The one year deals

In some ways I can understand why they are offering these deals but can't help thinking they are shooting themselves in the foot, say the new lad from villa turned out to be a real find then we would most likely loose him at the end of his one year deal and get nothing for him.
You would hope that they would offer him a longer term after say six months if that's the case, it's the clubs life blood to be able to sell on for a profit. I do except that we've had more players not of any saleable value but you would kind of hope that the coaching staff can recognise real talent when they see it.

pacirv wrote: In some ways I can understand why they are offering these deals but can't help thinking they are shooting themselves in the foot, say the new lad from villa turned out to be a real find then we would most likely loose him at the end of his one year deal and get nothing for him.
You would hope that they would offer him a longer term after say six months if that's the case, it's the clubs life blood to be able to sell on for a profit. I do except that we've had more players not of any saleable value but you would kind of hope that the coaching staff can recognise real talent when they see it.

True, but if we had given him a 3 year deal and he turned out to be poor then we would be stuck with him for a long period having to pay his wages.
But your right any sign of real potential and after a small period of time I would hope they will give him that longer deal.

I think the "review" that they have mentioned would be heavily stacked in the clubs favour that basically it triggers another year on our terms.

The one year deals as people have said, can be beneficial, but you do need some experience and proven quality to have a chance of promotion which SP, DH and NC have all mentioned we are going for. Proven players do not really come for a 1 year deal or a 1 year deal with the option of a second year if you play 45 games! Not when other clubs starting point is 2 yr minimum and higher wages. BUT.......this plan may work with the young hungry lads, its going to be interesting/exciting hopefully!

Hi Chris

I cannot think of any successful business which relies on one year contracts for the front of house staff.This in my view is all about getting the club back into a break even position then hawking it out to the best offer.EWM won’t take it on but they might write their debt down like AJ

Totally agree it is all about getting back on track financially, hence the noises coming out this week about Hope, McCarron and Branthwaite, basically offering them out.
Edmo leaving due to “financial reasons” also.

So, the one year deals I get, agreed it’s a very risky way to go, that’s why we MUST budge on this, but I’m basically praying these lads click with the team, click with the philosophy and that the league is still crap this year!

We are told it’s the same budget as last year so surely some big players should be coming in to go alongside the youth.

The logic is sound, but I’m not sure it is a great fit for Carlisle , as a club.
If you are going to sign players on two or three year deals, you are going to have to accept that some of them will work out better than others, that is the reality.
Clubs with lowly support can punch above their weight by being shrewd with short-term deals and loans.
The problem with Carlisle is that I feel that the support is potentially there and that we are going to see crowds dwindle because there is no feel good factor there that we are going for it.
As has been said recently, it may transpire that we pull off some good transfers this summer and then prove the strategy is effective. After all, we haven’t set the world alight up to now. So I am seriously worried about how things will pan out, but we can only really judge whether it has worked or not once we have assembled our new squad and get to see if they are any good or not.

Bookies are clicking on now - have us down to 13th.

Salford now favs

Or a few like me having £20 on us being relegated.

If the lads we sign turn out to be good acquisitions at the end of next season we will be asking why they weren't on two year deals.

Flatcap wrote: If the lads we sign turn out to be good acquisitions at the end of next season we will be asking why they weren't on two year deals.

The club will have the option to extend by a year .

I wish we'd sign someone on more than a one year contract.

Not because I think it's a particularly good idea, but just so Panface will shut his miserable, whinging, ginger makem mouth for five minutes.

For the second close season on the spin we have misery face spouting ill-informed supposition and bullsh1t all over this forum.

We're all happy enough to be critical of the owners for having a meal ticket, but when was the last time Panface paid to watch us?

Piglet_Phoenix wrote: I wish we'd sign someone on more than a one year contract.

Not because I think it's a particularly good idea, but just so Panface will shut his miserable, whinging, ginger makem mouth for five minutes.

For the second close season on the spin we have misery face spouting ill-informed supposition and bullsh1t all over this forum.

We're all happy enough to be critical of the owners for having a meal ticket, but when was the last time Panface paid to watch us?

So just to be clear, you're insulting someone for being ginger and facially challenged...?

Piglet_Phoenix wrote: I wish we'd sign someone on more than a one year contract.

Not because I think it's a particularly good idea, but just so Panface will shut his miserable, whinging, ginger makem mouth for five minutes.

For the second close season on the spin we have misery face spouting ill-informed supposition and bullsh1t all over this forum.

We're all happy enough to be critical of the owners for having a meal ticket, but when was the last time Panface paid to watch us?

A lot of personal bad mouthing there. But what is your point?

Not the first time piglet has slagged lummy off on here.
I recon lummy must have shagged his mrs or something.

Reckon any of the players pay to attend matches, since it's their job too?

ParcelPete wrote: Not the first time piglet has slagged lummy off on here.
I recon lummy must have shagged his mrs or something.

I've done more than that, remember I have seen piglet in the flesh, and when there are people like him about, I know having a panface is actually fortunate!

And, not one thing I have said is bullsh1t, and I reckon I have been quite positive!

Also, I am a geordie.

I don't think Piglet will have a partner, the tide wouldn't take him out!

Bit weird signing players on short contracts when the aim is to develop them. Having said that if they are 1 year with the option to extend that is a good deal for the club. Why wouldn't Devitt sign that? Never met a player yet who wasn't sure he would get an extension

There was talk of a trigger option being placed in Devitt's new contract which I believe he had to start something like 45 games, as an ex player I think that offer is a bit of a joke really, if you are playing over 30 games you have contributed, at 29 and wanting to relocate all your family to Carlisle I think he deserved 2 years outright, on his performances , just my opinion.

Plus, Devitt was one of our better performers and as shown, is in demand so if I was him and the noises coming out of the club that he would be sorted in Jan, did not happen, then near the end of the season they would offer him a great deal, they didn't really compared to other clubs. And there are people still there who didn't contribute as much as him last season who have been on a lot more money then him for a couple of seasons.

He is genuinely gutted, he had the arm band near the end of the season and thought he would have it for the next 2 years, but you have to at some point stick up for yourself. If it was me and being from Newcastle and probably not having many offers flying about, I would have taken it, but as we have seen, he has offers, he said money was never an issue, but they still could not get there so I do not blame him for going. Family comes first.

These 1 yr deals with option in clubs favour for young lads is a good deal for them and the club, I think this is the way to go for say under 23s.

Being slagged off by Piglet carries a badge of honour-welcome to the Club Chris.

Laffy wrote: Being slagged off by Piglet carries a badge of honour-welcome to the Club Chris.

Aye my slaggings go way back, but as I said, if you seen him, you would get it

Now, I'm not coming on here just to stir up a sh*t storm (as entertaining as that is). But I feel like I'm in the minority here in not completely wetting the bed over this Devitt carry on...

Some of the comments on here and social media have been pretty ladgeful. You'd think we'd just ferried a 30-goal a season striker down the M6 with a gun to his head. Am I saying I think it's the right move to let him go? Not necessarily. I just think there's a real overreaction amongst most.

A few points...

1) Devitt plays in the most creative part of the team FFS...the middle of the park, behind the strikers. He took many of our set-pieces over the last two years along with Grainger (don't mention that to Holdsworth). If he is doing his job, he will be involved in goals directly, no? Hallam Hope was directly involved in the same amount of goals I believe - from the left wing - but his stock seems to be fairly low with most on here. Is this because Devitt was flashier? Or is more 'consistent'? Or simply more fashionable? Not trying to knock the lad, but do think he's replaceable personally.

2) Of his 21 goals in 112 league games for us, I believe 4 were penalties and a good few were free-kicks (Morecambe, Colchester, Exeter, Swindon... off the top of the head). We're probably looking at a player who - taking away set-pieces - has scored around 1 in 9/10 for us over a three year period. Again, not trying to discredit him as I do think he's an asset at this level. But I think his reputation is slightly inflated by the fanbase's disdain towards the board. The stats are good, not outstanding. He's also played in three years of tier four failure.

3) The contract stuff, whilst frustrating from the outside, shouldn't be a surprise. Holdsworth has been making comments about the days of multi-year contracts being gone at CUFC for some time. He's clearly under instruction from EWM to balance the books, and stick to short-term deals/ loans. I'd suggest he deems it not worth lobbing his bollocks on the chopping board to hand out a 2/3 year deal to Devitt and justify it to bosses if he gets injured/ doesn't reproduce last season.

4) Pressley has said on a few occasions that he will be leaning heavily on the loan market this term, which I know a lot don't like. But it's happening. And what's more, he has said that most of our forward options will be built around loan players, while defenders will come in on permanent contracts. Perhaps SP backs himself to sort out a number 10 from a Celtic or Rangers that can chip in with a similar amount of goals and assists? God knows there's enough young lads wanting to play that role. I know it pays to have our own players in the minds of many, and it's easier to keep a hold of our assets. But if we can get someone to play his role for a season, with wages covered by a parent club, there's surely an argument that it could work out much better for the club as a whole?

5) Final point. If Blackpool (L1), Plymouth (joint-favs for the title) and Swindon (seem set to spend a bit) are the clubs in for him, then are we really having the money thing? I know everyone likes to think he was desperate to stay here; with family, he probably was happy to settle. But I have no doubt the above 3 are offering more £££ than us. And good luck to the lad I say. If he can make it from a club willing to chuck it at him, he should do so. And as much as I'd love us to be more ambitious, I think having a limit and not going beyond it is a reasonable approach.

**Takes cover**

Why would you take set pieces off his goal scoring record? I’ve never heard anything as daft, surely there’s an art to scoring them?

I prefer Devitt to Hope because Devitt doesn't shit his pants at the first sign of any physical contact whatsoever.

182blue wrote: The logic is sound, but I’m not sure it is a great fit for Carlisle , as a club.
If you are going to sign players on two or three year deals, you are going to have to accept that some of them will work out better than others, that is the reality.
Clubs with lowly support can punch above their weight by being shrewd with short-term deals and loans.
The problem with Carlisle is that I feel that the support is potentially there and that we are going to see crowds dwindle because there is no feel good factor there that we are going for it.
As has been said recently, it may transpire that we pull off some good transfers this summer and then prove the strategy is effective. After all, we haven’t set the world alight up to now. So I am seriously worried about how things will pan out, but we can only really judge whether it has worked or not once we have assembled our new squad and get to see if they are any good or not.

Well documented that we have had our fingers burnt in the past but no reason to bring in across the board 1 year deals ..one size fits all doesnt work in this case.

Take away the fact it’s football.
You’ve got a young family, you’ve probably just bought a house, started kids in school, Mrs has found a job, child care has been a pain but you’ve found a trustworthy place you can put the kids when you’re not there.

Now, someone offers you a one year contract for a job on the same money or less. Are you going to put your family through the upheaval and pain of moving school, job, support network on the off chance you’ll get kept on after 12months? Chances are most won’t take it or they’ll take a similar offer nearer to home.
So why would you expect a footballer to do the same?
Unless he can seriously further his career by doing it and sadly that’s not likely at the moment.

It rules you out of signing anyone who isn’t single, 18-24, desperate for a contract in pro football, has no ties to stay somewhere and if they fit those criteria, why would they move all the way here to a mediocre club if they can get a similar offer somewhere else with a lot less hassle?
You’re not paid mega bucks in League 2 so you need security every bit as much as opportunity and 1yr contracts just don’t give you security.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the lack of signings is purely down to this 1 year only dumb policy. I bet pressley had a long list of targets and pretty much all of them will either have flat out rejected the 1 year offers or be seeing if they can get a more secure offer first.

The only players I can see signing these types of deals are either really young inexperienced boys who just want a break in first team EFL football (e.g Mellish, McKirdy), or players from north of the border who want a chance in England (e.g Iredale, Elliott),

I can’t see many experienced players say between the ages of 25 and 32 that are seasoned in League 1 or 2 accepting 1 year deals, especially to come up here. Not a chance imo. You may be able to attract the odd 36 year old looking to squeeze one last year out of their career, but that’s it.

It’s a shit policy. Fair enough have it for some players who have something to prove, but it should be flexible that certain players e.g Devitt and other potential proven at this level players are exceptions.

I think Devitt has been our best player over the last couple of years - they turn out cliches like we are building a brand but how is that the case when the team changes completely every year?

Yes get rid of the poor ones but the ones they pretended they wanted to keep - 1 year deals at their prime!

melbourneblues wrote: Why would you take set pieces off his goal scoring record? I’ve never heard anything as daft, surely there’s an art to scoring them?

As I said a couple of times, not meaning to discredit his record, just break it down a bit. Perhaps should have expanded.

In my head, four free kicks and four penalties would be very replaceable. I'd like to think most designated set-piece takers would have a similar record over 3 years (I know he split them with Grainger FWIW). Goals from midfielders in open play are harder to replace IMO, but what I would say is that Callum O'Hare contributed 3 goals and 4 assists in a relatively short timeframe. This gives me a bit of hope that SP can attract a similar calibre of loanee from Villa/ Scotland/ elsewhere to replace Devitt's statistical contributions – if not his experience, character and know-how.

I like Devitt, but you can't just look at things subjectively sometimes. He was one of the last here on an original KC contract (nice wage, incentivised, long). Mike Jones, in a similar boat, appears to have assessed the situation and decided he can adjust to this new approach. If Devitt decides he can do better elsewhere, good luck to him.

People slagging off the cub for only offering short-term contracts. Ross McCormack at Villa, 3 starts at Motherwell last season. £3m pay off to get rid of him. Available on a free and would probably come, become a bit of a Jonah
www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/foo...eping-party-16515548

McCormack could hardly make training at Villa can't see him making his way up here!

www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/ros...-broken-gate-9747579

Aye, you're right. If he wanted to prove the knockers wrong he'd probably come for next to nothing and do a fantastic job. But if he just can't be arsed he'll drift off like Goodwillie. Some player if he came and put the effort in mind

He was at Motherwell when I was there-I would take him in an instant

Markovitch wrote: Aye, you're right. If he wanted to prove the knockers wrong he'd probably come for next to nothing and do a fantastic job. But if he just can't be arsed he'll drift off like Goodwillie. Some player if he came and put the effort in mind

Goodwillie is a rapist though slightly different.

How about Adam Johnson. I think he'd take a one year deal!

Aye it's false economy when you think about it. There's bound to be two useless b@stards in the squad who never play. That would have covered the extra year.

Not the second time Andrew. I believe he didn't cover himself in glory.

Don't these 1 year deals all have options. So if the lad who couldn't get a start at crewe turns out to be Stan bowles we just extend

Speaking of which Cole Stocktons gone to Morcambe Nobby

Can you just imagine how it would lift the whole club, got people talking, make supporters excited again, if at the last minute they gave Dev that two year contract and he signed it, what an opportunity missed.

Am remembering that season Peter Murphy said he was going for greener grass.....didn't happen, he re-signed and stayed for 10 years
Hope you're right

seesaw50 wrote: Speaking of which Cole Stocktons gone to Morcambe Nobby

I cannae get over that. He could hardly get a game at Wrexham last year. Someone posted on one board on his day in this division he was unstoppable. Unfindable from what I saw. Hope it works out for him but he doesn't half need to improve. He looked like a raffle winner here

Aye don't like to knock the lad to much but he looked completely out of his depth when he was here, looked like a Sunday League player who had been thrown into a professional environment.

...and now he looks completely out of shape too. Has anyone seen Steve Davies recently now of Motherwell ex-Tranmere etc he''s really been sucking down the pies.

Told my little 4 yo daughter that JD wouldn't be playing for us next season and she started crying! Ha she has a picture on her wall and knows the names of half a dozen players.
Bless her.

I didn't have the nerve after that to explain the one year contract fiasco and the lack of flexibility in the new policy on contracts. She wouldn't have slept!

I suppose they won’t have the cheek to try and flog a 2020 calendar when non of the players will be under contract past the end of June. Might have to put prominent trust members in and Holdsworth for October probably.

That would be some calendar. Steve Pat on the waterworks taking down banners that haven't been fire tested, Jenkins in the paddock bar taking down out of date posters, Nixon serving pies to a mile long queue, clibbens in the radio Cumbria press box trying to answer a question without trying to sound like a politician and holdsworth throwing curle into the eden in a concrete waistcoat. Who needs the players?!

I'd buy one.

Markovitch wrote:

seesaw50 wrote: Speaking of which Cole Stocktons gone to Morcambe Nobby

I cannae get over that. He could hardly get a game at Wrexham last year. Someone posted on one board on his day in this division he was unstoppable. Unfindable from what I saw. Hope it works out for him but he doesn't half need to improve. He looked like a raffle winner here

Just a lazy so and so wanabee

bruntonpete wrote: Told my little 4 yo daughter that JD wouldn't be playing for us next season and she started crying! Ha she has a picture on her wall and knows the names of half a dozen players.
Bless her.

I didn't have the nerve after that to explain the one year contract fiasco and the lack of flexibility in the new policy on contracts. She wouldn't have slept!

Little grandson was the same when we told him Danny had retired..started crying then punching things...aged 7 .he'd met him loads and been mascot. ....we dont realise the effect stuff has on kids.

Kids want to worship their football heroes, get their autographs, and wear their names on the back of their shirts. This is so much of what supporting a club is about when you are young. You don't get this if a player is here for one season.

Holdworth cluelessly prattles on about DNA of a club, but this is what the DNA of a club is really about. Fool.