Saints lose patience with Dyer

Dyer: Stalling on new deal

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Southampton have excluded Nathan Dyer from the first-team fold for their pre-season preparations.

The striker recently turned down a contract offer from the club and has now become a free agent as a result.

He is currently working on a week-to-week deal while he considers his options, with the Saints refusing to give up hope of persuading him to stay.

However, the club have made it clear that they only want players who are totally committed to the cause to be involved in their build-up to the 2008/09 campaign and have ordered Dyer to train away from the rest of the group.

Pity

"Yesterday morning (Monday) we talked with Nathan and said it was better for the group and for everyone if he didn't train with us unless he signs our contract," the Saints' head coach Jan Poortvliet told the club's official website.

"We are preparing the boys for the season and when you don't have a contract you can't prepare.

"We said he can sign or wait for another club but we need players who are happy to be here, who are involved with Southampton and who want to work at a level for themselves and for their team.

"We need players whose hearts are in Southampton and only then can we achieve what we want to achieve.

"I think it's a pity for a player who has spent all his life at a club and has put in a lot of good work in the youth team and reserve teams and needs to prove himself in the first team and then you can make that step forward.

Not ready

"He can go somewhere else, which he has the right to do, but playing for Southampton if he has a great season then he will be ready for it.

"I think Nathan needs to play at least another year here to be ready to become a top player in the Premiership."

Club chairman Rupert Lowe added: "Jan Poortvliet, Mark Wotte and I have all spoke to Nathan and we have offered him a very fair contract which he has so far declined and he is now on a week-to-week basis.

"It is still on the table and we have made it very clear that we want to keep him. But we want complete commitment. That is the Dutch way and it is important and central to our plans to have commitment from players."