Connors contract situation

The echo

THE MANOEUVRING in the Connor Wickham contract talks clearly continues.


A story in one of the Sunday papers last weekend indicating that Wickham was contemplating a move to the Continent next summer as the best route towards progressing his career, was evidently sourced with a purpose.

Now, Wickham may genuinely hanker for La Dolce Vita by plying his trade in Serie A, La Liga or Ligue 1.

The champagne in Marbella clearly tasted sweet during the summer.



But even the most open-minded could pour an ice-cold bucket of cynicism on the source behind the reports.

A story in one of the Sunday papers last weekend indicating that Wickham was contemplating a move to the Continent next summer as the best route towards progressing his career, was evidently sourced with a purpose.

Now, Wickham may genuinely hanker for La Dolce Vita by plying his trade in Serie A, La Liga or Ligue 1.

The champagne in Marbella clearly tasted sweet during the summer.

But even the most open-minded could pour an ice-cold bucket of cynicism on the source behind the reports.


If Wickham moves abroad – and he can freely negotiate with overseas clubs from January – at the end of his Sunderland contract next summer, the Black Cats won’t receive a penny in compensation.

Nil. Nowt. Zilch.

It’s a handy piece of leverage to hover around Sunderland’s neck in attempting to maximise the offer on the table for the 21-year-old.

Leaking such stories provides a strong indication though that the two parties are still a fair few quid apart in their respective positions over a new deal.

These talks have dragged on for six months now. We’re approaching make or break time.

Despite Wickham understood to be keen to remain at the Stadium of Light, his representatives and Sunderland are thought to have been a fair way apart in their respective wage demands.

The problem for Wickham’s camp is that his strongest negotiating position has arguably been and gone.

His stock will never be higher than it was at the end of last season after his contribution towards Sunderland’s survival.

Since then, Wickham has been unable to emphatically prove that he can be a regular Premier League scorer on a consistent basis, although in fairness, the service into Sunderland’s strikers this season has generally been pathetic and he has been predominantly used out-of-position.

The £8million man’s camp may have to back-track.

However, Sunderland’s bid to extend Wickham’s deal was not helped by Poyet declaring during pre-season that the club would have to offload the frontman if he did not pen a new contract.

Jack Colback’s departure to Newcastle on a freebie was still fresh in the memory, but those close to Wickham were left disgruntled by Poyet’s comments, particularly as Sunderland hadn’t made a firm contract offer at that stage.

But while Poyet perhaps should have kept his counsel, his point was right.

If Wickham hasn’t penned a new contract by January, then Sunderland should and probably will look to sell the England Under-21 frontman, IF there’s a decent offer on the table.

It’s far better to boost the bank account with a reasonable fee then, than gamble on what they could receive from a tribunal when his contract has expired in June.

Sunderland are clearly sensitive over Wickham departing of his own accord after the Colback debacle.

Wickham’s only interviews this season have been done through club media.

It wouldn’t be great PR to see another young, prominent member of the first-team squad depart at the end of his contract, particularly after his contribution towards Sunderland’s survival last time around.

Would fans be so upset by Wickham’s departure though?

There wasn’t much sympathy for Wickham on social media after the weekend’s story, although that was probably to do with Sunderland’s current predicament than any specific impatience with the ex-Ipswich man, who struggled to make an impression at Crystal Palace on Monday.

As has happened with Steven Fletcher, public opinion on Wickham will quickly change if he starts finding the net again.

But perhaps it would be in the interests of all parties if the jostling for position ends and a resolution is finally agreed.

Sunderland want to keep a player who still has so much potential, with Jozy Altidore by far the most viable striker to be replaced in January.

And after being confined to a bit-part role, sent on loan to the Championship and stagnating with a big price tag around his neck, surely it is in Wickham’s interest to stay at a Premier League club where he is finally getting a regular game.

 

He won't make much in wages abroad. It's nowt but desperation tactics. When it comes down it Connor will go where ever Connor is offered the most money. Chances are it will be in England. I'm still confident of compo, I think we should sit tight with our contract offer with a view to reducing our terms the more he misfires. He has no leverage in contract negotiations whatsoever imo.

 

Spot on. His current form and effort could be that he is being asked to take a reduction, for say one season, with a review next season. Or it could just be the length of contract. He has nothing to offer any club at the moment.

 

By the same token though, if he hits form and keeps it up, increase the terms, I just want us to start dealing in sensible fair contracts.

 

i think that is what is happening

 

There seems to be a slow trend in football now that players contracts are becoming more sensible, Terry taking a cut at Chelsea to secure a newone, Cole and Lampard moving abroad, admittedly they are twilight players but they represent an era of cast iron contracts that benefited the player more than the club. Maybe FFP, or more sensible club owners are at the back of it.

 

He doesn't realise when he's well off.

Taxi for Connor.....

 

Michael Procter had a purple patch and didn't get £40k a week and he loved the club…Craig Russell et al. Conner Wickham holding SAFC to ransom, just give him away. I remember when he first signed and lost his Chiwowwa puppy and bleated on, funny lad. reminds me of Tim Healys son off Benidorm…………..

 

I never expected a new contract to be settled before December anyway. There's no way the club could decide what was a sensible offer on the basis of six good games, and surely Connor didn't expect them to. We had to let part of this season run and see how he progressed before any decision could be made. There won't be much movement till around Xmas.

 

How can he possibly think he deserves a wage increase?

I have my department running like a metronome and it's a cash cow from top to bottom, yet my salary increases have been fairly crap to say the least. I would be ashamed to ask for a wage rise if I had done nothing for 4 years.

He seems to think he 'saved' the club from relegation so deserves his share of the pot. If it wasn't for players like him you'd have never been in the **** in the first place.

He'll be lucky to get a club in this division at all, the big numb sack of ****.

Modern English footballers.

 

Thing is Terry he hasn;t been given a chance until the end of last season for those entire 4 years.

Looks poor this season playing out on the wing - he will never be a winger (although he looked a world beater against your lot TBH - made Phil Jones look like an amateur - his best game of the season IMO)

I rate the lad - but form is the most important thing - Fletcher is looking every bit a decent striker at the minute so Wickham will not get to play up top.

Personally, if I was Gus, I would leave him out of the team on Sunday and start Adam Johnson on the left wing. Maybe give him a "kick" he might need to prove he's worth the money he's asking for. He also was on loan for most of last season so simply cannot be blamed for the position we were in when he was finally recalled!

This season I expected a lot from him - simply due to his contract situation - but, other than 2 games (you lot and Stoke) , he's delivered so little. Flattered to deceive

 

He bothered a few defenders last season for about 4 games, scored against City and Chelsea and all of a sudden he was the next best thing. He might have given Jones a hard time but you're talking about possibly the worst United defence I've seen in my lifetime.

As for not being given a chance mate I can't believe for a second he's been amazing in training and been overlooked for 3 seasons for no reason.

 

Agreed - but had he been given a chance when we bought Danny Graham - who, let;s be honest, couldn't lace my boots let alone anyone elsxes! - he might have had a different attitude. He "grew up" last season in the loan deals and after coming back - but this season, barring 2 games, he's been utter tosh. OK so he's out of position but that's no excuse. I can think of a number of others played out of position who would love to be played every week instead of warming the bench.

 

He wasn't cheap mate either, he was an expensive teenager and time and time again we see them in this country lose their heads as soon as somebody offers them a few grand a week. We have a similar situation with Eggfried Zaha.

Graham was alright in terms of stats before he joined you lot, MO'N should have realised that he'd not work in your system and he was getting too old.

 

This, he's hardly setting the world alight at the minute is he? in fact he's lucky he has Altidore and Graham as competition, getting a game ahead of those two is hardly something to shout about is it?

 

According to the sun, lazio are after him for £450,000

 

His problem is none of the clubs abroad will pay him as much as he will get if he stays here. None of the clubs in the top half really need him so he is looking at going to a Stoke, Villa QPR etc....

Its unlikely that even on a free he will get big wages because clubs at our level are being cautious and they would have compensation to pay, lets face it what has he done this season so far?

I think the club are playing this one quite well, he has been played out of position to do a job which has made his goal record look bad and now Fletcher has hit form he will be 2nd fiddle. We don't actually need him at the moment and neither does anyone else.

The best move for him would be to sign a new contract and get on with it, we are going to sell Altidore and Graham and buy someone else so he might end up 3rd fiddle. Either way we should hold out, we will either get compensation or no one else will want to sign him on big wages because of it. His only way out is to go abroad and be loaned back to a club in the UK. If that happened SAFC should get straight to the court of arbitration for sport as its an obvious scam.

 

He's not playing ahead of them though welder - he's playing out wide on the left which makes Johnson or Mavrias his competition at the moment...

 

Great post mate.

I hope he walks and we get a nice 5-6m.