Walters Will Never Play for Town Again
Saturday, 14th Aug 2010 18:58
Boss Roy Keane says former skipper Jon Walters will never play for the club again as long as he is manager. Walters, who is the subject of a new transfer bid, was stripped of the captaincy yesterday with Keane dropping him from today’s team and disciplining him for his reaction to being given the news.
Keane said: “Jon was due to play and he was in my team on Friday morning, but I spoke to Jon on Friday. I’d been thinking a lot about the captaincy side of things and I just felt that it isn’t right that a player who has a clear desire to leave the club should be captain.
“I thought it was a straightforward one but Jon’s reaction was unbelievably overboard, he’s been disciplined and as long as I’m manager of the football club he’ll never kick a ball for us.
“But we had another offer on Friday night, whether that was a coincidence or not, from a different club. The owner’s negotiating with this other club at the moment. I don’t think you’ll see Jon playing for this club again. We hope a deal can be done quickly, but we’ve heard that one before and until we get the fee we’re happy with it’ll drag on a little bit longer.”
Keane says regardless of yesterday's developments he expected Walters to be on his way this week in any case: “I wouldn’t say it was a ruck, [it was] a disagreement, an exchange of views is a posh way of putting it. I’ve had heated exchanges with many a person, the wife, players, team-mates, managers. I’ve crossed the line a few times myself and you have to take your punishment.
“But I think Jon was going to be leaving next week anyway, no secret there because if his agent is talking to every Tom, Dick and Harry, why should I hide behind anything? If your desire is to leave the club, then you shouldn’t be captain.”
Keane says the new offer isn’t from Stoke or West Brom and hints that it may be from a club from outside the Premier League, with QPR previously reported to have had a £2.5 million offer rebuffed: “There’s been another offer come in, more than Stoke, which I’m glad about because they’ve just been tip-toeing around the situation.
“I’ve said to the owner, if these other clubs, these big Premier League teams, don’t want to come back for him, we’ll sell him to the other team. That’s my opinion but the owner’s obviously negotiating with these other clubs.”
Meanwhile, Keane says he hopes to have three new additions in his squad when Town travel to Crystal Palace next week: “I’m quietly confident that we’ll have three players in.
“There’s one you know and that’s Jason Scotland. We’re trying hard with him and Wigan have made it clear we’ve had a bid accepted. We’re talking at the moment and let’s see what happens.
“We were never going to get it done for the weekend, but we hope Jason might be involved next week.“
The proposed swap involving Cardiff's Ross McCormack and Jon Stead appears unlikely to be one of those three moves with that deal moving slowly and other clubs interested in the Town striker. One of the new signings is the young, defensive loanee Keane was targeting at the end of the week, who Celtic manager Neil Lennon has revealed is Darren O'Dea.
The Blues boss was delighted with his side’s performance against Burnley: “Brilliant, good game, good tempo, good spirit, good energy. It lacked quality sometimes from our point of view. I mightn’t look it, but I’m absolutely delighted.
“Physically they looked stronger in terms of height. We had a game on Tuesday, we had an away game last weekend and an unbelievable amount of injuries. Grant picked up a bad one today, it looks a sore one, he may have chipped a bone in his ankle."
Midfielder Leadbitter, who was on crutches after the game, is set for a scan on Monday.
Burnley manager Brian Laws felt he was likely to be more pleased with the result than his former Nottingham Forest team-mate: “I think overall I’m probably the happier of the managers because we got a draw out of it. When you go down to 10 men it’s always tough and to concede in that last period was tough on the players because I thought at times we looked in real control.
“But Roy might say the same. I don’t think either goalkeeper had a lot to do. There was a lot of good interplay but I think the final pass was a bit lacking, which is something that we’ve got to work on and improve.
“The one thing that you have to work with is energy and commitment and certainly the players gave that commitment right until the last moments of the game and I was delighted to get the goal.”
Photo: Action Images
Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
stinkiusminkius added 17:04 - Aug 15
Ok, how's this for a scenario? Walters DOESN'T get sold, gets back into the team within a month (let's face it, it wouldn't be the first time keane has played players after making the "never play again " statement.), then has a blinding season back to his best. That would of course be genius management by Roy. Or would it. I don't know anymore. |  | |
RobbieScarlatti added 17:07 - Aug 15
Sooooo, what happens if Walters' transfer doesn't go through? We get stuck paying a player that will nver play for us cos Roys pride says so. If he does go, this statement just makes it easier for Stoke or whoever to demand a smaller fee. As far as i'm concerned, regardless of the div nature of Walters, Roy shouldn't make public snap decisions like this - he should be the bigger man and be a MANAGER. MANAGE people Roy, not throw your toys out the pram. What a great people person Roy is! Idiot move. |  | |
Fatcatevans added 21:03 - Aug 15
I really cannot understand what there is to debate. Walters has said he doesn't want to play for us anymore - ok clear off - why there is any element of sympathy for him from town fans is beyond me. You want to go then Jon - well go. |  | |
brittaniaman added 21:57 - Aug 15
Walters had this planned a while ago I am sure, because he has been renting a house for 6 months now, if he had any intention of staying here, surely he would have looked to buy a house before the season started. !!! | | |
StowTractorBoy added 22:30 - Aug 15
Totally backing roy Keane on this scenario I just wish the Evening Star would lay off our Football Club with misleadiong headlines incinuating unrest in the club over this and Pablo situation. Eat your heart our local newspaper because against Burnley I saw no unrest. You are our our local newspaper but you would never think it. | | |
Hiltzkooler added 23:15 - Aug 15
....when some of the fatious and self applauding comments die down and the dust settles maybe the pervading sense of negativity from the anti keanites "but love the club but not this way or that way" posters will recognise some of the stand out facts in front of them.....
....Walters chose to want away....walters wants premiership football....Ipswich football club is a business (not a charity)...it is not owned by the supporters (sorry)....the club has history not baggage....Keane is paid to do a job...he is exercising his way of managing his element of the business.... |  | |
Ryorry added 04:22 - Aug 16
Thechangingman - I was wondering where Old Git had gone to - welcome back to the forum, fella ;-)
Must admit I thought it had been verified as a fact that JW had "thrown a sickie".
Looking back thru the news reports, seems that it was just speculation and rumour, so my apologies for making an assumption which MIGHT be incorrect. |  | |
captain_tubbs added 12:13 - Aug 16
Been away for 3 weeks and all hell breaks loose !
it is only one side of the story we are getting, but lets look at some facts.
If JW was ill then the club usually send a Dr/physio round to make sure a player is and is also not contageous.
Hadn't there already been an offer from QPR before he handed his transfer request in so what is so bad about handing it in once you know there is interest, isnt that what most would do ?
Taking the captaincy off him was right for the long term but then coming out and saying he will never play again was stupid, it forces the price down now as he has to go and he wont play. It will be interesting to see if JW breaks his silence when he leaves and then we can have a balanced side rather than only the managers side, white is obvioulsy tailored to make him look like he has done nothing wrong. Keane is probably annoyed that the whole thing is out of his hands if ME wants t o cash in on JW he will, end of really !
Chopra |  | |
stinkiusminkius added 14:58 - Aug 16
Captain Tubbs - spot on. This shouldn't have been so extreme and so public because it won't help any sales or price. Look at how Roy hodgson has handled the mascherano situation at Liverpool. He wants out but is still being treated like an adult and still being played while he's there. No rash over-emotional statements and decisions.
I do feel keane has improved this season but he still has far too many bad sides to him with regards to man management. Shame. | | |
lunatic38 added 16:56 - Aug 16
Roy Keane has already stated why this whole saga has gone sour, if a player wants to go then all is kept confidential until fees are agreed between clubs then player and clubs sort out contract details and usually it will then go public (unless Club are asking ridiculous money and player cant move)!
In this scenario Jon Walters tried to force the deal before a fee had been agreed by going public (whether it was him or his agent) trying to allow Stoke to get him at the price they wanted because Walters does not want to be Ipswich anymore! As many have said all this going public does devalue the move for many reasons..but it is a no win situation for Ipswich so i fully support Keane for doing what he has because Walters NOT KEANE dirty tricks (or his agent) has left Ipswich in a no win situation!
ps. Keane will not be stitched by a greedy agent or player and i bet he gets his price or Stoke do not get Walters one way or another!
COYB |  | |
You need to login in order to post your comments
| 
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
