Leventhal Q&a Highlights

This is ongoing now, will highlight some interesting points for anyone who can't see it - won't directly C&P for copyright issues so will paraphrase...

 

Q: When does Deeney's contract expire as there is some debate around?

A: Two years left with an extra years option. (Someone has asked for him to elaborate if it means 1 or 2yrs from this summer but no reply yet...I imagine given his previous comment in an article, it means 1yr from this summer...so would expire in Summer 2022 - Summer 2023 if the option is taken up)

 

Q: How close did Xisco come to getting sacked?

A: Very difficult to evaluate. Thinks it was the correct decision to stick with him and instead have 'big conversations" with players to take more ownership.

 

Q: Is Xisco working towards his badges?

A: Doesn't know but knows he does not have them yet - suggests the club aren't concerned and will evaluate in the summer.

 

Q: Is Brexit affecting how we search for players?

A: Yes for obvious reasons. Udinese a benefit to us in this scenario as coming via Italy puts 12 points towards the 15 point threshold.

 

Q: When does Andre Gray's deal run out?

A: Summer 2022

 

Q: Any news on the new stadium plans?

A: No. Again for the obvious reasons.

 

Q; Favourite cheese?

A: ...

 

Q: Any update on Isaac Success?

A: Played today for the U23's with Xisco watching on. No reason he won't be considered first team squad member.

 

Q: What U23's are there hopes for?

A: Mentions Hungbo, Crichlow and Phillips and says Lo-Everton trains with the first team regularly. Says Phillips expected to sign a new deal soon. There's also excitement about Pochettino.

 

Wow. Just wow. Actually wouldn't have a problem with this if he accepted the new reality that he's just a back up squad player but I suspect he and the club will continue to put him centre stage.

 

Q: Has there at least been a private apology to Luther Blissett?

A: Not that he's aware of but doesn't mean it hasn't happened.

 

Q: His feelings on Zinckernagel...and whether TDB is nearing fitness.

A: Has been a victim of circumstance more than anything and been asked to play a variety of roles in the side rather than his preferred role. Suggests TDB shouldn't expect to be seen again this season.

 

Someone asks a question pressing for more detail about what happened with Glenn Murray - but the answer doesn't tell us anything we didn't know. Also asked how much we got Deulofeu - says its always hard to track the flow of money between the two clubs and suggests can only really be educatedly guessed at when accounts are published.

Asked about injuries - Foster not far away but no urgency. No idea on Kabasele and says the club are always purposely vague on timescales.

 

Couple of questions on the thinking behind Quina going out on loan...

A: Suggests its a win-win situation. The player gets minutes in a top league and either puts himself in the shop window or comes back an improved player like Sema has. Says Quina wanted more game-time than he was getting.

 

Watched the Udinese match this weekend. Initial formation was ridiculous, Pereyra playing as a striker in front of a 5 man midfield. Got down 2 until they made substitutions, including bring on Okaka and another proper striker with Pereyra dropping centrally. Zeegelaar played as a wingback. Finished 2-2. Deulofeu not even on the bench. ACLs really do take a year. I hope that he makes it back.

 

Standard question about holding on to Sarr...

Says he thinks he will leave now whether we go up or not and only a matter of time before someone pays what we are asking.

 

It was only an hour long so thats all the question/answers - well the only ones even vaguely worth posting here....there was the usual stupidity thrown in (example: Is Filippo Galli being lined up as manager...?)

 

Not sure what is gonna be the biggest celebration (providing nothing changes)....

June 2021 - Social limits regarding Covid are ended and life can return to normal.
June 2022 - Contracts of both Deeney AND Gray expire.

 

I genuinely like Leventhal as a character, and I warmed to him somewhat further for the couple of performances he was prepared to give on FTRE after the Cov and QPR games, but having read the whole thing there really is so little to be learned from an exercise like this, it's a bit crazy. I don't doubt that it's as much about the Pozzos refusing to put anything interesting/'sensitive' out there, but my counter to that would be don't act like there's some kind of special opportunity for real insight and to 'have your questions answered' when they're basically just going to be met with a straight bat because his hands are tied - I presume that's where the dichotomy between retaining access at the club and the all-singing, all-dancing promotion and subscription justification the Athletic will demand of their writers comes into play.

One thing I feel we can say we've learned from the various answers on this particular topic is that we can interpet that it's about as unlikely as it's possible to be that anyone has any intention of Xisco being in place next season should we get promoted. The chorus of what basically amounts to 'no one's really bothered he literally isn't allowed/qualified to manage us there' speaks quite strongly for itself.

If Sarr is absolutely nailed on to leave (which would hardly surprise me, or anyone, of course) it might serve us rather better to actually allow PZ7 some game time to get used to the team and English football in general, rather than marooning him at the end of backs to the wall defensive manoeuvres as an integration plan (which, to his credit, is similar to Leventhal's reply on the subject of the Zinck).

 

Then of course the price just went up. He's probably right though - unless the bloke really enjoys playing for Xisco. Could see Liverpool looking at him as an option to groom as a Salah replacement. TBH, the way he's playing we should increase the price.

Edit: If we do sell him and are promoted, we should spend half the fee on another younger, similar player to groom. Some of our players are doing well a) because they are at this level and b) because he is pulling defences apart. We need that from somewhere.

 

Deulofeu has already played a number of games. Recently, before his latest injury setback, he was playing quite well adding some goals and assists.

 

They're not bothered because he'll easily have time and opportunity to complete the work in the close season before it becomes a necessary requirement. No point wasting time and energy during the season if you can do it later, especially when you're still learning the squad and instilling your methods.

He would be allowed to manage in the Prem for 3 months without the Pro license, which means that between the close system and the grace period he has about 6.5+ months to complete the Pro license. That won't be a problem since he has already met the requirements to undertake the Pro course (i.e. the UEFA A license).

 

I reckon Sarr's nailed to leave if we stay in the Championship. Can't see him leaving if we go up, unless someone pays 50m+. We probably have around a 50% chance of going up and it looks like our chances will be higher if Sarr is in the team than if not. That said, I think PZ's arrival means we can probably afford to give Sarr a rest at some point - he's paid more minutes than any other player this year despite missing the first two games. He's played every minute of our last thirteen games and only missed one game and one minute of the last twenty six.

 

Think I'll choose to continue to believe my interpretation of it out of hope more than anything else.

 

He turns 23 in three days and he's had mega clubs batting their eyelashes publicly at him for the past two windows - I'm with Leventhal, I can hardly see him choosing to slum it desperately scrabbling for survival with us even if that best case scenario does come to pass.

 

They're not bothered because he won't be here next season. If he doesn't get us promoted then he goes, if we get promoted then he goes.

 

Nothing to do with Quina but I genuinely don't see in what way Sema has supposedly "improved" as a player at all. Players performing slightly better at a significantly lower level isn't necessarily a sign that a player has "improved".

He's had some good games in the Championship and again some very average ones, and kicked out some half decent stats. That's about it. If we go up he'll be nowhere near good enough again.

 

Maybe. But he has such a large price tag that there's only a handful of clubs who could afford him should we be promoted. A midtable premier league club (for instance Palace) would probably not be viewed as enough of a step up. So where does he go? Liverpool just signed Jota instead of him and also have Elliott coming through - he's not getting a starting place there. If United spend big on a RW it will surely be Sancho. Chelsea and City have an embarrassment of riches in attack. Maybe Arsenal or Spurs - but both clubs are a bit cheap and can't see them prioritizing that position. Leicester are maybe the best fit domestically, especially if they qualify for the UCL.

Dortmund as a replacement for Sancho would be a good move for all - but if they're going to spunk 50-60m on a Sancho replacement they can probably find better value elsewhere.

I do agree with @Arakel that it's a fairly surmountable problem if the club wants it to be (I also can't imagine that the Premier League wouldn't give us some sort of dispensation - it would be a bad look to force a promoted club to change coaches), but yeah if we do go up, it does seem unlikely that he'll remain, unless we really hit a canter between now and the end of the season.

 

Farking hell!

 

Farkin hell!

 

I’m absolutely certain he won’t be staying regardless. If we win every game between now and the end of the season, I’m convinced it won’t matter in terms of him staying.

If he doesn’t get us up, he’s failed. And if he does, he won’t be viewed as good enough for the PL.

As for the former point, Liverpool’s attack are getting pelters at the minute and will undoubtedly be added to/refreshed in the summer. Don’t think it’s inconceivable he goes there and plays. Pep has also spoken of some of his players inevitably leaving in the summer. Unless the price goes up, I really don’t see him being here next season.

 

Yeah, it's been talked about already a fair bit surrounding Liverpool that they are incredibly reliant on their first-choice front three, and they are also all ageing together - they're all turning 29 or 30 this year, they won't be around and as deadly forever, and if any of them have any ambitions of one last move for further glory or a paycheck, they're running out of time. To add to that, I don't really think we could compare Elliott to Sarr, in terms of talent, production of development, at least at this time, and I really don't think Liverpool would either - they're at different stages of their careers, and Sarr being stuck down here where we all float is a ridiculous anomaly - that is not the case with Elliott.

In terms of Utd, Ornseint in the Athletic reported this morning that Utd have paused their interest in Sancho given the price tag he would still require from Dortmund, and a choice to prioritise a striker and a centre back. Obviously, Sarr is neither of those, but he could well be a very viable prospect should they get either of those, and realistically whatever happens he's going to be desperate to get out - you could very easily see him going for close to half of what Sancho will. That's just a couple of options without considering what else could suddenly happen with other sales made, clubs from abroad expressing interest - who knows.