Once upon a time contracts meant something…

Last year, when a contract was alright by Colo
Last year, when a contract was alright by Colo
There used to be a time when contracts were actually worth something to both parties who had agreed to it.

In the case of football players it gave them security, the knowledge that regardless they would be employed and would get paid for a set amount of time. For clubs it gave them leverage knowing full well that a player wrapped up in a nice long contract would often bump up a price if said player was to be sold.

Right now though as I can see it these contracts aren’t worth the paper they are written on, which makes me wonder what the point of them is at all and if they should just be done away with. After all there are numerous examples of contracts being reneged upon or wanting to be reneged upon and loyalty has been far removed from the game so what is the point in all of them?

Take a look at Fabricio Coloccini for example. He signed a new long-term deal only last season after long and protracted discussions. Right now though that doesn’t seem to matter as our skipper seemingly wants out and with the only vocal suitors coming in the form of a club who can’t afford to pay his market value and want Colo to rescind his contract so they can sign him up for free.

Now of course with this comes the argument of what to do with an unhappy player who is under contract. Do we play hard and assert that the player in question honours the contract he signed just last year, or is it too much hassle to have an unhappy player on your books, especially one as key as Colo?

So say we let Colo go. Thank-you and goodnight, do whatever you have to do in Argentina and so on. What does that say to anybody else we have under contract? Do they then just turn round and say they are homesick/having issues/anything else to get out of the long-term contract they signed?

From a business sense our club has invested a lot of money in Fabricio Coloccini. Not only did we shell out over £10 million to sign him in the first place, we’ve also paid him rather handsomely in return for his services, some of which have been way below the mark required, particularly in his early days on Tyneside. Is it right that Newcastle United should just essentially turn into a charity and let him go when we arguably need him most?

Of course it’s not just a one-way street with contracts and some of them are more openly worthless than others. I’m still shocked that I see people banging on about Alan Pardew’s eight-year contract to be honest. It was as clear as day that Ashley wasn’t going to let that one pass without attaching some of his famous strings to it, and so it would seem as most credible sources seem to suggest that only one year of compensation would be due should Pardew end up getting the boot.

So what is the point in contracts in football these days? Far from being a sign of security and longevity they just appear to be another commodity that can be ditched as and when either party see fit.

In that case why bother with them at all?

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

134 thoughts on “Once upon a time contracts meant something…

  1. Many are now saying it’s a good thing we didn’t get Remy. All I see is that we are a club that can’t compete with the 20th place club with a ground seating 18,000 for players because of wages. If it is a good thing we didn’t get him why were we after Remy in the first place and what does that say for our ability to scout for good players? I just don’t buy it. We have been humiliated again. Our owner is cheap, everyone knows it. He wouldn’t pay to keep Ba, he wouldn’t pay to bring in Remy and he won’t pay for a decent CB. That’s why we’re in the state we’re in. No more excuses for Ashley. We’ve surely had enough of those.

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  2. So whats going to happen with Colo??

    Is there any players we could exchange with from Argentina? There is no way we should just let our captain leave for free. Imagine if we asked Liverpool to release Carroll for nowt coz he was home-sick and missing his boiler in Bensham.. totally ludicrous that they expect him for nowt..

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  3. GT @77, You could also say that Ashley learnt a harsh lesson from Allerdyce who well and truly burnt his fingers with some of his transfer dealings and ridiculous wages.
    There had to be something in it for the BBC to run that expose on Ferguson, Allerdyce and Redknapp, they are all ” At It” and the truth will come out in due course, look at the plight Blackburn Bolton and Portsmouth are in and what a gamble by QPR, **** or bust.
    I cant knock Remy and would loved to have seen him here but he had a better financial offer, who knows, he might have asked us to match it and you cant blame the owner if he told him to **** off.
    I am more snapped off by the media Love In with Harry the crook, just hope they all end up with a big **** sandwich.

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  4. <<<<<<<< dos not believe a word about his wife being ill,hes a plastic captain just looking for a way out which i dont mind in the slightest, cause as a defender hes a bit of a fairy imho. But what i do mind is this plastic captain wanting the toon to rip up his contract and let him go for nothing, dude has no belly for a fight in imho.

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  5. Robert @77 there’s definitely a lot of truth in what you say about Allardyce but now Ashley has become too extreme the other way and won’t spend even when we desperately need it. Everyone on here knows we have needed a good centre back for years now. Those don’t come cheap as with Colo. He cost us 10M but was worth it in the end. Another expenditure of 10M on a CB is just what we need, along with another good forward and probably another big CM. There’s no way around it, the thought that you can be cheap and succeed consistently is nonsense. Everton have come the closest to doing it in recent years but at times even they struggle with their league standing. Anyway what we’re doing at the moment just isn’t working. You don’t get to 16th place past the halfway mark of the season if you have a good solid squad.

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  6. Wellington @78 no papers are running the story that way, just bloggers. There’s no way to judge Remy until he performs in the Prem as far as I can see. However to claim interest in a player, make a firm offer to his club, try to get him over for a medical and then just give up is a very dangerous precedent to set if we plan to stay in the Prem. It will give other clubs the idea is that all they have to do is offer 5K or 10K a week more than we do and we’ll never come back at them. I hope that isn’t the case but I just wonder if Remy contacted us and asked for a counter-offer? He could have been vital in getting Cisse going this season. How much is that worth? If we go down by 1 point how much is that in lost revenue? At least 40-50M pounds with the new TV contract if not more.

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  7. I think we need 20-25M pounds spent for several seasons now to not only keep us in the Prem but have us well up in the top 10. We will need 2 good CB’s, at least 1 excellent winger, another good CM, and some very good squad players to replace Best, Peter, Xisco, Ranger, Shola, Obertan, Simpson, Ba, Gosling, and possibly Vuckic if he can’t stay healthy for an extended period. We may also have to replace players like Sammy Ameobi and even Ferguson if they can’t reach at least permanent squad level. It’s a huge challenge requiring a lot of spending. There is going to be no way around it. Other clubs do it and don’t go broke. Why can’t we?

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  8. @811 From what I have seen so far this season I think there are quite a few that are not up for the fight thats coming,they seem flat as a witches tiit most match days and its a bit of a chore to watch these days,time to step up and show some grit I hope

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  9. Batty – I have a really bad feeling to be honest. The club doesn’t look united – especially the players, they look disjointed and also look very low on confidence and I believe they have lost quite a bit of confidence in the club.

    Unless we bring in 2/3 players before the Billa game I believe we’re in the ****.

    QPR are spending and looking decent, Southampton starting to play well and pick up points and Reading the same. We on the other hand look pathetic.

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  10. (THIS IS A GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING. THIS POSTER IS LIABLE TO DISAGREE WITH YOUR POINT OF VIEW. ONLY ENGAGE IF YOU AREN’T SENSITIVE AND DON’T TAKE HISSY FITS)

    Bit lost with the article Toonsy.
    I think its important for the player to have security of knowing he will be paid for a set period. Without it, he could receive a career ending injury and be left on the scrap heap.
    Clubs would be vulnerable to players walking out and receiving no compensation.
    Unless you come up with a suitable alternative then I suggest they remain in the game.

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  11. (THIS IS A GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING. THIS POSTER IS LIABLE TO DISAGREE WITH YOUR POINT OF VIEW. ONLY ENGAGE IF YOU AREN’T SENSITIVE AND DON’T TAKE HISSY FITS)

    Colo should show some loyalty to Newcastle. He certainly didn’t show any to his wife and kids so should start and man up before he leaves a trail of destruction to the bint he’s shagged, his wife and kids and possibly newcastle.

    Mark sums it up well when he compares it to like Carroll terminating his contract cos of some bint in Bensham.

    It’s not easy for him but he brought it on and the club should support him but also demand he plays until the end of the season.

    Of course, if Colo states he is too stressed then there’s little that can be done. I certainly wouldn’t cancel his contract. Tough in my opinion.

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  12. It was reported we were in for Butland and it is also reported that Birmingham are after Celtics other keeper therefore it might be true that Krul is on his way.

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  13. I’ve got me heed in me hands thinking about what the club has done this season. We’re leaving a trail of destruction straight to the Championship as far as I can tell. Has Pardew really done everything he can with the squad he has? I would say not. Have the players covered themselves in glory? No. Have we brought in the players we need to strengthen the team? No. Do we have confidence in our owner and his managing director? No. Have we created a crisis of confidence with our transfer and wage policies? Yes. Are we headed in the wrong direction? Yes. Anyone want to add anything to this?

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  14. Big Dave @98 we’re going to let the Colo story rumble on until at least next Monday from what the press are saying.

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  15. Has anyone seen much of Butland? Is he any better than Elliot? Would we really sell Krul after selling Forster last summer and then bring in a teenager? It doesn’t sound right to me unless the owner is beginning his pullout.

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  16. Troy Stavers
    January 16, 2013 at 21:51

    (THIS IS A GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING. THIS POSTER IS LIABLE TO DISAGREE WITH YOUR POINT OF VIEW. ONLY ENGAGE IF YOU AREN’T SENSITIVE AND DON’T TAKE HISSY FITS)

    Colo should show some loyalty to Newcastle. He certainly didn’t show any to his wife and kids so should start and man up before he leaves a trail of destruction to the bint he’s shagged, his wife and kids and possibly newcastle…..

    troy

    it’s his wife that’s been shagging around – a employee at the club to be precise.

    that’s the reason he wants to go home.

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  17. G2@83 – I ask because the Evening Standard’s West End edition (not the same as their web edition) was scathing about the transfer, basically saying that ‘Arry was going to unsettle a lot of the guys on lower wages and hadn’t guaranteed performances from the new lads. From what I’ve seen, the difference in offers wasn’t small, either – some sources say QPR offered twice what we did.

    Their attitude towards NUFC was an apologetic shrug. What can one do when other clubs act crazy?

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  18. Roy me old bean did Hayley tell you that or did someone else ??? oh and what his Lass like ?

    Geordie2 @ 100 well that works in with what we said before it’s in the Regimes interest to let this carry on as it deflects some of the fans anger at lack of signings, then when they come out and say he’s staying he’ll be like a new signing and they’ll think that the fans will be that releaved that Colo’s staying that they wont be as angry about the lack of signings

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  19. (THIS IS A GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING. THIS POSTER IS LIABLE TO DISAGREE WITH YOUR POINT OF VIEW. ONLY ENGAGE IF YOU AREN’T SENSITIVE AND DON’T TAKE HISSY FITS)

    @Big Dave & Cropper

    My info is he has been shagging and has the lass pregnant.

    @ Cropper

    If that is true then Colo needs to be told immediately that he is definitely not going back to Argy to beg for his wife back. 😛 absolute rubbish!

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  20. (THIS IS A GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING. THIS POSTER IS LIABLE TO DISAGREE WITH YOUR POINT OF VIEW. ONLY ENGAGE IF YOU AREN’T SENSITIVE AND DON’T TAKE HISSY FITS)

    @BD

    I can see it now! The Toon persuade Colo to stay at the club and claim its like a new signing and most important of all he’s a CB! 😉

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  21. big dave

    i can’t say.

    his lass – you mean his wife?

    she’s a bonny looking bird – she speaks very little english.

    troy

    she’s still here.

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  22. Wellington @106 what you say makes sense and I do think they offered far more than us. If it’s true they’re paying him 75-80 K a week it means we offered him about 40 K a week which is absolute rubbish as an offer from us. I can see Ashley coming back with a 45K a week offer when QPR started meddling. It’s nonsense from us and just won’t work. I agree QPR are being crazy but it just might work and they would get at least 60M next year for their trouble from the new TV contract. I guess Fernandez believes in for a penny in for a pound and we don’t. We think we can just sneak by with no real spending. Ashley might be right or he might be wrong.

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  23. The club are obviously aware of the fact most fans don’t blame them for Remy going to QPR ,but they must know we will turn pdq if they fail to bring in a quality CB and FWD . Can’t believe they are stupid enough to think we’ll scrape through without reinforcements. Also if that’s true about Colo ,then I’m angry cause his stance is dragging the clubs attention away from the real job in hand strengthening not trying to hold on to our captain.

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  24. (THIS IS A GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING. THIS POSTER IS LIABLE TO DISAGREE WITH YOUR POINT OF VIEW. ONLY ENGAGE IF YOU AREN’T SENSITIVE AND DON’T TAKE HISSY FITS)

    @BD

    There’s a few people I know who have contacts at the club. But as you know, the people they know always claim they have inside knowledge yet it sometimes turns out rubbish.

    Living and working in newcastle, its almost accepted as the only reason. It’s the first I’ve heard that its been his wife that’s played away.

    Why in earth would Colo be running after his wife if she’s been shagging ??

    That sounds kak to me.

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  25. We are in total meltdown as far as I can tell ,relegation looks odds on now . Utterly fed up and disillusioned with the whole situation. 🙁

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  26. Spot on Kimtoon. It’s more about attitude from the owner now. Is he going to improve the team enough this window to make a real difference or not? If he doesn’t he may as well sell up. Going in for a 20 yr old LB doesn’t cut it for me. We need real quality at CB and forward at the very least. Nothing less should be acceptable to the supporters. He dithered in the summer, let him pay for it now. And while you’re at it get rid of Llambias at your earliest convenience Ashley.

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  27. Doesn’t pardwho have form in this department ❓ Shagging other mens wives. 😯
    leopards and spots. 👿

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  28. what hacks me off is the silence from Llambias & Ashley. There’s no communication from the club apart from puppet boy who normally tries to smooth talk his way out of the pickle we’re in..

    If we don’t strengthen this window I could see Pards seriously considering his position.

    He’s making a right mug of himself trusting these two clown and embarrassing himself infront of his players after promising them we’ll go places.

    😥

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  29. Everyone has become manic depressives today. 😥
    I’ve been saying for months we are in relegation form this season, but many have told me we wont get relegated. We’re too good to get relegated. We have so many class players who will drag us out of the **** we are in etc etc etc.
    mmmmmmmmm that coffee sure smells good tonight. 😆

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  30. so now we are linked to Gomis 😆 😆
    Like thats ever gonna happen
    I heard Portsmouth just released 5 players, now thats more like it.

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  31. Mark – Pardwho should be embarrassed by his own performances. He has already made a mug of himself many times with his outlandish statements.
    1) Carroll is NOT leaving the club in January
    2) We are going to challenge the top 4 this season
    3) We are going to adopt a more fluid passing game
    4) I am happy to challenge the top 4 with the squad that I have got
    and on and on and on.
    😳 😳 😳 😳 😳 😳 😳 😳 😳
    The bloke is a first class clown and well suited to working with the other clowns running (ruining ) the club.

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  32. yes, he needs to go. We should hire a proper clown as manager, at least we would know where we stood.

    It would make motd interviews a lot more entertaining with a sad-faced clown squirting water from a flower at the interviewer, after another defeat 😀

    where that wolfie and his ray of sunshine.. hes out there somewhere…

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  33. well we really needed the boost of a few signings before the Norwich game, and failed. We need them even more before the Reading game, and have most likely failed again.
    I just dont see us winning on saturday unfortunately.
    The best we can hope for is a repeat of the last result. 0-0

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  34. (THIS IS A GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING. THIS POSTER IS LIABLE TO DISAGREE WITH YOUR POINT OF VIEW. ONLY ENGAGE IF YOU AREN’T SENSITIVE AND DON’T TAKE HISSY FITS)

    My giddy aunt. The neggars are horrific.

    What’s the matter with you’s man! 😯

    You could have curly hair and have your wife run out on you. 😯

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  35. (THIS IS A GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING. THIS POSTER IS LIABLE TO DISAGREE WITH YOUR POINT OF VIEW. ONLY ENGAGE IF YOU AREN’T SENSITIVE AND DON’T TAKE HISSY FITS)

    The fans are to blame. We should be paying double for our seats so we can afford better players.

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  36. Way I see it (haven’tread the comments by the way) is that if you are unhappy where you are as a person, within a business, you’re unhappy. It’ll affect your performance undoubtedly.

    If it’s your captain and leader you are screwed. You appoint a captain based on his attributes that no matter how hard things get he’ll be the glue that holds it together. The amount of times we have had captains who have lost faith and what happened to us?

    I love Colo more than any other defender since Albert but if he is unsettled…goodbye. If your captain is more focused on other issues than the team this needs to be changed. Who was our captain when we last got relegated? Oh aye, a player who didn’t give 100% to the cause as his mind was elsewhere.

    Yes, we’ve invested a lot of money in colo but without him, our transfer policy ad unwillingless to buy centre backs, how much would we have lost in league postions last season? How much could be lost in league bonuses this season? Cut wor losses if he isn’t happy but it’s impossible to imagine the rest of the season with Tayls, Willo, Perch and an unproven prem league defender. I am sorry to say but the warning signs are screaming to me relegation and unless there is some dramatic movements in the market over the next 2 weeks, be prepared for the latest Mike Ashley ‘everything on black’ end up landing on red….

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  37. BB – well, you were right to predict an injury crisis. Most of the rest of us didn’t see that coming.

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  38. Does anyone actually think Tim Krul will leave this window and go to AC Milan ❓
    I do think it is possible, and wouldn’t blame him one bit. However I dont see it happenning for the afforementioned £8M. 😆 😆
    Now if AC are serious, then I would imagine it would take an offer of at least double that to get the deal done.
    How much did manure pay for Degea ❓

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  39. I’ve sussed it.
    Colo’s wife isn’t back in Argentina at all. She’s in Newcastle and that’s why he wants to leave
    We all know Pards and Colo had words earlier in the season, yeah?
    Come on lads put two and two together!
    😯

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  40. BB – I think the regime value Krul at twenty million. If Milan are prepared to pay that… 😯

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  41. £20M ❓ as I suspected.
    I dont think AC will pay anywhere near that. (if I’m honest )
    😛

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  42. craig chisholm
    January 16, 2013 at 15:58

    “i never wanted Remy to start with and i said it on here his stats were pants…toonsy had a friendly pop at me in remys defence if i recall”

    Not at all. Was just saying that it’s futile looking at goal returns when he’s not been played as a striker continuously.

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