A VIEW FROM WEST STAND LOWER

WILL IT BE KISS AND MAKE UP OR TAXI FOR GUS?

"Why have Brighton suspended Gus?" the text message from my Spurs supporting daughter demanded.

"I don't know - have they?" I replied

"It must be true it's on SSN. The yellow ticker never lies!" she retorted.

I switched on Sky Sports News and opened my Twitter account and rumours of Gus's suspension were viral. I decided to await a statement from the club as this may yet be another "Michael Owen is signing" story.

Within minutes the Club had indeed issued a short, terse but very clear statment - Gus, Tano and Charlie had been placed on the naughty step. 

Well that was over a week ago so what are the likely outcomes? From my 40 years experience as a NHS manager I know a little about disciplinary procedures

Who will be parked here?

(and no, I have not been subject to one). Employment law and good practice will have come into play now which means proceedings will be in confidence. It is unlikely North Stand Chatters will ever know the gruesome details of who said what to whom and when.

There can now only be one of two outcomes:


1. KISS AND MAKE UP
Out of the blue and totally by surprise the club issues a statement. Gus and Bloomers have held clear the air talks. Gus has pledged undying allegiance to all things Seagulls and agreed to attend a course on basic accountancy in exchange for a 2 year extension on his contract.  Gus states he is looking forward to the new season and building another team to challenge for the Premiership. Tony states funds have been made available for squad strengthening. Everybody holds hands and looks forward to the future.

This might sound unlikely as an outcome but in the crazy world of football who knows. Gus may not be the prospect he thinks he is. The Premiership merry-go-round has started and despite some bookmakers' odds Gus is not aboard. Newcastle and Fulham appear to have been false alarms as both clubs have decided to stick rather than twist. As of today Stoke City look like preferring the cut of Mark Hughes. I doubt Millwall is on Gus's list.

Is it possible that by being suspended Gus's credit

Will this remain in the cupboard for good?

has gone down somewhat and other chairmen may view him as a bit of risk? Winning the League One Championship and losing a play off semi-final may not look all that strong on the CV from the viewpoint of the Premiership.

For somebody who likes to put himself in the shop window getting suspended may not do Gus too many favours and staying might become his only realistic option. 

2. TAXI FOR GUS
This is the more likely outcome but what goes in Gus's bag may be the big issue. The club could decide Gus has fundamentally breached his contract to the extent that he should be dismissed without notice or further payment. The risk with this is that Gus trots off to an Industrial Tribunal and unless a deal can be done at the door of the court all the gory details of who said what to who would indeed spill out into the public domain. For Lord Sugar and his apprentice read Tony Bloom and his manager. The Sun would glory in the details for days. Reputations could be dented.

More likely there will be a negotiation, sums are agreed in respect of Gus's unspent contract, a confidentiality statement drawn up and everybody puts a brave face on it and moves on. One thing will be for sure - on both sides lawyers are circling the wagons.

My wife is a psychologist - and knows about these things - and suggests that Gus's statement after the defeat to Palace was an attempt to deflect responsibility for his failure on to the chairman (known as displacement, thanks to Freud). 

The Palace manager rather backed this

Who will be sitting here come August?

up when he commented that Gus has had three and half years to build a team while he has been at Palace only a few months. Holloway has achieved the play off final with players he inherited from the previous manager. 

I do know that, in the real world, if an employee refuses to do part of his job because he does not know whether he will be around in a few months, and opens budget discussions with the boss publicly via the media, somebody is likely to suggest that perhaps this is not the organisation he should be working for and that he might like to make other employment arrangements.

We need to remind ourselves that everything said about Poyet regarding Gusgate equally applies to Tano and Charlie. What about their futures? 

Fans will say this needs resolving quickly as next season is only 2 months away and there are holes in the squad that need filling. A combination of loan signings returning to parent clubs and players being released leaves big gaps in the defence and midfield. If David Lopez wanders off and Premiership teams come shopping for Bridcut, and possibly Buckley and Ulloa, putting together a team to challenge next season could become a major task.

So in the coundown to whether Gus stays or goes which is the pointless answer? Will it be deal or no deal?