For the first time Harry Redknapp has admitted that Pompey would be prepared to sell Matty Taylor… but only if the price is right.
Taylor himself put some serious question marks against his Pompey future for the first time last week in his setanta sports column, and after not getting on at the weekend when the game appeared to be crying out for him to do so that appeared to well and truly show the writing was on the wall.
Now Redknapp has admitted to The News that he could go in January: ‘Niko has been playing so well that it’s been difficult for Matty.
‘I understand his position. If he’s unhappy and someone made a good offer then we would not stand in his way.
‘I do not want to lose him. I like him very much. He’s a good pro, he’s done a terrific job for this club.
‘But I’m not going to keep a player who wants to go – that’s never been my policy.
‘I understand exactly how Matty feels not being in the team at the moment. He’s a good lad who trains hard and shows a fantastic attitude.
‘I understand what Matty is saying. If he wants to move and it’s a good offer then I wouldn’t stop him.
‘But it would have to take a good offer’.
I fully understand and accept what Redknapp says and as much as I would love to see Taylor play more often again if it is for the best for both Pompey and Taylor for him to leave then I will accept this.
Some of my problems that I have however though are:
1) If Niko Kranjcar – who is playing out of his skin this season, so would never be left out of my side – who is a right footed player, yet he is played on the left can be used that way why, with John Utaka so out of form recently is Taylor then not being given a chance, even if this means playing him on the right when he is a left footer? Simple solution would be to do this, we could then switch Kranjcar and Taylor over? Could we not? So this seems to suggest to me that he just is not part of his plans at all as Utaka has been off form for weeks…
2) Redknapp says that it will take ‘a good offer’, but what is a good offer? It is commonly known that English players are sold for a price that is usually more than their worth. So as much as Taylor does deserve a move – if he goes – to a team that will play him I hope we do not sell him too cheaply… after all he is a potential England international!
It will be a sad day if/when Taylor goes but if it is for the best then this is another sacrifice that we have to make, and it would be for the greater good.
If it happens hopefully it will be worth it for all concerned…
PLAY UP POMPEY!
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