http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/22262/mccarthy-in-no-hurry-over-contracts More wise words from Mick on the current contract situation with a number of players at Portman Road. Personally I wouldn't be all that bothered if all of these players listed were moved on in the summer.
JWM I agree with you about not being fussed if any of those named moved on.But then how many of the current squad are really up to pushing us towards the play offs and beyond?That really is a question for debate,from those below: 1 England GK Scott Loach(?) 2 Wales DF Elliott Hewitt(Y) 3 England DF Aaron Cresswell(Y) 4 England DF Luke Chambers(?) 7 Trinidad and Tobago MF Carlos Edwards (captain)(Y) 9 England FW Jay Emmanuel-Thomas(N) 10 England FW Michael Chopra(N) 11 England MF Lee Martin(N) 12 England GK Arran Lee-Barrett(?) 14 Trinidad and Tobago FW Jason Scotland(N) 15 England DF Tyrone Mings(?) 17 England MF Andy Drury(N) 18 England FW Nathan Ellington(N) 19 England MF Luke Hyam(Y) 20 New Zealand DF Tommy Smith(?) 22 Northern Ireland MF Josh Carson(N) 26 England FW Paul Taylor(?Y from what we've seen so far) 29 England DF Jack Ainsley(?) 30 England DF Joe Whight(?) 31 England MF Byron Lawrence(?) 32 Northern Ireland MF Cormac Burke(?) 33 Iceland MF Gunnar Thorsteinsson(?) 35 England FW Frank Nouble(?) Cut and pasted fom Wiki so ignore reference to nationalities and I've deleted loan players some of whom may become permanent
i agree with what Mick is saying but on the other hand they are all free to talk to other clubs so can potentially walk away for nothing yet again.
This will be the last year that we will have a large number of players with contracts due to expire. Mick will never allow this situation to arise under his management that's for sure. He is right to keep Martin and Edwards sweating about whether they will be offered a new deal. In the summer we will see a wholesale clear out when Mick begins to assemble his team and there will be plenty of current players who will be on their way out of Portman Road. Lets be honest most if not all of them have not performed for us to the standard we would expect so they will not be any great loss. The nucleus of the team will be kept and I can see Tommy being made Captain if he continues his excellent form. ALB, Loach, Chambers, Cressy, Hewitt, Tommy, Hyam, Drury, McGoldrick, N'Daw, Nouble, Orr, Mings will be kept on (N'Daw will be a purchase). The rest are all free to leave! Oh I forgot to add Paul Taylor but he could be doing a bit of bird before next season gets here!
I can see this from both sides really but it's happened too many times before, unfortunately I think the club has been mismanaged for a few years and what with the new regulations coming in football is changing. Letting Norris and McAuley go was stupid IMO. I could understand the why we didn't offer Leadbitter a contract until later on last season because he was showing us poor form. Martins contract IMO really should've been sorted in the summer but with him it's a difficult one because I expect he will have to take a wage cut to stay here. Clearly he's not worth what he's paid if it's rumoured to be £12k a week but I do think he's worth keeping, I know he flatters to decieve but other than Creswell noones made more appearances so again we'll have to replace him which in the past we haven't. Plus he's the only midfield player who looks like he might do something in our entire team!! Again it's also about keeping abit of stabilty at the club for too many years we've thought oh it doesn't matter if that player goes and not replaced them or brought in far too many new players!! We're certainly not the only club in this situation, I think we'll see as Mick said loads of free transfers over the summer!! I agree it may be a good thing to see a player fight for his contract but what if a club comes in and offers one of those players a contract now, they may well take it due to the uncertainty alot of players will likely be going through and that means they still have to see our contract out here and their heart might not be in it, so we would basically be carrying additional players when we haven't got the biggest squad until the summer!!
The only player I would be fussed about leaving from that list is ALB. He works hard and gives 100%, he's prepared to be third choice for his hometown club without kicking up a stink and his wages are probably not that much.
Kind of annoying to see players leaving for free again but I'm more than happy to see it happen. I have faith in Mick doing what the previous two managers didn't and that's replacing lost players with those of better quality, for less wages. FFP is going to change a lot and hopefully swing the balance of power back in favour of the clubs. Clubs won't be held to ransom by rogue agents and will offer only what is within their budget. Players who are not at the top of the game are going to get a reality check and will have to take pay cuts if they want to continue playing. I can see a bit of an exodus of players playing in England though if they find out they can make more abroad.