TrueBlueArmy Forums

I see Andy Cannon is firing off ()  about contracts and the Scouse fellow who writes for the The News seems to think Championship sides will snap up the likes of Naylor and Whatmough if we don't tie them down before the summer. On a more realistic note, it would be a pity to see yet another Player of the Season walk without even a fee. I am talking, of course, of Craig McGilivray who I actually do think will be in strong demand from the higher tiers. 
Currently, he's on a fraction of the wages of Marquis and Jacobs - our second highest earner - so I think a pre-emptive gesture from Mark Catlin wouldn't be amiss before the contract runs out.

Seriously I can't see any Championship clubs 'snapping up' these players. If they were that good they would have been 'snapped up' by now. 

Also, it would surely be foolish for the club to enter negotiations without knowing which league we are going to be in next season

 Also, would you want players to be distracted, or possibly demotivated, by such negotiations, and affected by any negative consequences from such negotiations

Even if Championship clubs don’t come in for McG, Naylor, Jack etc, they, and the others out of contract, will probably get better offers than Pompey’s from other League 1 clubs - especially if the rumour about Catlin suggesting Salary cuts may be necessary if some players are to be offered new contracts is true (rumour based on a Snooze snippet I believe).

The situation regarding new contracts for players and the Cowley brothers is perhaps being left until the dust has settled on which division we are playing in......which may prove to be too late for our better performers, doubtless players agents are sounding out prospective suitors already.

Given how little money there is in the game at the moment, there will be few clubs splashing the money round. Most will be reducing numbers and, like Pompey, offering lower money contracts.

I think Big Mac was the only player that the club had an enquiry about during the summer despite all the hoo-ha about Curtis and, according to Catlin, there were no enquiries at all in the January window. I think the Cowleys have already made their feelings known on the subject.

If we dont keep whatmough it will be the 3rd year in a row that our best CB has left. We're in trouble if we dont keep him. Doesnt matter what league we're in, defence is the part of the pitch where you want consistency and continuity.

I dread to think what will happen if we have to either:

A: Find a completely new partner for Raggett
B: Pair Downing with Raggett
C: Go back to square 1 and get 2 new CB's who have never played together

All three options are pretty undesirable.

Not as certain as some that there will be little money in League 1 next season, Ipswich about to get new USA owners, an Arab consortium have bought Wigan, who knows what other changes are in the offing? OK, the Accys and Fleetwood’s may be cash strapped but others may yet have cash to splash.

I accept that the new owners of Ipswich and Wigan may well have the same philosophy as The Eisners in which case they will sit on their hands and their money, on the other hand they may see Championship football as a stepping stone to the promised land - The Premiership !

Just spending large amounts Money doesn’t necessarily buy you the golden ticket to The Premiership but, as ‘Arry showed, you can still make it without breaking the bank (that comes later when you try and be successful and not just survive).

The unknown quantities will be The Cowleys who are unlikely to accept the Pompey job (if they are offered it) with the better players leaving....and a budget less than they feel appropriate to rebuild/ strengthen and what our proposed Sporting Director decides is required (remembering that The Cowley Brothers left Huddersfield allegedly as a result of owner interference, The Summer Window might be an interesting time at Pompey)

(07-04-2021, 01:17 PM)Wightblue Wrote: [ -> ]Even if Championship clubs don’t come in for McG, Naylor, Jack etc, they, and the others out of contract, will probably get better offers than Pompey’s from other League 1 clubs - especially if the rumour about Catlin suggesting Salary cuts may be necessary if some players are to be offered new contracts is true (rumour based on a Snooze snippet I believe).

The situation regarding new contracts for players and the Cowley brothers is perhaps being left until the dust has settled on which division we are playing in......which may prove to be too late for our better performers, doubtless players agents are sounding out prospective suitors already.

Catlin has categorically denied that any players have been or will be asked to take salary cuts.