What has happened to Paul Hayes? On his pre-season form the former Charlton striker – leaner, fitter and with a fresh campaign ahead if him – should be pushing for a first team place, surely? Yet on match days, and even with a growing injury list and two clearly non-match fit strikers getting run-outs against Carlisle, and a team-full of squad players turning out at Derby, Hayes was nowhere to be seen. Two goals in last week’s Development game suggest that his form is still good – which makes his absence at Pride Park, and Griffin Park yesterday, even more mysterious.
It isn’t much of a secret that things haven’t worked out quite to plan since Rosler brought Hayes to the club, and there’s little doubt that, behind the scenes, there’s probably ‘transfer talk’ going on, especially with the window closing imminently… But this is hardly a Gareth Bale scenario is it? If Hayes can’t be picked because he’s going elsewhere, why has he not gone, even on loan? And if he will remain a Bee after deadline day, then why isn’t he being picked as a substitute when we clearly need an experienced striker? Something doesn’t add up here.
With a large squad it is essential that the gaffer is able to manage players’ expectations so that, even if they’re not playing as often as they would like, they are still motivated to come in and do a job as and when they are called upon. That is clearly not happening in this case, which is extremely unfortunate. Who ever is to blame here – and we are certainly not pointing any fingers as there is always two sides to any situation – as a club, we cannot be paying out top money on players’ wages, and for them not to be playing when needed, and when fit.
If Paul Hayes is to head off for pastures new in the next day or so, we wish him well, but from what we saw pre-season, he could and should have been available to possibly unlock a stubborn Carlisle defence.
Dave Lane