Saints fans will perhaps start to understand what has been going on behind the scenes over the past five months as Claude Puel cryptically confirms that his Captain will not be at the helm when most needed.

Jose Fonte was happy at Southampton Football Club a year ago when he had signed a new deal, but he changed his agent and apparently has changed his attitude and despite the fact that he will be expecting to see a very large amount of money from Southampton FC land in his bank account this week and indeed every week, he is not going to lead the side in it's most important game of the season.

Claude Pule confirmed in a statement.

"Jose won't participate for this game.

"We will see for the next game. It is important to keep stability.

"We do not know the future of Jose, it is a difficult situation in the market. I respect Jose, it is not an easy situation for the staff or players. It is difficult."

"We will see (about including him in the future), I do not comment on the possibility (of him moving). I think it is important to respect the other players.

"It is an opportunity also for Jose to view different opportunities and it is important to respect this.

"For me, it is important to keep stability in defence first, and second, we will see what the situation of Jose in this market is.

"If Jose came to leave the club, it is normal for us to look at other opportunities (to buy players to replace him)."

"It is important for us to remain open in the market and look at other opportunities, we do not know about other opportunities yet, it is difficult for the club to improve the squad this month."

The message though from Puel is clear, he does not feel that Fonte can lead the club against Liverpool, the reason for that is unclear, although it insinuates that the player himself does not wish to play or is not focused enough to do so.

This leaves a nasty taste in the mouth, Saints have been good for Jose Fonte over the past 7 years and Fonte has been good for Saints, yes he might be unhappy that he did not get the move he wanted, when he wanted, but he should have been professional enough and had enough respect for not only the football club who have made him a very rich man, but his team mates and of course the supporters to have put his grievances aside to put in a big performance in a very important match.

Let us be clear on this, this is not about the manager or the rotation policy, this is about the fact that the club when presented with the players wish to leave with only a week or so to the start of the season held firm and refused to sell the player till they had a replacement lined up and that was not possible in August.

Thos who accuse the club of caving in every time they get a good offer for a player should consider that the £8 million mooted was a great fee for a player who is now 33, but they could not get a quality replacement in so stood firm.

Those who demand that Saints should have done that in the past three summers should consider that when players don't get their own way they don't always behave like professionals and honour their contracts.

Perhaps Fonte is aggrieved but he has let himself down as well as the club, his team mates and the supporters.

Photo: Action Images

dixiefrog added 18:22 - Jan 9 Legend yes, great leader yes, good player yes, loyal maybe, but professional footballers are like dogs, they only love whoevers feeding them. If Fonte doesn't want to play for our club then it's time he moved on, maybe we the fans should also.
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Redrum added 18:22 - Jan 9 For crying out loud just let him go.We could deal with the same nonsense before but now I'm going to focus on the the games and not the sad politics we keep hearing about.Just wanna support my team and forget everything else.
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SaintBrock added 18:53 - Jan 9 It was already a tall order, without Jose it has become impossible and a repeat of last years's drubbing seems highly likely. No way will I join the chorus of Fonte bashers it is the very sad end to an unparalleled era of our history.
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Slacker added 19:21 - Jan 9 Well said Nick. This man once suggested that he would want to manage Saints. How could he participate in that song production? We were proud of what he achieved with Cedric in Europe, yet he never really celebrated with us upon his return. He has enjoyed very good central defenders to play alongside in recent seasons because of this club. Reed is right here - we are a victim of our own success. When our players achieve their international caps, that seems to be the beginning of the head turning, together with the greedy agents.

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BoondockSaint added 19:27 - Jan 9 Puel hasn't been playing him anyway, so this is no news.
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pintsizedsaint added 19:30 - Jan 9 It's a sad end to a great long term relationship. It's so difficult when money overrules the chance to become a full legend. Really thought that Fonte would retire here and go back room. Oh well. No one is bigger than the club. Get a good deal for him and move on. BTW Sakho would be good although has he got an attitude problem?
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SanMarco added 20:04 - Jan 9 Whatever the truth let's sell him and sign (at least one) adequate replacement. It is indeed a sad end but we need to move on. I am not an enormous fan of Les but he seems to have held firm here, something his critics say he never does. I am not quite as pessimistic as SaintBrock but do feel that Yoshi's capacity for error will be tested on Weds. Two draws and win on pens is my route to Wembley

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WanderingSaint added 20:39 - Jan 9 e just wants a big payday at the end of his career with us, that's all. Just wish him luck and be done with it. I can remember Danny Wallace leaving at the end of his and can't recall this reaction then, although we didn't have the internet for everyone to give their 2 pence worth back then.
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WanderingSaint added 20:41 - Jan 9 You also need to add the option "The meddling media" to the poll, or "Those pesky kids" as I like to call 'em...
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heroholmes1 added 20:58 - Jan 9 This reminds me a little of the Ricky Lambert situation. Is Jose really going to reach these heights again? I can't see him going to one of the top six.even if he does it's as cover. Everton signed Ashley Williams in the Summer so we assume that's unlikely. The bookies are saying Palace this evening. Surely we could get near to what they are offering, Maybe he and Puel do not get on.

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heroholmes1 added 21:01 - Jan 9 Oh yeah he a p***k for acting like a kid and making our chances against Liverpool even slimmer. These game come around about once a decade for our club and after 7 years he throws a hissy fit.
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A1079 added 22:16 - Jan 9 Whatever the truth of the matter, I am not going to get into bashing Fonte or get into that other game of hating yet another player that leaves the Saints, assuming he does leave. We have only heard one side of the story anyway. If he does go, then I wish him well and thank him for the years of services he has provided us (accepting he will have been paid well for those services). I am only saddened that it is ending sour, whoever is at fault for this, and that he will not be a part of a rare opportunity to get to a final.

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bstokesaint added 22:37 - Jan 9 It is rather ironic, and sad, that one of our longest-serving players is looking to leave us and give up a chance of a medal, if we can do the unthinkable. To be fair to Jose I remember watching him play first game for us in League 1 and thinking this guy has made some sacrifice to come and play for us when he was clearly two leagues above most other players on the pitch. He's been really good for us and it's a shame it's going to end this way. I guess a combination of seeing other players making big-money moves and a sense of entitlement might be driving him now. As we all know players don't live in the real world. How many of us can double or treble our wages overnight doing a job we love? Anyway I still say good luck to him and I hope he remembers he's still our captain and can be professional until the moment he leaves.

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kenis added 22:58 - Jan 9 What's sad is their careers are short and Fonte is luckier than most in that here he's been and can be a even more of a legend and unless he is going to go somewhere and win something - and by win I mean have more than 10 sub appearances to qualify for a medal - then how can the extra money be really worth it when he looks back on his career in ten years? This isn't Rickie going back to the club he lives and breathes for a fairy tale or Morgan/Lallana/Bale/Theo/Ox/Chambers/Clyne who are young and spending their peak years in the hunt for trophies. Maybe he has one shot at Benfica/Sporting/Porto or Utd where he sees a realistic chance to win, still a massive gamble. Winning at one of those their fans will have forgotten him in three months, win something st saints - or don't! - and he's remembered fondly for life. I guess in 10 years we'll still love him, even if we fall out with him now. So good luck, but shame he can't play on Wednesday and lead us to some glory he and we'd love to have.

2

simmo400 added 07:09 - Jan 10 Fonte is history and its time to move on. Yes he has done well for Saints and has been payed well in his time here. VVD is a top centre half get A young one in with him to learn the ropes and where be fine. As for scoring that's another problem.
1

SonicBoom added 09:32 - Jan 10 Puel - it is important to have stability in defence. Errrrr well stop changing 3 out of 4 every game then !!!
5

aceofthebase added 18:07 - Jan 10 Is Fonte training with the squad or is he now an outcast?
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SaintBrock added 18:41 - Jan 10 Rumours of a move for Sakho suggests the strong possibility of a swap deal and therefore Jose may only be out for this one match before his move is finalised to make sure he is not cup tied if the scousers turn us over and make it to the final. It makes no sense for the club or Jose to lose fitness so of course he will take no part in final preparations for the game tomorrow night but surely will train with the other people not selected. The pics we get from the training camp are always pretty selective and JWP gets more mug shots than most (one of our own / contract terms?) and worryingly for me Ryan rarely features and did not feature in the latest clips. I hope this is not because Puel has a downer on him as well and we're going to play without him tomorrow. Please don't let him be sidelined as well. Losing Jose is bad enough, heaven forbid Ryan follows him out the door.

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corkcitysaint added 19:00 - Jan 10 It might sound a bit pessimistic but come the start of next season, we could have a very different line up at the back - no Fonte, no VVD and it wouldn't surprise me if no Bertrand or even Cedric !! I hope we have enough cheques in the cheque in the summer. I think what's really cheesed Fonte off is not playing any Europa league matches. For a Euro winner that must have been a kick in the nuts!! Still, football clubs are just a revolving door these days. Especially ours and I am used to it now, let's move on. Be nice if we got a big bid in from China for him. Does anyone have Pelle's number..??

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pintsizedsaint added 19:11 - Jan 10 On the contrary (if the press are to be believed) we could be soon seeing VVD and Sakho as the centrepiece of Saints defence. Sakho comes well recommended: former PSG player with strong presence (particularly aerial) and very technically gifted in passing out from the back. Regular starter for Liverpool but clearly fallen out with manager. He's not a "Liverpool reject" though (although didn't people call Bertrand a Chelsea reject...?!) Of course - Sakho is French and linking up with Puel may well bring out the best in him. I personally would love to see this done - it may persuade VVD to stick around too.

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Ali_Diarea added 20:38 - Jan 10 I can't wait to see Sakho partnering VVD on the bench; waiting for their game which is pencilled in by Puel for about three games time so they are nice and fresh and well rested, in the meantime we lose and draw important games.
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BoondockSaint added 21:10 - Jan 10 Avoid Sakho like the plague! Are we again going to help the Scouse? Didn't we learn anything from the Osvaldo fiasco? Problem players are always problems. http://www.thisisanfield.com/2016/08/mamadou-sakho-klopp-finds-similar-problems- We will be unable to off-load him as he has a 5 year contract. This is like a boot sale: you have junk you were an idiot to buy-now you have to find a bigger idiot to take it off your hands. Klopp knows Les is a big idiot. But where are we going to find a bigger one?

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BoondockSaint added 21:10 - Jan 10 Avoid Sakho like the plague! Are we again going to help the Scouse? Didn't we learn anything from the Osvaldo fiasco? Problem players are always problems. http://www.thisisanfield.com/2016/08/mamadou-sakho-klopp-finds-similar-problems- We will be unable to off-load him as he has a 5 year contract. This is like a boot sale: you have junk you were an idiot to buy-now you have to find a bigger idiot to take it off your hands. Klopp knows Les is a big idiot. But where are we going to find a bigger one?

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BoondockSaint added 23:58 - Jan 10 Sorry about the double comment: the browser at work was acting up!
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