bluesfansince1952
Newbie
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2014
- Messages
- 1,179
Physical fitness must be a concern with Ranger (out of the game for a while), Ricky H (a history of injury) and Simpson (aged 32 and out of league football for three seasons or so), and, I do not see it all strange that MM needs their fitness proved to him beyond reasonable doubt. I did not think it at all strange that recent weather could have interrupted the making of these judgements.
That to me seems quite clear and logical. Other matters seem less clear. For instance we were definitively told that the club had not been in contact with Ricky H just a few days before we discovered he was training with us. What was that all about?
Our interest in these players would have been prompted by our desperate situation in trying to stave off relegation. I would think had we lost to both Newport and Cambridge last week the pressure for us to sign either Holmes or Simpson (or both) asap would be almost irresistible. On the other hand, if things have been stalled by the demands of the players the surprise acquisition of four unexpected points last week might cause the club to feel that there is less urgency to 'do something' than there was when we were occupying position 92..
I would love to see Ricky H in a Southend shirt but the idea of offering him a multi year contract does cause me some apprehension. One of the reason we are in trouble is the fallout of during the past five years or so of having signed too many players in decline on multi year contracts.
It is a paradox of all sports that players can often expect to earn most when they are older and their skills are in decline (and often when they are more injury prone). In short, they are being paid for their name and reputation. This reputation is built on their achievements earlier in the career when they were at their physical peak. If your manager has an eye for a player (as I believe MM has) it should be more cost effective to keep the money for the signing of younger players rather using it to sign an ex superstar and then have to watch his decline. And only if and when his injuries allow him to play!
As long as one two or all of them are fit and the cost is not excessive signing them until the end of the season seems to be good idea. Multi year deals? That would concern me.
That to me seems quite clear and logical. Other matters seem less clear. For instance we were definitively told that the club had not been in contact with Ricky H just a few days before we discovered he was training with us. What was that all about?
Our interest in these players would have been prompted by our desperate situation in trying to stave off relegation. I would think had we lost to both Newport and Cambridge last week the pressure for us to sign either Holmes or Simpson (or both) asap would be almost irresistible. On the other hand, if things have been stalled by the demands of the players the surprise acquisition of four unexpected points last week might cause the club to feel that there is less urgency to 'do something' than there was when we were occupying position 92..
I would love to see Ricky H in a Southend shirt but the idea of offering him a multi year contract does cause me some apprehension. One of the reason we are in trouble is the fallout of during the past five years or so of having signed too many players in decline on multi year contracts.
It is a paradox of all sports that players can often expect to earn most when they are older and their skills are in decline (and often when they are more injury prone). In short, they are being paid for their name and reputation. This reputation is built on their achievements earlier in the career when they were at their physical peak. If your manager has an eye for a player (as I believe MM has) it should be more cost effective to keep the money for the signing of younger players rather using it to sign an ex superstar and then have to watch his decline. And only if and when his injuries allow him to play!
As long as one two or all of them are fit and the cost is not excessive signing them until the end of the season seems to be good idea. Multi year deals? That would concern me.
