Claude Puel has denied that he has a rift with Captain Jose Fonte after the pair were apparently seen in animated discussion on the pitch ahead of the game against Bournemouth on Sunday.

Saints manager Claude Puel has said that Jose Fonte understood the reasons why he was left out against Bournemouth on Sunday although those that saw what appeared to have been an animated conversation between the pair as the teams warmed up on the pitch before the game might suggest otherwise.

Puel said after the game.

“Always it’s important to keep a good energy and lucidity in every game. It’s not possible for me for 11 players to play all the games.

“Since the beginning of the season we played 26 official games and more for the international players like Jose.

“It’s not possible to keep a good level every three days and I think we are lucky to have quality on the squad with Maya, you can see, van Dijk and Jose and Stephens, an international player with the under-21s.

“It is important to develop the team and maintain quality with good fit and good spirit for the future because we need all the players.”

“Of course all the players want to play every game and Jose as captain, but it’s important he is 33 and he is strong physically without injury and it’s important he keeps this quality every game.

“Every three days is not possible.”

“I think when I saw him after the game he was very happy for the team, for the club and for him,” reflected Puel.

“It was a strong game and it’s not just the players in the ground who win this game but all the squad because all the players can have regularity and a good result.”

Whilst Puel's logic makes some sense, I found that most Saints fans I spoke to before the game where puzzled by the manager's selection, most agree that the Fonte/VVD pairing is the best the club have in centre of defence and that as good a servant as Yoshida is, he has never really hit the levels that Fonte has either in terms of quality and consistency.

Yes there has been three hard games this week but with a ten day break looming Fonte had plenty of time to rest after this one and after the Europa League exit manager needs to score more goals and win games and that means playing the best side to achieve that.

The need to play Fonte was even more evident with the loss of Oriol Romeu through suspension and the choice to leave Steven Davis on the bench.

Whilst the manager will always be judged on results and in this case he got a win so could be judged to have made the right call, there won't be many Saints supporters who will totally agree, certainly the defence struggled in the first 20 minutes and could have conceded two eve three before the equaliser with the central midfield providing little cover, however at half time the introduction of Davis turned the game and helped protect the back four.

There is something going on between Fonte and the club, most Saints fans would agree with that given that they have no other evidence than the fact that Fonte was benched for a very important game.

There is a fine line when it comes to squad rotation and the European campaign showed that Puel got that fine line wrong in the Europa League, he now needs to get it right in the Premier League, sides with big squads packed with quality can rotate, Saints not so much so and in difficult games in difficult times we want to see our strongest side played, it wasn't on Sunday, luckily Bournemouth are not a good side and couldn't punish us, but as results at Palace and Hull showed that is not always the case.

We now have a ten day rest, time for Fonte, Saints and indeed Puel to sort out their differences so we can concentrate on the visit of Tottenham Hotspur

Photo: Action Images

pintsizedsaint added 15:15 - Dec 19 Might as well copy over what i said on the Bournemouth game on this point: On not starting with Fonte: You can argue the rotation principles, although I also suspect there is more to this too. I fear Fonte’s head has changed since the Euro win – and him and his agent have tried some aggressive tactics to get SFC to relent and give him an extended contract. It’s not worked. As I’ve said here before, no player is bigger than the club – and you can’t help feeling that Puel is using the rotation policy to enforce this principle with Fonte. I'm not sure how this one will end. Will Man Utd make an offer? Surely they are the only 'big club' that will be happy to spend a lot of money/wages on a 33 year old defender with no experience of Champions League/Europa club football. Of course, there is Everton. They could offer the money/wages. Perhaps he would be a good fit for them as part of a short-term transition. However, I doubt many Everton fans will see Fonte as a clear intention from their board that they are moving into the 'next era' of Toffee dominance...

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BoondockSaint added 15:40 - Dec 19 If he is not being sold in the next window, it makes no sense to humiliate your captain by continually benching him. That's not good for team morale.
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dirk_doone added 15:57 - Dec 19 From what I've seen of Fonte's performances lately, he has nothing to sort out. He has been excellent. What a great player he's been for us and still is and what great loyalty he has shown us. By the end of the season, he'll be ahead of the likes of Ron Davies and George O'Brien in the list of players with most appearances for Saints. He's already ahead of Saints' stalwarts Chris Nicholl and Denis Hollywood I thought Yoshida played well at Bournemouth too. Things are looking up. Merry Christmas, Nick.

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pwithers123 added 17:11 - Dec 19 pintsized saint comments make sense - in many ways- # 1 It seems likely that Fonte has value to Man U- and possibly others eg Everton - in the January break especially as he is not cup tied for Europa league. # 2 Fonte wants to cash in on his summer exploits a Winner - and needs another extended contract or bigger wages per month. Therefore it makes very good sense for Saints to ensure some key things: # 1 That Fonte value is higher by not playing him on Cup games. # 2 That others are getting time on the pitch so that squad/teamwork continues to build in the event that they get a good price for Fonte. So Saints are simply being astute at managing player and transfer values- whilst getting the squad capability stronger. Saints have shown they are especially good at this aspect of the game. They really know who to manage best possible value as players and squads change . It might be sad for us fans that players want to leave for more money or that clubs want to maximise player asset value - but given the massive wages paid and the massive fees attracted - then that is the only way to succeed. Keep It Up Saints Management - you are doing a great job. Puel has to work within that remit - so he might v=be getting fans anger for this - when actually it is what the club need. Let us see if Fonte leaves and the club get £10m for a 33 year old player on his last legs. Look what happened to Rickie Lambert.

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dirk_doone added 17:14 - Dec 19 "On his last legs"? Really? I haven't noticed. Fonte is one of the fittest members of the squad and 3 years younger than Ibrahimovic.
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halftimeorange added 17:24 - Dec 19 I would suggest that Puel is showing that a) he is the boss and b) he likes to give every player a chance to play in the first team - otherwise why would he start Harry Reed and withdraw Boufal - there is no other apparently good reason for either decision and Fonte will surely play against Spurs. If he doesn't, then we know there are ulterior motives.
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lockseaf77 added 17:47 - Dec 19 Bournemouth are not good side? They just put four past Liverpool and took the three points
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A1079 added 18:03 - Dec 19 I completely concur with Boondock and Dirk. Fonte is not finished by a long way and he has been such a great servant for the club. Yes he has been paid well, yes SFC have been good for him as well, but we need to recognise the value that some players have to the club and whilst we are a business and no one is indispensable Fonte deserves to be treated properly and well by the club and the manager, even if his time with us is sadly drawing to an end (I am not saying the club or the manager are not treating him well, as I don't honestly know - but the indications are that things are not as they should be). It would be a pity if Fonte's time with us ends in acrimony and bitterness whenever that end may be.

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aceofthebase added 18:14 - Dec 19 Fonte is not the player of old, he has slowed down and his shirt pulling has increased. Don't get me wrong he is still an excellent player. Puel has a balancing act to perform to have a fit and in form squad and whilst we waved goodbye to Europe there are plenty of other non EPL games coming up. If Fonte chases the money in January at least we now have an in form replacement in Yoshida. He had an excellent game against B'mouth ( and other recent games). In fact Yoshida saved Cedrics bacon time and time again when he was again caught out of position, outpaced, oreasily beaten Fonte it seems was offered an appreciable pay rise but declined to accept as he wanted an extended contract. Good club captain but there is a limit to what the club should offer. Perhaps he may be offered an extension if he stays but no-one is indispensible

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SaintBrock added 20:59 - Dec 19 Posted on another thread, this is abetter place;
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SaintBrock added 21:00 - Dec 19 As for Fonte, had it not occurred to anybody that in training Yoshi might be considered by coaches to be better than Fonte in speed, stamina and concentration right now? Yoshi might be first choice on merit not just through rotation. The cynic in me suggests that we'll see a lot more of Jose after the 'Mercato' ends. Nobody seems to have worked out that if Jose is not playing and therefore not being put in the 'shop window' that interested clubs will lose interest rather rapidly? More sinister things than that happen in football after all... "All's fair in Love & War.

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SonicBoom added 09:15 - Dec 20 I hope that Fonte is treated with the respect he deserves and if there is to be a parting of the ways then it should be handled properly. Fonte is getting on and any business would be stupid to turn down good money that would more than cover the acquisition of a younger replacement. It also seems he wants to leave for a payday. Buy Yoshida? Come on. I like the guy, I really do and he is an excellent squad member but first choice he ain't. He makes one severe mistake every game. Be it a terrible backpass, dweeling on the ball or losing his man. Even against Bournemouth overall he was very good, but then he dived in in a wreckless challenge in the box that could easily have been a pen. If he plays ten games in a row I'm pretty sure he would cost us goals.

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arthurfane added 09:35 - Dec 20 His 'dive in' was a blatant push from the Bmouth player. Yoshi is liable for the odd howler, but I haven't seen one in a while and he appears to be on top form. Give the lad a break!
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