Mirror and Mail reporting that Saints have reached agreement on a new long-term deal for Jay Rodriguez. Although I am not too concerned that we could lose him, this would still be a welcome start to the off-season. DTLW
This shows loyalty on both sides. Saints could have waited until he recovered so that they could be sure about their investment but they didn't. Hooray for decency and loyalty. Let us hope that it is recognised by everyone in the squad who eagerly sign new contracts and reply with two very short words to clubs that come sniffing around after our many talented players.
We have previous for this...Saints gave a 1-yr contract to an injured player until he recovered (Connolly?). Would have a positive effect in the camp if true.
Naive to think that a long-term contract would still be honoured if he doesn't recover sufficiently. Would be foolish of the club to gamble millions like that. Good to get him tied down though, if he recovers well and continues to improve as a player at anything like the rate he has in the last year, he could be a 30-goal striker someday.
If he has a contract, it will be honoured even if he doesn't recover fully. Have never heard of a case where it wasn't and believe me we'd have heard the squealing from other professional players if a club tried it.
Obviously I'm not suggesting any impropriety. There would be clause stating that if he doesn't return to fitness in a given period the contract will be terminable. Can you imagine the outcry if a club committed millions to an injured player who never recovered? We'd be a laughing stock.
I guess in any contract there would be a get out clause, for both sides in the event of an injury that creates a situation where the player could not continue. If there is a Club in the UK that does more for it's players I would like to hear about it, it may even be the reason that Gaston is still with us, we took care of him when he suffered a potential career ending injury. There are many examples of the Club looking after their own players when they have got into difficulties. What they have not tolerated is Players that have overstepped the mark. It seems it is a case of you serve us correctly, then we will look after you. I have wondered about cases like Barnard, Sharp, and Forte where they could have been dumped on the scrap heap, but have continued to be paid, despite not making any visible contribution to the Club. No doubt they will be released when their Contracts end?
The players will also be insured against a career ending injury...I'd love to know the premiums you'd have to pay for a PL player!! Anyway back to the positives...the club obviously want to keep JRod and believe he will recover (of course, we keep having to add 'if true' after every statement).
Would be great news, but as us fans write off the tabloids on other rumours, then I'm not necessarily convinced anything is agreed. Will wait for the website.
I'm sure that it would be covered by insurance rather than there being a clause in the contract. A clause in the contract would not look very good. All players are insured should they be injured for long spells. Like the Andy Carroll part. Insurance would've paid most of his wages through his 6 month sabatical
Maybe, but it's a pretty major "pre-existing condition" and I wouldn't be at all surprised if they found it difficult to insure this particular contract if it didn't have a get-out clause of some kind.
So we believe The Mirror and The Mail when they tell us something we want to hear? I hope this is true, but so far it's just column inches.
