UPDATED STORY BELOW: Brentford’s returning hero, Alan Judge, has issued the club a transfer window loan ultimatum… to either involve him in the match-day squad and give him valuable minutes on the pitch, or he’ll look for a loan deal away from Griffin Park before the end of January. That message, made in an interview with the Sunday Times, puts manager Dean Smith in a very awkward situation.
It is clear that the player is itching to get his career back on track after his horrific lay-off through injury – and we all know what Judge is capable of when he is at his best – but the team are on a superb run of form at the moment and I’m sure the manager feels hesitant to either take too much of a risk too soon with Judge, or sacrifice anyone from a team that has won five of the last six Championship matches.
Judge told the newspaper; “I’m not one to make a fuss, but if by the end of January I am not playing I will need to go on loan. Hopefully people will remember what I did two years ago and think ‘he’s worth taking a punt on’.”
Brentford B team action is never going to keep a player of Alan’s undoubted caliber content – but this is almost a Catch 22 situation and could turn into a battle of wills if the situation is not handled correctly.
The Brentford squad is a clearly a close-knit and unified camp at the moment, without any dominating egos… and as we have seen repeatedly in recent years, no one player is allowed to dictate what’s in the best interest of the team as a whole.
I’m a massive fan of Alan Judge for what he’s helped our club achieve since he arrived from Blackburn Rovers and I can certainly see why he feels confused about not being part of the match-day squad, I’m sure all Bees fans agree with that.
However, going to the press should have been avoided in my view… it does sound like a ‘come and get me’ and Brentford deserve better than that in the circumstances. Unless this is all part of a game of cat and mouse to recoup some money on the player now he’s back and has demonstrated that he’s match fit?
Share your thoughts by leaving a comment at the foot of the page.
****UPDATE: SINCE THIS STORY BROKE, BEESOTTED HAVE DONE A WEE BIT OF DIGGING AROUND. IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT ALAN JUDGE IS NATURALLY FRUSTRATED FROM NOT PLAYING – AS WAS WRITTEN IN THE ARTICLE IN THE TIMES BY PAUL ROWAN – HOWEVER, THERE HAS BEEN NO ULTIMATUM GIVEN. THERE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN AN ELEMENT OF SENSATIONALISM IN THE TIMES ARTICLE *******
Dave Lane
@beesotted100
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Yes interesting Dave. I don’t think it’s a question of cat and mouse by the club to get money for him; i do think its driven by the desire of the player to get back playing week in week out for a quick return to the Ireland setup and then perhaps a move and big pay day to the premiership. I guess he’s running out of time at the grand old age of 29. I can understand his point but as you say, who do you drop at the moment? At the same time I’m not quite sure why we was in 2 or 3 match day squads then not even on the bench last time out. I think he should be getting 15 – 20 mins as an impact sub. Persinally this is why i was gutted us going out of the cup like we did. Not because of the embarrassment of being beaten by “minnows” bit bexause it was a real opportunity for quality game time for players like Judge, McLeod, Maupay etc to get match fit for the run in.
I would like to see Judge sub for Jozephzoon and get some minutes and get Canos as a starter both players need to be playing and the Bees are not scoring enough gals at the moment and too many chances are missed. 23 shots 11 on target and 1 goal is a poor record.
Let him go out on loan for a month with a recall clause inserted. He is too good a player to lose for the remainder of the season but now is not the right time to start changing the team. The other alternative is to put him in the matchday squad and gradually give him more match time until he warrants a starting place.
For me it is quite simple sadly. He has gone public. He has put the club and the manager in a difficult position. His return must have been discussed with him in private. He has let himself down and I, like many, have been eagerly awaiting his return. But when the time is right.
I would let him go right now and accept that despite nursing him back to health he is showing disrespect and a total lack of gratitude. Sad. I am disappointed in him.
Thanks for posting this as I think a lot of Brentford fans will be disappointed by the likely outcome and it’s important that fans have a forum to share opinions. I’m a huge fan of Alan Judge and have loved watching him blossom into one of the best ever players to pull on a Brentford shirt. I would be even happier if Judgey could play a part in our end of season run in especially after his long recovery from such a horrendous injury. This interview suggests not only will he force a loan move but (pains me to say it) we might not see Judgey pull on a Bees again. At the end of the day if Alan isnt prepared to commit his future to Brentford (which I can understand) then Dean Smith has no option than to select the players that have and of course are doing a great job. In this situation I feel for Dean Smith. He can’t please everyone but he has to back the players who have a future at the club and have progressed so well this season.
Whilst I understand A J’s position this should have been kept indoors. Maybe this is the reason he was not in the week-end squad. I seem to recall hearing that the loan system is now that a player on loan now cannot be recalled (except goalkeepers?). Lets hope we can get it sorted ,
Still a beeliever coyb
To be honest I think this would be a huge loss. AJ has been Brentford’s best player in times of need, and a consistently high performer in the championship play-off side, proving his consistency. While I would likely agree that starting him at this moment in time may be problematic, he should definitely be making appearances from the bench. Judge has so often been the engine of the side, when judge plays well Brentford have got results. Sending a player of his quality out on loan, to me at least, is just another disappointing decision in regards to Brentford’s transfer policy. Give Judgey game time!
Just another disappointing decision in Brentfords transfer policy? (whats wrong with it we now have players worth millions not peanuts). Please get real ,disappointing comment given the Bees low gate receipts and player wages to match.
you’re telling me selling 3 of our starting 11 isn’t disappointing? I appreciate we’re a selling club, but the way in which we seem to lose players, and often the timing (given the summer had been spent building a squad that could compete) and then to lose them all approaching deadline day. Feeling as though AJ would be a pretty big loss to be honest
I too do not want to loose AJ, but don’t forget he wanted away for a bigger pay day( wages the club cant compete with) before he got injured as did jota,dean and Collin, if a player does not want to be at the Bees get rid and replace that’s the clubs policy and we have done very nicely without all four team wise and financially ( just ask Brum supporters) thank you. Its given us four great years in the championship, here’s to the fifth( or maybe not ?) and long may it continue.