Szmodics: There Are Opinions and Different Sides in Football You Don't Get to Hear
Tuesday, 17th Mar 2026 15:47

On-loan Blues forward Sammie Szmodics has responded to Town manager Kieran McKenna’s comments following his Portman Road exit for Derby County on deadline day.

The Blues boss said Szmodics’s departure was “a decision that was made in the best interests of our group dynamic, our dressing room culture, of the values of our dressing room and our team”.

Town initially would only consider a permanent switch for the 30-year-old Irish international but ultimately allowed him to move out on loan with their valuation and the Rams’ offer having been some distance apart.

Having scored his second goal for Derby to see them to a 1-0 win at Portsmouth last night, Szmodics says he is concentrating on playing for the Rams, who are managed by his former Blackburn boss John Eustace.

“Listen - there are things said in football, there are opinions and different sides in football you don’t get to hear,” he told BBC Derby.

“I just focus on playing football. As soon as I knew there was interest from Derby and John Eustace, it was something I couldn’t turn down.

“I’m just focusing on getting match fit and enjoying scoring goals, and hopefully leading Derby back into the play-offs.

“It’s been a bit of a stop-start season at the beginning, so to come here at a great football club and score two goals, I feel like I’m getting my season underway and getting that match fitness and match sharpness.

“To score the winner and put us that step closer to the play-offs is what I’ve been brought in to do, and hopefully I can score many more.”

Szmodics, who looks set to be named in the Republic of Ireland squad for their World Cup play-off games on Thursday, has two years left on his Town contract having joined the Blues for £9 million in the summer of 2024 from Blackburn.

Photo: Matchday Images

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Gforce added 15:59 - Mar 17 Shame it didn't work out for one reason or another. I still believe he had plenty to offer and would have been a big asset, either starting or off the bench.
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Theipswich added 16:08 - Mar 17 I think he can still do a job at Town given the chance
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Michael101 added 16:17 - Mar 17 It's seems Kim Jong McKenna doesn't want players to have their own options, it's my way or the door with him.
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tetchris added 16:19 - Mar 17

He has angry looking face. Bet he was a mouthy git who probably complained he wasn’t playing enough hence KM’s comments about the dressing room.

Don’t think we will see him in a town shirt again. One good season in the championship doesn’t make you a great player. Just another of MA’s panic buys due to not bringing the recruitment dept up to the level required for PL football. Ogbene was another £10m signing who probably won’t play for us again. I doubt we will get £5m for the both of them at the end of the season.

Lightningboy added 16:42 - Mar 17

Surprised it didn't work out for him here..28 goals just 2 seasons ago..same with Akpom..something ain't right.

I do wonder whether so many players are not enjoying it as much out there because they're fed up with our robotic style of football management?

We look a decent side when the players are allowed to go out & express themselves..trouble is over the last 2 seasons so much time in our matches is wasted passing it backwards / farting around inside our own 18 yard box...stats may say it pays off but oh boy is it dull.

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churchmans added 17:13 - Mar 17 Szmodics is a brilliant player,really gutted he aint here or broadhead! Great players now departed
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Edmundo added 17:36 - Mar 17 I don't think the issue was, "Is he a great player?" but, "Does he complement the culture and values of the squad?" There have been some truly great players in the past who have totally destroyed team spirit.
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OldFart71 added 17:38 - Mar 17

During a spell of working due to the nature of the job the boss changed roughly every three years and sometimes we were under a stand in. So during that time I probably had maybe six bosses in ten years.
The only one I didn't get on with was the last one. He was young and ambitious. Wanted to show his authority and I thought he was generally a pain in the arse.
I have also worked at other places where I got on fine with a supervisor where many didn't go a bundle on him.
So maybe SS and KM just rubbed each other up the wrong way.
I remember a time when Sir Alex at Man Utd apparently threw a boot at Beckham as he didn't like his attitude and moreover his lifestyle.

armchaircritic59 added 18:00 - Mar 17 churchmans, Broadhead & Szmodics, really decent Championship level players, brilliant and/or great, they aren't. Would be playing every week for a top team in a top league if they were.
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Theipswich added 18:04 - Mar 17 Even Sir Bobby had to throw out Tommy Carroll and Billy Baxter in 1971..apparently they ended up in fisticuffs and Sir Bobby not afraid to resort to physically defending himself..
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SouperJim added 18:11 - Mar 17 Useful player Szmodics but clearly a bit of a berk. Not exactly the first time in his career he's fallen out with his employers, is it?
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ITFC_1994 added 18:12 - Mar 17 I really can't see how anyone can have watched town in the last few years and still rate this guy..... was good in the few games we sat in and played on the counter in the prem and that's it. Done nothing else and never going to work here... Also seems like a nob'ed
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BlueRuin69 added 18:19 - Mar 17 Average at best
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cooper4england added 18:37 - Mar 17 Never known KM to slag a player off so do think he did something pretty poor to warrant KMs no holds barred repost.
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IvorFeeling added 19:04 - Mar 17 Given the squad seem more together since his departure and we have won 5, drawn 2 and lost only one without him then the stats show it’s been a wise decision. As it’s the first and only time I can remember KMcK throwing a player under the bus that should also speak volumes
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FarnboroBlue added 19:31 - Mar 17 Watched some of the game last night, he was continously whinging at the rest of the team about not pressing. End of game, distinct lack of the other players embracing him for the winner, it all seemed a bit odd, perhaps I'm reading too much into it
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essexccc added 19:49 - Mar 17 He refused to play for Blackburn before signing for us. And didn't he say, when still at Col U, that he really didn't like Ipswich? All part of the game from a player's point of view if you are that type of player. But as a fan of Ipswich I don't like him and only ever did (briefly) when he scored against Spurs.
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blueboy1981 added 19:59 - Mar 17 Anyone who doesn’t wear McKenna tints knows SS is a good, capable player - too much flair for McKenna’s One Trick birig regime. SS not the only player to suffer either, there’s been a few.
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blues1 added 20:06 - Mar 17

Michael101. What the hell are you on about? Szmodics is the 1stcplayer this has happened with, so what a ridiculous comment. And clearly has been a bad influence in thr dressing room, so right decision. Dont believe for a minute, thst irchad anythingvto do with not playing enough, bcse he'd been injured for some time, so wasnt gonna,play every minute of games. So obvious thered been something off the field, to have brought this about.

runningout added 20:12 - Mar 17 s**t happens… not everything is meant to be. SS is a decent player and hope his future is still bright wherever it may be
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WestSussexBlue added 20:27 - Mar 17 Fully support Kmc’s and the club’s decision here. If any player doesn’t support or fit the values and culture’s of the club then they’ll never be right. We have a very strong emphasis on culture, belief’s and ethics at Town.
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Jugsy added 21:02 - Mar 17 I’d like to think we’re moving forward and not looking backwards, so Sammy’s race has most certainly been run. Sammy had plenty of opportunities, McKenna put plenty of faith in him. Wasn’t really paid back in my view and tended to scream at team mates, as if he was perfect. Really wanted him to do well, shame it’s ending badly.
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Jugsy added 21:06 - Mar 17 Also, if he did do what some have mentioned on here, it’s a bit bloody ballsy to come out with this statement. It’s either not the case or the guy’s a lunatic.
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barrystedmunds added 21:20 - Mar 17 His antics at Blackburn to force the move should've probably alerted us to his character. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but it does raise the question “ did no one think this may be a problem?” Somethings are not meant to be. We move on. He’ll not be in a town shirt again, I doubt.
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algarvefan added 22:56 - Mar 17

I'm sure the decision for Sammy to move on was not taken lightly and his choice of words are interesting “Listen - there are things said in football, there are opinions and different sides in football you don’t get to hear,”. There have been various stories about what was said and done and I doubt we will ever hear the absolute truth. Whatever the reason it appears he dug his heels in and wouldn't move his point of view.

The managers job is to consider the whole team and as such this appears to be the right decision, we should now all move on, he ain't coming back guys and IF it was racial abuse I for one am not sorry!!