Should Peter Etebo leave Stoke City in January?

As Stoke City languish in the bottom half of the English Championship table, new manager Michael O’Neil appears to have a plan to turn things around. This seems to include showing some players the exit door in January with speculations rife that our Peter Etebo is one of those earmarked for exit! But why Etebo? The Nigeria international has had injury issues recently but that is hardly a reason to add him to the no-longer-wanted list. Perhaps Etebo has been a failure in Stoke. For that to be the case, a lot of fans (those who pay to watch their clubs with emotional commitments over many years) will have to voice their opinion about this. However, judging from fans’ reactions, Etebo appears to be something of a fans-favourite in the once-upon-a-time Premier League Club. The views of fans (on the rumours of Etebo’s exit) sampled on social media be stokecentinal.co.uk reads: P. SILVESTER: “Shame if he goes. One of our better players!” L. BERGAMINI: “We need him to help keep us up.” N. J. PRICE: “Unfortunately got to sell, rather see any other midfielder go than Etebo.” Recently when coach O’Neil said Etebo was only fit enough to play with the Under 23, many Stoke fans voiced their displeasure with one saying on an online platform: “Absolutely unbelievable, he must be one of the fittest players in the squad even after a slight injury. Something odd happening there.” Indeed something odd is happening at Stoke City (I think). Whatever views you might have about the 2016 Olympic ace, one thing is undeniable: Etebo is a committed and hardworking professional footballer. Rather perversely, some fans will be happy that Etebo is becoming out-of-favour in the England tier 2 club. I remember many on this platform voicing their objection to a player who just featured and did well at the World Cup in Russia last year to sign for a Championship club. Indeed, the prayers of such fans may just be beginning to be answered as an exit from Stoke should lead to Etebo finding himself playing higher division football – where many fans believe he rightly belongs