https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/josh-maja-sale-bad-deal-15774115 from the recent SD Podcast: “What we should have done is turned around and said when he [Maja] starts playing – the boy was on less than £1,000 a week – you start earning more money but we get more years. “We might be in the same boat with Benji (Kimpioka), who is in the last year of his contract next season. “Doing it after the event, [getting into the first team] the price just goes through the roof. “If we want to extend their contract and they’re not currently in our first team, if they won’t commit to that [ a club option for more years] when they’re not in our first team, they won’t play for us. We’re taking a gamble on them. Are they taking a gamble on us? We’re Sunderland Football Club. “We can’t have this again. It’s absolutely ridiculous. Is this club option for more years good for the club, or will it send the youngsters packing?
Not sure how it can be anything but good for the club. If a youngster gets into the first team, he gets paid more money but this also triggers a clause for the club to extend his contract - where is there a negative in that?
Think the thread suggested ''on the day'' (of funeral), but mine changed now - it's not that we'll only be remembering the lad for one day only.
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Sounds good to me, but if it's something that other clubs are not doing, I'm a little worried that agents might advice their young, talented clients to go elsewhere.
I suppose it might be that if they don't make the hoped for progress, you have an unwanted, overpaid person on your staff. A sort of mini Rodwell. And for young players, as we have seen on numerous occasions, the journey from promising youngster to established player is a very difficult one where many fall along the way. HOWEVER It's a chance worth taking because from time to time a jewel will turn up that will make the whole programme worth while. Even some of the 'failures' will bring in the odd £'s or so to help balance the books.