Lee Martin has cast doubt on his Portman Road future by revealing that contract talks between the club and his agent have stalled.

It may not be significant but a number of Ipswich fans are concerned that Martin will go the way of Gareth McAuley, David Norris and Grant Leadbitter before him.

That trio were all allowed to move on when their deals expired, their respective moves to West Bromwich Albion, Portsmouth and Middlesbrough on free transfers meaning Town did not receive a fee for any of them.

Martin, 25, is in the fourth and final year of the contract he signed when then manager Roy Keane signed him from Manchester United in a £1.8 million deal in July 2009.

Current boss Paul Jewell has said he would like to retain Martin’s services - mentioning preliminary talks between owner Marcus Evans and the midfielder's agent in the summer - and the player has consistently reiterated his desire to remain at the club.

He said: “The last I heard was that my agent got an email saying ‘We’ll be in touch’ and that was in August. We haven’t heard anything yet.

“The ball is firmly in the club’s court and other than that, as far as I’m concerned, all I can do is keep working hard and coming in. All the time I’m here I will be fully committed.”

Martin, who has scored six times in his 79 appearances for Ipswich, admits he is frustrated by the lack of progress in securing his future in Suffolk.

But he added: “That’s life, isn’t it? That’s the life of a footballer and you just have to get on with it. Sometime you want to get your future sorted but you just have to keep getting on with it.

“I want to stay, of course I do, but I haven’t heard anything since August. The ball is firmly in their court regarding contract talks. It’s never nice, the not knowing, but I will be giving it my all for the club for the time that I am here.”

When asked if he would be prepared to follow in the footsteps of several team-mates, notably Carlos Edwards and Jason Scotland, and accept a wage cut to extend his time at Portman Road, he replied: “That’s what negotiations are for but they’ve never really got going.”

Photo: Action Images

TheWizardDeVos added 19:15 - Oct 1 For me, the best case scenario here would be for Martin to be sold in the January window. The major obstacle I envisage would be the fact that very few, if any, would be prepared to shell out money for him. There may be a few takers when he becomes a free agent, though I personally don't rate him at all. Every time I'm reminded of what we actually paid for him it makes me shudder. That's the most sickening aspect of these players whose contracts run down - the ridiculous fees and wages we paid for them in the first place. Misjudgement of players and mismanagement of the club's financies are the biggest reason we find ourselves where we are. It all started with the influx of foreign players Burley tried to incorporate into our hardworking unit after 00/01 and has been repeated time again by all managers (bar Royle) since.

0

Fatcatevans added 19:15 - Oct 1 He rarely scores, can't header a ball, is a red card waiting to happen when he attempts to tackle. Why are we bothered? Like someone else on here says he hasn't got the gumption to sort his own career out. Make him an offer. Where's he gonna go if he leaves?
0

blue_moon09 added 19:20 - Oct 1 Maybe the next manager doesn't rate him?? just a thought!
0

yorksblue added 19:21 - Oct 1 Our best player. Do me a favour. Fatcatevans has got it right
0

Bob7881 added 19:25 - Oct 1 Its official supporting ITFC is more depressing than watching Eastenders. Thanks sheepshanks you tooks years of history and sold it to a faceless brand who in a few years ripped the identity out of our once proud club. There must of been another way the club still has massive debts and when Evans gets bored god knows what will happen. I cannot believe people still hero worship Sheepshanks and call him a gentleman and a true blue. History will always record he played a massive part in the sad decline of ITFC.

0

tractorboybig added 19:26 - Oct 1 And some will say that this is not a club in crisis? Are we all leemings?
0

stringtheory added 19:28 - Oct 1 Glad to see some sensible comments for once about the situation with Martin. Once again we have a player claiming that he would love to stay here but somehow or other the situation is out of his hands and he is at the mercy of of whatever his agent and the club come up with. It's odds on he asked his agent to see what's about. Town I guess want to resign him but maybe at a more realistic salary than he's on at the moment. As a few posters have hinted, he flatters to decieve. By the way, how many experts on here realise that by 2015/17 Championship clubs will only be allowed to have losses of £5m If they are to avoid financial penalties and transfer embargoes?

0

Talbs77 added 19:28 - Oct 1 I admire the way he's come out and been honest about the joke of a way this club is run! Cant blame him for wanting a reasonable deal, like he said, thats what supposed negotiation is all about. Might also explain why his form has dropped. It goes back to what I have been saying, if 50% of your squad are constantly in the last year of their contracts, season in, season out, how can you possibly form a cohesive squad!! This isnt pj (although no doubt he's on extremely thin ice!) but the chief exec and ME, how many more players who we have paid millions for are going to walk away for nothing. This club at the moment is going around in complete circles, I dont know what the answer is except giving up Football and taking up tiddlywinks!

0

Gazelle added 19:30 - Oct 1 If modern footballers weren't so thick they wouldn't need greedy agents who take a large slice of what they could be getting.
0

ericclacton added 19:33 - Oct 1 Martin is a good player,he is confident ,lively ,and he unsettles defences,100%workrate.The people running the club would be crazy to let him go.
0

Dozzells_Bobblehat added 19:36 - Oct 1 Thought this might happen. He is the last of RK's signings on their original contract and probably the highest paid player (or one of them) and it looks like we are reducing wages. The worrying thing though is why arent we talking to him. Make an offer, it sounds like he is prepared to take a cut. Contrary to some others i like LM, and always have, we should be building the team around him and a few others.

0

Talbs77 added 19:43 - Oct 1 He played very well last season when pj stuck him behind the striker. You dont become a bad player overnight and is one of the few creative players in the team. Lets hope its not yet another player walking away for nothing. BTW I looked at the stats for top defenders in the premier league and guess whos right up there, one Gareth McCauley.
0

TimmyH added 19:44 - Oct 1 If we're going by recent history he ain't staying!
0

runaround added 19:47 - Oct 1 As soon as he said back in the summer that he would leave to his agent then it was obvious it would be long drawn out saga. I guess the club are playing hardball and making him and his agent sweat a bit. It may work in the business world but not always in the football world if another club are willing to pay him more. Unfortunately the people to lose out with this staring competition are the fans as we will have an unsettled player who will then have his game effected and pretty certainly will then leave on a free. GTRKing mentioned sell him in Jan for £800k, unfortunately we would probably only get £80k then

0

GibbsITFC added 19:48 - Oct 1 Am i the only one that see's no problem here? He wants to stay and we will offer him a contract in the near future.....?
0

TimmyH added 19:51 - Oct 1 Good point Talbs about McAuley and as a few others have mentioned if that is the case it makes you wonder about our full backs! - 2 posters have mentioned about Cresswell leaving Smith in the lurch (evidential in the Boro game) - and we all know Edwards is not a RB. On topic yeah when Martin is on his game he is a handful but yet again a player not playing in his preferred position, in my opinion another step backwards if he goes.

0

Talbs77 added 20:01 - Oct 1 GibbsITFC, unfortunately we have heard all this before mate. Sort of goes back to what I was saying about McAuley and for that matter Norris who both said the club left it way too long before trying to start negotiations. In my humble (and it is humble honestly) I just cannot see us progressing if 50-60% of the squad are in the last year of their contract. You cannot have 50% of your squad leave each season and expect to form a cohesive, progressive squad. No ones ever been sucessfull doing it and never will.

0

northdevonblue added 20:02 - Oct 1 For a so called midfielder/striker his goal return is beyond appalling probably a high wae which could be moved on. Having said that i do not doubt his work rate and commitment.
0

SamWhiteUK added 20:03 - Oct 1 Oh for God's sake, just sign him up.
0

meekreech added 20:05 - Oct 1 If Martin wanted to stay that much he would be telling his agent to get the contract on the table for him to sign ! The agents are only interested in making money for themselves , they have very little , if any , consideration for the players well being ! Agents have been the biggest factor in unsettling player - club relationships with over-hyping players and their value !!! As he is playing sillies with us he should be dropped and told that until he settles his future with us , or otherwise , he will not get game time !!!

0

hairbear added 20:10 - Oct 1 peteswindon i completely agree. No matter what line of work your in money talks. We need to cut our cloth accordingly. If Martin doesn't fit into the wage structure then he'll have to go. Its up to the manager to find a more affordable replacement. Even the top premier teams lose their best players.
0

BigAlsMate added 20:15 - Oct 1 Reading between the lines, I do get the idea he may be hinting that the club want to cut his money/bonuses etc. Looks to me like we are gearing up for a League 1 wage bill. And just when we thought it couldn't get any worse!!!
0

Talbs77 added 20:18 - Oct 1 If he hasnt been offered anything how can he re-sign? You need to be given a contract to able to sign it. For all we know he may be willing to take a pay cut but the club havent spoken to him since august.
0

harlingblue added 20:24 - Oct 1 I think in buying Taylor we have a better player for the same amount that we paid for Martin. I think the latter put in some good shifts last year when played behind the main striker, but I think Taylor will be even better IMHO. When Lee was signed from Man U Res, he was obviously given a very lucrative deal, but to be fair to ITFC and supporters he has not really delivered to the required level, either in scoring or assists, has been sent out on loan and made to train with 'The Youth' during this time! Just food for thought?

0

RegencyBlue added 20:26 - Oct 1 Well, given the past record of the muppets currently running the club thats another £1.8 million down the toilet! I fail to see how any business can survive by allowing the value of its assets to reduce to nothing time and time again. Its not just Jewell who is ruining this club!!
0

Blogs 298 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls