Leak or not, Saido was always going to get stick

YES, there was something whiffy about the timing of the Saido Berahino suspension scandal becoming public knowledge.

It came out less than 48 hours before Berahino was due back at The Hawthorns and just a few days after claiming his absence from the Albion first team was to do with his refusal to sign a new contract. That, as we all know now, wasn’t the reason.

But the comments of some of the Stoke players since their 1-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion have smacked of sour grapes.

Stoke skipper Ryan Shawcross, whom Tony Pulis signed when he was in charge of the Potters, slammed West Brom for leaking the information.

Charlie Adam went a step further by practically pointing the finger at Pulis, his former manager.

“We know where it’s been leaked,” the Scot said. “It’s been hidden for months then we play them the day before and it gets leaked.

“It’s only come from one club, but it was no surprise because the club knew about it. As a club we are disappointed it’s come out because it should never come out and there’s only one man it’s probably come from.”

To a certain extent, it doesn’t really matter who or where the leak came from because Berahino was always going to get stick from fans. The eight-week FA ban revelation merely added a few decibels.

Pulis was always going to fire up his troops against Stoke – for so many reasons. Yes, he would have wanted to get one over Berahino on the pitch, but he also loves beating his former employers.

And let’s not forget the small matter of Premier League points at stake between two top ten clubs who, before Saturday’s game, were beside each other in the table. The win was massive for the Baggies, opening up what could be perceived an unassailable seven-point lead on the Potters with 14 games to go.

West Brom did everything right by Berahino – whom they protected for so long – and themselves.

Cynics might suggest the club were more than happy to stay silent so as not to devalue Berahino with a view to selling him when the transfer window opened. But the club was under “strict obligation” not to say anything by way of an FA directive.

West Brom deserved a chunky fee for a player they spent so much time nurturing. The bottom line is that Berahino was due a hostile reception for all the hassle he caused and for repeatedly embarrassing the club that developed him from the age of 11. The origin of the leak is as irrelevant as Berahino’s anonymous 32-minute cameo last Saturday.