Rob DaviesIt looks like the “will he, won’t he” saga around Jamie Paterson’s future is finally over after Russell Martin confirmed that the player will return to training tomorrow.
In one of the main sagas of the January transfer window, the midfielder looked likely to leave for pastures new after the much discussed disagreement over a contract extension on his initial one year deal.
Blackburn and QPR were strongly linked with moves for Paterson with the latter having a third bid rejected on deadline day, but all that seems forgotten about, at least for now.
The former Bristol City man held positive talks with Martin yesterday and as a result will return to first team training on Wednesday and will “hopefully” be part of the squad to take on Blackburn on Saturday.
“We had a brilliant chat (on Tuesday). I said all the way along that I don’t blame Pato at all, our relationship hasn’t been affected and we have never fallen out,” Martin told the official site.
“The advice he was given was really poor, the message that was sent out to the rest of the footballing world was really poor and untrue
“He is still here, so for us it is like a new signing. It’s brilliant that he has stayed.
“He’s still not in a brilliant place mentally but he has never ever refused to play. He hasn’t been in the right frame of mind to play and that is a different thing altogether.
“He didn’t want to do his team-mates an injustice, and he didn’t want to hurt us in any way.
“His form had dipped in the two or three games before because of what was going on and he decided that he wasn’t feeling very good.
“He was in that place back in the summer when he didn’t have a club.
“It will take him a bit of time to get him back to how he is, but he will be back in the squad on Wednesday and hopefully back in the squad for Saturday.
“It is really important for us that we manage him in the right way.”
After such struggles to put the ball in the back of net, Paterson’s return will be welcome from a footballing side. Whether the fans will respond positively as a whole is another matter. Wins and goals change things very quickly and ‘Pato’ will have to hope he can deliver.
Should have got rid of him,we don’t need anyone with his attitude towards the swans
Maybe so but Piroe has gone to pot without him.
For me Piroe doesnt do sod all in games (if he scores thats
different alls good!).
Back to Paterson the owners have told him porkies about the contract or
his head has been turned by his agent.
Martin cant make his mind up what to say defends the owners about the
January window so hes a shambles.
Watched us for over 40 years and at the moment we are a shambles