Following our confirmation of topping the group in the Europa Conference League and ahead of our trip to Old Trafford, I catch up with ExWHUEmployee to discuss the current happenings at the club.
Ex ahead of our game against Manchester United, I wanted to ask on the current injury status as there seems to be a few who will be in doubt today.
Although I haven’t spoke to anyone on the team in the last day, I can speculate based on a few things said and from Moyes’ press conferences. It appears that Paqueta will not be risked again following his collarbone injury.
Dawson probably won’t start but could be in the bench for the game and a late decision is going to be made on Bowen, with a fitness test prepared.
David Moyes’ current contract will have a year left at the end of the season. Can you advise if the club will be looking to offer him a new deal?
I would imagine so. I think they will want to see how this season goes for the time being and make a decision based on that but I would guess he will have done enough to earn one.
Ex one thing fans ask a lot about is Moyes’ criticism of Said Benrhama. What are your thoughts especially considering his performances so far this season?
I still believe he has been one of our better players this year. Of course there are times when he is frustrating and j wish he had a better end product but I feel he is continuously improving and has had a good season so far.
I do believe that David’s comments were harsh. He wasn’t really talking about Said, he was discussing the new signings and their impressive English levels, so there was no need to mention that Said’s English is not any good. The strange thing for me too is that having spoken to Benrahma I believe, in my opinion, that his English is better than some of the other players.
Another player who is certainly catching the eye is Emmanuel Longelo who is impressing on loan at Birmingham this season. What can you tell us in terms of him being part of our plans in the long term now?
It is an interesting situation with him because the club were very close to selling him to Nottingham Forest last year and the deal nearly happened. In the summer there wasn’t any significant offers for him, that he was tempted by so he took his opportunity to join a big championship club in Birmingham City on loan and is doing a grand job.
Whether this impressive loan spell has done anything to persuade Moyes he has a future I don’t know at this point. I also felt he played well in Europe for us when given the chance so I would like him to have at least the preseason to try to prove himself.
Ex what can you tell us in terms of the next Pre-Match Event. Will there be one before the World Cup and possibly one during?
Sadly, there will be no Pre-Match event for a World Cup game. We put it out to our Patreon’s and the uptake wasn’t enough to make it worthwhile unfortunately.
We do still have our Pre-Match event before the Leicester City game which will be a brilliant one with our current under-18s manager and former player and caretaker manager Kevin Keen.
