Next Season's Squad.

[Nameless]

Being reported that Mr S Baldock will not take a pay cut to leave Reading.

https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/spor ... scuppered/

Can understand the point of principle there but can’t really see him “kicking his heels” for two years despite that so hopefully something will be worked out - and did he travel to Spain after all?

IMO he is quite right to take the stand he has. Not his fault that he was offered a ridiculous wage. He is a player coming towards the end of his career and so has to maximise his income. It is easier to move a player on with only one year left on their contract as they might be offered 2-3 years elsewhere which would balance off a reduction in wages, but it is hard to move a player on with 2 years left unless we loan him out and pay say 50% of his wages - which reduces our costs a tad.

My gut feeling is that if Bod goes that Baldock will stay on at RFC for another season and move on next summer - unless a fellow Championship club is desperate for a striker this summer and prepared to pay up.

You would think in these situations it would make sense to just pay him a separation fee to cover the differences in wages.

Obviously it is what happens in lots of transfers, although would be a bit daft to pay a lump sum nowwhen we could spread the payment over the length of his contract, unless we could negotiate a reduced amount paid now.

[Zip]

Low has been consistent in his pessimism about loanees returning. He seems certain Oliveira will not be returning to the club.
It doesn’t look like we will have 3/4 new signings this week. Just the one would be nice.

[Stranded]

Low has been consistent in his pessimism about loanees returning. He seems certain Oliveira will not be returning to the club.
It doesn’t look like we will have 3/4 new signings this week. Just the one would be nice.

He is either spot on or going to look pretty foolish - but if Oliveria does end up signing he can at least blame a dodgy source.

[Snowflake Royal]

Baldock's obviously within his rights to see out his contract rather than take a reduced contract elsewhere.

But let's not forget that his doing so damages the finances of the club and therefore could hurt his teammates and also the rest of the staff, most of which earn considerably less than him. All so he can sit on the sidelines earning a ton.

It doesn't scream team player or 'the right sort'.

[Nameless]

Baldock's obviously within his rights to see out his contract rather than take a reduced contract elsewhere.

But let's not forget that his doing so damages the finances of the club and therefore could hurt his teammates and also the rest of the staff, most of which earn considerably less than him. All so he can sit on the sidelines earning a ton.

It doesn't scream team player or 'the right sort'.

You could say the same of any player signing an improved contract, that e tra money isn’tgoing To other players, or to do up the changing rooms or pay matchday groundstaff a few extra quid.
He has a contract and simply asking for that contract to be honoured doesn’t make you evil or uncaring. He didn’t ask not to be part of our future plans.

[Snowflake Royal]

Baldock's obviously within his rights to see out his contract rather than take a reduced contract elsewhere.

But let's not forget that his doing so damages the finances of the club and therefore could hurt his teammates and also the rest of the staff, most of which earn considerably less than him. All so he can sit on the sidelines earning a ton.

It doesn't scream team player or 'the right sort'.

You could say the same of any player signing an improved contract, that e tra money isn’tgoing To other players, or to do up the changing rooms or pay matchday groundstaff a few extra quid.
He has a contract and simply asking for that contract to be honoured doesn’t make you evil or uncaring. He didn’t ask not to be part of our future plans.

I don't think you really got the point. Money we have to pay him, could go on new players, or staff not losing their job, not just being paid more. That money will need to come from elsewhere. And this isn't business as usual, it's a funding crisis. And rather move to play on reduced (still very healthy) terms he's not interested.

I never said anything about evil, or even particularly uncaring. It's his right, but it is self-centred.

It's also not anyone currently at the club's fault Gourlay and Tevreden gave him a deal that wasn't sustainable.

[Platypuss]

It's (y)our hobby, but it's his livelihood.

[Royal Rother]

Indeed. He’s got 3 to 4 years earning potential before retirement beckons and then it is likely he’ll be down to ”ordinary man’s” wages. He probably has a financial plan to pay off mortgage, put his kids through private school, lump into a pension scheme etc. etc. based on his contract at Reading.

He must do what is best for him (and his present or future family) to ensure he gets as much money out of the game as he possibly can - end of.

Doing the right thing for Reading FC and its other employees is unlikely to be anywhere on his list of priorities.

[URZZZZ]

Not everyone chooses an occupation/lifestyle based off of money. Some people value the quality of their work and I would feel guilty earning as much as he does when he’s not doing anything for it if he’s not included in our squad But everyone thinks different thoughts and he may choose to take the money, which is OK (to some)

Not sure but get the feeling he was on the left side today ahead of Frost who wasn’t seen so maybe he may still have a future

[Hound]

I do think with Baldock he will be re-integrated if we can’t move him on for a decent fee. I get the feeling that they don’t want to just write off the fee we paid for him etc

Still think a) he could be useful and b) he’s going to be difficult to shift

[Stranded]

Not everyone chooses an occupation/lifestyle based off of money. Some people value the quality of their work and I would feel guilty earning as much as he does when he’s not doing anything for it if he’s not included in our squad But everyone thinks different thoughts and he may choose to take the money, which is OK (to some)

Not sure but get the feeling he was on the left side today ahead of Frost who wasn’t seen so maybe he may still have a future

Impossible for you to say that as you are, likely, in a career where the only end date is when you choose to retire as you can change jobs/professions fairly easily. For a football player, they have worked hard for a career where only a small minority make it and have the ability to make enough money to set up their family for life. Baldock is at the age whereby, whilst I am sure he wants to play week in, week out, he will also be aware that his earning potential will be dropping off a cliff wherever he goes after us (arguably our fault for giving him an inflated salary).

He is not retraining or looking to change careers where you would expect a drop in earnings and can plan accordingly, he wants to continue in this same career so he is not being a money grabber but simply stating that he expects to receive the money he is contractually entitled too.

If you worked for a company and were on a 3 year contract at say 60k per year and after a year they made it clear you should move on but there was nothing wrong with your work & they weren't going to fire you but they were just going a different way. You can still come to work every day but the only difference is you can't come to the key team event on a Friday anymore.

You look around and every job out there only pays 40k but that will barely cover the costs you have budgeted for as you rightly expect a 60k salary for the next couple of years - so you've splashed out a bit - paid more for an extra phone - maybe got that car you wanted and spread the payments over a couple of years - booked a better holiday as the family deserve it this year, that sort of thing.

Would you really just shrug your shoulders and go well 40k is better than not getting to go to that meeting and take one of those jobs and figure out how you will cover your costs later or would you not try and come to a mutual agreement with the company that they either pay you your contractually obligated salary now or find an agreement that they will pay you the difference in salary over the next 2 years giving you time to make the changes you need to if you are to take a lower salary long term.

[Elm Park Kid]

Not everyone chooses an occupation/lifestyle based off of money. Some people value the quality of their work and I would feel guilty earning as much as he does when he’s not doing anything for it if he’s not included in our squad But everyone thinks different thoughts and he may choose to take the money, which is OK (to some)

Not sure but get the feeling he was on the left side today ahead of Frost who wasn’t seen so maybe he may still have a future

Impossible for you to say that as you are, likely, in a career where the only end date is when you choose to retire as you can change jobs/professions fairly easily. For a football player, they have worked hard for a career where only a small minority make it and have the ability to make enough money to set up their family for life. Baldock is at the age whereby, whilst I am sure he wants to play week in, week out, he will also be aware that his earning potential will be dropping off a cliff wherever he goes after us (arguably our fault for giving him an inflated salary).

He is not retraining or looking to change careers where you would expect a drop in earnings and can plan accordingly, he wants to continue in this same career so he is not being a money grabber but simply stating that he expects to receive the money he is contractually entitled too.

If you worked for a company and were on a 3 year contract at say 60k per year and after a year they made it clear you should move on but there was nothing wrong with your work & they weren't going to fire you but they were just going a different way. You can still come to work every day but the only difference is you can't come to the key team event on a Friday anymore.

You look around and every job out there only pays 40k but that will barely cover the costs you have budgeted for as you rightly expect a 60k salary for the next couple of years - so you've splashed out a bit - paid more for an extra phone - maybe got that car you wanted and spread the payments over a couple of years - booked a better holiday as the family deserve it this year, that sort of thing.

Would you really just shrug your shoulders and go well 40k is better than not getting to go to that meeting and take one of those jobs and figure out how you will cover your costs later or would you not try and come to a mutual agreement with the company that they either pay you your contractually obligated salary now or find an agreement that they will pay you the difference in salary over the next 2 years giving you time to make the changes you need to if you are to take a lower salary long term.

Of course, you have to make those financial decisions. But also really you should think about how you look back on your footballing career. For us, wasting 2 years in an office job that doesn't want us isn't that big of a deal - you take the money and move on. But for a footballer you've got a limited amount of time, and surely you would want to spend that playing week-in, week-out and making the most of things. Scoring goals, winning over fans, becoming part of club legends. And in the long-run maybe that's more important than the extra money you are getting for your salary? Maybe you can establish good ties at a new club that helps you in the future.

There is more to life than money, and even if a footballer earns less when he stops playing he presumably can still earn a living. And that's also the key thing - how depressing must it be to get to 35/36 and have no more real ambition or goals left for your life. You've earn and invested enough to keep you comfortable, so now you can just 'relax' for 50 years?? How many stories do we see of footballers doing that and ending up bankrupt, depressed, gambling, alcoholic etc etc.

If you give up on your career at age 30 just to take a bit more money I think that sets a bad trend for the rest of your life. I say that as someone who decided to give up a very well paid, easy office job at 33 and go and do something else.

[Stranded]

Not everyone chooses an occupation/lifestyle based off of money. Some people value the quality of their work and I would feel guilty earning as much as he does when he’s not doing anything for it if he’s not included in our squad But everyone thinks different thoughts and he may choose to take the money, which is OK (to some)

Not sure but get the feeling he was on the left side today ahead of Frost who wasn’t seen so maybe he may still have a future

Impossible for you to say that as you are, likely, in a career where the only end date is when you choose to retire as you can change jobs/professions fairly easily. For a football player, they have worked hard for a career where only a small minority make it and have the ability to make enough money to set up their family for life. Baldock is at the age whereby, whilst I am sure he wants to play week in, week out, he will also be aware that his earning potential will be dropping off a cliff wherever he goes after us (arguably our fault for giving him an inflated salary).

He is not retraining or looking to change careers where you would expect a drop in earnings and can plan accordingly, he wants to continue in this same career so he is not being a money grabber but simply stating that he expects to receive the money he is contractually entitled too.

If you worked for a company and were on a 3 year contract at say 60k per year and after a year they made it clear you should move on but there was nothing wrong with your work & they weren't going to fire you but they were just going a different way. You can still come to work every day but the only difference is you can't come to the key team event on a Friday anymore.

You look around and every job out there only pays 40k but that will barely cover the costs you have budgeted for as you rightly expect a 60k salary for the next couple of years - so you've splashed out a bit - paid more for an extra phone - maybe got that car you wanted and spread the payments over a couple of years - booked a better holiday as the family deserve it this year, that sort of thing.

Would you really just shrug your shoulders and go well 40k is better than not getting to go to that meeting and take one of those jobs and figure out how you will cover your costs later or would you not try and come to a mutual agreement with the company that they either pay you your contractually obligated salary now or find an agreement that they will pay you the difference in salary over the next 2 years giving you time to make the changes you need to if you are to take a lower salary long term.

Of course, you have to make those financial decisions. But also really you should think about how you look back on your footballing career. For us, wasting 2 years in an office job that doesn't want us isn't that big of a deal - you take the money and move on. But for a footballer you've got a limited amount of time, and surely you would want to spend that playing week-in, week-out and making the most of things. Scoring goals, winning over fans, becoming part of club legends. And in the long-run maybe that's more important than the extra money you are getting for your salary? Maybe you can establish good ties at a new club that helps you in the future.

There is more to life than money, and even if a footballer earns less when he stops playing he presumably can still earn a living. And that's also the key thing - how depressing must it be to get to 35/36 and have no more real ambition or goals left for your life. You've earn and invested enough to keep you comfortable, so now you can just 'relax' for 50 years?? How many stories do we see of footballers doing that and ending up bankrupt, depressed, gambling, alcoholic etc etc.

If you give up on your career at age 30 just to take a bit more money I think that sets a bad trend for the rest of your life. I say that as someone who decided to give up a very well paid, easy office job at 33 and go and do something else.

But he's not giving up on his career, merely stating (according to reports) that he expects to receive the money the club has contractually agreed to if he moves on. Which is fair enough.

[Hound]

I'm sure he'll also think he can work his way back into the first team squad. Gomes hasn't in all likelihood fallen out with him or said he is rubbish, just ideally we need to shift him because of his wages

If we decide we can't get rid/Baldock doesn't want to go, he'll likely be back with the first 18

[morganb]

Sampdoria apparently looking at Meite:

http://sportwitness.co.uk/great-second- ... forcement/

Assume he is one of the five not-for-sale-at-any-price though?

[Stranded]

Listening to Gomes on the website, he is clearly starting to get frustrated at the lack of movement into the squad at the moment.

[Hound]

not the only one tbh

[Ascotexgunner]

Listening to Gomes on the website, he is clearly starting to get frustrated at the lack of movement into the squad at the moment.

So am I......every prediction league Ive seen has got us going down and Im starting to think maybe they know something we don't.

[Hound]

the official twitter has been good for this tour. Lots of pics, interviews and highlights. Definite effort being made there

[blythspartan]

I hope I am wrong but I just can’t see us getting rid of the players that Gomes no longer wants. I can’t blame the players, as it’s not their fault that the club are paying them better salaries than they can get elsewhere. I do hope that if they want to play regular football they’ll accept less money and move on.

It’s shocking how badly the club has been run in the past and how bang average players have been so well rewarded.

I am fearful for us this season as without last seasons loan players we aren’t good enough to stay up and I can see Gomes getting frustrated and leaving.