No great surprise, but Foster not going to AFCON

Is that official, or you just making a statement?

If it’s official, any chance you could post a linky?

Official

https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/fo ... rn-4460252

Ok, cheers for that. I’ll go look…

It was official two and half weeks ago and one and half weeks ago when vk told the presser twice.

Holtyclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 6:07 pm

It was official two and half weeks ago and one and half weeks ago when vk told the presser twice.

Exactly.... But many chose to ignore

Holtyclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 6:07 pm

It was official two and half weeks ago and one and half weeks ago when vk told the presser twice.

He selected his words very carefully. I don't think he ever said what Fosters opinion was on it or if he wanted to go.

I suspect Foster was being told from all parties he shouldn't go but he still wanted to be chosen hence him being in their original squad list. It looks like common sense has prevailed.

Goliath wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 6:17 pm

He selected his words very carefully. I don't think he ever said what Fosters opinion was on it or if he wanted to go.

I suspect Foster was being told from all parties he shouldn't go but he still wanted to be chosen hence him being in their original squad list. It looks like common sense has prevailed.

Vk just said he wasn’t going (very clearly) and was then asked a week later again, gave same answer and expanded to say lyles support structure was here and leaving that wasn’t the advice.

In general though the new caginess surrounding players injuries and managers unable to discuss them openly is very frustrating but I guess par for the course in modern times. Vk is particularly cagey, obviously under instruction.

I would hope that there is an ongoing help programme, here.

Holtyclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 6:34 pm

Vk just said he wasn’t going (very clearly) and was then asked a week later again, gave same answer and expanded to say lyles support structure was here and leaving that wasn’t the advice.

In general though the new caginess surrounding players injuries and managers unable to discuss them openly is very frustrating but I guess par for the course in modern times. Vk is particularly cagey, obviously under instruction.

Yep i agree he was adamant that Foster wasnt going. But at no point did he say Foster didn't want to go. I still think this was part of the reason for Foster arriving back at the club without Kompanys knowledge

If Foz is being prevented/advised not to go I kinda feel sorry for him here. Would he have been likely to play, as in is he a first team contender? I would hope him missing the AFCON isn't detrimental to his mental health. I'm sure there are people more qualified than me at the club dealing with this sensitive issue.

IanMcL wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 6:35 pm

I would hope that there is an ongoing help programme, here.

There is

Goliath wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 6:47 pm

Yep i agree he was adamant that Foster wasnt going. But at no point did he say Foster didn't want to go. I still think this was part of the reason for Foster arriving back at the club without Kompanys knowledge

Is it a verified fact that he arrived back at the club without VK's knowledge? I've heard it mentioned but never seen anything to back it up.

Glad he's not going. Work on his fitness and get him back to the form he was in early in the season. Had he not been out, we may not be in the relegation zone.

TheFamilyCat wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:23 pm

Is it a verified fact that he arrived back at the club without VK's knowledge? I've heard it mentioned but never seen anything to back it up.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8qmxtq

Holtyclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 6:07 pm

It was official two and half weeks ago and one and half weeks ago when vk told the presser twice.

Which is probably par for the Burnley Express

Just glad common sense has prevailed and South Africa have accepted the medical experts opinions. As mentioned he can work on his fitness now I'm the best environment for him.

ClaretNBlue wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:48 pm

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8qmxtq

Does that say he arrived back without VK's knowledge?

https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/socce ... con-squad/

He wrote a letter saying he didn't want to go.

ClaretNBlue wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:48 pm

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8qmxtq

Quite a leap from that reply to think Lyle walked into Barnfield one day without VK's knowledge.

EDIT - Duplicate

ClaretNBlue wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:48 pm

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8qmxtq

That’s a bit different to him having no knowledge he was back at the club.

I’ve noticed Goliath post assumptions as fact on here before.

I'm reading between the lines of Kompany's interviews in the weeks before and after Foster's return, along with the timing of the return and his selection in the initial South Africa squad.

As mentioned, Kompany basically said himself he hadn't been expecting Fosters return and that tallies up with his comments the weeks before saying he wasnt expecting any return soon.

The whole thing was just bizarre really, even him going straight back into the squad without any reserve matches and a few days training. Thats usually a no go so i dont see why it was any different in this case.

Swizzlestick wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:18 pm

That’s a bit different to him having no knowledge he was back at the club.

I’ve noticed Goliath post assumptions as fact on here before.

And he's just confirmed as such in his next post.

Goliath wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:49 pm

I'm reading between the lines of Kompany's interviews in the weeks before and after Foster's return, along with the timing of the return and his selection in the initial South Africa squad.

As mentioned, Kompany basically said himself he hadn't been expecting Fosters return and that tallies up with his comments the weeks before saying he wasnt expecting any return soon.

The whole thing was just bizarre really, even him going straight back into the squad without any reserve matches and a few days training. Thats usually a no go so i dont see why it was any different in this case.

He said he'd been training the week before he appeared

I took his comments that he was surprised he returned that soon... But nothing to suggest he turned up without VK's knowledge

Will the seemingly forgotten Zaroori be at this tournament? I would think he would be delighted to go if selected.

Stayingup wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 9:21 pm

Will the seemingly forgotten Zaroori be at this tournament? I would think he would be delighted to go if selected.

I'm not sure but Zaroury isn’t in the preliminary Morocco squad.

Nori1958 wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 9:14 pm

He said he'd been training the week before he appeared

I took his comments that he was surprised he returned that soon... But nothing to suggest he turned up without VK's knowledge

He returned for the Everton game, in his interviews around the previous game at Brighton Kompany suggested he was progressing but had didnt know when hed be back again.

We then had the weird international selection, Kompany responded to this saying he cant go and also confirmed that hed done some fitness work but didnt have a date on his return, which ended up being 2 days later. He also confirmed that it was a surprise to him to have Foster back.

Its this series of events which suggests to me that Kompany was caught a bit by surprise during the week after the Brighton game, there was also a strange tone from him when reacting to the preliminary squad announcement which was probably just annoyance that hed been named at all.

Either way its pretty irrelevant now and we will never get the full story

Goliath wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 9:37 pm

He returned for the Everton game, in his interviews around the previous game at Brighton Kompany suggested he was progressing but had didnt know when hed be back again.

We then had the weird international selection, Kompany responded to this saying he cant go and also confirmed that hed done some fitness work but didnt have a date on his return, which ended up being 2 days later. He also confirmed that it was a surprise to him to have Foster back.

Its this series of events which suggests to me that Kompany was caught a bit by surprise during the week after the Brighton game, there was also a strange tone from him when reacting to the preliminary squad announcement which was probably just annoyance that hed been named at all.

Either way its pretty irrelevant now and we will never get the full story

I’m pretty certain that VK will have known exactly about Foster‘s status and fitness.

VK has been absolutely first rate in managing this issue for me.

CoolClaret wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 10:00 pm

I’m pretty certain that VK will have known exactly about Foster‘s status and fitness.

VK has been absolutely first rate in managing this issue for me.

Yep im not criticising VK at all on this, very tricky one to deal with. Sure he was aware of his fitness but general fitness isnt the same as match fitness and we are probably seeing that at the moment

CoolClaret wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 28, 2023 10:00 pm

I’m pretty certain that VK will have known exactly about Foster‘s status and fitness.

VK has been absolutely first rate in managing this issue for me.

He has - handled a very sensitive issue really well.

Another angle in to this

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/s ... mber-2023/

The help he needs is here

The medical advice is for him not to go....if the south African coach understood this,the last thing he should do is go crying to the press, giving out personal details of what has been said between all the parties involved

Anyone who has experienced mental health problems will know that it’s not difficult for those problems to re emerge. It’s important for any support systems to be in place to continue to progress and also to deal with any relapse. This wouldn’t be the case if LF joined up with the South African squad. I speak from experience. I benefitted from sympathetic and supportive employers who put no pressure on me to return to work and also had regular counseling sessions. After four months I made a gradual return to work taking about two months to get back to full time working. It seems to me that the SA coach doesn’t fully understand LF’s situation.

Pretty clear that Lyle is in danger of feeling overwhelmed during his recovery which could set him back and that AFCON selection startled him a bit. Anyone who understands mental health would know that feeling. 100% the right decision, and with January being a quiet month in the Premier League it allows him to do it steadily. Getting him right is the top priority, even above the club’s survival chances and South Africa’s AFCON.

I don’t think the SAFA have divulged anything sensitive here, nothing we didn’t all know already. I’m sure Lyle will do an interview about it when he is feeling strong enough to, it’ll probably do him good like we have seen with others players like Lennon etc.

ClaretAL wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 29, 2023 8:09 am

Another angle in to this

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/s ... mber-2023/

He will be lucky if Foster ever plays for him again after that.