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So long Sowah?

I think that we have all accepted that most, if not all, of the 'bigger name star' players that we have will be sold - if we can - or will, if they have not already, leave at the end of their contracts as needs must. If you have not accepted you at least understand why this need to happen, right?

Well, young Lenny Sowah burst onto the scene for us last season and the performances from someone so young had not gone unnoticed - although keeping him was 'said' to be something we wanted to do, and we all hoped that we could.

A return to 1st team training last week was delayed by a contract dispute, over unpaid bonuses or something, and that offer of a new contract that had been made to him was still unsigned...

This contractual dispute, along with the non-signing of that new deal, is increasing the chances that the kid, who I would have though had as good a chance as anyone of being a regular this season, will now move on?

'If' this happens, not only do I think it will of course be a shame for us - and no doubt will happen with us losing out financially - I would say it will be a shame for the player as I am not convinced that he would get the opportunity to play as often, so soon, as he would by staying at Fratton Park.

Yep, he would of course get 'more money' elsewhere and be at a 'bigger club' but those benefits, in my unbiased eyes, would be a distant second to me at this stage of my career behind the chance of actually playing regularly.

We will see what happens, but pitching up alongside a not so long departed Pompey manager would not surprise me in the least. Although the 'rumours' are that it is actually Wigan that are lining him up with a £500,000 offer planned with Pompey 'resigned' to losing him...

Choose your next steps wisely young Lenny - as I hope the club does too, I know we need the money and it is a 'decent offer' for someone so young but sometimes waiting is better - a promising career could easily go off track if the steps that are taken in the coming days or weeks are not the right ones!

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Writer: pompeyrug

Date:Monday July 5 2010

Time: 8:36AM

Your Comments

Shame on you Rug .. Pure speculation and conjucture have you git a new job working for the current bun ?? .. £20 says he stays ;)

Chix

if we do sell him for 500k then what are we gonna replace him with a loan on bigger wages which will add up to 500k in a year anyway... make sure we put a 50% sell on fee on these youngsters

pompeyhussler

A very poor decision from Pompey if they do let him go.

bluedr

I don't think it's Pompey who want to let him go BlueDr; when a player refuses to train over a contract issue, not speculation or conjecture Chix and hiremember an agent cannot advise a player to do that. Furthermore when a players agent start hi lighting the issue to other clubs it is pretty likely that the player wants out! Could also be a plan to force Pompey but that would be pretty hard nosed and the club would remember that.

russellm

i think your being unfair chixy - how have i 'speculated' anything? i have, i think, tried to see this from various angles but have not actually said anything that is not already in the mainstream...
we KNOW that lenny did not turn up for training last week as he had a contract dispute with the club, we also know - well, as a paper tells us - that wigan are interested in lenny. so, as i say i do not think i have speculated too much or been too unfair on the guy?

sadly it 'looks' as tho lenny 'could' be moving on, personally i think that it is in his best interests to stay and develop here, i am not sure that this will be the case now - if not it is his, and of course the clubs, fault for this.

pompeyrug

I cannot see him starting as first choice in a Prem team. Another season with us would appear to be his best option, but his decision to argue for last year's bonuses by not turning up for training does not bode well.

wellyit

Hard words Chix, I'm interested are you really surmising that media outlets here and abroad are wrong and a 17 year old, that's a 17 year old, lad really decided to instruct his agent to set up a contract dispute rather than do what he loves, playing football?

russellm

Last season first team players put up with not being paid and pulled together and played with tremendous spirit because they understood the crisis the club was in. Some even took pay cuts and paid the wages of other staff. The club's predicament helped some of the youngsters get to play in the Premier League earlier than they may have done anyway. Yet Sowah, ungratefully turns round and refuses to turn up for training over a bonus dispute when the club still isn't out of administration yet. He may be a great prospect and a great talent, but we don't need prima donas like him - lets get rid and cash in now.

tracyc

If the lad does not want to play for us for personal reasons then we should part company. I do not know the nipper but he seems to have an attitude problem (allegedly)? and I would rather have a player who wants to be part of the club put on the blue shirt than yet another stroppy where's my money mercenary!

devon

as talented as it 'seems' the guy is, it does worry me that someone so young would, in essence 'go on strike' over unpaid money rather than return to training and look to stake a 1st team place under the new manager. to be this has an air of 'mercenary' or 'troublemaker' about it, and we DO NOT need or want this...then again this is typical of the modern day footballer really!
it would be good to sort out these issues and everyone move on and get the job done but i am not sure this will happen...

pompeyrug

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