Massengo - Loan to Auxerre (Confirmed)

[robin_unreliant]

7 minutes ago, Fontaineofallknowledge said:

Sorry what has he done wrong? Just made it clear he isn't going to sign a new contract which is his prerogative. 

As someone whose priority is bcfc, not HNM, that is exactly what is wrong about his decision imo. I certainly won't be wishing him well when he has cost us a fair chunk of money and shown no desire to commit to the club, which is my priority.

Edited January 30, 2023 by robin_unreliant

[TonyTonyTony]

6 minutes ago, Fontaineofallknowledge said:

Sorry what has he done wrong? Just made it clear he isn't going to sign a new contract which is his prerogative. It's up to Nige if he doesn't want to play him-either due to triggering extra payments to Monaco Or to focus on committed players which is fair enough.  Should Han have signed a new contact if he wants to leave?

Technically he has done nothing wrong, but he hasn't played much football. The best thing for your career is to commit, and show it on the pitch. I hope he doesnt regret it

[Shuffle]

8 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Absolutely.

The current midfield pecking order is James, Naismith & Scott as first picks, then Williams, King, Taylor-Clarke & Kadji.

He’s optimistically our 7th choice, Semenyo was a guaranteed starter with Conway injured.

No point in keeping HNM as so far off selection and no intention of staying so save the money.   The above explains why we need to strengthen in other areas imo other than just bringing in Cornick.   We are in essence double counting Naismith as if Atkinson gets injured  but 1) can Naismith play in a  flat back 4 & 2) if loathe to move Naismith who comes in at LCB.    I think the fact we are considering King, TC or Kadji as cover for our existing 3 first choices would significantly weaken us and the latter 2 are certainly no where near ready at this stage to get us out of a dog fight if needs be.  

I think we need but again it’s all opinions a CB, CM and CF & with HNM & hopefully Martin, Klose off the wage bill soon & Bents, Antoine, already gone we need boosting.  I know Weimann,Wilson are close and Pring back this week & out  first eleven is great but we are always an injury or suspension away from a crisis as squad depth lacks both quality and numbers.  We won’t get 4 I know but we can but hope that we are all constantly on here checking for signings.

[RoystonFoote'snephew]

I just feel sad about the whole scenario and wonder why and when it turned sour as he, and his family seemed happy in Bristol. I think there's a real player in HNM but, for whatever reason, we never got the best out of him. Always thought we should have played him further forward but it wasn't to be. 

[GrahamC]

3 minutes ago, Shuffle said:

No point in keeping HNM as so far off selection and no intention of staying so save the money.   The above explains why we need to strengthen in other areas imo other than just bringing in Cornick.   We are in essence double counting Naismith as if Atkinson gets injured  but 1) can Naismith play in a  flat back 4 & 2) if loathe to move Naismith who comes in at LCB.    I think the fact we are considering King, TC or Kadji as cover for our existing 3 first choices would significantly weaken us and the latter 2 are certainly no where near ready at this stage to get us out of a dog fight if needs be.  

I think we need but again it’s all opinions a CB, CM and CF & with HNM & hopefully Martin, Klose off the wage bill soon & Bents, Antoine, already gone we need boosting.  I know Weimann,Wilson are close and Pring back this week & out  first eleven is great but we are always an injury or suspension away from a crisis as squad depth lacks both quality and numbers.  We won’t get 4 I know but we can but hope that we are all constantly on here checking for signings.

You’re spot on about double counting Naismith but just like Sykes, I do think that’s a factor in our recruitment strategy in that if you run with small numbers you need versatile players (Vyner is potentially another).

Williams & Kalas are pretty decent first replacement options, accept King is a useful substitute & that’s all.

If this goes through, plus potentially Martin as well then we have the room to bring in 2 now Antoine’s fee has eased our FFP worries.

Going to be an interesting last 36 hours..

[LondonBristolian]

3 minutes ago, robin_unreliant said:

As someone whose priority is bcfc, not HNM, that is exactly what is wrong about his decision imo. I certainly won't be wishing him well when he has cost us a fair chunk of money and shown no desire to commit to the club, which is my priority.

I’m sorry but it do find this sort of argument to be, for want of a better word, total horseshit.

Football careers are short and plenty of players who do commit to a club - let’s say Taylor Moore, Chris Martin or James Morton to take a range of examples - find the club has no loyalty to them when their form drops off or we find better players.

Any footballer would be a fool to think a club would be loyal to them so why would they show loyalty? We all know how the transfer market works and anyone signing an 18 year old on a four year contract has to expect that it may take two years to find their feet so the last two years at the club are when the interest will be highest. 

You can quite easily say the club screwed up by not taking the cash last January and it certainly unfortunate both club and player clearly expected offers that did not come.

But Massengo has not refused to move to a club we have accepted an offer for and is utterly in his rights to not sign a contract. The error, so far as there is one, is the club failing to judge that he would not sign and move him on in time. I think criticism of the player for that is naive and absurd.

 

[robin_unreliant]

6 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

I’m sorry but it do find this sort of argument to be, for want of a better word, total horseshit.

Football careers are short and plenty of players who do commit to a club - let’s say Taylor Moore, Chris Martin or James Morton to take a range of examples - find the club has no loyalty to them when their form drops off or we find better players.

Any footballer would be a fool to think a club would be loyal to them so why would they show loyalty? We all know how the transfer market works and anyone signing an 18 year old on a four year contract has to expect that it may take two years to find their feet so the last two years at the club are when the interest will be highest. 

You can quite easily say the club screwed up by not taking the cash last January and it certainly unfortunate both club and player clearly expected offers that did not come.

But Massengo has not refused to move to a club we have accepted an offer for and is utterly in his rights to not sign a contract. The error, so far as there is one, is the club failing to judge that he would not sign and move him on in time. I think criticism of the player for that is naive and absurd.

 

You not agreeing with a point of view doesn't make it horseshit. My point is, Taylor Moore did his absolute best to make a career at AG, even taking a reduced contract. I would happily applaud him if he returns to AG.

HNM otoh, as is totally his right, spent the last year of his contract trying to leave. What the rights and wrongs of it are I don't know but if he returns it would be a meh from me. 

[Kodjias Wrist]

12 minutes ago, robin_unreliant said:

You not agreeing with a point of view doesn't make it horseshit. My point is, Taylor Moore did his absolute best to make a career at AG, even taking a reduced contract. I would happily applaud him if he returns to AG.

HNM otoh, as is totally his right, spent the last year of his contract trying to leave. What the rights and wrongs of it are I don't know but if he returns it would be a meh from me. 

Can't say I totally agree although see your point. It was made clear ages ago that he didnt want to sign the new contract. That is such a waste of money and its so frustrating however did we have the opportunity to offload him for say a couple million in the summer? I know the season before there was a bid of around 8m made for him.

If I was a manager looking for a player to come in and saw HNM was a free option but played next to no competitive games in a season, I would be less inclined not to make him an offer. Not being his fault obviously because NP sees it as a waste of effort to play an uninterested player and quite rightly so when we have youngsters chomping at the bit to play.

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 hour ago, BCFCGav said:

I actually think HNM would need replacing more urgently than Antoine.

Forwards: Wells, Weimann, Conway, Bell, Sykes, Martin

CM's (without HNM): Williams, Scott, James, Naismith, King

Granted we've injuries up top but Weimann should be back soon.

Ideally we'd replace both but I think we're a bit worryingly light in the middle. 

Sykes can play CM too.

[Jerseybean]

Given that HNM wants to leave or at least isn’t prepared to stay on the contract he’s been offered him moving IMO is in everyone’s best interest.

Assuming this loan is confirmed …..

BCFC reduce their wage bill and potential collect something, if only compensation, when he moves permanently

HNM gets to play football in his homeland

What ‘might have been’ is of no relevance as the reality is ‘what is’ which is, a young player not wanting to sign a new contract and preferring to move elsewhere and a manager deciding that he isn’t therefore being selected for the first team.

Will be interesting to see what happens to his career in the future.

 

[Mr Popodopolous]

Is a shame tbh. Think he has some good attributes and is still young,  sure he'd be in and around the squad had he signed his deal when on the table but we are where we are.

Was actually thinking the other day post Bentley that along the same lines as Cornick that if we could offload Klose, Massengo for contractual reasons and Martin too all this window then we could look to bring forward a couple more recruitment plans.

[LondonBristolian]

1 minute ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Sykes can play CM too.

As can Weimann. And of course we have Benarous in the long term.

At the beginning of the window, I would have said defensive midfield was our priority. Naismith seems to be addressing that, plus Kadji and Taylor-Clarke seem to be being integrated so there may be a hope one or both will be ready to be more involved next season. 
 

We are admittedly likely to lose King, or have him playing a smaller role, but I imagine the club is trying to balance a slight gap at central midfield in the short term with maintaining the pathway in the longer term. One solution might be a loan but that obviously depends on who is available.

[Tony Tootle]

Cheerio you hipster nob. He hasn’t improved as a footballer since joining us but his arty street photography has definitely got better.

[Red-Robbo]

Well he's going a top-flight club, albeit a struggling one. Can't blame him. He wants to get game time.

I think those that said in the right sort of set-up he'd thrive and show his class, are right. We've never really had that here. Our systems haven't suited. It may be that English league football full-stop doesn't suit him. 

I wish him well, because if the report is correct, we aren't going to be seeing him again. 

[DaveF]

5 minutes ago, Tony Tootle said:

Cheerio you hipster nob. He hasn’t improved as a footballer since joining us but his arty street photography has definitely got better.

So bitter...

[alexukhc]

9 minutes ago, Tony Tootle said:

Cheerio you hipster nob. He hasn’t improved as a footballer since joining us but his arty street photography has definitely got better.

Tony Pootle

[mozo]

1 hour ago, GrahamC said:

Absolutely.

The current midfield pecking order is James, Naismith & Scott as first picks, then Williams, King, Taylor-Clarke & Kadji.

He’s optimistically our 7th choice, Semenyo was a guaranteed starter with Conway injured.

 

1 hour ago, TonyTonyTony said:

Not really sure how i feel about this tbh. He is clearly way down the pecking order, and may as well offload him but i can't help but think HNM has had some shit advice. There is a decent player in their amongst all that hair, but you need to be playing. Concentrate on training well, and play. Show off your talent to get a move away not shut up shop. Disappointing to see a player with such a great opportunity piss around with his own career

He's only down the pecking order because the club are taking a hard line on his personal agenda. 

People can claim he's not a talent if they like but I beg to differ.

Ultimately good for all parties now for him to go though.

[!james]

So we didn't buy him for Chelsea after all?! Worth telling their new owner we had an agreement in place, he seems pretty mental. 

[mozo]

Just now, !james said:

So we didn't buy him for Chelsea after all?! Worth telling their new owner we had an agreement in place, he seems pretty mental. 

Well that theory was just dreamt up on this forum but if we can confuse Chelsea into coughing up for him I'm all for that!

[ScottishRed]

2 minutes ago, mozo said:

Well that theory was just dreamt up on this forum but if we can confuse Chelsea into coughing up for him I'm all for that!

Given what they are doing I think that is an excellent suggestion.

Lets start at £50m and a 10 year deal for HNM.

[TonyTonyTony]

I bet his song at Auxerre won't be anywhere near as good as ours.

[Davefevs]

2 minutes ago, TonyTonyTony said:

I bet his song at Auxerre won't be anywhere near as good as ours.

Crème de menthe has too many syllables 

[ashton_fan]

He was really bright when he started for us but has probably regressed since he's been here,  in France he'll be able to play the type of football he was coached to as a youngster and I'm sure he'll do well. For whatever reason it hasn't worked out for him here, it was always a gamble signing him

[sh1t_ref_again]

I know opinions are split on HNM, but I think its a real shame that its not worked out as would love to have seen Han and Scott develop as our midfield as I rated Han and he was part of our best run of results earlier this season.

Some of the comments are a bit of a joke, it has never been said that he is uninterested or does not want to play for us, purely he has decided not to sign a new contract, either the offer that has been made was not good enough or perhaps he feels his future development would be better elsewhere. The club has known this for a long time, so have had plenty of time to move him on or change the offer, but making him an outcast was never going to make another club want to come and pay money for him.

We will never know the real reason why he has been sidelined (NP said previously he trains well and is ready to play if selected), so either NP has decided to make an example of him as what happens if you don't sign a contract, or there is some truth in the appearance payments.

As for down the order and not needed again a bit of a joke, yes behind Scott and James, similar level to Williams, (behind Nailsmith in current setup), but ahead of King and any of the other U21's, there have been games when we have needed a change and energy from the bench and not had it, so as we have been paying his wages and not had a problem with attitude then made no sense, particularly if 1 or 2 points make a difference at the end of the season.

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

An ignominious end to what initially seemed like a player who would have a legendary career at BS3- however brief.

It does also appear that the Chelsea conspiracy theorists may have been somewhat mistaken.

[mozo]

2 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

An ignominious end to what initially seemed like a player who would have a legendary career at BS3- however brief.

It does also appear that the Chelsea conspiracy theorists may have been somewhat mistaken.

I think it was @Johnny Musicworkswho accidentally started the Chelsea conspiracy theory?

It's sad to put that to bed now tbh 

[Midred]

Some on here were suggesting that his father might have influenced Han Noah, hopefully this isn't the issue as it hasn't always worked out with father/son management? 

Where's that young lad Clough now? 

[Johnny Musicworks]

26 minutes ago, mozo said:

I think it was @Johnny Musicworkswho accidentally started the Chelsea conspiracy theory?

It's sad to put that to bed now tbh 

 

26 minutes ago, mozo said:

I think it was @Johnny Musicworkswho accidentally started the Chelsea conspiracy theory?

It's sad to put that to bed now tbh 

Indeed it was I. A passing thought that went to a whole different level of speculation. 

[bcfc01]

43 minutes ago, Midred said:

Some on here were suggesting that his father might have influenced Han Noah, hopefully this isn't the issue as it hasn't always worked out with father/son management? 

Where's that young lad Clough now? 

Now 27 and playing for Adelaide Utd in Oz.

[Simon bristol]

I quite like massengo, and that he chose to give up monaco to play for us, and he caught the imagination of younger fans with the hair, and being young and cool. but when you see the impact of scott as a young midfielder who has come in, theres clearly no comparison, had massengo had that impact promised after playing in the champions league so young and with all the add ons to that fee, then it would be a different ball game,, but he really hasnt.

the main problem is this is yet another multi million pound transfer that went wrong and the player is going to leave for free/ nominal compensation. knowing ashton, it no doubt stroked his ego dealing with monaco to do the deal, but apart from 1 or 2 moments of magic it just hasnt worked out.