have his ball striking abilities.” NEEDS CONSISTENCY “No, perhaps that’s why he hasn’t completely made the switch. For the moment, Pierre hasn’t found his true consistency. And at the same time, you can feel that it’s there, just around the corner! That’s why the change of environment makes sense. He’s been with us for two and a half years. If he hasn’t made the switch completely, it’s because he’s missing a little something. Sometimes it’s the environment that brings it about. I think Pierre is a player who thrives on challenge.” WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE MORE FROM HIM “At some point he says to himself: ‘OK, that’s done. It’s ticked, it’s achieved’. He feels that all he has to do is put in a little more effort and he’s got the level. We talked about it quite a lot together because it intrigued me. When I analysed him, I found him very interesting and at the same time I could see that he was always keeping something under his belt. What does that mean? His feedback was like this: he gave himself the impression that he’d already validated this level and that as soon as it’s acquired... It’s not that he’s resting on his laurels, but it’s not exactly exciting any more. And that’s what Pierre is looking for. His personality is built a bit like that. In fact, I didn’t have time to test that point with Pierre. I’d have liked to have played him more to see how he’d measure up against the others, to see if he’d say to himself: ‘Finally, I might still have something to go for at Sunderland’. But Pierre took a blow in a warm-up match we played in Spain a month and a half ago. He landed badly on an opponent, suffered back pains and was out of action for almost a fortnight. During those days, it’s a big period of preparation matches for us.” CAME BACK WHEN WE WERE IN GOOD FORM “Pierre was out, he came back at the end of the preparatory phase, but in the meantime the team had really taken off. I think that only reinforced for him the idea that the next step wasn’t here. And for us, as the team was doing well, it made sense for Pierre to look for a new project. That’s how it happened, it’s a bit by chance and at the same time a bit of destiny. But coming from the outside, I would have liked to try it out. But I couldn’t do it.” HE’S GOT WHAT IT TAKES "I think Pierre has everything it takes to be a top 5 player in the 5 major European championships. Now you have to do it over and over again, and be consistent at the top level. That’s always the challenge with this type of young player. They’re extremely talented. Pierre has a CV, he’s already played for some of the big clubs, and everyone knows he’s got that talent. Now the question is: ‘Do you have the ability to repeat it weekend after weekend and over the course of a match? Because that’s what the competition is waiting for, after all!" EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HE OFFERS “Yes, I think that would suit him. Now, I’m very curious to see what Pierre will show at Les Verts. As I told him, it’s going to make me want to watch Saint-Etienne matches even more. I’m very curious to see how he’s going to develop, and like you I can’t wait to see his first steps in Ligue 1. Because connections are never easy to make. Even if I was still coaching in Ligue 1 a few months ago, you have to see him in action to know what will and won’t work. Pierre isn’t playing on his own, of course. He’ll have new partners and a game plan that may be different from ours at Sunderland. I know Olivier Dall’Oglio well, we played together at Stade Rennais. I was a young player then and he was one of the leaders of the team. I like Olivier and I’m pleased that he managed to get the Verts back into the top flight. Olivier must like Pierre’s profile, he likes good footballers and good ball handlers. We’ll see how it all comes together.” WAS IT A DEAL BETWEEN FRIENDS? “You’re guessing wrong (laughs) In fact, it didn’t work out that way. Olivier could have, but it didn’t work out that way. The networks that lead to recruitment are sometimes improbable (laughs). I don’t know what happened behind the scenes. But I wish Pierre all the best at Saint-Etienne. As well as being a good player, he’s a pleasant, uncomplicated person. He has a good culture. For him, the key will be to perform at the highest level. He’ll have a great crowd behind him, and I hope that will galvanise him!”
Haven’t been on for a few days so apologies if already mentioned but just been reading we apparently held talks with Naby Keita about a move during the summer? Any truth in that or just hearsay?
I think he picked up an injury in pre-season and was out of favour anyway at Lens but played for them in the June fixtures, he's become a guaranteed starter when fit alongside Partey.
Was there anything in the rumours that he's injured at the minute? Something to do with his stomach muscles iirc
Aye, that's why he wasn't selected. Don't think it's anything to worry about though. https://radio.footballghana.com/202...d-left-out-of-ghana-squad-due-to-injury?amp=1
Hard to be sure what with things being lost in translation and with no context about the conversations, but taken on face value it appears that Ekwah feels he's already 'achieved' championship level and doesn't feel motivated any more because that's ticked off now and he needs a new challenge. Not sure about that Pierre.
Really can't wait to see the games where he does go up front, I have a really good feeling his height, pace, dribbling and movement will be great for us there
