Taylor Harwood-Bellis - move to Southampton completed.

[OB1]

It is amazing that any of our fans (and there are many on Twitter and a few on here) are calling out THB over this.

He’s denied ever saying it which should be enough for blues. And even if he did say it, what does it matter? That’s a perfectly acceptable topic of talking **** whilst on the pitch — unlike what many others players have used that they actually should be ashamed of.

For all we know the S****horpe striker was having a go all match, THB finally said something to the effect of “know your place” to the ****, alluding to the fact that THB has his entire career ahead of him (likely at a top club) whilst the Dutch striker is entering the twilight of his, and a 28 year-old decided to take that and run to the media to get his 15 minutes of fame a la Pope. That, for me, is the embarrassing bit that we know did happen.

How anyone can have an issue with THB over this is beyond understanding.

Yup. If THB was sledging Van Der Queen, he may have been provoked into it. However, given the claim is unsubstantiated, the media should not be publishing the story.

 

[doobyedoobye]

Didn't the S****horpe striker push Taylor into the advertising hoardings?

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

Yup. If THB was sledging Van Der Queen, he may have been provoked into it. However, given the claim is unsubstantiated, the media should not be publishing the story.

Correct, but wouldn't that need some kind of morals on such matters ?

 

[kaz7]

Pep Guardiola: "I know about that [the incident]. Taylor said it is not true and I believe in the guy. That's all."

 

[domalino]

He probably saw all the attention the other no mark got with the stones tweet and thought he would have some

Pep Guardiola: "I know about that [the incident]. Taylor said it is not true and I believe in the guy. That's all."

Yup. If THB was sledging Van Der Queen, he may have been provoked into it. However, given the claim is unsubstantiated, the media should not be publishing the story.

It's an odd situation. The striker has no reason to make it up really, mentioning it off air to radio Humberside reporter isn't what you do when you want publicity.

THB obviously does have a reason to deny it, but Pep believes him and I've got no reason not to either.


Classic he said/she said, I imagine as with most of these things it's probably half true. Words were exchanged, THB said something, it got exaggerated in the retelling etc.

A lesson in what life is going to be like when you start getting attention for Harwood-Bellis. It won't be long before he's not able to go to games in the away end, will have to watch everything he says in public etc. which is a shame for a 17 year old.

 

[cookster]

I hope he did it. Goading between CB's and Forwards happens all the time, especially in lower leagues.
If anything the dick from S****horpe looks a right mardarse.

 

[SebastianBlue]

It's an odd situation. The striker has no reason to make it up really, mentioning it off air to radio Humberside reporter isn't what you do when you want publicity.

THB obviously does have a reason to deny it, but Pep believes him and I've got no reason not to either.


Classic he said/she said, I imagine as with most of these things it's probably half true. Words were exchanged, THB said something, it got exaggerated in the retelling etc.

A lesson in what life is going to be like when you start getting attention for Harwood-Bellis. It won't be long before he's not able to go to games in the away end, will have to watch everything he says in public etc. which is a shame for a 17 year old.

I would say he has quite a few reasons to make it up and mentioning it off air (in passing) to a reporter is often a great, indirect way of getting publicity (with a path to deniability later, if needed) — a method used all the time by public figures, PR Reps, and disinformation campaigns.

And given Van Veen’s near immediate reaction to Mike White posting the anecdote on Twitter, I don’t think it is a giant leap to assume he could have wanted the attention.



That said, I agree that it was likely an exaggeration of what THB actually said, as is the case for most sporting stories told. But, regardless, as I said above, the sad bit is that Van Veen thought it a good idea to share the story at all and then jump on it for attention, whether he meant for it to get out or not. Though, he would have to be pretty thick to think telling a sports reporter off air wouldn’t lead to it coming out (not entirely out of the realm of possibility for a footballer, of course).

No matter the motive behind the affair, THB should not be receiving any criticism for this. This sort of on-the-pitch **** talking happens every game, between many different players, and nothing he said was objectionable. If he had used a racist or homophobic slur, it would be entirely different. But he didn’t, we know that much, and raising this as a stick to beat THB with is idiotic (not that I think you are doing that — I mean for City and rival supporters that are).

This is ****housery from Van Veen of the lowest order, nothing more.

You are right that it is an unpleasant lesson for THB, though.

 

[cjn]

I would say he has quite a few reasons to make it up and mentioning it off air (in passing) to a reporter is often a great, indirect way of getting publicity (with a path to deniability later, if needed) — a method used all the time by public figures, PR Reps, and disinformation campaigns.

And given Van Veen’s near immediate reaction to Mike White posting the anecdote on Twitter, I don’t think it is a giant leap to assume he could have wanted the attention.



That said, I agree that it was likely an exaggeration of what THB actually said, as is the case for most sporting stories told. But, regardless, as I said above, the sad bit is that Van Veen thought it a good idea to share the story at all and then jump on it for attention, whether he meant for it to get out or not. Though, he would have to be pretty thick to think telling a sports reporter off air wouldn’t lead to it coming out (not entirely out of the realm of possibility for a footballer, of course).

No matter the motive behind the affair, THB should not be receiving any criticism for this. This sort of on-the-pitch **** talking happens every game, between many different players, and nothing he said was objectionable. If he had used a racist or homophobic slur, it would be entirely different. But he didn’t, we know that much, and raising this as a stick to beat THB with is idiotic (not that I think you are doing that — I mean for City and rival supporters that are).

This is ****housery from Van Veen of the lowest order, nothing more.

You are right that it is an unpleasant lesson for THB, though.

For whatever it's worth, I'd wager pretty heavily on the fact that it happened, because its a really specific and slightly odd thing to make up, but almost certainly not like how he's told it. They were probably giving it back and forth to eachother, Van Veen said something mean to Harwood-Bellis and he responded, whatever. Not a huge deal.

 

[SebastianBlue]

For whatever it's worth, I'd wager pretty heavily on the fact that it happened, because its a really specific and slightly odd thing to make up, but almost certainly not like how he's told it. They were probably giving it back and forth to eachother, Van Veen said something mean to Harwood-Bellis and he responded, whatever. Not a huge deal.

Exactly my stance.

My complete guess is still that THB said something to the effect of “know your place” after many heated exchanges earlier in the match and Van Veen interpreted that as a “cashing him off” in the context of THB playing for “Moneybags City”.

The fact that the story was shared at all, regardless of whether THB referenced money or not, is the bit that deserves scrutinisation.

 

[Saddleworth2]

For whatever it's worth, I'd wager pretty heavily on the fact that it happened, because its a really specific and slightly odd thing to make up, but almost certainly not like how he's told it. They were probably giving it back and forth to eachother, Van Veen said something mean to Harwood-Bellis and he responded, whatever. Not a huge deal.

THB probably said 'I earn considerably more than yooooowwww' in a cheeky ironic 'Harry Enfield and chums' kind of way. And waved a wad at the dick.
Good for him. Standby for his Swiss Tony impersonation vs Fulham.