Scottish clubs handing out long term deals to average ageing players

[gannonball]

I see Hearts have handed out a two year to Andy Halliday however we had already set the bar pretty high by inexplicably giving James Mccarthy a 4 year deal despite being the wrong side of 30 and injury prone. I’ve noticed Saint Johnstone doing much the same with a few players. 
Im a bit perplexed by this, clearly alot of these players are never going to get these deals elsewhere unless they go to a lesser club on far less money so there is no need to tie them longer than necessary as they have no resale value. Anybody else baffled by these contracts of late considering we are still recovering financially from Covid and given the short tenures of managers often these are the ones that are shown the door first as they are seen as ‘running the dressing room’ etc.

Edited March 1, 2022 by gannonball

[Clown Job]

I always assumed players ask for it because they prefer some long term security over a short term deal. 

[gannonball]

Just now, Clown Job said:

I always assumed players ask for it because they prefer some long term security over a short term deal. 

I appreciate they will chance their arm for it but for the likes of Mccarthy he probably thought he was absolutely taking the piss asking for it expecting to get a 2 year with 3rd year option back.

[RossBFaeDundee]

Mate, just @ Dundee if you're wanting to call them out like that. Describes the majority of our team.

Edited March 1, 2022 by RossBFaeDundee

[gannonball]

4 minutes ago, RossBFaeDundee said:

Mate, just @ Dundee if you're wanting to call them out like that. Describes the majority of our team.

A fair point, and probably a decent example of why that model doesn’t really work.

[Fratelli]

1 hour ago, Clown Job said:

I always assumed players ask for it because they prefer some long term security over a short term deal. 

Think this is essentially it. IIRC Rangers managed to get Joey Barton by offering him a two year deal when Burnley were only offering him one. Joe Hart is on a three year deal with us, which he wouldn't have been offered down south. 

[Junior_Arab]

18 minutes ago, Fratelli said:

Think this is essentially it. IIRC Rangers managed to get Joey Barton by offering him a two year deal when Burnley were only offering him one. Joe Hart is on a three year deal with us, which he wouldn't have been offered down south. 

Yeah. McCarthy too could probably have got more money from one of the bigger Championship teams down south so a longer contract may have been necessary to sweeten the deal. 

[Kyle Reese]

1 hour ago, gannonball said:

I see Hearts have handed out a two year to Andy Halliday however we had already set the bar pretty high by inexplicably giving James Mccarthy a 4 year deal despite being the wrong side of 30 and injury prone. I’ve noticed Saint Johnstone doing much the same with a few players. 
Im a bit perplexed by this, clearly alot of these players are never going to get these deals elsewhere unless they go to a lesser club on far less money so there is no need to tie them longer than necessary as they have no resale value. Anybody else baffled by these contracts of late considering we are still recovering financially from Covid and given the short tenures of managers often these are the ones that are shown the door first as they are seen as ‘running the dressing room’ etc.

Purely and simply down to the lack of finances in our game.

[invergowrie arab]

United do it for far far below average players.

I'll essentially be paying for Mark Connolys Netflix until 2024 

[gannonball]

31 minutes ago, Fratelli said:

Think this is essentially it. IIRC Rangers managed to get Joey Barton by offering him a two year deal when Burnley were only offering him one. Joe Hart is on a three year deal with us, which he wouldn't have been offered down south. 

To be fair Hart is way above average and we paid a fee so not really talking about his type (especially being a goalkeeper where the decline is often more gradual). Joey Barton had also just got Burnley promoted and I think was in the championship team of the year and wouldn’t have been short of similar decent offers.

[Swello]

Because when I was young, we signed over-the-hill Davie Cooper and he was fucking sensational - I unashamedly still love the idea of signing an ageing player who has been brilliant in the past for "one more great season".

Problem is, it's an utterly shite idea that almost never works - a jobber that can play in 3 positions would give you better value 99 out of a hundred times.

[Mark Connolly]

41 minutes ago, invergowrie arab said:

United do it for far far below average players.

I'll essentially be paying for Mark Connolys Netflix until 2024 

Bet that useless c**t has the full 4K, multiple screens package as well

[AJF]

Some work, and some don’t, I suppose.

We signed Davie Weir at 36 years old and he went on to feature over 200 times for us, winning 3 league titles and reaching a European final.

You then have the likes of Barton that flopped. It’s a tough one to get right but if you get the right type of character it could be massive.

[craigkillie]

Because when I was young, we signed over-the-hill Davie Cooper and he was fucking sensational - I unashamedly still love the idea of signing an ageing player who has been brilliant in the past for "one more great season".
Problem is, it's an utterly shite idea that almost never works - a jobber that can play in 3 positions would give you better value 99 out of a hundred times.

It's worked with us for Chris Burke, but he only gets a year at a time.

[Lyle Lanley]

Darren McGregor signed a 4 year contract extension with us in 2019 when he was 33. 

[Granny Danger]

24 minutes ago, Mark Connolly said:

Bet that useless c**t has the full 4K, multiple screens package as well

He should be made to have just one channel, DUTV.  With no mute facility.

That would sort him out.

[gannonball]

10 minutes ago, Lyle Lanley said:

Darren McGregor signed a 4 year contract extension with us in 2019 when he was 33. 

Does he not have a pretty dodgy knee too?

[Crawford]

Paul McGowan would get a contract extension whilst in prison with us.

It's this "running the dressing room" pish like you said. Personally despise it as that's when complacency sets in and if younger players see old duffers getting away with it they will put in less effort too.

Really needs in the bin because its these players that also shape the future Scottish national team.

[Zing.]

24 minutes ago, Lyle Lanley said:

Darren McGregor signed a 4 year contract extension with us in 2019 when he was 33. 

That’s ok because he’s sexy as f**k and a Scottish Cup winner. 

[RandomGuy.]

3 hours ago, gannonball said:

I see Hearts have handed out a two year to Andy Halliday however we had already set the bar pretty high by inexplicably giving James Mccarthy a 4 year deal despite being the wrong side of 30 and injury prone. I’ve noticed Saint Johnstone doing much the same with a few players. 
Im a bit perplexed by this, clearly alot of these players are never going to get these deals elsewhere unless they go to a lesser club on far less money so there is no need to tie them longer than necessary as they have no resale value. Anybody else baffled by these contracts of late considering we are still recovering financially from Covid and given the short tenures of managers often these are the ones that are shown the door first as they are seen as ‘running the dressing room’ etc.

It's usually because teams need squad players they know aren't complete flops.

A bang average 30yo is less of a gamble than a totally unknown 22yo. Is it right? Maybe not, bit not everyone in a 23 man squad can be a young gamble.