Ousmane Dembélé

[Cicero]

Dembele been told to find a new club? 

[SirBalon]

20 minutes ago, Cicero said:

Dembele been told to find a new club? 

There’s all sorts of upside down right side up stories regarding Dembélé but I wouldn’t take them seriously. 

[Cicero]

Not looking good if Rafinha is ahead of the pecking order. 

We should be all over him if he does want to leave. 

[SirBalon]

Rafinha offers a lot more in terms of diversity. In theory Malcom would be Coutinho’s cover, but even Dembélé has gone from first team to third choice at times. There is no time for having even one bad game. 

[Cicero]

Could of sworn United also paid a ridiculous fee for a useless Frenchman...

[Cicero]

25 minutes ago, Teso dos Bichos said:

 I knew Barcelona got fucked in the ass when they agree to pay that ridiculous fee for a guy that so far: 35 games 9 goals  

 

3 minutes ago, Teso dos Bichos said:

Could it be the world class  midfielder that Barcelona wants so desperately? 

Self serving bias at its finest. 

So you argue that Barca make strange transfers and pay over the top for poor players, Dembele being one of them. Then when referencing Pogba, you state that Barca, (a club you just claimed pay over the top for poor players) are after him as to be some sort of justification of his quality. 

Do you understand the fallacy? 

 

 

[JoshBRFC+]

I thought Dembele already left in the summer?

 

 

 

 

[SirBalon]

Dembélé is going nowhere according to the club. Although he does continue to have personal issues which are apparently a problem and the club is addressing them. 

For me this is a case of not enough canvassing on the player before a bid was made. I’m sure this info which was a regular occurrence at BvB could’ve been ascertained. 

[JoshBRFC+]

1 hour ago, SirBalon said:

Dembélé is going nowhere according to the club. Although he does continue to have personal issues which are apparently a problem and the club is addressing them. 

For me this is a case of not enough canvassing on the player before a bid was made. I’m sure this info which was a regular occurrence at BvB could’ve been ascertained. 

He's young and i'm sure Barca would rather nurture him than simply get rid.

[SirBalon]

2 hours ago, JOSHBRFC said:

He's young and i'm sure Barca would rather nurture him than simply get rid.

If agree on the part that the club would rather harness his talent and get it out there consistently.  But are you saying that his character issues are down to him being young?

[SirBalon]

At the end of this story you're gonna say... "Bloody hell SirBalon, why couldn't you have just said what the problem was from the start... Why the story!"

But seeing as there have been so many stories on Dembélé's future and certain issues he's had both at BvB and Barça, this has made this morning's headlines.

It seems Ousmane Dembélé could also be missing for this weekend's home La Liga encounter against Real Betis.

A very curious thing occurred on how the club found out about his issue that actually describes Dembélé and his character issues perfectly...

Barça like most clubs have two training sessions every day.  The early session is at 08:45hrs and the second session in the evening at 17:45hrs...  From here nothing strange and just the daily routine all players adhere by.

Well, yesterday (Thursday 8th November) Everything started as normal as the players arrived early as usual at around 08:00hrs to get ready for the early morning session... There was only one strange thing which was where was Dembélé?

The trainers asked if someone had seen him arrive as he wasn't in the community room or the dressing room and then minutes later Valverde arrived earlier than usual (he had been informed of Ousmane's absence) asking the same question...  Nobody had an answer but various players tried to call him on his mobile phone to no avail because there was no answer.

Suddenly two members of the the technical team at director's level arrived in the community room and started asking questions to those players that are closer to Dembélé but nobody had any answers because although he is closer to some more than others, he isn't really all that sociable and has to be convinced to participate in player reunions during the week (free time).  So the club started to call and no response...  So two members of the training staff decided to go to his house while another tried to contact family members of his and his agent.  Those that went to Dembélé's house had no success, those that called family members the same and finally the agent responded and when informed of the situation he was was confused as everyone else.  His agent also couldn't get a hold of him. 

The training session went ahead 15 minutes behind schedule when suddenly one of Ernesto Valverde's training staff (Ramón de la Fuente) who was with a one-on-one session with Messi received a call on his mobile and when he saw the name on the screen he didn't answer it and got Messi to take it to Valverde who was on the other side of the training pitch... It was obviously Dembélé one hour and a half into the training session.  Some of the players stopped training to observe Valverde on the phone and apparently Valverde had an incredulous face while covering his eyes with his other hand in an action of disbelief.

To cut this long story short... 

Ousmane Dembélé had called to say that he had a bout of diarrhoea with stomach cramps... In other words a possible gastroenteritis of some sort.  But obviously this was just his word and the problem was his shielding attitude with it all like this was a back at school situation.  When his call was referred to the medical staff they tried to execute the usual protocol all players adhere by with his presence so as to be checked-up.  This would usually mean a chauffeur going to pick him up but he refused saying that he was in bed and wanted to sleep!  That he would go tomorrow (today).

When journalists quizzed training staff if all of this was true this morning, they refused to deny the details which is the usual rhetoric for when something is exactly as described.

This is an example of Dembélé's issues and one can easily create a picture surrounding this attitude which is associated with severe immaturity and a lack of understanding discipline. 

[Stan]

16 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

To cut this long story short...

Usually people say this earlier to actually cut it short  

[SirBalon]

44 minutes ago, Stan said:

Usually people say this earlier to actually cut it short  

Hahaha

But honestly though... Don't you see this scenario as one a child would do?

It's no wonder the clubs he's been at have had issues with him and even the France coach Deschamps went public not too long ago (last month I think) on calling him out on his attitude.

[Stan]

It's not very professional, no. But maybe he just needs some help. Maybe he's not motivated (bizarre, I know, given the career/money he's earning) but let's not act like footballers are immune to it!

[Cicero]

30 million + Willian and we'll take him off your hands 

[SirBalon]

10 minutes ago, Stan said:

It's not very professional, no. But maybe he just needs some help. Maybe he's not motivated (bizarre, I know, given the career/money he's earning) but let's not act like footballers are immune to it!

They've provided him with all sorts of help and even bringing over a couple of his lifelong friends and finding them jobs.  He has an ethics manager appointed to him and a confidence psychologist too.  All of this without going into how much his colleagues (the players) have tried to involve him in everything.  There's only so much that can be done.

But yeah, there are many people with issues similar to these and of course footballers aren't immune to it for sure.

[SirBalon]

2 minutes ago, Cicero said:

30 million + Willian and we'll take him off your hands 

Right now, with the situation as it stands, I would rather my club signs Malcom than Dembélé.

[Carnivore Chris]

1 hour ago, SirBalon said:

Right now, with the situation as it stands, I would rather my club signs Malcom than Dembélé.

I'd rather have either of them over Willian though. I'm not sure what he's got at all, he shows a flash here and there, is very inconsistent and he's about 30 as well. The club have enough older players like that and literally the whole team would need replacing in a few years. It's about gradually building for the future and both of the 2 players who are already at the club are much better options, even if one has a shit attitude.

 

It's Mbappe the club should be going for(or should have gone for originally), or someone who has something about them and years ahead of them, someone who can take the club forward, help the club progress and continue dominating in the future. Not an old cast off from Chelsea, that's what Italian clubs do. It's a massively uninspiring singing and is what you'd expect from AC Milan.

 

 

[SirBalon]

3 minutes ago, The Rebel CRS said:

I'd rather have either of them over Willian though. I'm not sure what he's got at all, he shows a flash here and there and is very inconsistent and he's about 30 as well. The club have enough older players like that. Literally the whole team would need replacing in a few years. It's about gradually building for the future and both of the 2 players who are already at the club are much better options.

 

It's Mbappe the club should be going for, or someone who has something about them and years ahead of them, someone who can take the club foward and help the club progress and continue dominating in the future. Not an old cast off from Chelsea, that's what Italian clubs do.

 

 

Totally agree!

But you can't deny that Dembélé has issues that the club seem to be finding difficult to address.

[Carnivore Chris]

2 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

Totally agree!

But you can't deny that Dembélé has issues that the club seem to be finding difficult to address.

Dembele's like a petulant child, although I still wouldn't sign Willian. It's a massively uninspiring signing and Barcelona are a club, for me, who should be buying players of a far higher quality.

 

 

[SirBalon]

1 minute ago, The Rebel CRS said:

Dembele's like a petulant child, although I still wouldn't sign Willian. It's a massively uninspiring signing and Barcelona are a club, for me, who should be buying players of a far higher quality.

 

 

Like I said mate, I agree.  Willian is a quick fix on paper (I emphasise on paper) for what the club seem to be trying to achieve which is Champions League success.  They're players that have played under immense pressure and don't get overawed by that scenario.

But with that philosophy the club are really hurting themselves for the future.

[SirBalon]

They're turning into Real Madrid!

[Carnivore Chris]

39 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

They're turning into Real Madrid!

Nah, as Real would go for a player like Mbappe over Willian, they like a big name, even if they haven't really purchased many as of late. This is more AC Milan! Buying a cast off from another club, who is coming towards the end of his career.

 

Unfortunately, Dembele's attitude is a problem, although ability wise there are very few out there who have his talent. He has a lot of quality about him and if he had his head on his shoulders, then the sky would be the limit for him. He has that natural talent and in terms of young players, there aren't many I'd take over him. Obviously Mbappe would be one as he's already one of the world's best, excellent player.

[SirBalon]

So Ousmane Dembélé turned up for training today on time and with no issues.  The coaching staff and Ernesto Valverde didn't act any differently to any other normal training session and Dembélé participated without exclusion by setting him aside which is what usually occurs in situations such as what happened.

So training finished and the usual protocol of the squad being named for this weekend's La Liga game was done and Ousmane Dembélé was left out although fit to play.  I would expect they told him to find a specialist in mystery gastroenteritis problems was suggested on his weekend off.

[SirBalon]

More news on Dembélé who seems to be making headlines for all the wrong reasons. It seems there’s been a leak from inside the dressing room and hasn’t been named as to some of the situations revolving the young French player.

Apparently most of the dressing room has given up on the player. Only 2 months ago in a press conference Gerard Piqué made a joke in relation to the Whatsapp habits of the players where he stated that claiming the parking spot on what time they’d all arrive for training was a common joke with Umtiti sometimes arriving 3 hours beforehand so as to claim the best spot near the front doors ... Then he made a joke that with Dembélé it wasn’t an issue as he arrived late and usually had to be picked up by someone from the club and chauffeured to training.

At the time that was meant as a little stabbing joke but it seems that things have changed in relation to the rest of the team protecting him and trying hard to make him integrate.

But the latest leak from inside paints a seriously bad picture on Dembélé’s discipline and personal habits...

Apparently he’s had to have a personal dietitian appointed and a mealtime monitor placed in the training ground foodhall due to Dembélé bringing in burgers and other fried food when this is banned not only from the club grounds but also the players being banned from consuming this type of food since decades back.

Dembélé’s childish like behaviour goes even further than that with the player sometimes disappearing in training sessions to the barhroom where he’s been caught playing games on his smartphone sitting in a corner or literally just wandering off on his own out of the grounds by himself and then returning like nothing has happened.

The latest even before the mysterious ghost gastroenteritis was Ousmane being expelled from a tactical talk by Valverde after training while watching videos of their previous games. Apparently Dembélé put on his headphones and started to rap in French to the song he was listening to. The assistant cosch asked him for his smartphone and headphones where Dembélé just brushed the assistant coach’s hand away in a dismissive manner. Valverde subsequently told him to leave and was omitted from the teamsheet for the next game.

Worse is still to come with an event that even had his teammates turning their back on him with a case of total indiscipline. Barça tend to do a thing called “rondos” in training. It’s a tradition and one that they love to do which is where you have a piggy in the middle situation when a player loses the ball and the circle of players literally pass the ball with first time touches as quickly as possible. Dembélé Apparently had the ball stolen from him five times in a row and on the sixth occasion where he had to continue to stay in the middle he walked off saying he was going home. Piqué and Suárez walked beside him patting him on the back and apparently trying to convince him that it was only a game and that he should enjoy it as it benefitted all of them to become more aware in how to get out of compromising situations quickly. He ignored them by pushing their hands away and maintaining that he didn't WANT TO PLAY THAT GAME forgetting that it was actually a part of training.

From that moment on most of the players have distanced themselves from him with even Samuel Umtiti giving up on trying to help Ousmane.  

From the soundbites coming from within the dressing room it seems they are sick of his childish behaviour ajd certain more veteran footballers have asked for a youth player to take his place instead of signing a new player as they’re hungry to play for the club and nurture their careers.

The club are hesitant to push Dembélé on because everyone admits he has immense talent but it seems that slowly slowly everyone is turning against him.