After his latest sending off that once again means he will miss a big chunk of games, have Saints fans lost patience with Victor Wanyama.

It has to be said that at the start of August Victor Wanyama's popularity could not have been higher amongst Saints supporters, the travelling support at Vittesse Arnhem belted out a 10 minute version of "The Mighty Kenyan" and it seemed like it would be a big season for Victor.

But within weeks it would turn sour, suddenly Spurs were up to their old tricks and trying to unsettle him and it worked perfectly, suddenly Wanyama was not happy and demanding a transfer, so much so that he felt unable to travel to Midjytland for the vital second leg of the Europa League tie and with Saints losing 1-0 and exiting a competition there were some who blamed him for the result, perhaps that is harsh on him but it certainly did not help matters.

He would also miss the home game against Norwich City, but Saints won easily so he wasn't missed.

The player himself made the right noises about staying with Saints and helping them get into Europe again, but the relationship with the fans was now strained and The Mighty Kenyan song was consigned to the box marked Not Wanted On Voyage.

Saints went on a good run and moved up the league, but controversy was around the corner for Wanyama, with Saints winning 2-0 at home against Bournemouth and in control even though the Cherries were having a lot of possession, Wanyama dived in when it was unnecessary and departed the field with a red card being waved.

With Saints in a terrible run in December and another transfer window looming there were those who were questioning his commitment to the cause, a good game in the win over Arsenal silenced the doubters for a whle but those questions got louder when again he dived in to a tackle at Norwich which like the one against Bournemouth was in the middle of the field and unneccessary, just as Saints really needed Victor, he was not available again.

A cup defeat to Palace without him was a blow and again there were those who suggested he did not want to get cup tied.

A two match ban saw Clasie and Romeu show they could take his place, but he was straight back in to the side for the visit of West Brom prompting suggestions that the club and Ronald Koeman were treating him with kid gloves, if they were to get him to sign a new contract it seemed to the casual observer that they did not want to upset him by dropping him.

A strong display against Manchester United and then Arsenal was encouraging but then came the game against West Ham, again a completely avoidable red card and now a five game ban meaning he will be unavailable till the middle of March.

That means that by the time that Saints have played 30 League games plus another 8 cup games, a total of 38, Wanyama will have only been available for 28 of them after missing a total of 10 games through either suspension or sulking.

That is not acceptable and even Ronald Koeman has suggested that words are needed, suggesting that the kid gloves are now off.

Missing over a quarter of the season will undoubtedly have cost Saints dearly when it comes to the final post mortem of what has been a somewhat up and down time for Saints in 2015/16 and so the question for many Saints fans is whether enough is enough and is it time for Saints to read the riot act and tell him to sign a new deal and commit to the club and sort his priorities out or to sling his hook.

The number who want him to stay and play a big part is fast diminishing due to his erratic on field behaviour where he has seemed to have developed a penchant for diving in and mistiming his tackles, he was always a little clumsy, but never to this degree and given that he is now in his third season in the Premier League for Saints, it cannot be blamed on naivety.

So what are your thoughts on the Wanyama connundrum, should he stay or should he go ?

Give your comments now in the section below and also vote in our on line poll below

Victor Wanyama Poll

Photo: Action Images

forest_saint added 08:26 - Feb 10 Get rid but rest assured he will be a sensation at either Arsenal or Spurs, looking at the way he played against Arsenal, but his petulance and sulking is a disruption to the harmony in the team and there is no place for that sort of behaviour.
0

wopper added 08:50 - Feb 10 He comes across as being a bit thick easily led by his agent.
2

SonicBoom added 09:09 - Feb 10 I would keep him. Yes he gets sent off and that's frustrating but he still amongst the best we've got. If they do let him go then it's not a disaster provided we identify a decent replacement but why risk that. However he's about to enter his last year, there's been interest before and he asked to leave so really it all points towards him going in the summer anyway.
0

halftimeorange added 10:01 - Feb 10 Press speculation has veered from "he won't sign a new contract" to "he will" and, now, back again. He's said to have been sounding out his family. This last conjecture has the ring of truth to it. Either way, what baffles me is whether Saints have the right people within the club to befriend and mentor players like Wanyama who is from a background wildly different from life in Southampton. I realise he played in Belgium and Scotland but he is still only 24 years old. Being sent off is not new to his game. In September 2009 he was handed a three-match suspension for a violent tackle on Matias Suarez of Anderlecht so he does have a longstanding problem. Saints surely employ psychologists and motivators to work on this problem, after all we're rightly regarded as a forward thinking club. I have no doubt that he has major talent but, sadly, if his head can't be sorted out then it would be best to say goodbye for at least what we paid for big Vic whilst we can and bring in a more composed reinforcement who realises that it's a team game. Rather sad but not an uncommon situation. Think Balliotelli.

-2

Mel_Kenny added 10:13 - Feb 10 When he gets his timing right, he looks absolutely amazing. When he gets his timing wrong, he looks an absolute liability...I'm sure hard man Koeman can work on Victor..
2

dirk_doone added 10:21 - Feb 10 the way a small minority of our fans is turning against Wanyama really saddens me because he has really put a lot of effort into helping the team and made the only goal in our last game. Fortunately, the vast majority, as well as his team mates, are solidly behind him because they realize what a great job he has done for us. He has had 2 red cards from Clattenburg. With any other referee it is unlikely he would have got the second one. Top defensive midfielders, like Roy Keanne, Patrick Vieira and Nemanja Vidic all got many more red cards than that, but the fans of their teams didn't turn against them. Wanyama has been unlucky havinfg to deal with Clattenburg twice in a short space of time. Perhaps he should be rested the next time Clattenburg referees one of our games, but other than that, Victor will continue to be a very valuable part of our team.

2

SanMarco added 10:35 - Feb 10 I think wopper hits an important nail on the head. Vic is not one of the games's big thinkers. His problems this season are due to poor decision making. Sorry halftimeorange but I think Ballotelli comparisons are way off the mark. In the swirl of 24 hour and social media a lot of nonsense is talked, " there were those who suggested he did not want to get cup tied" being an excellent example - but in the end he is a big defensive enforcer whose job is to tackle. Two stupid tackles while on a yellow + a poor but not disgraceful tackle that led to him being Clattenburged. Is that really such a damning charge sheet? As for the off-field nonsense see wopper above - and surely we need to stop rewarding such behaviour by granting transfers.

0

dirk_doone added 10:36 - Feb 10 I know Vidic was central defender, but along with Keane and Vieira he could be considered one of the best tacklers in the history of the Premier League. They still got more than 20 red cards between them.
-2

SaintPaulVW added 11:03 - Feb 10 Up to him really. Does he want to stay if so sign a new contract or go in the summer. Are Arsenal really interested though? I can easily see just one lowball bid arriving from Spurs and a summer of intense irritation on the cards.
0

halftimeorange added 12:57 - Feb 10 Dirk Doone and San Marco, I take your points but we can't seriously consider leaving a player out of the side because it seems a referee doesn't like him and as for Roy Keane and company, times have moved on. Today's referees are far more strict in respect of powder-puff fouls outside the penalty areas and, generally speaking, more incompetent. I think Keane would have been off more than he was on the pitch. Transferring Wanyama would not (in my humble opinion) be rewarding anyone other than Southampton FC as we would be ridding ourselves of a liability and replacing him with someone equally talented but (in Wopper's words) less thick. That is, of course, if the club cannot get him to see sense. My hunch is they can't and won't. I'd love to see a slightly tempered Vic stay.

-2

DPeps added 12:58 - Feb 10 I'm not losing patience. It would be unusual if he wasn't putting himself about with tackles. 3 sendings off so far this season is bad but 2 of those have been borderline in my opinion. One of my concerns with our squad is a lack of nastiness and grit. VW is important because he offers grit; if it spills over sometimes then that's the price you pay. I bet opposition midfielders don't like the thought of Vic bearing down on them! This isn't a dig, but I doubt JWP has the same effect. For all that, however, I'm confident that Romeu will fit in well in Vic's place. Romeu looks more capable on the ball in my view

4

pintsizedsaint added 14:10 - Feb 10 If any fan is turning against VW it is mostly because of off-field news rather than his performances on it. Its useful to separate those out. I remember seeing some media articles last summer (mostly from Africa) quoting VW as saying he would like to play for Arsenal. I have some vague recollection he was saying similar things during the 'summer of discontent' too (mostly drowned out by other events..) I recall him talking about this being his path to development. He clearly asked for transfer when Spurs were reported to be interested, so it appears he's not bothered - just as long as its a bigger club (and bigger pay cheque). Now - every fan takes reacts differently to this type of behaviour. We either think its incredibly disloyal or we think it is an inevitable (if not frustrating) fact of the modern day footballer. Add to the mix the fact that Saints FC have (for the last 5-6 years) touted themselves as a development club in order to attract bigger and better potential that can establish us as a top 10 EPL side. We then sell on for a huge profit and re-invest. Like it or loathe it - it is what it is and Wanyama is one of those courted by Saints - and i suspect he saw Saints as a useful development. I know why fans (mostly on other website) attack him for this. I don't resent him - after all, both club and player get a good deal out of the arrangement. Of course i would love him to stay and be part of the squad - and it is frustrating not to see Wanyama being loyal to Saints and signing a new contract - but I also see that there is a bigger picture. Whether its for the desire to win trophies or the promise of extra money - Wanyama is doing nothing more or nothing less than a modern day footballer would do. Have i had enough of this type of behaviour and media nonsense? Of course I have! Who wouldn't? But i also accept it for what it is. As for his performances - he has been an extremely useful player. As I say above, Saints have got good value out of him - he has been instrumental in getting the club where it is. But i actually think he's not the long-term solution. In fact, i think that, for Saints FC to progress, we may need to think about the development of someone like Romeu - who has a lot more attacking threat. One thing Koeman has mentioned before is that we need to be a lot smarter in converting defence into attack. Just my opiniion, but I don't think VW has that as a core skill. Yet he's only 24 - and he could develop further. Yet, from what i've seen, he's got a fair way to go attacking wise. Now I'm not saying we should sell Wanyama come what may - he is still an important player. But an important SQUAD member. I think Saints would love to keep him, but may not see him as a longer term solution if he doesn't develop his attacking range further. It is perhaps why Romeu and Clasie came in (i still strongly believe Saints would have been looking to get Clasie this summer - but decided to get him in now). As for Wanyama's recent performances - i agree that a lot of nonsense is being made of his red cards. His style of play (and his age) will mean he will be liable for the odd rash challenge.

1

saintnige added 14:15 - Feb 10 Have now looked at the '60 seconds highlights' about 50 times and would like to point out that Maya's goal was set up by Victor - not through any great skill but that 2 West Ham defenders effectively pulled out of the challenge because his presence is so intimidating. When he contributes he is special - when he doesn't he looks ungainly and clumsy.
0

Consigliere added 14:22 - Feb 10 My two penn'orth is this - We keep him until the last second of his contract so as to send a message to anyone else who misbehaves or thinks he is bigger than the club, we keep him on the bench until he has learned his lesson but we also put him through the most vigorous training programme ever devised until he learns to control his impetuous temper - then we welcome him back into the camp and cheer and sing for him every week. He is young and foolish but he is also very talented and has lots of potential.

-2

nysaint added 14:37 - Feb 10 He is great as a threat and a midfield disruptor.. but he doesnt always pass well.. he cant shoot (Sunderland aside) .. Romeu is much more the all round player.. we dont need him and he is costing us points in the balance.
1

arthurfane added 15:45 - Feb 10 Consigliere - of course he's going to happily sign another contract after this vicious training regime and place on the bench you suggest ;) Wanyama is a great player, but from what I've seen this season, he's no better than Romeu, and I would happily see Romeu and Clasie bossing the centre of midfield for the next 5 years - what's more, they both seem very committed to the cause, and I completely agree with the sentiments expressed by a few of the above posters saying that Wanyama is somewhat of a puppet of his agent... Yes his disciplinary record is suspect, but he is a very good player on his day and could still command a hefty transfer fee (c.£15m with only a year left of contract) in the summer. Welcome him back when the ban is finished - he can still contribute to a successful season - and then cash in in the Summer; we have a readymade replacement in Romeu, aswell as youngsters like Reed and Slattery chomping at the bit for Premier League game time. If he signs a new contract, then great. If he doesn't (which is strongly expect) then it's by no means the end of the world, and we move on. Now for the push at the end of THIS season - we could do special things if we get Austin, Pelle, Mane and JRod fit and scoring! Come on Saints :)

1

Consigliere added 18:30 - Feb 10 I said "vigorous" not "vicious" (though you may be right, the latter may better describe what I had in mind!). The reason why he will sign another contract is because after a few weeks of his agent watching his value go down the toilet whilst he sits on the bench cooling his heels the pair of them will come to heel. I have had enough of the tail wagging the dog.
-1

TheFoo added 21:15 - Feb 10 He can't shoot, usually passes backwards, rarely scores, doesn't create time on the ball, was mis-timing tackles all day long before the sending off (which looked worse on the telly than it did at the time). Ignoring all the off-field speculation - I think we should sell him for every penny we can get. In the absence of spiderman, Davis has come on leaps and bounds, Victor has got worse and worse.

-3

ItchenNorth added 22:01 - Feb 10 No
0

perazi added 22:08 - Feb 10 Saints supporters should be praying we keep our very best players like Vic and Sadio, not slagging them off for ill-thought out reasons. The comments from TheFoo are downright ignorant and inaccurate. Wanyama's efforts on the pitch in the last 5 or so games have been excellent - the risk of a card for someone with the style of game he has is always high; Romeu too runs that risk - JWP's risk is much lower!!!! Saints would/will be a much less effective team without Wanyama and Mane.

0

Big_T added 13:23 - Feb 11 He's had three good games this season, six last season, I'm sure we can do better. Kante cost £6m and has had 25 great games this season. He hasn't signed his new contract, he wants to go so get rid to anyone for any price just don't sell to dirty dealing spurs. Even if they offer the most cash.
-1

Zambucco added 13:43 - Feb 11 without a second thought, we must keep him. He doesn't have a temper he is passionate and committed, far from the other players disliking him for it, they probably applaud him. He is still very young and climbing and learning, he will develop into one of the best midfielders we have ever had. Remember it took Schneiderlin a long time to calm himself and look what happened to him.

2

SkateHater added 11:28 - Feb 12 Get rid of him he is all that is wrong with too many players nowadays. Look at Payet at West Ham, signs a new deal clearly has bought into the club, it's fans and its future, and signing a new deal to cement at least his medium term future to them. Feels like "The Flighty Kenyan" has been angeling for a move for half the time he's been playing for us. Frankly I find it incredibly insulting to our club and to us fans. The sendings off are symptomatic of his complete disregard for our clubs ambitions, success or even how you and I might feel, surely we should sell him before they rumble he can place a pass accurately over 25 yards too !!

-2

TeamCortese added 22:45 - Feb 12 If we can get £20-£25 million I'll be happy with that. He's still very young but I personally think Clasie and Romeu are the long-term solution. If Wanyama can improve his passing (i.e. convert defence into attack very quickly) and be more consistent with performances, as well as chip in a few goals then he'd be ridiculously good. If we can coach him on those aspects of his game and he's willing to learn then we should keep him. However, based on what I've seen this season we should sell him. I think he's lost a bit of motivation and this could has been partly fuelled from the club selling too many players. He formed a very good partnership with Morgan last season and it does affect players when those relationships are lost. Also I think he's become frustrated with the change of personnel in general so I don't blame him. At the end of the day it all boils down to the club's ambition. If the board are serious then we'll need to change of transfer strategy to keep our best players.

0

Blogs 31 bloggers

Doncaster Rovers Polls