Goodbye Rhys / Oi Devlin get the cheque book out

[blinkpip]

His last game for us then. Was only offered a new one year contract was disgusting.  How can we go forward if we don't tie up our better players for longer.
It has totally piss me off!

(but rhys did add he'll think about it, if offered a better contract he deserves) But it's unlikely.

[my-velocity]

He said he really wants to stay as he's settled here and he is still loyal to this club. Fukin board :evil:  :evil:  :evil:  :evil:  :fu:

[Johno]

one year deal for rhys, but we gave cureton a 2 year deal last season? rhys is more valuable than curo for me.

[Dazzza]

From the WDP.......

Former Chelsea trainee and England Under-21 International Evans is likely to attract interest this summer and admits he is not pleased with Town's initial offer of a new contract.

"The big question for me now is do I take the easy option and stay?" said the 24-year-old.

"If I do stay, the club is going to have to look at the contract, because at the moment it isn't quite what I want it to be.

"They have set a precedent by offering people more than one-year contracts but I have only been offered 12 months.

"Maybe I will take the player of the season trophy and put it on the desk when I have the chat!

"It would be a massive wrench for me and my family to leave. But the question is do I want to go into League Two and risk disappearing into the abyss or do I want to push on?

"If I do move and it is a step forward I hope people will understand that.

"Unfortunately it now becomes a game of poker between me and club and I hope it doesn't drag on too long."

Swindon deputy chairman Mark Devlin said the board was prepared to improve its offer if Evans committed himself.

"There is no point in negotiating if Rhys wants to play at a higher level - which would be perfectly understandable, " said Devlin.

Devlin also played down reports yesterday that the club was considering bringing in a more experienced coach to work with manager Iffy Onuora.

Devlin said his 'personal opinion' was that such a move would be worth considering but that the board had not discussed the issue.

He added that any appointment would be part-time and discussed with Onuora.

[Dazzza]

If true you have to agree with Rhys there's a precedent with Thorpe, Cureton, Whalley, Brown and Peacock all being given two year deals so why has he only been offered the one?

"There is no point in negotiating if Rhys wants to play at a higher level - which would be perfectly understandable, " said Devlin.

I can understand this from MD and even with the extra investment we're not going to be competing with a lot of clubs but hopefully we can at least put something on the table in terms of length that is viable and offer that within a time scale before it’s withdrawn?

This is part of the problem we saw last season with initial short term deals being offered to players like Grunt Sniff having as good as signed elsewhere by the time something else was eventually offered.  Vice versa with Evans and Eyeglue they dragged negotiations on over the best part of the summer and into pre-season and from a manager’s perspective left little in the way of time or alternatives had/when they walked.

What would people deem a fair offer?

[my-velocity]

If true you have to agree with Rhys there's a precedent with Thorpe, Cureton, Whalley, Brown and Peacock all being given two year deals so why has he only been offered the one?

"There is no point in negotiating if Rhys wants to play at a higher level - which would be perfectly understandable, " said Devlin.

I can understand this from MD and even with the extra investment we're not going to be competing with a lot of clubs but hopefully we can at least put something on the table in terms of length that is viable and offer that within a time scale before it’s withdrawn?

This is part of the problem we saw last season with initial short term deals being offered to players like Grunt Sniff having as good as signed elsewhere by the time something else was eventually offered.  Vice versa with Evans and Eyeglue they dragged negotiations on over the best part of the summer and into pre-season and from a manager’s perspective left little in the way of time or alternatives had/when they walked.

What would people deem a fair offer?

The Board are probably thinking they can get a good sum of money for him so they want to sell him. If so then that is fukin bang out of order, as Evans is one of the best and most loyal players in the squad and the only keeper worth having in league 2. Surely we can't start the season with Buleman in goal. If Evans would go, Iffy would have to look for another keeper which the club may not be able to afford so they should stick with Evans and give him a 3 year contract if that's what it takes. He wants to stay, and the board are just sending out a message that they don't want him.

[Nomoreheroes]

Not sure about this. From what you chaps said about Heaton when he was playing it would seem that there are other keepers of Evans standard in the reserves in the Premiership who are looking for an opportunity. So if we could cash in on Evans and get a player of a similar standard as replacement I would say go for it !  

NMH

[Dazzza]

Evans is out of contract and I'm pretty sure he's 24 or there abouts so we wouldn't see a penny if he walks.

[genf_stfc]

problem is its one thing for ferguson to send heaton down here to play in league 1, but next season will be a much harder sell for premiership managers.  Personally I would agree that we should pretty much give Rhys whatever he wants - he could walk into most teams in league 1 and a fair few in the championship.  If he just wants a longer contract we should fall over ourselves to offer it - i know what it feels like to work on continual short contracts, and its shit.

[Rich Pullen]

I'm not expecting Evans to stay. It'll be nice if he doesn't go to Bristol City ala G. Smith and Heywood.

Evans deserves to be offered more but Devlin is right to size up whether Evans actually wants to stay. No point wasting anybodies time.

[Stef Troll]

Hes a good shot stopper, but cant fucking kick a football for love nor money.  

Whilst hes saved us on a few occasions with match winning/saving saves, hes also inconsistent.

I'm not to bothered if he stays or goes, as i reckon there are plenty of goalies out there who are just as good as Evans

[flammableBen]

I he goes can I have a trial? I'm ace.

[adje]

He's good but he's not THAT good!

[pauld]

MD's got a point about whether Rhys wants to stay, but only offering a 1-year deal is virtually kicking him out the door. Offer him two, if he wants to go, he'll go, but don't persuade the bloke to go when he might be thinking of staying FFS. I thought we'd learned from last time's debacle on one-year deals

[Batch]

WTF, offering a 1 year deal? What is all that about. I thought we wanted to keep our better players now Power is on board. Unless this offer was made before he joined it is absolute rubbish..