As Dr Congo says, I'm regularly pestered by my university and the secondary schools I attend to donate money (despite only graduating 3 years ago!!!). One day when I'm in a position to donate I might do so.
Just to explain I think @drcongo 's idea is a good one...but the chances of its implimentation are about as high as the Premier League letting some of its one billion pound TV rights contract trickle down to the lower leagues.
Probably not, Tom. He’s only played twice for Port Vale since September and, for someone who describes his playing style as “a fighter”, one yellow card in 13 games suggests that he doesn’t put himself about too much! On the plus side, he can play left back as well as midfield.
Saw a tweet from some 'Transfer News' account saying Northampton have bid £150,000 for O'Nien.
IF that's true, I think it's fair to say he is worth a good deal more than that. Not sure the player would want that move either, given that we could be playing a division above them next season.
@Jonny_King said:
Saw a tweet from some 'Transfer News' account saying Northampton have bid £150,000 for O'Nien.
IF that's true, I think it's fair to say he is worth a good deal more than that. Not sure the player would want that move either, given that we could be playing a division above them next season.
Surely we can't accept that? We can't afford to lose him
Unless they are offering him a huge sum of money, I cannot see why he would swop almost certain game time in a team possibly on the up for a struggling team. But @rmjlondon may know more...
@Wendoverman said:
Unless they are offering him a huge sum of money, I cannot see why he would swop almost certain game time in a team possibly on the up for a struggling team. But rmjlondon may know more...
I suspect their level of wages is very much higher than ours, hence why Pierre moved to the Cobblers. I am sure if O'Nien is offered a long contract on say double his current wages and a big signing on fee, it would be difficult to resist. Could he be in Northampton Tescos having a coffee this very minute, discussing with Pierre the pros and cons of a move?
At the end of the day if Richie advises Gaz to sell, O'Nien will be off!
At what point does the gnashing of teeth about no signings begin? It's a bit late this year isn't it? People are usually complaining from New Year's Day...
He still lives in Watford, doesn't he? A nice easy commute to Northampton if so. But I think he's also very ambitious, with a real point to prove after being let go by the Hornets - so I doubt he'll want to sign for a club liable to be relegated to the bottom tier when there's a good chance others higher up the pyramid will show interest in the summer, even if a nice signing-on fee sounds tempting.
Still, GA did say that he expected to lose a key player this month (he also said pretty much the same to me at a recent prize presentation). I guess it's the way of football and certainly L2 to lose key players who seek more money/better opportunity etc. Not to mention the incoming money to the club(s). I hope not in O9's case but being realistic, it'll be almost inevitable as he's good!
He would be hard to replace. As for your comment Wendoverman, regarding no signings and teeth gnashing et al, I really think it is better to do your business early and not get left with the dross.
In my opinion, selling O’Nien to Northampton would be a clear signal of lack of ambition. I appreciate that we normally don’t stand in anyone’s way when they want to better themselves but If we let him go now then we are unlikely to finish top 7.
@ValleyWanderer , that sounds ominous, presuming it wasn't Eze he meant!
With Stewart and Harriman injured, Gape being up and down, injury, form and position wise, Bayo clearly having picked us as a suitable late career option that no-one is paying decent money for at 35, and Kashket and Paris way too risky/not showing top form consistently, there is only O Nien you could see being bid for.
(apologies for that long sentence!)
All the other key guys are at least 30, and while that's no age, it's not the stuff lower league player bids are made of
It's been pretty clear for a while Ainsworth needs to sell someone to balance the books. Harriman might have been in the frame but in recent weeks O'Nien seems to have mentioned in the press in a Barry Fry style to talk him up. Hope he stays.
@floyd , I have to say that's your Wycombe fan heart speaking there.
If there's no other interest in the background (and his agent will know either way), and Northampton came in, offering a big money increase, longer contract and at least half a season of a higher division, is that really lacking ambition?
Having painfully seen the difference in quality of Preston to all our players at the weekend, could he go to a championship team and start now? I'd sway on the side of probably not right now.
Also, we've made the play offs once in the last however many seasons. Will we do it this year?
Is it anymore certain than Northampton not edging out of their fairly tight battle to stay up?
Selling is a 2 party arrangement with a player in contract. If Northampton offer an appropriate amount for 09 it’s up to him to say what he values. If it’s job security and a bigger wage and Northampton can offer it then fair play. If it’s a football ambition and Northampton convince him that they are a better prospect than us then fair play again. Whether we agree with either of those perspectives is academic
@Malone I understand a player moving for job security and to earn more money, and I actually don’t mind that at all. My point was that Luke can do better than a club 6 places above us in the pyramid with whom we may swap divisions in May.
Comments
As Dr Congo says, I'm regularly pestered by my university and the secondary schools I attend to donate money (despite only graduating 3 years ago!!!). One day when I'm in a position to donate I might do so.
Just to explain I think @drcongo 's idea is a good one...but the chances of its implimentation are about as high as the Premier League letting some of its one billion pound TV rights contract trickle down to the lower leagues.
Yes exactly. It is an ideal scenario but very unlikely. As George Michael once said, the rich declare themselves poor.
indeed there's more chance of richie saying something positive about Wycombe Wanderers, it's manager or players.
Not many more philanthropic personalities than George Michael, I believe I heard. Or was it George Harrison? Or both? Wayne hasn’t done badly either.
Port Vale has released Anthony De Freitas - maybe worth a look
Probably not, Tom. He’s only played twice for Port Vale since September and, for someone who describes his playing style as “a fighter”, one yellow card in 13 games suggests that he doesn’t put himself about too much! On the plus side, he can play left back as well as midfield.
Saw a tweet from some 'Transfer News' account saying Northampton have bid £150,000 for O'Nien.
IF that's true, I think it's fair to say he is worth a good deal more than that. Not sure the player would want that move either, given that we could be playing a division above them next season.
Surely we can't accept that? We can't afford to lose him
Unless they are offering him a huge sum of money, I cannot see why he would swop almost certain game time in a team possibly on the up for a struggling team. But @rmjlondon may know more...
I would think thats about his value, we would probably accept it aswell.
I'd actually disagree on both counts Richie.
He's a good lad, and clearly loves it here.
I know he signed a 3 year deal, has that got 18months to run now?
What what if Northampton could treble his wages, and double that contract length?
Doesn't seem quite so obvious to stay in that circumstance.
I suspect their level of wages is very much higher than ours, hence why Pierre moved to the Cobblers. I am sure if O'Nien is offered a long contract on say double his current wages and a big signing on fee, it would be difficult to resist. Could he be in Northampton Tescos having a coffee this very minute, discussing with Pierre the pros and cons of a move?
At the end of the day if Richie advises Gaz to sell, O'Nien will be off!
I read that post, thinking i'd read my own there for a second
Hopefully he'll stay and see us up before seeking Tescos new. Not sure I agree with richie's valuation either...
At what point does the gnashing of teeth about no signings begin? It's a bit late this year isn't it? People are usually complaining from New Year's Day...
He still lives in Watford, doesn't he? A nice easy commute to Northampton if so. But I think he's also very ambitious, with a real point to prove after being let go by the Hornets - so I doubt he'll want to sign for a club liable to be relegated to the bottom tier when there's a good chance others higher up the pyramid will show interest in the summer, even if a nice signing-on fee sounds tempting.
Still, GA did say that he expected to lose a key player this month (he also said pretty much the same to me at a recent prize presentation). I guess it's the way of football and certainly L2 to lose key players who seek more money/better opportunity etc. Not to mention the incoming money to the club(s). I hope not in O9's case but being realistic, it'll be almost inevitable as he's good!
He would be hard to replace. As for your comment Wendoverman, regarding no signings and teeth gnashing et al, I really think it is better to do your business early and not get left with the dross.
In my opinion, selling O’Nien to Northampton would be a clear signal of lack of ambition. I appreciate that we normally don’t stand in anyone’s way when they want to better themselves but If we let him go now then we are unlikely to finish top 7.
@ValleyWanderer , that sounds ominous, presuming it wasn't Eze he meant!
With Stewart and Harriman injured, Gape being up and down, injury, form and position wise, Bayo clearly having picked us as a suitable late career option that no-one is paying decent money for at 35, and Kashket and Paris way too risky/not showing top form consistently, there is only O Nien you could see being bid for.
(apologies for that long sentence!)
All the other key guys are at least 30, and while that's no age, it's not the stuff lower league player bids are made of
It's been pretty clear for a while Ainsworth needs to sell someone to balance the books. Harriman might have been in the frame but in recent weeks O'Nien seems to have mentioned in the press in a Barry Fry style to talk him up. Hope he stays.
I'd suggest if 09 signs for Northampton it reflects a lack of ambition on his part as much as ours.
@Malone, no he mentioned Eze by name in the same conversation. I'm not 'in the know' here, just repeating stuff that's already been said.
Hopefully he ment Dale...........Could be JJ
Or Stewart.
JJ would also be a big loss to us of course. Who'd be a manager?
@floyd , I have to say that's your Wycombe fan heart speaking there.
If there's no other interest in the background (and his agent will know either way), and Northampton came in, offering a big money increase, longer contract and at least half a season of a higher division, is that really lacking ambition?
Having painfully seen the difference in quality of Preston to all our players at the weekend, could he go to a championship team and start now? I'd sway on the side of probably not right now.
Also, we've made the play offs once in the last however many seasons. Will we do it this year?
Is it anymore certain than Northampton not edging out of their fairly tight battle to stay up?
Selling is a 2 party arrangement with a player in contract. If Northampton offer an appropriate amount for 09 it’s up to him to say what he values. If it’s job security and a bigger wage and Northampton can offer it then fair play. If it’s a football ambition and Northampton convince him that they are a better prospect than us then fair play again. Whether we agree with either of those perspectives is academic
@Malone I understand a player moving for job security and to earn more money, and I actually don’t mind that at all. My point was that Luke can do better than a club 6 places above us in the pyramid with whom we may swap divisions in May.