The contract balancing act

  • Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
  • Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!
Southern A

Southern A

Well-Known Member
Aug 18, 2020
21,441
30,724
113
This is a real tricky one. The players seem to be absolutely buzzing now and morale seems high, with one focus - promotion.

We have a tonne of players out of contract in the summer, and recent history of being burned in not sorting contracts out quickly.

Naturally we all want the likes of O'Nien and Wyke signed for longer - so there is obviously a clammer to get them signed up.

My fear is that if the club offered contracts to some, but not all, those that don't get offered them will be put out. Clearly that could have positives as it gives them something to fight for, but there's a real risk that morale drops.

So what do people think we should be doing? Is the risk that we may lose the likes of O'Nien if we don't tie him down, worth the risk of damaging morale by only offering the best few contracts?

Personally I think there's no right answer and I'm glad it's not me making the decision. I trust Speakman and Johnson to get it right. At least we can be re-assured now that any decision on this basis will be made purely from a footballing perspective and not out of tightness.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sunderpitt
Southern Adam said:
This is a real tricky one. The players seem to be absolutely buzzing now and morale seems high, with one focus - promotion.

We have a tonne of players out of contract in the summer, and recent history of being burned in not sorting contracts out quickly.

Naturally we all want the likes of O'Nien and Wyke signed for longer - so there is obviously a clammer to get them signed up.

My fear is that if the club offered contracts to some, but not all, those that don't get offered them will be put out. Clearly that could have positives as it gives them something to fight for, but there's a real risk that morale drops.

So what do people think we should be doing? Is the risk that we may lose the likes of O'Nien if we don't tie him down, worth the risk of damaging morale by only offering the best few contracts?

Personally I think there's no right answer and I'm glad it's not me making the decision. I trust Speakman and Johnson to get it right. At least we can be re-assured now that any decision on this basis will be made purely from a footballing perspective and not out of tightness.
Click to expand...

We've not heard any rumours but some could have already been offered contracts....by other clubs.
Or possibly KLD has said to them there's a big pot of money to share...if you get us up as a bonus with a new contract?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gil T Azell
Southern Adam said:
Personally I think there's no right answer and I'm glad it's not me making the decision. I trust Speakman and Johnson to get it right. At least we can be re-assured now that any decision on this basis will be made purely from a footballing perspective and not out of tightness.
Click to expand...

I'm happy for the first time in years we appear to have proper football people handling this - i've no doubt there could well be some discussions already being had around contracts for next season.

I think we have to trust them to get this right.
 
  • Like
Reactions: robinoz, Southern A and Sunderpitt
I think we see the season through, see where we end up and if it's the Championship, if any of these players think the grass is greener elsewhere it's bye bye for me as none of them will get a bigger club even if it's one in the lower regions of the Premiership.
New owner, good manager and decent crowds again what's not to like.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Montysoptician and Gil T Azell
Very difficult to offer new contracts until we know what division we’re in.
 
Onein and gooch should be tied down, we won’t be able to sign players with their ability on a free transfer, wether we are in league 1 or the championship.

Wyke is a tricky one, could he do it in the championship? And what size contract and money will he be asking for?

There will be a que of league 1 clubs offering him 3 year deals. What we don’t want to do is go overboard on contract length/pay and end up in the championship with a striker out of his depth on a long contract.

If we are promoted, I’d offer him a 2 year deal with reasonable wages, and if that’s not enough, reluctantly let him go.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TopCat.
Robref62 said:
We've not heard any rumours but some could have already been offered contracts....by other clubs.
Click to expand...
Only if they are foreign clubs. Any clubs in the English leagues cannot offer contracts until the final month (so, 1st June)
 
Dancingstripes said:
Onein and gooch should be tied down, we won’t be able to sign players with their ability on a free transfer, wether we are in league 1 or the championship.

Wyke is a tricky one, could he do it in the championship? And what size contract and money will he be asking for?

There will be a que of league 1 clubs offering him 3 year deals. What we don’t want to do is go overboard on contract length/pay and end up in the championship with a striker out of his depth on a long contract.

If we are promoted, I’d offer him a 2 year deal with reasonable wages, and if that’s not enough, reluctantly let him go.
Click to expand...
As he's out of contract, the sensible thing would be to offer him a tiered deal now - one wage for L1 and one wage for the Championship. Dangle the carrot of a promotion-related wage rise, but also don't tie us down to a player who (potentially) can't cut it in the Championship

Even if we went up and he failed in the Championship, there would still be a queue of L1 clubs happy to take him

It's definitely a tricky one
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back