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Jeff Stelling slams talkSPORT pundit’s criticism of Jesse Lingard joining Nott’m Forest

Jeff Stelling slams a talkSPORT pundit’s criticism of Jesse Lingard joining Nott’m Forest instead of staying on at West Ham.

The ex-Man Utd midfielder became a free agent in June and newly-promoted Forest over West Ham after being offered around £130,000-a-week.

Some have questioned the player’s decision to snub the Hammers, who finished 7th last season, in favour of Steve Cooper’s Championship playoff winners.

Lingard, 29, was popular at the London Stadium during a six-month loan spell in 2021 but turned down the chance to return and compete in Europe.

For ex-West Ham striker Carlton Cole, this is just about the money.

“If Jesse Lingard walks into the changing room and I know what he’s come here for… he’s come for the dough, definitely… that doesn’t inspire me,” Cole said on the Sports Bar.

“How is that going to inspire me as a player? I’m going to be looking at him thinking, ‘He’s just come for the dough’.

“For the owners, it’s a calculated risk, I get it. But as a player in that changing room, I’m not raising my game for Jesse Lingard.”

Co-host Adam Catterall believes the one-year deal is a genius move for both club and player.

He said: “One-year deal. Yeah, we’ll pay you through the nose, but we want you to come here for one year and the aim is to keep us in the Premier League.

“He’s basically a gun for hire. Jesse, you’re a Premier League proven player, you want to play for England at the World Cup, come to Nottingham Forest and keep us in the Premier League.

“From a Nottingham Forest point of view, I think this is genius. I hope this sets a precedent for newly-promoted clubs moving forward.

As talkSPORT understands his wages are closer to £130,000-a-week including bonuses, Alan Brazil, who believes it could cause problems within the Forest squad.

“My only worry is, this may wreck the dressing room,” he said.

“It shouldn’t because you should be happy with what you’re earning. Your contract is your contract.

“Say you have been promoted with Nottingham Forest, and you’re on £40,000 and someone comes in on £200,000 [the fee Lingard was widely reported he’d be earning], surely this is not good for morale.”

Former Premier League star Gabby Agbonlahor also joined Brazil in saying Lingard’s wages could cause a problem with the rest of the squad.

“Lingard would do well for him, but how will that affect the rest of the squad?” he previously told talkSPORT Breakfast.

“You’ve got players who are on maybe £15,000 or £20,000-a-week, and you’ve got a player coming in on closer to £200,000-a-week.

“I’ve been in changing rooms and players wouldn’t be happy with that.”

As mentioned, Jeff Stelling slams the talkSPORT pundit’s criticism of Jesse Lingard joining Nott’m Forest, writing: “Why don’t we all just wait and see ? I hope he can reproduce the sort of form he showed at West Ham. If he doesn’t then people might be entitled to have a go but not before he has kicked a ball for Forest.”

FAN REACTION:

@Dave1865: What are you talking about 😆? He’s not on £180k like you’re all reporting, he’s on £115k. He’s come to Forest to be ‘the man’s to play every minute fhsf he’s fit to play, he’s come to play under a manager with a track record of making players even better, a club with ambition

@Dave1865: Also, West Ham had what? 20 something days where they pissed about, playing hard ball, #NFFC made the deal happen in what, 48 hours? If #WHU wanted him, they’d have signed him 🤷‍♂️

@owen_h180: Because that would be a sensible thing to do Jeff mate

@Cranky84: Well said Jeff. To many pundits writing him and Forest off before the season has even started! We have a great manager, owner, backroom staff who all know what they’re doing. Let’s just hope @JesseLingard proves all the haters wrong.

@jamesmtassi: Well said Jeff, Stop criticizing a player for choosing NFFC over west ham. Forest have a huge fan base across the world, probably bigger than west ham. He’s come from a negative environment at MUFC and walked into a positive one @NFFC on a high and investing big money.

@Willh1985: Your station are so judgemental and anti Forest it’s unreal.

@mancorr: What rubbish! West ham won’t win any European silverware, he’s gone to a good club that are playing good football, he’s going to play pretty much every game and he’s going to help a new and exciting PL team. If anything he’s got a harder challenge at Forest, hardly waving a 🏳️

@BradleyB93: Been in premier league a few months and already bullied United and West Ham. We are back 😂😂😂😂

@whulorn: omfg, will you talk about something else other than slagging off Forest? It’s a great signing for them, and worth the money if it keeps them up

@eMJayng24: He’s on similar wages to Dean Henderson and there was of this fuss when we signed him. Talksport doing their best to keep this ‘story’ going for the clickbait

@rwkclarke: If playing Forest prevents him going to the World Cup, you have to question why. If he is on form in the Premier League, why does it matter what badge he wears? He needs to play regularly, and be on top form to get a chance. But he can do that at any Premier League team

@NFFC18652: Aren’t you all doing this radio show for money? Why haven’t you gone to a local radio station for less money? It’s how employment works. You work where you can get the best deal. At the end of the day football is a job to these and a very short career.

@McCrackenTweets: I think he’s [Jennings] chatting bollocks. He’s gonna be very good at forest!! Zero pressure. He’ll just play with freedom and I’m absolutely sure his name will get mentioned for the the World Cup!! Not that he will get Inn the squad, but there will be an argument for him to go. WATCH!

@LiamRSmith04: Who is this guy? And why is he relevant? Never heard of him so don’t really care for his opinion (shite by the way). Love how most of the media and other Prem fan bases expected us to accept making up the numbers and not have a go. We might go down but we will have a go #nffc

@Leeatcityground: Well said @JeffStelling. What is wrong with people? He is hardly the highest paid player in the Premier league. What did people want Forest to do, not have ambitions?

@ez_scents: I bet @JesseLingard is loving hearing this! All the fuel he needs if in fact he needs any at all 🤷🏾‍♂️ Forest mean business and we’ll surprise a few, but the faithful believe something incredible is about to happen 🤲🏾 #NFFC #ForestFamily #LetsGo

@muddymildred: Well said Jeff. Why shouldn’t he grab the money while he can? This Jennings lad is an EastEnders actor, he’d take a part in “Police Academy 9” if they offered it. So what’s the difference?

@ColinBagguley74: Exactly. Give him a chance. Someone with more of a brain said it’s great business for Forest with only a 1 year deal as we’re not tied to him if it goes wrong. We don’t want to be a Norwich, Fulham or WBA we intend to stay in the premier league.

@VimFuego87: The Guv’nor. Thank you Jeff. The voice of reason once again.

@LeeJenk64018249: How bitter are some people ffs 🙄 let’s see what he does but west ham where desperate to get him no he chose elsewhere they dodged a bullet 😂😂😂

@5up3rL33ds: Folk are making out like forest are a nothing team, they’re prem again and Jesse is quite entitled to choose to play for them, given the option id be a tree, decent history and if they’re willing to give me 180 geez a wk id bring me own pen

@warrenallsworth: Getting embarrassing now. Are finances a reason? Yes. But also plenty of other factors namely Steve Cooper – possibly the best up and coming manager in English football. How dare a club come up and show ambition.

@pledgemufc: Who’s Rory Jennings ? 🤣,waved the white flag he’s gone to a premier league team in the best league in the world ,in a year’s time he can re asses

@Joanne_Scott1: I’m a Leeds fan but I think this is totally disrespectful to Forest. It’s good business by them and Shows the ambition. I’m fed up of pundits only thinking players want to go to the top 8 clubs and that’s it.

@Camclarky: Unbelievable Jeff! As always, a great view of the situation

@simply_price: This guy is so disrespectful towards forest. Kalvin Phillips got into the euro squad playing for Leeds who had jusf been promoted. So if lingard is playing at the top of his game, he has every chance.

@nffc_red_dog: All I wanna know is who is Rory jennings

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