Menno Willems Says He Might Have To Go!

By: Bill Osborne
Date: 11/01/2002

DUTCH midfielder Menno Willems says the departure of Lennie Lawrence places his future with Grimsby in doubt after Groves dropped him immediately Lawrence departed.

Speaking to the Grimsby Telegraph, Menno outlined his fears concerning his future with the club after having a showdown talk with manager Paul Groves

Although he played every game with Lennie Lawrence he thinks he will be forced into the background now he has lost his first team spot. ' "It was a shock for me to be left out. We have got a lot of injured players at the moment and when they're coming back what will happen. I will work hard in every game but I am worried about what will happen here. I am the only foreigner in the team and I do feel a bit of extra pressure."

"I have no argument at the moment because I am playing every game and I have no problems. If I am not playing we will see. There are some great clubs in the second division. If it comes to it and another club comes in for me I'll be glad to go if it doesn't work out here."

"It was a shock for me when Lennie went. He brought me here and there was a sort of security that I would be playing. Lennie would say to me that I was doing well and I'd be in the team every week. Now there is a new manager and you never know."

"I'm 24 and I need to be playing every week. It's gone from one manager saying that I was one of the best players, to being dropped in the new manager's first game against Portsmouth. I was sat on the bench thinking 'what has gone wrong?' I had a chat with Groves and I'm not going to say what we talked about, but we'll see what happens."

Groves however insists that Menno is a vital ingredient to the squad saying; "Most players are going to be like that if they're not playing." I'd be disappointed if players were happy when they weren't playing. You'd expect them to be upset when they're left out. Menno is an important part of this squad."

Menno was signed for 160,000 from Vitesse Arnham and is one of the highest paid in the club so if the cuts do take place he might be a prime candidate for transfer bringing Groves additional funds for other players.

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