RUMOUR - Tommy Smith

[wolsey]

Burnley had a small squad of good championship players who had a (largely) injury free season. They will struggle big time next season

Perhaps we should get their physio on a transfer

Good idea, but I don't think we are in the market for Premier League signings - perhaps we can sign Inter's trainee physio on loan for the season (Didn't you know that Mourinho is Rodger's best mate - I think he might have mentioned it in one of his many soundbites)

[Sun Tzu]

We could just get the physio that saw our small squad of players come through our Championship winning season pretty much unscathed....

[wolsey]

We could just get the physio that saw our small squad of players come through our Championship winning season pretty much unscathed....

Are you daring to suggest that anything from the Coppell era might be better than the glorious future that Rodgers has in mind?

Watch out, Royalee might be after you soon!

[UpNorth]

Smith has to be worth more than £750k.

If you believe the Actim stats he was the second best player in the Championship last year.

Hopefully, the initial bid is a bit of astute bargaining to ensure we spend no more than we have to. The £1.5m figure looks reasonable and I'd be very disappointed if we were not prepared to meet this figure. I gather that the club turned down a £1.6m offer from Cardiff last year so that is probably the benchmark

[Deathy]

Smith has to be worth more than £750k.

I gather that the club turned down a £1.6m offer from Cardiff last year so that is probably the benchmark

Not with a year less on his contract it wont be.

[CMRoyal]

Smith has to be worth more than £750k.

I gather that the club turned down a £1.6m offer from Cardiff last year so that is probably the benchmark

Not with a year less on his contract it wont be.

Benchmark, noun: any standard or reference by which others can be measured or judged.

£1.6m is a benchmark. We can expect to pay a bit less than that, but not 50% less.

[Deathy]

How long does TS have on his Watford contract?

[Franchise FC]

Burnley had a small squad of good championship players who had a (largely) injury free season. They will struggle big time next season

Perhaps we should get their physio on a transfer

Perhaps we should remember 2005/06 - although we had injuries, we were extremely lucky how they dovetailed together. Pundits said we'd struggle - we didn't.

[Kitson12]

How long does TS have on his Watford contract?

1 Season I think.

[wolsey]

Burnley had a small squad of good championship players who had a (largely) injury free season. They will struggle big time next season

Perhaps we should get their physio on a transfer

Perhaps we should remember 2005/06 - although we had injuries, we were extremely lucky how they dovetailed together. Pundits said we'd struggle - we didn't.

But we had a team that was patently too good for the Championship (hence the points total)

Despite the fact that the bottom quarter of the premier league next will be so far off the rest of the league, I will be astounded if Burnley top 30 points

[Sun Tzu]

Smith has to be worth more than £750k.

I gather that the club turned down a £1.6m offer from Cardiff last year so that is probably the benchmark

Not with a year less on his contract it wont be.

Why not ?

Is he worse than he was last year ?

If we need a player NOW the length of his contract is irrelevant.

[RobRoyal]

Smith has to be worth more than £750k.

I gather that the club turned down a £1.6m offer from Cardiff last year so that is probably the benchmark

Not with a year less on his contract it wont be.

Why not ?

Is he worse than he was last year ?

If we need a player NOW the length of his contract is irrelevant.

Wow, that's pretty breathtaking naivety

He'll be worth less because - presuming that he wishes to move on from Watford - he'll be available for nothing in 12 months. This puts Watford in a poor negotiating position - sell now, or have him for a year and lose out on the fee. We might need a player now, but we don't need Tommy Smith.

[CMRoyal]

How long does TS have on his Watford contract?

1 year, which is 50% less than when Cardiff bid for him I grant you, but it's never proportionate like that. Watford know other teams will pay more right now. £500-£700k will be realistic if he's still a Hornet in January, but until then I reckon they'll hold out for £1m in the hope that a decent start to the season will see him wanting to extend his stay.

[Sun Tzu]

Not with a year less on his contract it wont be.

Why not ?

Is he worse than he was last year ?

If we need a player NOW the length of his contract is irrelevant.

Wow, that's pretty breathtaking naivety

He'll be worth less because - presuming that he wishes to move on from Watford - he'll be available for nothing in 12 months. This puts Watford in a poor negotiating position - sell now, or have him for a year and lose out on the fee. We might need a player now, but we don't need Tommy Smith.

mmm, what an over simplistic view....
What you describe may be something that influences the decision, but football is to a large extent a short term game. Most people when they buy a player do so because they have a current need, not as a hedge. If you want a player you take a huge risk to think that if you wait a year you can get him for nothing. That year could see you drop a division, lose your job, the player lose form or make a huge improvement or someone else buy him.

Factor in that there is often competition for a player and that can easily over ride any effect that a contract is starting to run down.

[Franchise FC]

I don't profess to be an expert but I'm sure I've read that, in the last yeaqr of a contract, the player can 'buy' himself out of it - the equivalent of his salary for the year. If that's more than £1.6m, then it would suggest that TS is on £30k per week. If that's the case then WCBAP.

[Doyler]

I very much doubt Watford would pay a player £30k per week. Not in recent times anyway.

[tee peg]

Both us and Wolves are after him so to some extent Watford can call the tune.They are also desperate for
the folding stuff so I would imagine a compromise is not far away which will include add ons etc.

[Deathy]

How long does TS have on his Watford contract?

1 Season I think.

And Watford want more than a million for him? Hold your ground! £1m tops!!!

[Deathy]

I don't profess to be an expert but I'm sure I've read that, in the last yeaqr of a contract, the player can 'buy' himself out of it - the equivalent of his salary for the year. If that's more than £1.6m, then it would suggest that TS is on £30k per week. If that's the case then WCBAP.

Utterly ridiculous. Watford would never pay that at this level.

[tee peg]

maybe they do and that is why they are in the sh1t.