Lots of players coming up for end of contract, so lots for the club to think about this season, like age of Pablo and what league we are in next season. Here's a handy guide for reference which I will update as and when. Harrison and Costa are not on here and nor is White but hopefully all will be next season. 2020 Berardi Huffer Coyle Huggins Hudson Casey Kamwa 2021 Douglas Alioski Shackelton Bogusz McCalmont O'Kane Nessy Davies Bouy Edmondson Cibicki Amor Grot Struijk Jenkins Kenneh 2022 Bamford Roberts Forshaw Gotts LDB Loak- Blunt Mujica Hernandez Stevens 2023 Kiko Kun Hosannah Miazek 2024 Dallas Ayling Klich 2025 Phillips Cooper
Not sure if this is the place to post this little beauty. Happy to move it elsewhere - just suggest where. https://thisisfutbol.com/2019/09/blogs/leeds-news-radrizzani-turned-down-27m/ Now if a certain someone on here is to be believed, Forshaw is so much better than KP. So can we expect a bid of £30m+ for him & see talk of him possibly playing for england whilst still in the Championship? I think not. I tend to listen to the experts out there who make these selection or massive spending decisions. So much more likely to be right that our very own ex-goalkeeper who has probably lost the use of his arms due to the huge chips on his shoulders. And yet we're called out as fools for agreeing with these experts. With no malice, of course.
The question for me is at what point during a players contract do you commence re-negotiations ? In my opinion there are about 4 or 5 young players who need signing on longer term deals now. Not when they are approaching their final 12-24 months. It would be far better to have the time to fully develop these talents before the pressure of contract negotiations becomes a factor in their future at the club. There is also the argument that players who would be desirable to other clubs should not be allowed to get to the 24 months remaining stage. It's at this point that I'm convinced that agents start chirping in their ears about million pounds signing on fees being available if they run their contracts down. Interesting debate because get it wrong and it can prove costly either way.
Someone this week said that no one could afford Harry Kane because he was worth 200 million plus. Well, if I was Kane I'd be running my contract down, choosing my own next destination and getting the mother of all signing on fees. It's entirely possible I hold this view because I can't stand Tottenham and also expressly dislike Daniel Levy.
Jammy the one thing we can miss with contracts and especially with Orta involved is the contract extension "roll-over". Some contracts like Klich for example means on paper his term ends next Summer, but reality is 2021 as we have the right to extend for 12 months. I have to say though I was shocked at the way some kids were released. Now obviously we dont know what discussions had been going on, we just see the headline that Hugo Diaz has been released. Maybe Bielsa didn't fancy, maybe Bielsa wanted him to change position, maybe he was tapped up or didn't like the offer if one was made. Successful U23 captain wins trophies, respected by the kids, plays all over the middle and defence, released and walks straight into a top La Liga outfit...
The thing about the kids though, Doc, is that they only have so much time to make their mark & break through. There's always the next clutch coming through, and they have to get their chance too. If you look back over the years, how many actually break through to become 1st team regulars? I don't know myself, but I'd guess an average of 1 a year over the last 20 years. That's an impression, btw, not suggesting for a moment that it's a fact. Occasionally, you get a clutch, but it's a rare thing. Everyone talks about the scum class of '92, but we've had 2 - the Bielsaboys & O'Leary's Babbies. Lucky or clever? I think clever. Just a thought, but if we had 5 breakthoughs a year, we'd still need to get rid of players as there's only 11 berths to plays for! As for Diaz, I have to say that I was never overly impressed. To his credit, he never disappointed me. He was a solid player. Solid though, is one thing as an u23, but or the first team, we're looking for sparkle. There's a huge gap between the two, and he had run out of time with us to leap it. And that's with a Head Coach that believes in kids breaking through! I don't think it was ever to be, and I think we've now got to the (most welcome) stage that it'll be more of the same in years to come, as the growing quality of the 1st team is making it harder & harder to leap that gap.
Agree with that WJ except to say we have never had a manager since DoL who planned to supplement the first team with kids. Usually kids are just sold on Think we can see if clubs use their UK born kids instead of spending ig bucks on overseas players it can save a fortune. Besides Bielsa Fat Fwank s forced to use them and hey presto 3 academy products scored 5 goals today with Abrahams on 7 goals so far
Interesting point about there being a limited time frame for young players to make the break through. The converse point being that too many older players hold onto their position in the team for longer than their ability should dictate, experience seems to outweigh potential far too often for my liking. Journeymen draining the clubs finances whilst also blocking the pathway and to what end, finishing 13th. It's another conundrum that will always be difficult to solve whilst ever jobs and careers are so result dependent...anyone remember Darko ?
Aye, agreed. We've had a right few journeymen over the years, haven't we? How many of the present squad would you consider to be journeymen? And how many would be considered to be journeymen if we make the PL? Worth a thread on its own, that one!
Presently I think most in our squad are on a journey and therefore to answer your question probably none. Even the ones I considered like Beradi and Kiko have so much to prove after the fiasco of last season's play offs that I believe they are 100% committed to the cause. As to whether players could step up to the PL then just look at Norwich tonight. Play football the right way and anything is possible, the reverse being if you play like Colin and the Udders then only the inevitable awaits.
Crackin' non-committal response. You standing at the next GE? P.S. Actually, I think you've nailed it!
