What’s there to say after Tuesday’s double whammy of Championship news? Yoann Barbet was the name in the frame for Brentford fans once it was announced that he had signed for QPR. There was always a fair chance our paths were going to cross again but Loftus Road was the last place anybody expected him to pop up, with Leeds United being the name that has appeared on more than a few occasions. I guess it just goes to show, once more, that the clickbait is nothing more than that. Elsewhere, Birmingham City will no doubt have somebody ten times better lined up for their own hot seat after sacking Garry Monk. I hear Gary Rowett is available.
So, Yoann Barbet. Emotions were mixed on social media after the news was revealed via the medium of cringey hashtag. #BonjourBarbet being the offending article this time around. You have to feel for Yoann. Whatever snake emojis were offered in his general direction (and there were a few) nobody deserves that. It put one in mind of the #JakeJoins they used when Jake Bidwell moved to Loftus Road.
Urghh – hashtags
Personally, I’m not in the snake camp. If anything it’s an attitude of general ambivalence. He was a hero to us at Brentford and provided plenty of good times. Enthused team spirit. Was nothing but welcoming and friendly when approached by supporters – young and old. He could even smile at himself (if you recall the reaction to his goal at Bolton following ‘that’ league cup penalty v Norwich City’) . We had the chance to retain him if it was one we had both wanted to take but, for whatever reason, Yoann’s contract was allowed to run out and he became a free agent.
From there, he has taken the decision to join Mark Warburton at Loftus Road. A place where he will no doubt find himself having to do Plan A better. A lot. There’s no ill will pointed towards him – just surprise at the destination and a lot of good luck offered. He’ll need it. If nothing else, it’ll make the 237 derbies even more interesting than they had already become following the news about their new manager.
That’s the thing. Of all the clubs there had to be a better option. Surely? Leeds were rumoured. There was talk of Aston Villa looking to take him up a level. Then again, who hasn’t Dean Smith been linked with? Or Mark Warburton, for that matter. I’ve also heard Alan Judge’s name in the frame to reunite with his former manager. It’s an inevitable part of the transfer window as lazy journalists look for stories where none are even close to existing. Perhaps Yoann’s link to those clubs was nothing more than ‘fake news’. Urghhh.
At the end of the day (Clive), the player has made his choice. Whatever the motivation – be it money, staying local or maybe there were just no other offers. Who knows? Yoann will be well aware of the history between our clubs but as long as he doesn’t do anything along the lines of Martin Rowlands or Harlee Dean (surely nobody could be that stupid) then presumably we’ll all move on. Albeit, If Said wants to recreate Jota v Jake Bidwell then that would be nice.
Instead, it is left to Bernard Quackenbush on Twitter to sum up what many of us are thinking: Feel somewhat deflated by this. I wanted to give the guy a warm welcome if he ever returned with an opposing team. But just cannot applaud anyone wearing those hoops.
No meltdown – more an opportunity lost.
Better times
As for Birmingham City…wow!! The tailspin they’ve been in since relieving Gary Rowett of his duties in December 2016 has been well documented. From a Premier league chasing position, they’ve gone on to flirt with relegation a couple of times, over spent, seen points deducted and consistently finished below Brentford (that’s five seasons in a row, now).
With Garry Monk, it looked as though he might arrest that decline. Instead, the sale of Jota to Aston Villa has been seen as the catalyst for a bizarre parting of the ways with the club formally announcing that: “The board of directors are hopeful that over time the team can adopt a fresh and modern footballing philosophy,“. Hmmmm – read as much between the lines on that as you can.
You couldn’t make it up after the Rowett affair but instead, another promising manger has gone. No tears here – any rival choosing to weaken themselves through sackings and sales is only a good thing for us. The BBC report tells us how owners Trillion Trophy Asia are calling for a change in “footballing philosophy”. Good luck with that. It could be a long and painful season ahead at St. Andrews.
And finally, with a sledgehammer like unsubtle change of direction, huge thanks to all those who have downloaded a copy of the Last Word season season review – containing the least bad of these columns from the World Cup to Aston Villa deserving to win the play offs. It also includes the World Cup aswell as all the ‘Park Life’ articles submitted for the matchday programme and so not previously available on these pages.
ALL proceeds received are being donated to the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust so what better way to remind yourself how brilliant 2018/19 was? To kill a bit of time on the commute to work / on your summer holidays / on the toilet etc You can download it , now, for your kindle , iPod telephone or other electronic reading device here.
At £1.99 it’s cheaper than half a pint so what’s to lose? Apart from £1.99 – which then goes to a great cause anyway. Many thanks again. And enjoy.
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
I really just do not care who leaves provided those that play in the red and white stripes are committed to winning promotion.
Every time someone goes, the D’s O F manage to recruit a better replacement.
Good luck to Barbet – he will certainly need it at Loftus Road with a manager that has a track record of leaky defence.
I like Yohan Barbet but surely someone could have advised him not to do it. Not the most gifted of players and prone to the odd mistake but he always gave 110% in the red and white strips. I just cannot bring myself to applaud him when he comes back in those blue and white hoops. On the plus side it shows how far we have come as a club when the team from West London are celebrating the signing of one of our cast offs!
Yes….well…i cant understand THAT move for Yohan to join QPR. He refused to sign a contract in order to wind down his current one so he could have a ‘fresh’ challenge. Yet here he pops up, 5 miles down the road. My ideas of fresh and his must be different. Disappointed sums it up. No malice to the Barbet, but as others have said, he’s tainted his legacy, and blown his chance of playing at a higher level IF those rumours of Villa and Wolves being interested are true.
C’est la vie.
As for Brum….Wow! They locked pretty organised last season, and yes, without the points deduction would have been close to the playoffs.
Now theyve sold Jota and replaced with Gardner (presumably someone Monk wanted) and now they’ve sack him…laughable. i suspect this is nothing to do with philosophy. I think Monk was annoyed he had to lower the wage bill and selling off assets whilst getting second rate replacements and probably had a falling out with the owners is more likely.
Hey ho. As you say, they’ve shot themselves in the foot…and you need a good foot to play football 🙂
Back to us and click bait, our players are attracting so much attention that it infuriates me to the point where i dont even want to look at the articles. If its to be believed we’ll be pretty much rebuilding from the ground up. If we could keep the players we have and add 3 or 4 more i genuinely believe we have a chance at promotion….but, if someone offers £20m for Maupay and £20m for Benrahma that might be too good to turn down. My Dad whoever has pointed out that you get £170m for promotion to the PL….should Bees refuse ANY bid?? In Benham we trust i guess
A hefty promotion bonus for those two in particular and the rest of the squad might just sway them to stay if we are not in the frame in the new year, then we will let them go.As you say Nick looking forward to the
games with the added spice of seeing our players going past both Barbet and Bidwell leaving them both on there arses and the look on Warburtons face. Happy days.
Like your style! :
They released Bidwell though….presumably because of his wages. Believe Warbs was gutted about that as he turned up after
Like everyone I was very surprised to see that Yoann has moved to the dark side of town, but there is no accounting for taste, like you said Nick there must have been other suitors for his signature, but even as a free agent, there must have been something in the back of his mind telling him hold on, this is not right, I don’t mean in the respect of loyalty, because there is no loyalty in football anymore, but where has the respect gone. As a fan we invest our time, and money to these players placing them on pedestals. I just feel it’s a kick in the teeth. And I hope he gives qpr the same amount of lip service that he gave us, so disappointed.
I have to say that nothing that happens at Birmingham City surprises me anymore. However Barbets decision to “seek a fresh challenge” just down the Uxbridge Rd is another matter.
I can only think it is the lack of any other offers coupled with a 3 year contract probably on more money that has made him set his sites so low. He was popular at Griffin Park of that there was no doubt but he has made a move that all his badge kissing chest pumping antics in red and white stripes cannot reconcile. Yohan who?!
I agree about Barbet,after all the talk of new challenges I think it’s a slightly backwards step loved passion and could forgive his mistakes accordingly. Just goes to show all these rumours of interest in this player or that player can be taken with a pinch of salt. What do you think of the one from Villa fans saying get Said and “unload” Hogan to us, as if he’s not good enough for them but good enough for us. Hasn’t had luck with injuries and loss of form, bit still commands high wages and I don’t think worth the risk IF it’s true