Players Fuming at Ransom Comment
Monday, 18th Apr 2011 16:25

Town’s out of contract players are reportedly "fuming" at chief executive Simon Clegg’s comment last week insisting that the club wouldn’t be held to ransom over their new deals. Clegg has been involved in negotiating terms with a number of senior professionals with manager Paul Jewell revealing on Saturday that several are close to signing.

Speaking last Thursday, Clegg said: "Paul is very clear he's not going to be held to ransom by any player. He is heavily involved in determining the level we make on the contract negotiations.

"He recognises, like myself, we have the responsibility to run this club within a budget that is acceptable to the owner."

A source close to club is reported to have told the Evening Star that the players reacted angrily to Clegg’s comments: “The players were left fuming after reading that. The club has done little to get contract talks moving for months, and the players have been patiently waiting.

“Money is not the main factor and they are not asking for the earth. Lesser professionals in similar situations would have feigned an injury or two by now to ensure they were fit to take on a challenge with a new club next season.

“But there has been none of that. Players are keen to stay and they have families that are keen to stay.”

After Saturday’s game Jewell was at pains to dismiss the suggestion that players were holding the club to ransom, as reported by TWTD this morning, and praised them for their professionalism.

The Blues boss said Damien Delaney has agreed his deal and should formally sign today or tomorrow, while Gareth McAuley, Colin Healy, Brian Murphy and Arran Lee-Barrett have all been offered terms and as of the end of last week talks were continuing with skipper David Norris.

Meanwhile, midfielder Grant Leadbitter hasn't yet been ruled out of Thursday's local derby with Norwich despite having been hospitalised with a head injury during Saturday's 1-0 win at Bristol City.

Photo: Action Images

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jas0999 added 19:38 - Apr 18

Clegg surely has to go? Last week he essentially accused ITFC fans of lying re excuses for late season ticket renewals - his hard line on this - considering what we have had to put up with / the price rise, was nothing short of abysmal. Then he manages to alienate the out of contract players - who could leave for nothing. All this, after failing to sort the sorry mess out earlier and failing to sign the players PJ and Roy wanted.

I am afraid I just can't see why some people still rate this guy. Still, each to their own.

Guthrum added 19:48 - Apr 18 Press hype from the EADT/Evening Star. Again.
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stringtheory added 19:54 - Apr 18 Sensible comments from jas1972 and my3girls. Most of the other posts have Clegg running the club single-handedly and totally responsible for any dubious decisions. There are so many expert football and business managers on here, I'm left wondering if we have any working-class supporters left.
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Blue041273 added 20:03 - Apr 18

I can't understand the problem here. While the concensus is that we want the players offered contracts to stay, we know that they will not sign unless they are happy with the terms offered. We understand that this is reasonable. Similarly we understand that the job of an agent is to extract the best possible contract from the club for the player he represents. Again this is totally reasonable. By this token it is also perfectly reasonable for the CEO to draw a line in the sand and state categorically that no employee is indispensible. If the contractual demands exceed what the Club feels is appropriate then it has to be 'Thanks, goodbye and good luck son'.

You can understand that the players are peeved with the situation (and this has been acknowledged by the Manager) but there is an element of 'having your cake and eating it' here. The offers have been made; the players seem to be keen to stay; certain terms may still be negotiable, but even though it appears to be a deep hole he has dug for himself, SC is absolutely right. If there is any suggestion that the players are holding out for better terms purely because they feel we can't afford to lose them, then that suggestion needed to be squashed.

As PJ has said there is a mass of talent in the English game. Losing 2 or 3 players may be a blow, but ready replacements are there if you look hard enough.

Lightningboy added 20:18 - Apr 18 I'm still trying to figure out what exactly Simon Clegg has brought to our club since joining.............anyone know yet?
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Crazee added 20:25 - Apr 18

I will just repeat what I said quite a number of weeks ago:

While everyone is wanting to get rid of Keano, they are missing the fact that Clegg is the biggest liability at Portman Road and he is the one who should be got rid of, not keano

Now, whilst I agree that PJ has proved to be an excellent appointment so far, I stand by my original comments, that Clegg is an idiot who has to go, and go now!

KindofBlue added 20:59 - Apr 18 Trying not to jump to conclusions as we obviously don't know the whole picture but the contract negotiations over the past year have been a bit of a disaster and that is Clegg's responsibility. Maybe Clegg and Jewell are playing good cop, bad cop on this one but you do get the feeling that he is a bit rubbish in this role.
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HighSeasBlue added 21:35 - Apr 18 A "source close to the Players" wouldn't be an agent trying to cause a few waves of discontent would it??
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Blue041273 added 21:41 - Apr 18

KindofBlue

There's no 'Good Cop / Bad Cop' about it. The players don't need to, and probably don't want to, communicate with the CEO at all. After all it's not in their interests. The Manager knows what they're worth to the club; the CEO doesn't. We shouldn't blame him for that. He controls the purse strings and players are assets on a balance sheet. After parading a new signing in the shirt the depreciation in the financial records begins.

At the end of the day players, like any employees in any type of business, know what they're worth. They might try to squeeze the orange a bit more but sometimes there might not be any more juice there.

In my view there is no point in vilifying SC; he is merely doing the job to which he was appointed. If it emerges that it was his decision to defer the contract negotiotions with the out of contract players then there may well be questions but given RK's alleged rocky relationships with the players there might well be a different story to consider

StochesStotasBlewe added 22:43 - Apr 18

Clegg needs to get down from his very high pedestal he has put himself on. Lets get in someone who appreciates the players fears, the supporters fears & actually LISTENS to us, the players, & all connected with OUR club, someone who has an affinity with us all. This arrogant oaf has to be accountable, i feel he is passing the buck to Mr Jewell who has already worked wonders at our wonderfull club. It appears to be one gaffe after another every time this man speaks.

h32 added 22:53 - Apr 18 .... has this man got any idea at all about anything ?- the sooner he goes back to his previous life the better, and leave Football well alone.
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StochesStotasBlewe added 22:59 - Apr 18 Nice to see you h32. We agree on something (which is nice). Glad you are still around.
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bluearmy89 added 23:04 - Apr 18

What a barry of a situation! Leaving 21 players with contracts ending this season is staggering, I mean i'm no business buff for a football squad to be facing that and having to replace them is a risky and very worrying situation, thank god PJ has came in to steady the ship and thankfully get us up the table! Lessons have to be learnt!! 'A source close to the players..' hmmm it wasnt twitter was it?? I would trust that statement! We just need to get it sorted and concentrate for next season for a promotion push! Lets beat the budgies on thurs night!! COYB

churchmans81 added 23:31 - Apr 18 Wait until after the Olympics when Marcus Evans has no more need of Clegg to sort out corporate hospitality packages etc, then he'll be paid off and shown the door.
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Garv added 23:40 - Apr 18 These comments are astoundingly stupid.
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Tractorog added 01:08 - Apr 19 EADT out!
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Tractorboy24 added 08:28 - Apr 19 Clegg was only stating the obvious, and the players that are out of contract I would say aren't exactly Lionel Messi or Ronaldo. They can't be that fuming if they are close to signing, just the local rag trying to cause a rift because at the moment there isn't that much coming out of the club and they have to write something on Town!
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JewellintheTown added 09:21 - Apr 19

Doesnt really matter what Clegg does or doesnt do, some on here will slate him no matter what. Unfortunatley some fans will moan about anything because its in their nature. Keano, Martin, Priskin, Big Mac, Delaney, Magic - even the tea lady. Truth is we all know squat about what goes on behind the scene and most jobs at ITFC are thankless ones we'll never know about. If Clegg had said nothing, he'd be slated, he says what we all want to hear that 'our' clubs not going to be taken for a ride, we all agree, then slate him after this article. Seems the common problem throughout all the ups and down at town arent the players, managers, tea ladies - its the fickle, ignorant and mouthy fans!

Matteo_Sereni added 09:32 - Apr 19 when i criticised Clegg on here the other week i was slated by many of the posters on here now also criticising him! funny that isnt it....not mentioning any names of course!
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DiamondGezzer added 09:58 - Apr 19 Could it be that the ' source close to the club ' is an annonymous budgie phone caller, who has done a great piece of PR to upset the fans/players et al of our club for Thursday ?
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Worcester added 10:08 - Apr 19 calamity clegg strikes again!!
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blue_em_away added 12:10 - Apr 19 Mountain out of a mole hill
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brockleyblueboy added 12:24 - Apr 19 This guy is totally clueless, whether there is any substance behind this comment, Clegg is an absolute muppet that doesn't know his arse from his elbow. How many signings have we missed out on and how many good players could we lose because of his stupidity and naivety of running a football club. Get rid
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