cattlin'srockshop
New member
I also see this as a fine opportunity for Dunk. We survived without Bridge and will do the same without Upson.
He was great for us but we need to start buying/using players who are not at the end of their careers if we are to progress. I am not totally gutted by this, good luck to Upson though.
Has Dunk's time come? Will Rohan be switched back to defence?
Not having a manager is my biggest concern, it's like shooting yourself in the foot every close season at this club.
Upson was our second best player so this is a bad day for us. But as long as we don't lose our first, that would be panic stations.
I really like the idea of Ince at centre back. I think he struggled a bit towards the latter part of the season in terms of going forward. I'd like to see us move to a much more quicker mobile passing midfield (a la Derby) and while guys like Stephens could be part of that I'm not sure Ince's gifts are ideally suited. But I'm sure the new manager will be aware Chelsea developed him as a centre back, so here's hoping.
I suspect he might not do much for Leicester next season, a bench warmer maybe. And that makes me sad, because he could have been a real asset for us.
you assume 2 contracts were offered?? we have no way of knowing if that's correct.
Even if we were promoted Upson could've left to Leicester who may have offered more cash or anywhere else for less cash as he was without contract. I agree if a player is determined not to sign a new contract there is nothing you can do, but remember the big picture here, loads of players contracts ran down at this season end, and then after that event we have Nathan Jones and Burke deciding who is allowed to leave and who is offered a new deal (Upson included), this is way to late.
If it is 2 contract offers as you guess, or something else, the club, should have a pretty good idea who is wanted and who can make the step up and who isn't, rather than decide after contracts have run down which is to late...... could you imagine the same happening to Man U players? allow half the teams contracts to expire and then simply hope the ones they want will stay?
Football is predatory, someone is always going to covet our best players and we need to do more before the ones we want have contracts expire, after which we have no control.
in the case of Upson a bit of foresight and persistent determination to pin them down before contracts expire was needed. A firm decision before his deal expired. He may have said "i'll wait" but it seems his contract decision as with the others in the squad was all done after his deal expired, by all means offer them a championship/Premier league either/or but to leave it till its to simply to late and we're powerless to the predators circling?
It is to late now and i wish him well, and i dont say this to deride our club, we all want the best players to stay and to succeed............. i still maintain that making decisions after contracts have expired is amateurish and removes control from the club. Its hard to find players of Upsons quality to wear an Albion shirt, If he leaves, let it only be because he rejected the contract offer made to him early (before his current expired) and despite the clubs every effort to persuade him to stay.
That needs foresight.
Probably go the same way as Bridge, will spend half of next season injured/on the bench then retire.
That is my view. He was having to have jabs to get through at tbe end of the season so perhaps next year will be 1 season too long. Opportunity for Dunk with Maxi as back up unless of course the rumours of Rio Ferdinand as player manager come true
I think there's more chance of you becoming player manager BG .