Last season he left Scott Vernon, Athletic's leading scorer out the starting XI, and then complained that Latics did not have a natural goalscorer. Then at the start of this season Talbot shunts Scott Vernon out on loan to Blackpool. There he scored three goals in four games, and Latics only managed to score five goals altogether in those four games that Vernon missed.
Now he is trying to boost team morale in the midst of Athletic's relegation battle (and let's not kid ourselves - this season will be a relegation battle) by saying that he will not renew Rodney Jack's or Jermaine Johnson's contracts at the end of the season, unless they quit international football.
Brian has again shown his complete ignorance about man-management. Nobody has the right to stop a player achieving the ultimate high in their career - representing their country. And to say it publically as well just hightens the absurdity of the situation.
As an Oldham fan, it makes me proud to see that players such as Jack, JJ, and occasionally Chris Killen, Will Haining (for Scotland under-21s) and Mark Arber go out and prove they are good enough to play for their national side. It gives prestige to the club. And you cannot blackmail them not to travel off and play for their country.
And I won't even go into detail of Talbot's public slagging off of almost half the first team squad - Les Pogliacomi, Mark Arber, Danny Boshell, Chris Killen, Scott Vernon and now JJ and Rodney Jack. A better way of improving team spirit would be to plant land mines on Oldham's training pitch.
This isn't a "Talbot out!" article, this is just me venting my feelings on his man-management skills, and hoping he finds better ways to improve team morale than criticise the squad. By all means do it in private, but for heavan's sake, not in public. Would Fergie or Wenger do that?
Rant over.