The Curious Case Of Jason Puncheon It may have taken until the dying seconds of the Summer Transfer Window, but the long-running Jason Puncheon saga finally appears to have ended late Wednesday night with the 25 year-old joining Queens Park Rangers. Or has it? The story all started back in the January Transfer Window of 2010, which saw Plymouth cancel Puncheon’s season-long loan to MK Dons so that he could join Southampton- then managed by Alan Pardew. He finished the season with Saints as they pushed, ultimately unsuccessfully, for a play-off place & despite Saints disappointment of finishing in 7th place Puncheon excelled. One of his most notable performances came against Walsall, where he opened his Saints account & was instrumental in a 5-1 win. Jason also impressed when Saints hosted Leeds & he tore apart young Leeds right-back Aiden White, hitting the post with a long-range drive & delivering a good cross for Dan Harding to notch up the game’s only goal. Puncheon ended the 2009/2010 season as a hero for Saints fans, having turned in a string of strong performances & scored three times- in the aforementioned game against Walsall, in a 5-1 victory away at Bristol Rovers & in the home clash with Huddersfield Town. However the next campaign got of to a bad start for Puncheon. Saints opened the new campaign with a 1-0 home defeat to Plymouth & soon manager Alan Pardew departed after being sacked for “gross professional misconduct.” Many fans pointed the finger at Puncheon, feeling that he had under-performed in the opening few fixtures & particularly his tendency to cut inside riled many supporters. His relationship with the supporters become so bad that he was booed by some sections of the crowd & his number came up on the fourth official’s board it was met by huge cheers. Puncheon quickly lost his place to the speedy Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain & new manager Nigel Adkins kept him in the cold as the youngster put in a series of stellar showings. Puncheon eventually went out on loan to Millwall after becoming frustrated with the lack of first team opportunities. He did sensationally at Millwall, scoring 5 times in 7 appearances, including a game-winning hat-trick against the Lions’ local rivals Crystal Palace. January came though & he soon returned to the South Coast with Kenny Jackett disappointed that Millwall couldn’t afford to sign him permanently. He made one appearance in a white shirt with a red sash after his return, against Blackpool in the FA Cup. He turned in a good display & it obviously impressed Tangerines’ boss Ian Holloway, who signed him on loan until the end of the season. There he played 11 times & rubbed shoulders with may of the best players the premier league has to offer. He netted against Everton, Bolton & Chelsea but he couldn’t prevent Blackpool from succumbing to relegation. In the summer of 2011 his agent did his best to force a move & even suggested that he could move just a few miles down the road to Portsmouth. Blackpool, Newcastle, West Ham & Fulham all showed interest in him but he eventually went to join Neil Warnock at Loftus Road on deadline day along with Shaun Wright-Phillips & Anton Ferdinand. The deal however is only a loan, so there is a slight possibility that he could return to the Saints. It now looks very likely that Jason Puncheon’s association with Southampton is over. When I look back on Puncheon’s career at St. Mary’s I wonder what could have happen had some fan not been so quick to criticise & get on his back. I’ll be the first to admit that he played poorly at the start of last season & Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain fully deserved his place in the starting line-up. However it really infuriates me when fans target a specific player for abuse or booing. We’ve all seen from what Jason did for us in the 2009/2010 season, what he did for Milwall & from his performances for Blackpool that he has unquestionable ability. I just think it is a shame that the actions of a minority of ‘knee-jerk’ fans & to a certain extent Puncheon’s agent who, lest we forget, has a vested interest in his client moving as he then picks up a transfer fee, have cut short what could have been a vary promising Southampton career. To tell the truth, this whole saga has left a very sour taste in my mouth. iReader http://saintscorner.tumblr.com/post/9663919043/puncheon
This saintscorner dude is a clown... but you didn't watch him week in, week out. His touch is clumsy, his shooting is dire, his crossing leaves a lot to be desired 99/100. But worst of all? His attitude! He thinks he is messi on the wing and when he got knocked out of a starting place by a 16 year old he had a little strop! Fans didn't just get on his back for no reason, we did it because his workrate fell and his performances were worthy of a Sunday league team. Look at the saints board to see how eager we were to get rid of the waste of space! He isn't good enough for saints, time will show you he isn't good enough for you either.
Leeds United boss Grayson's deadline despair (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus) Leeds United boss Grayson's deadline despair 11:19pm Thursday 1st September 2011 Print Email Leeds United boss Simon Grayson revealed his disappointment at missing out on three different players before Wednesday’s transfer window had shut. United lost Max Gradel to Saint Etienne, while Mike Grella and Fede Bessone had their contracts terminated, but no new arrivals were secured at Elland Road. Grayson said: “Jason Puncheon agreed to sign for us and changed his mind for whatever reason. That reason obviously turned out to be to go to QPR.” The Leeds chief also said the club had missed out on two international players, including a Premier League defender. He said: “It was probably the most frustrating day I have had as a manager.” Leeds have no game at the weekend due to international matches being played. iReader
Maybe we should start booing him from the first moment he steps on the pitch. That would save time just in case he does turn out to be a poor signing. Once fans have got it in for a player, rightly or wrongly, there is little point in a club keeping hold of them and the board will get rid in order to free up some money and lower the wage bill. So now he is a Rangers player for a few months and has a chance to start afresh. He certainly won't want to go back to Southampton, the place where they boo him all the time. (That's a very good idea if you want a player to up his game ... boo him.) I have a feeling that now he is in a better environment he will annoy Saints fans even more by producing the goods!
Couldn't agree more Eamon, although have you never been to an England match? Lampard gets booed when his name is read out at the start, I was at the infamous England V Andorra game in Barcelona when the whole team were booed relentlessly 15 mins after kick off, I'll never understand supporters that turn up to to boo their own players during the game, as you say how is this going to help improve the situation, if you must boo your own team at least wait until the match has finished, i would suggest severe tutting is all that should take place during a match. Regards Puncheon, clean sheet, fresh start, this is his chance to shine on the big stage etc etc
That's well said, Eamon. Puncheon may need to grow up a bit. NW is the man to work with him on that. I was trying to remember the last time QPR fans got on a player's back in the way the Saints have. OK, the odd groan at LR but targetted booing of a player? - I couldn't think of an example.
I see your point. However, Lampard gets booed because he comes from Chelsea and played like a bellend for a few matches. Supporters preferring club over country. He was/is lucky that he can go back to Stamford Bridge and have a luv-in with his own supporters and a cuddle from whichever WAG is on duty. Same with Ashely Cole when he was having trouble with his zipper and giving the (formerly) divine Cheryl the run around. But when you repeat it week after week against your own club player it is self defeating. Luckily for Saints they had a great replacement in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain ... who now plays for Arsenal!
In tha case of Lampard - i think you are right, i suspect a rather larger West Ham element in the England crowd are responsible for his pre match 'support', they ****ing hate him... And i'm not saying the whole team don't derserve booing either, christ there were times watching England i wanted to run onto the pitch and attack them with an axe, but you are right desrved or not - relentlessly booing players is totally self defeating and does make the players play even worse.
it seems he did not like playing for southampton and has done well evry were else. we have him untill jan if it all goes wrong we can get rid. if it goes well i suppose we will buy him
I work with several Millwall supporters and they all reckon he was brilliant on loan there last season. They tried to sign him as well but couldn't match the fee demanded and he went on to Blackpool.
What about Zesh Rehman? He was pants and frequently got the boo. Tamas Priskin? He got booed just for his retro hairdo and lairy boots!
Rehman was pants but I don't remember it getting personal between him and the fans. More like exasperation from the latter. Priskin never seemed to care that much, and despite his height, always lost 50-50 headers...but I don't remember him being booed, may be just a few "send him back to Ipswich" comments from my section of Ellerslie...
*claps* this i can agree with totally. give the bloke a chance and give him the opportunities to perform. the past is the past. it will all become evident as the season progresses and thats when people should start judging.
For the Saints fans didn't the booing work? They hated him, they booed, he left, job done. Personally I have never booed a Rangers player or even a team performance and don't intend to start, and hope that Jason does a great job for us. Just saying....
What about Marc Nygard? I don't think QPR fans should be on any kind of high horse when it comes to giving players stick. I always thought we love a good moan!
I'd like to think any player that comes to Loftus Road, does so with a clean slate. But if Puncheon does well in the Premier league, does it mean he's Puncheon above his weight?
