The longer this drags on, the more I'm bothered by a question - what does Sancho hope to gain out of this? If it were for a few days you could put it down to ego and the ill-advised actions that are borne out of a highly-paid footballer's bubble these days. It's getting into multiple weeks now - surely there's a moment of epiphany somewhere that makes Sancho realize that the only two options for him are to either buckle down right now, or try to restart his career much later on at another club. In the moment of ego/anger, the second will seem possible to all footballers who are told they're the greatest thing since sliced bread. But over time, surely the realization dawns that there's no guarantee he'll ever get a top club again to prove his worth, that being frozen out for so long may have an impact on his game, that injuries could feck it all up and that no matter what he'll never get this money or opportunity if he continues sulking for the next few months.
The fact that this chain of thought - with the obvious and only conclusion of an apology - hasn't occurred yet makes me believe Sancho isn't thinking rationally. And that makes me wonder if his mental health issues have resurfaced again after that spat. Rumors indicate that EtH had identified his depression as a reason for his tardiness last season, but you can't just remove it with few months of vacation somewhere. Depression resurfaces from time to time, and it consumes you with irrational actions that feel right in the moment. Irrespective of the optics, he cannot make the correct and logical call right now. And this also explains why certain players are still batting for him privately.
Or maybe this is all a long con, and Sancho just hopes that his prolonged refusal to apologize will lead to people like me trying to find answers from the mental health perspective. Possible, but not probable.
The longer this drags on, the more I'm convinced Sancho needs mental help again, and the right people around him. It's not convenient that he's on massive wages at massive club under pressure, and that his manager cannot back down given the optics of the situation which leaves only course of action - freezing him out. But none of that fixes mental health issues, and the fact that he needs help and attention again. Also, if this guess is indeed true, you can see why he'd feel betrayed by Ten Hag saying what he did. A very 'Yes, I'm late, but you of all people should know why, and you of all people should know that despite being late, I'm really trying. feck it, I'm not trying anymore' situation.
. Honestly though, if you are in a position where you are late for work on what seems like a problematic basis and you are still choosing to be playing games so late into the night / early morning when you need to be in the next day, then you are making bad decisions which can be a sign. Again - I've been there and it's a sign I recognise. Maybe it's a one off but it's still worrying for me. Hopefully I'm wrong and it's just a reflection of my own experience jading my view.