ARTICLE: Burnley cut Berge loose from the Blades

[Vegas Claret]

interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC7qsul0Q9U

[ecc]

This could be the most important summer signing along with Jordan Beyer. Defensive and/or CM.

Well done BFC!

[Nonayforever]

Been waiting for this one for 6 seasons now.

[Burnley1989]

Been waiting for this one for 6 seasons now.

Very true, they’re rare though are top, tall, CMs, especially in our price range

[SalisburyClaret]

Seems expensive to me but a good player - hope VK can get the consistency from him

[bfcmik]

Very true, they’re rare though are top, tall, CMs, especially in our price range

He may be tall but, according to my football team captain who is a Sheff U supporter, he is even worse with his head than Wout!

[summitclaret]

I have been a tad critical of this signing and would have preferred Hamer. However, listening to him on that interview, he comes across really well. All the best Sander.

[BOYSIE31]

Exciting times

[bfcmik]

We now have Internationals from all 4 Scandinavian countries JBG, Ekdal, Berge, and Bruun Larsen. Interesting.

[warksclaret]

He may be tall but, according to my football team captain who is a Sheff U supporter, he is even worse with his head than Wout!

Love comments like this from fans of a club where the player is exiting

[warksclaret]

Well done to club and chairman for achieving this and progressing it quickly before other clubs became interested

[eastcoastclaret]

He may be tall but, according to my football team captain who is a Sheff U supporter, he is even worse with his head than Wout!

I've read a few comment's along those lines.

[Elizabeth]

interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC7qsul0Q9U

Sounds a confident player and I liked his constant references to the importance of the TEAM

[houseboy]

How did they keep this so quiet? First I heard was yesterday when my Blade mate at work told me. He’s absolutely gutted. With Ndiaye going as well he’s convinced they are gonna get paggered every week.

[Longsidejono]

Yaya Norway

[elwaclaret]

Everton are desperately trying to stay within ffp rules, they’ve got several clubs trying to find a way to have points deducted from them
They’ve let several players go because they’ve got no money really and need to chop the wage bill

Dyche has inherited a proper sh!tshow, it’s been well documented on here and across the media, but sure crack on and blame him for the mess at Everton

I wonder sometimes at the wilful lack of understanding that some of you happily display on here

… and mortgaged to the hilt at the worst possible time. Everton are in a mess, top to bottom.

[dougcollins]

We now have Internationals from all 4 Scandinavian countries JBG, Ekdal, Berge, and Bruun Larsen. Interesting.

Finland and The Faroes will be upset.

[leelad]

Very pleased with this signing. He should slot in well.

[Papabendi]

Finland and The Faroes will be upset.

Finland isn't part of Scandinavia. It is a part of Northern Europe.

[Nonayforever]

Everton are desperately trying to stay within ffp rules, they’ve got several clubs trying to find a way to have points deducted from them
They’ve let several players go because they’ve got no money really and need to chop the wage bill

Dyche has inherited a proper sh!tshow, it’s been well documented on here and across the media, but sure crack on and blame him for the mess at Everton

I wonder sometimes at the wilful lack of understanding that some of you happily display on here

Sorry, that's bollards.
Sell Tarks, McNeil, Calvert Lewin, pickford etc & buy 15 young lads that can play football.
Dyche wouldn't have a clue where to start.

[Spiral]

Something something vikings something something they came to York in their thousands...love it.

Wout out, Berge in, Benny nailed down, this is what you call a good day's work all round.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Sorry, that's bollards.
Sell Tarks, McNeil, Calvert Lewin, pickford etc & buy 15 young lads that can play football.
Dyche wouldn't have a clue where to start.

Yes, have a fire sale, make themselves uncompetitive and get relegated, which in turns makes their financial situation even worse.

That's a great idea and I bow to your footballing knowledge

[MG70]

Everton are desperately trying to stay within ffp rules, they’ve got several clubs trying to find a way to have points deducted from them
They’ve let several players go because they’ve got no money really and need to chop the wage bill

Dyche has inherited a proper sh!tshow, it’s been well documented on here and across the media, but sure crack on and blame him for the mess at Everton

I wonder sometimes at the wilful lack of understanding that some of you happily display on here

Great signing, but how can we keep affording all these players? I've no idea really how the FFP rules are set, but we must be on the radar with the amount we've spent last season and this.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Great signing, but how can we keep affording all these players? I've no idea really how the FFP rules are set, but we must be on the radar with the amount we've spent last season and this.

Based on a 3 yr rolling basis
We spent very little the first year
Then we made a shedload of money last summer with sales and reinvested a portion of it but also had parachute payments coupled with a lower wage bill
This summer we’ve been able to spend big but some signings are loan with obligations for next summer etc

I don’t think we have anything to worry about

[Spiral]

I think both things can be true, that Everton's finances are in the toilet and this is impacting their transfer activity (and also that for most of his time at Burnley he had a board whose attitude to the PL, end even Europa League that one season, was that we're just happy to be there), and that it's also not unreasonable to say that Dyche doesn't exactly have the reputation for developing players that some other coaches have. Players want to get better, so the ones good enough to choose their clubs from a number or suitors will gravitate towards the coaches who put a strong emphasis on that. Players like expressing themselves, so the ones good enough to choose their clubs from a number of suitors will gravitate towards coaches who put a strong emphasis on that. You can obviously point to a few players here or there who he improved, but generally speaking when you think of Dyche you think of highly pragmatic football with an emphasis on getting immediate results more than you think of building towards some higher footballing aspiration with all the errors and setbacks that entails. It's easy to overcomplicate this, but what it comes down to is, who has more players metaphorically banging on their door to have the opportunity to play for them: progressive coaches, or pragmatic coaches?

[MG70]

Based on a 3 yr rolling basis
We spent very little the first year
Then we made a shedload of money last summer with sales and reinvested a portion of it but also had parachute payments coupled with a lower wage bill
This summer we’ve been able to spend big but some signings are loan with obligations for next summer etc

I don’t think we have anything to worry about

Thanks for that GodIsADeeJay81.

[ClaretTony]

This summer we’ve been able to spend big but some signings are loan with obligations for next summer etc

There's only Jacob Bruun Larsen on loan

[bobinho]

Does this mean we’ve finally replaced John Deary?

[Ampth7]

This is an excellent signing in my book. Clearly a talented player who has been on the radar of other bigger teams over the past few seasons, and in the short term this absolutely crucifies a rival team who are one of the favourites for relegation.
However, we do seem to be spending some serious wedge on new players, and whilst I am enjoying every minute of it, where exactly is all of this money coming from? Don’t get me wrong, it’s like playing Champ Man in real life, but I do hope that there are some checks and measures in place to ensure we aren’t betting the ranch so to speak. One thing that does give me some comfort is that we don’t appear to be blowing stupid wages on individual players which is what kills clubs if and when relegation occurs.

[Commy]

Great signing, but how can we keep affording all these players? I've no idea really how the FFP rules are set, but we must be on the radar with the amount we've spent last season and this.

We pay over the length of the contract so we haven't actually spent that much this season. I think it is speculate to accumulate. Some of these players are going to go up a lot in value so we will probably, eventually, get to the sell a couple a year stage. We will also be able to ask more once they have played in the Premier League, especially with the ages and scale of improvement possible with some of them.

[Taffy on the wing]

Plugs a great big bloody hole in midfield imho.

I wonder if this means Lokonga isn't happening but i hope it doesn't. I do wonder if Lokonga came though if there would be an active role for Cork, or if he might accept a more bench based role going forwards.

I think Cork will be a coach pretty soon......hopefully for us.
Really classy player, but has lost a step ....hence the late desperate tackles & bookings. Perfect sub for the last 10-15 mins.

[leelad]

Agree with the last post. Cork will be a good player to have on the bench for the final 10 or 15 mins of a game.

[ElectroClaret]

Make no mistake, this is a major signing, arguably the most important of the close season.

Well done all involved in his recruitment .

[bfcjg]

Brilliant video, my initial thought was that the chairman was playing the part of Steve Martin

[ecc]

Why is it that every thread on here ends up in to a for or against Sean Dyche argument? It's bloody tiring.

[Transpennine]

Does this mean we’ve finally replaced John Deary?

No
Nay
Never.

[Booker4]

Hi all, Blades fan here, hope you don't mind a post from a fan of another club, just thought you may be interested in my thoughts on Berge as I always find fans views of a player from where they've just come are the best indicator of how good they are etc, as long as the view is balanced! I'll do my best!

Berge is a very talented footballer, that's the first bit. Capable of scoring goals from midfield, setting up goals, keeping possession well, rarely gives it away. When we first signed Berge (we called him Burger as the nearest attempt to how it's meant to be said if you're Norwegian!) we were told he is a defensive midfielder, but it became apparent that we'd either dropped one, or he hadn't settled in England because defensive midfielder he is not. If played in front of the defence then he'll mostly pass it sideways or short passes forwards, then receives it back, repeat. He plays at around 75% in terms of work rate in comparison to the types that run all day i.e. Akinbiyi, to think of a player that both clubs will be familiar! Saying that Akinbiyi is probably the most hard working player I've ever seen at United! That's not to say he's lazy but you won't often see Berge running at full tilt, not without the ball for sure, or not how you and I would call full tilt. When playing further forward though he's a different player and he comes alive. His best attribute is running with the ball on the right hand side of midfield/right wing area. I've not seen anyone better at running towards the byline and he's brilliant at making the right decision as to whether to cross, to pass inside or to keep running along the byline and pulling the ball back for an onrushing forward. He's very strong on the ball, you'll see players bouncing off him trying to tackle him - and failing!

He's also very useful at scoring goals himself, he drifts into the box and he can finish well, although is prone to shooting over the bar also, but what professional footballer isn't!? He isn't one for tacking or heading, I think he scored one headed goal with us in 3.5 years.

I will admit to having had my doubts on Berge in his time with us I'll be honest, particularly if we got promoted because he just isn't the type to win possession, maximum effort type etc. He divided opinion a fair bit at United as I'm sure he will at your place too if honest. There's those that would play him every minute because even if he doesn't do much in a particular game, you can be sure he's the most likely to create something if he's able to get forward. When he was linked with a move away to Belgium in January I thought at the time it was a good move for all parties because I just felt he wouldn't be suited to a relegation battle in the PL and we were linked with Lewis O'Brien to come in and whilst O'Brien is a left sided player we would have played Tommy Doyle in Berge's position and then had more work rate in the midfield. However, post January his performances were superb, they were decent before don't get me wrong, including against Premier League opposition and I was really keen for him to stay this summer.

I think if Burnley want to get the best out of Berge then he needs to play further forward (sorry I've said that about three times), still as a centre mid but with the freedom to drive forward, he's probably best suited to playing alongside a defensive mid who runs around all day and snapping at peoples heels etc. You'll have to be patient for the matches where it just seems to be passing him by because as I say he'll do something that then wins you a game. I honestly thought he may move to a club like Aston Villa this summer, because I think he'd do well in a team that wins more than it loses, and he plays alongside really established Premier League players and has a lot of the ball. But that's not to say that he won't do well for a Burnley or Sheff Utd, I just think as I say you'll have to be patient with him because he won't have the ball as much and without it you're not going to get much. Worst comes to the worst and you're relegated, assuming Berge stays (he's never kicked up a stink at staying in the Championship with us, despite rumours he wanted to return to the Premier League) then you'd have a top, top player to be part of your squad to bounce back, just as he did with us.

Finally, on Berge's contract, if rumours are to be believed he hasn't wanted to sign a new contract for a few years now, how often we've tried to offer him one is unknown, but it has been reported by the club that he rejected a new deal this summer then the club decided to sell. I thought fair enough that he just wanted to run his contract out, which is common knowledge, and then sign for an established top flight side somewhere here or abroad. To then sign for a relegation rival, with respect, seems odd. Most of our fans have said the same. It does then make you wonder if money was the factor, but if so that's not unusual and United are known for being low player wages and with significant relegation reduction clause for wages. There was also reports he was forced out because he wouldn't sign a new contract. I wonder if the shambles we've been in this summer was a factor after we sold Ndiaye and have hardly signed anyone of note, until we signed Trusty, Souza and Hamer, but the latter two were just this week and Hamer to replace Berge. He is a top pro also, he seems a really nice fella, maybe a but too nice in a way! If he had aggression I really don't think he'd be playing for the likes of Sheff Utd or Burnley but for someone like Newcastle or higher. So I hope that's a fair summary, sorry it's long! All the best this season although when I say that I don't really mean it because we're probably both going to be fighting relegation! I'm sure you understand!

[Longsider]

Hi all, Blades fan here, hope you don't mind a post from a fan of another club, just thought you may be interested in my thoughts on Berge as I always find fans views of a player from where they've just come are the best indicator of how good they are etc, as long as the view is balanced! I'll do my best!

Berge is a very talented footballer, that's the first bit. Capable of scoring goals from midfield, setting up goals, keeping possession well, rarely gives it away. When we first signed Berge (we called him Burger as the nearest attempt to how it's meant to be said if you're Norwegian!) we were told he is a defensive midfielder, but it became apparent that we'd either dropped one, or he hadn't settled in England because defensive midfielder he is not. If played in front of the defence then he'll mostly pass it sideways or short passes forwards, then receives it back, repeat. He plays at around 75% in terms of work rate in comparison to the types that run all day i.e. Akinbiyi, to think of a player that both clubs will be familiar! Saying that Akinbiyi is probably the most hard working player I've ever seen at United! That's not to say he's lazy but you won't often see Berge running at full tilt, not without the ball for sure, or not how you and I would call full tilt. When playing further forward though he's a different player and he comes alive. His best attribute is running with the ball on the right hand side of midfield/right wing area. I've not seen anyone better at running towards the byline and he's brilliant at making the right decision as to whether to cross, to pass inside or to keep running along the byline and pulling the ball back for an onrushing forward. He's very strong on the ball, you'll see players bouncing off him trying to tackle him - and failing!

He's also very useful at scoring goals himself, he drifts into the box and he can finish well, although is prone to shooting over the bar also, but what professional footballer isn't!? He isn't one for tacking or heading, I think he scored one headed goal with us in 3.5 years.

I will admit to having had my doubts on Berge in his time with us I'll be honest, particularly if we got promoted because he just isn't the type to win possession, maximum effort type etc. He divided opinion a fair bit at United as I'm sure he will at your place too if honest. There's those that would play him every minute because even if he doesn't do much in a particular game, you can be sure he's the most likely to create something if he's able to get forward. When he was linked with a move away to Belgium in January I thought at the time it was a good move for all parties because I just felt he wouldn't be suited to a relegation battle in the PL and we were linked with Lewis O'Brien to come in and whilst O'Brien is a left sided player we would have played Tommy Doyle in Berge's position and then had more work rate in the midfield. However, post January his performances were superb, they were decent before don't get me wrong, including against Premier League opposition and I was really keen for him to stay this summer.

I think if Burnley want to get the best out of Berge then he needs to play further forward (sorry I've said that about three times), still as a centre mid but with the freedom to drive forward, he's probably best suited to playing alongside a defensive mid who runs around all day and snapping at peoples heels etc. You'll have to be patient for the matches where it just seems to be passing him by because as I say he'll do something that then wins you a game. I honestly thought he may move to a club like Aston Villa this summer, because I think he'd do well in a team that wins more than it loses, and he plays alongside really established Premier League players and has a lot of the ball. But that's not to say that he won't do well for a Burnley or Sheff Utd, I just think as I say you'll have to be patient with him because he won't have the ball as much and without it you're not going to get much. Worst comes to the worst and you're relegated, assuming Berge stays (he's never kicked up a stink at staying in the Championship with us, despite rumours he wanted to return to the Premier League) then you'd have a top, top player to be part of your squad to bounce back, just as he did with us.

Finally, on Berge's contract, if rumours are to be believed he hasn't wanted to sign a new contract for a few years now, how often we've tried to offer him one is unknown, but it has been reported by the club that he rejected a new deal this summer then the club decided to sell. I thought fair enough that he just wanted to run his contract out, which is common knowledge, and then sign for an established top flight side somewhere here or abroad. To then sign for a relegation rival, with respect, seems odd. Most of our fans have said the same. It does then make you wonder if money was the factor, but if so that's not unusual and United are known for being low player wages and with significant relegation reduction clause for wages. There was also reports he was forced out because he wouldn't sign a new contract. I wonder if the shambles we've been in this summer was a factor after we sold Ndiaye and have hardly signed anyone of note, until we signed Trusty, Souza and Hamer, but the latter two were just this week and Hamer to replace Berge. He is a top pro also, he seems a really nice fella, maybe a but too nice in a way! If he had aggression I really don't think he'd be playing for the likes of Sheff Utd or Burnley but for someone like Newcastle or higher. So I hope that's a fair summary, sorry it's long! All the best this season although when I say that I don't really mean it because we're probably both going to be fighting relegation! I'm sure you understand!

Thanks for that honest and informative post. It's refreshing to see something written that isn't bitter about loosing a player to a rival team.

[summitclaret]

That post the SU fan is a much longer version of how I remember Berge from seeing him play. Jury's out for me.