Extracts from Bassong Times interview

About Alex Neil:

"I go into this office. I see this young, bald guy. Serious face. As weird as it sounds, I already kind of liked him.? A smile spreads as Sebastien Bassong recalls his first meeting with Alex Neil.

?I like tough people,? Bassong explains. ?And I?m an observer. I don?t know him; he doesn?t know me. We just look at each other. Straight in the eye. For a long time.?

Neil spoke, ?and the way he was talking, even if it was a bit . . . threatening . . . that?s what made me think, ?I can get along with this guy.? Because there?s no bull****.?

This was January and Bassong was back from a loan at Watford, having left after a fallout with Neil Adams, the previous Norwich manager. But their new one said: ?I don?t know what went on before and I don?t give a ****. You?re a good player. Do your job and you?ll play.?? Threatening? There was one more thing. ?Before you go, Seb.?

?Yes boss??

?If you **** around I?ll break your balls.? Bassong left, laughing gently to himself. ?Ah, gosh, that was good, I thought. He?s a man,? the defender says.

At Norwich?s promotion party, while standing with his partner, Bassong suddenly saw his boss pointing and crossing the room towards him. Neil put an arm round his neck and drew him in. What he said was ?mostly Scottish? but Bassong got the gist: well done. And then there was one more thing: ?But remember. I?ll break your balls.?

Posted By: Jim on August 30th 2015 at 10:41:53

Message Thread

Extracts from Bassong Times interview (NCFC) - Jim, Aug 30, 10:41:53
- His return was a big part in our surge. There were some ''Outraged of Norfolk'' who had sa (NCFC) - South_West_Canary, Aug 30, 11:56:42
- love , peace , justice and (NCFC) - ghostof barry butler, Aug 30, 11:42:28
- Ah! That must have been from the journo on Sunday Supplement who said he'd interviewed (NCFC) - Bravo win or die, Aug 30, 11:22:44
  - Our very own bald William Wallace (NCFC) - essexcanaryOTBC, Aug 30, 11:24:48
    - Had (n/m) (NCFC) - SCC 28, Aug 30, 11:30:24
      - No idea what braveheart looked like (NCFC) - SCC 28, Aug 30, 11:30:47
        
        Fuck im'. (n/m) (NCFC) - protheroe fitzgibbon, Aug 30, 11:51:15
        
        Wallace i mean. (n/m) (NCFC) - protheroe fitzgibbon, Aug 30, 11:51:31
        
        A lot like Mel Gibson, wasn't he? (n/m) (NCFC) - APB, Aug 30, 11:50:21
        
        Don't mention it :) (n/m) (NCFC) - essexcanaryOTBC, Aug 30, 11:31:38
- thats brilliant now for the 3 points norwich (n/m) (NCFC) - yellows2011, Aug 30, 11:13:04
- Ripping balls off, is what chimps tend to do to their enemies (NCFC) - essexcanaryOTBC, Aug 30, 11:10:20
- Magnificent (n/m) (NCFC) - SCC 28, Aug 30, 11:02:15
  - I was already confident in Neil but I think reading that just confirms to me that (NCFC) - Jim, Aug 30, 11:05:27
    - Seems quite similar to Lambert (NCFC) - SCC 28, Aug 30, 11:06:34
      - Bigger club, bigger expectations, similar monetary constraints I guess (n/m) (NCFC) - essexcanaryOTBC, Aug 30, 11:08:46
      - Yes, got that same edge, has a bit of a laugh with the players but could be a real c*nt if (NCFC) - Jim, Aug 30, 11:08:13
        
        Firm but fair (NCFC) - essexcanaryOTBC, Aug 30, 11:11:08
- Implies Adams was not a tough guy in Seb's opinion (NCFC) - essexcanaryOTBC, Aug 30, 10:59:46
  - What would AN have done in Neil Adams' shoes and Seb disrepected him? (NCFC) - Charles21, Aug 30, 11:31:14
    - Ripped his balls off (n/m) (NCFC) - essexcanaryOTBC, Aug 30, 11:32:50
  - I think it probably helps as well that Grabban appears to be a bit of an aloof character (NCFC) - Jim, Aug 30, 11:02:41
    - Agree. But it still sends a message to the rest of the squad, that SAN isn't to be messed (NCFC) - essexcanaryOTBC, Aug 30, 11:06:10
      - Yes i agree as well, just saying its fortunate that we can send a message through (NCFC) - Jim, Aug 30, 11:11:13
        
        Yep. If it had to be anybody (shame it did) but I guess it could've been a lot worse (NCFC) - essexcanaryOTBC, Aug 30, 11:12:31
- Watching to see if Grabban is walking strangely ... (n/m) (NCFC) - derbyshire canary, Aug 30, 10:56:53
  - He'll be lucky if he's just walking. (n/m) (NCFC) - Yellalee, Aug 30, 10:58:40
    - Perhaps it wasn't a dalek in the water... (n/m) (NCFC) - essexcanaryOTBC, Aug 30, 11:01:43
- That's fantastic, post the rest please pal (n/m) (NCFC) - MIKEWALKER, Aug 30, 10:49:52
  - I don;t have it - cut and pasted from a poster on the pinkun. Think you have to (NCFC) - Jim, Aug 30, 10:59:26
- Brilliant. Love it. (NCFC) - DH Yellow, Aug 30, 10:49:51
  - Maybe we should sing 'Alex Neil will (NCFC) - DH Yellow, Aug 30, 10:52:08
    - "Oh Alex Neil (oh Alex Neil), will break your balls (will break your balls)" (NCFC) - Yellalee, Aug 30, 10:58:13

Reply to Message

In order to add a post to the WotB Message Board you must be a registered WotB user.

If you are not yet registered then please visit the registration page. You should ensure that their browser is setup to accept cookies.