Stoke City boss delighted with midfielder’s response to January transfer decision
Stoke City rejected a late transfer bid for Wouter Burger in the January window and the midfielder has gone on to produce his best performances of the season
Mark Robins has been impressed with the reaction of Wouter Burger, his commitment and form after the decision to turn down a transfer bid late in the January window.
Burger, who turned 24 on Sunday, has produced his best performances of the season – and scored his first goal – in the wake of Stoke rejecting an inquiry from Danish Superliga leaders FC Midtjylland heading into deadline day.
Robins is sure that the central midfielder, who is being assessed this week after limping out of the final stages of a 3-1 win against Swansea with a knee injury, will continue to improve as the team does over the next couple of months.
“He’s been brilliant and I think there’s miles more to come from him as well,” said Robins.
“I think he’s a really good player and if he can get on and off the ball quicker and when other players start to come back and when the level starts to go up again you’ll see a different player again.
“I really like him and I like what he’s done, the commitment that he’s shown. Some players can sulk if things haven’t gone their way or whatever but he hasn’t done any of that. He’s acted how you’d expect someone to act or want someone to act.
“He’s been fantastic and he’s led by example. I think he’s done really, really well.”
Jon Walters explained last week why Stoke turned down Midtjylland.
He said: “A club made contact quite early in the window about Wouter and I told them at the time, ‘Do not leave it until the end of the window. If it’s someone you’re interested in, don’t leave it until the end of the window, because if it’s something that the club can’t turned down I need to find a replacement of Wouter’s stature to bring into the team.’ He’s not an easy player to replace.
“So that conversation went quiet and then got picked up in the last day of the window. I explained it to them that we were in a really difficult situation. I was very open and honest with Wouter, which he appreciated – we have that relationship – and he was of the mindset that if something happens with this team and we accepted something, so be it, but if it doesn’t, ‘I’m all hands to the pump here, football’s football, I’m fully committed here.’
“I think we’ve seen from his performances, that’s his mindset. We need good quality players in the side and people who are going to battle for the team and Wouter has shown that.”
