That's his perogative I suppose, it's the deal that we offered him. I'd be delighted if him and Fraser were off of the wage bill though.
I remember when I said Austin was a complete dickhead and ****ing up some players. I got told to leave him alone....
Some one who knows him says he is on a lot less than that. So much lower that I didn't believe them, but if true nowhere near the £70K
He's Charlie Austin, not Svengali... Players have to be responsible for themselves and what can he possibly do that can affect performances on the pitch any longer?, his influence is zero at this moment I would think. I presume that Ralph won't suffer him and he'll get disciplined accordingly. I would rather he was gone, but other than sacking him and paying him off what else can we do?
I still have some sympathy for Charlie...he's a senior pro and has been shoved to one side. It's just that he doesn't fit into the plans of a manager who walks on water as far as fans and the board are concerned. He would do well to concentrate on finding a new team that suits him and maintain some dignity. He has every right to feel pissed but sometimes you have to be pragmatic...he really won't be happy hanging around on the fringes and not being any part of Saints' plans. The extra money he gets next season on a free may be hard earned.
Him sitting for a year won't make all that much difference. He is a "proven" PL goal scorer who will be 30 when his contract expires. He will have a fair few suitors. Just up to him really if anyone who tempts him to make the move now rather than wait a year. He obviously didn't fancy West Brom, whether that was for location/money/dropping a league or a combination of all three we won't know.
You soon get forgotten in English football though, it's not really in his own interest to stay here but he has the right to choose where he goes to and when he leaves IMO.
It is in his interest to stay if nobody he fancies joining comes in now. Fully entitled to stay the extra year on his deal then make a move on a free in the summer when he has to find a new club. If his family are all settled in the area then I wouldn't be in a rush to move either unless something I fancied came along
I think it would be a mistake for him to stay here for another year professionally if not financially speaking. U23 matches are not the same as senior ones and you lose an edge which he might find difficult to get back. I really don't think that PL clubs would be queuing up for him then as they are apparently not doing now. I think he'll end up back at QPR myself, they idolise him there still. Then again perhaps he fancies a trip to Wembley and a Checkatrade Trophy winner's medal...
