Whats the score with him?...........its the one bit of info not coming out of the club as to what his position is........is he just drawing a wage?
If he isn't wanted at Fratton Park, then he should go out on loan to another League 2 club, or one in the Conference - what about Aldershot or Eastleigh ? That could possibly lead to a permanent move away, to get him off the payroll. It sounds easy, doesn't it ?!
There are a few who claim to be "in the know" who say that he is a divisive character in the dressing room - they can't give any details, just that he moans a lot, threw his toys out when he didn't get the manager's job etc. "he'll never put on a Pompey shirt again" etc. The only things we actually know is that Guy signed him, then appointed him as player/coach - he applied for the manager's job but Richie Barker was appointed along with Steve Coppell, DC went off on loan to Oxford and Barker said that he wanted to go (read that as RB didn't send him out on loan) - he came back at the end of the loan period, is training with the squad, is in the squad photo, but was left out of the friendlies and isn't being picked for the first team. Apart from that it's all surmising.
I heard.......today during a conversation after training that DC is still training each day, is not part of AA's plans because he does not agree with regards to squad rotation, so is happy to go out on loan or train and take a wage.......it was offered for him to tear up his contract so he could find his own club and get a fee, but he declined........if this is true, then I guess we have a wage sapper..............we do seem to attract them!
I have to say that I find management practice in football to be the most freakish management practice going. Manager (1) offers a contract to footballer X for 2 years, Manager (1) is sacked and Manager (2) appointed who then says "I don't want these players, I want to bring in my own players" "okay, no problem" says board of directors, throwing more cash at him to build a bigger squad, Manager (2) then says to footballer X "You're not in my plans, you can leave" Footballer X says "P155 off I've got a contract and you should honour it, I'm willing to play" Manager (2) then either leaves or is sacked and Manager (3) is appointed and is given more money to recruit more players to build his own team = squad gets even bigger Manager (3) tells Footballer X "oh you're not in my plans either, you can tear up your contract" Footballer X says "p155 off, I've got a contract and you should honour it, I'm willing to play" Footballer X then gets a reputation within the fan base as eg a wage sapper. Johnny Ertl wasn't in Barker's plans and I heard fans questioning why his contract wasn't torn up, the same was being said about Agyemang as well. Ryan Bird has torn his contract up to go off to Cambridge, because it suited him to do it. Trevor Carson was told he was getting a contract then nothing appeared and 2 other keepers were recruited instead. I can't help wondering why we fans expect loyalty to a club from players that are seen and used as a commodity by club personnel. If the only problem is that 1 player isn't being played because he has said something that the manager doesn't like then it smacks of pettiness, or control freakishness. Football is certainly a strange industry.
I don't understand that of DC, he is a very wealthy man and plays football still because he just loves the game not for the money. He is someone who didn't like to be messed around so you would think he tear up his contract and move on. Maybe that red and white running through him is enjoying the moment.
The red and white bit about whining and wanting a move or sulking if he doesn't get his way all the time you mean
The reason I called him a "wage sapper" was for no other reason than he is a wealthy respected layer, of previous prem and international quality, he knows he is not going to get a game for pompey..........so if your love of the game is still strong.......then surely you would want to move on to get that game, to feel that adrenalin, unless its about digging your heels in and taking the wage? Of course.........I could be wrong, he could be a massive part of AA's plans, is just injured and being nurtured back to full fitness
AA has been totally silent on DC, but he's never mentioned as being injured, but he has also never indicated that there are any members of the squad who aren't in his plans. I find the whole DC thing interesting because I have a very strong management background so it intrigues me. It could well be that DC is an absolute @rse, it could be anything to be honest. I've heard so many different things from so many different people who claim to know - and some of those could be true. But what does intrigue me is that it's obvious that DC wants to go into management so if these things are true why is he putting himself in a position of becoming anonymous in the football world instead of going after coaching/management jobs now? It isn't as though he is going to get another club at this stage, and we are definitely not paying him very much, he was signed by Guy who had a minimal budget at the time.
