Dubious. Tadic after a somewhat below-expectations season is likely to have at least the same value with three years remaining as he would with one year remaining coming off a very good season. Also, he won't turn 29 until next season is nearly half over. People seem to have added a year to his age. Not really. I'm opposed to giving guys contracts deep into their 30s, but good news: Tadic will only be 31 at the end of his deal. That's the end of his prime, not post-prime.
In the post "new Sky deal" era it is inevitable that we will need to raise salaries all over the shop but we have secured long deals in doing this. I am happy with all the deals signed. It at least means we won't see players leave for half price like Nat and Wanyama did because there was only one year left on their contracts.
And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. If they are bench p-layers, then the boys on the pitch will be superb. That is the aim.
"He plays on the left, He plays on the right Dusan Tadic Makes Lallana look ****e*" *backing group singing softly to fade, "Well, not really on the right, but definitely on the left"...*
Is it not a two way process. We are rewarding performance (OK, this can be debated for various players) thus putting confidence and belief in the player. Some of this may be based on conjecture for how we are predicting individuals to perform; a less expensive gamble perhaps. If these guys we're 'superstars' would they be here anyway. Through my Saints glasses, any player that performs for my team is a superstar!
But that's just it. Why are we giving him an extension after he performed below-expectations? I would also say that Tadic is pretty much already at the end of his peak. For a winger, I'd say it's like 26-28. I wouldn't expect him to just fall off a cliff at 29, but 30 and after all bets are off. 31 is well past prime. If we had gone out and signed a near-28 year old with a spotty track record who was not a full-time starter the previous year, I don't think people would be nearly so excited. It's just because Tadic is a Saint, and people have grown to like him.
He didn't perform below expectations last year; there is no rational expectation that 7 league goals and 12 assists could have fallen below. I'm talking about the possibility of him performing below expectations next year.
And yet Chelsea is looking to move Fabregas, and Arsenal so far is refusing Ozil the pay rise he wants or a transfer to Real Madrid...
The thing is, you could argue that about anyone. If we signed Caulker for 500k a week we're showing a ton of belief in him. Would our belief be justified? Almost certainly not. The gamble to extend a player is not inherently less expensive than to sell them and bring in a new one. If I knew the terms of Tadic's deal, and he was giving us a decent hometeam discount, then this could be a good move. If we're paying him market price despite already having him under team control, then it's not.
OK, I'm no businessman, but I keep thinking stability and continuity. I know we seem to cope with turnover year after year, but many of us (I believe) have concerns as to how often this can be achieved. Money aside, I think that the core of a good side (that have a relationship with the club) signing new contracts is going to have a positive effect on their attitude and performance. Hey I know its football, but we don't tend to attrack to many mercenaries.
A constant loss of players suggests to the others they are missing something....similarly, long term contracts suggest that that is a good idea to other players. Keep the core together and change a few every season...just like every club does. We have moved forward to the level where players stay...can only be a good thing. This was the team that got us into the group stage of the Europa League minus one MF and 2 strikers. Those 3 players alone did not get us there....they were part of the team. All 3 had asked for a move last season (though Pelle's request was only in January), so were always likely to prove difficult to keep.
How old are you? I only ask because you seem of the opinion that a footballer might as well be shot as soon as they hit 30.
So we're complaining when the club doesn't spend money and loses players, and we're complaining when the club does spend money and keeps players. Just, once again, checking.
