What we do know is what McCann told us. KLP has accepted financial terms, but not the length of contract under negotiation. The club view this as lack of commitment and threaten not to start him in the first team unless he concedes. Not complicated really. Another poster used the term blackmail and I find it hard to disagree
I'd be surprised if many disagree we are a better team with him in it. at 19, he reads the game better than our other strikers, has better control and probably the best eye for goal (Wilks quite good on that score but not the other factors). I wouldn't mind but hasn't he got 18 months on his contract still at the moment? Any decent manager would surely be saying to a young lad, 'Tell you what Keano, don't worry about it - you keep doing the business on the pitch and the future will look after itself as it has for Jarred Bowen.' But no, Ehab and McCann's ego means they have to pick a fight with the lad.
But there were no problems with Bowen’s contract he signed like a shot, cos he concentrated on football and ignored all the other ****
Just looking... KLP doesn;t appear to have one of these individual agents it seems but his agent is detailed as MAJOR LEAGUE SPORTS MANAGEMENT. https://www.majorleaguesports.co.uk/team
Burnsy - ‘Still stalemate on KLP, he gets a pay rise the next game he starts, and another in 12 games. Can't help thinking 'lose-lose' situation’.
It's definitely a lose lose, I can see both sides of the coin on this one, the extra year that the club want ( in theory ) shouldn't really effect KLP long term as if he's good enough then people will come in and buy him anyway and he gets to repay the club a little that's supported him since age 8 by getting them a larger transfer fee. But from a purely selfish point of view ( and we don't know if it's him or his representative ) he can walk away for free sooner if he gets a shorter contract and get ( potentially for him and or his representative ) a larger signing on fee. I can see grants/the club's point when he said they want a little bit more commitment from a lad who the club has developed since age 8 and thus a bigger fee potentially and I can see KLPs point also re move on sooner and easier. If KLP was older and his next move was potentially his last move and chance for bigger ££ etc then I really wouldn't begrudge him wanting a shorter contract etc. But at his age and development stage, the fact he's still in his breakthrough season etc, I think he's being a little short sighted if that's the right phrase or potentially badly advised. What there is no excuse for at all, is the way it's been handled media wise by grant / the club. I would say it embarrassing and shocking, but it's just the norm for us and the idiots at the top
But to who though? Those who have money will go for more established players which are less of a gamble and we won't let him go for peanuts. I know 2 of the teams that where watching him closely have moved onto other targets now because more experienced players are becoming available for less money due to the financial situation COVID has created. It's a mess that should have been avoided and could have been so easily.
I think the problem is as soon as you start to blackmail someone into giving that extra commitment it's completely meaningless anyway.
I think McCann signalled what he thinks by substituting Scott as soon as Ehab allowed him to, but what sort of manager allows himself to be dictated to by the owner? McCann needs to grow some balls and next time sub Scott after 1 second. That or resign.
I think our squad lack cojones (not a La Liga larker) and there are some scrappers at this level who will get stuck into our lads and dig out the points like tonight. Now is not the time for some squalid petulant pile-on against the owners and the manager, maybe some of the players need to take a long hard look at their own efforts. They're the ones who are not finding their passes, not finishing chances well and making defensive gaffes. People WILL bend the facts to suit their own agenda.
