Yann Kermorgant has lifted the lid on his unpopular sale to Bournemouth in a candid and explosive interview in today’s
South London Press. He also gives a clear insight from a player perspective into the difficulties currently facing manager Chris Powell.
In a lengthy interview with
Richard Cawley, Yann is keen to set the record straight on how his move to the South Coast come about, and how he felt the club ultimately wanted him to go rather than to stay.
“I don’t won’t people to think I’ve gone for the money. It is because I feel they have pushed me to the exit. The biggest thing is the way it happened, they did nothing special to keep me.”Kermorgant revealed that earlier discussions with Chris Powell and Martin Prothero regarding a contract extension saw him fully understanding and accepting the situation that the owners wanted to sell the club and that it was not the right time. He was promised that as soon as the club was taken over he would be the first priority to sign on a two-year improved deal.
“That is what I want the most, to be safe and secure for at least two more years at Charlton”“
"When the club was taken over nothing happened. I was waiting for the gaffer to get an extension. When that didn’t happen I started to feel a bit worried where the club was going. We didn’t even know if it was the gaffer’s decision to bring in players or just the owner’s choice. That started to worry me a little bit more”.Yann goes on to explain in detail how the club offered no form of negotiation with regard to agreeing personal terms, how the club quickly accepted a bid from Bournemouth and allowed him to talk to them, and how on the Thursday evening he was still trying to negotiate a stay with the club. Despite Katrien Meire telling him earlier the club still want to keep him, according to Yann she came back later that evening and said after speaking with the owner that he wanted to sell him.
“Charlton wanted to show people they had tried to do something when in reality they had done nothing special. Even a little offer. They never came back to me or my agent even with something very very low. They could have said they would give me a little bit more – maybe I would have accepted”. Kermorgant paints a strong picture of his affection for the club, the supporters and how this has been the happiest spell of his career. It is clear that Chris Powell has played a major impact on him and the squad, and how the current uncertainty over the manager’s role has had a knock-on effect.
“The first thing to do was give a new contract to the gaffer – that would make the difference for all the other players. Because at least you would see the new owner would back the gaffer, give him the deal he deserved for what he has done in the last two or three years with not a lot of money. I’ve asked so many times when the gaffer is going to have a new deal ? No answer”“When I met the owner for the only time, him and Katrien Meire were saying ‘we love what he has done, he is a great manager’. You can say that – then give him a contract. Even one year. They have still not moved.”"So what does that mean? That means they didn’t really want to offer him something and the gaffer would be judged on which players he has lost, which he didn’t want, and which players the owner has brought in, that he maybe didn’t want. You can’t judge a manager on that. Its not fair.”“If we get relegated for me it will not only be his fault so far. It will be more the new owner’s fault by not trying to back him with players he wanted to bring, and those he wanted to keep.”The exerts above only really touch the surface on an excellent full page interview. To read the full piece, seek out a copy of today’s
SLP, which also contains an excellent column from CL poster
@ValleyTalkBlog.
Comments
"They could have said they would give me a little bit more – maybe I would have accepted”.
In my opinion this interview has not done him any favours in terms of how he will be remembered.
Is this article a joke?
A true legend in my eyes who gave so much pleasure watching him strut his gallic flair. Ooh Ahh Kermorgant!!!!
A slightly different tone for the Cherries perspective.
I suppose you can argue about all the technical details and who is in the right and who was in the wrong. But the one undoubted aspect i think comes through clear is that from a player perspective uncertainty, whether its regarding their future, their their team mates and their management team, has a negative impact, which regardless of the words, i think we've seen in certain performances this season.
Good luck to you Yann, bet he's miserable down there!
The bottom line is that RD felt the club would be better served by bringing in PP and RG rather than investing another two years in a 32 year old.
That's his call and only time will tell if he is right or not.
I suppose it boils down to interpretation of Yann's comments.
You would probably find "I am Zlatan" interesting.
Pffft, we've moved on Kermit, perhaps you should too
I hope our new signings are ok and we play the loan market well but I still think RD sealed our relegation on 31st Jan
Look at Juan Mata, player of the year at Chelsea two years on the spin, bombed out by a new manager who didn't fancy him.
Think it's perfectly understandable that Yann would want some certainty in regard to his manager's future (although also reasonable for a new owner to want to take some time accessing him before offering a new contract).
Still referring to the club as "we" and has admitted that Powell must share some of the blame for our lowly position.
Finally we have been given confirmation about what is going on behind the scenes.
Bournemouth echo
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/10993888.AFC_Bournemouth__Age_no_barrier_for_new_boy_Kermorgant/?ref=var_6