8:00am Tuesday 1st July 2008
By Adam Leitch
Nathan Dyer has been banished from first team training as he stalls over a new Saints contract.
The 20-year-old winger saw his current deal officially end yesterday and so has reverted to a week-to-week contract.
Saints have made what they describe as "a very fair" contract offer to try and persuade Dyer to commit his future to the club. But he has so far refused to sign.
New head coach Jan Poortvliet has reacted by excluding Dyer from first team training UNLESS he agrees to accept the new deal which has been discussed over a period of months and remains on the table.
Poortvliet made the decision after speaking with Dyer and insisted he can only have players with total commitment in his first team squad.
He said: "Yesterday morning 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.
"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 them themselves and for their team.
"We need players whose hearts are in Southampton and only then we can achieve what we want to achieve."
Dyer is unlikely to receive much sympathy from Saints fans as the club offer to stand by him despite another date at Portsmouth Magistrates Court a week today in connection with burglary charges.
If he does opt to leave on a free transfer, then Saints will still be entitled to a compensation fee to recognise his development with them as he is under 24.
Dyer has been continually linked with a move to Portsmouth, where another ex-Saints academy player Martin Cranie went last summer after turning down a new contract.
Poortvliet has insisted the door is still open for Dyer to be a part of his plans - but he will have to sign his new contract to do that.
Saints' head coach believes Dyer would benefit for another year at St Mary's before any move to the Premeriship.
"It's a pity for a player who has spent all his life at a club and put in a lot of good work in the youth team and reserve teams," said Poortvliet.
"He needs to prove himself in the first team and then you can make that step forward.
"He can go somewhere else, which he has a right to do, but playing for Southampton if he has a great season then he will be ready for it.
"Nathan needs to play at least another year here to be ready to become a top player in the Premiership."
PLC chairman Rupert Lowe added: "Jan Poortvliet, Mark Wotte and I have all spoken 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 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 the players."
Dyer was discovered and developed by Saints' satellite academy in Bath and was mentored by former coach Rod Ruddick, who is also now with Portsmouth.
Dyer made his Saints debut in 2005 - scoring on his debut under Harry Redknapp at Southend in a Carling Cup tie - and has gone on to make 61 appearances, scoring three goals.
However, last year Dyer had a major injury setback before the off field problems erupted.
Dyer's court appearance next week relates to an alleged theft from a staff room at Bar Bluu nightclub in Portsmouth.
Bradley Wright-Phillips has also been charged. The striker still has a year left on his Saints contract.
All Saints contracts expired yesterday but the club are STILL refusing to disclose the details of their retained list.
The futures of Jermaine Wright, Inigo Idiakez, Mario Licka, Darren Powell and Alex Ostlund are unclear None of those five were at Staplewood last Friday when a Daily Echo photographer was allowed in to take pictures of the training session.
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