Jones - new 3 year contract
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starplayer
Well-known member
The thing about mcgree is that we know he can play well at the top end of the championship. Our attempts to replace the left side role with Silvera and Greenwood has not worked. I would sooner keep mcgree as lose the others, then add someone as competition
Pointless keeping him if he's not motivated though. We just need to recruit better. Silvera was always a bit of a punt and Greenwood is exactly as was described to us by Leeds fans.
BigAl76
Well-known member
Jones signing a new deal is excellent news. My feelings towards Jones are properly weird. I think he is over rated. Not just by some of our fans but also the media. Pundits coming out with "the attacking force of Latte Lath and Jones" leaves me very confused.
He probably looks like a world beater on his showreel but there are just as many poor passes / crosses / shots etc than there is moments of class.
Having said all that, when he was out of the team it was clear that we missed him on that right hand side and he has made a positive impact now he is back fit.
The reason I say it is excellent news is because I think it points towards a summer of us re-negotiating other deals and like another poster said - he wouldn't commit if he didn't know that MC was going to be here longer term as well.
He probably looks like a world beater on his showreel but there are just as many poor passes / crosses / shots etc than there is moments of class.
Having said all that, when he was out of the team it was clear that we missed him on that right hand side and he has made a positive impact now he is back fit.
The reason I say it is excellent news is because I think it points towards a summer of us re-negotiating other deals and like another poster said - he wouldn't commit if he didn't know that MC was going to be here longer term as well.
On The Bob
Well-known member
Not sure where this comes from regarding McGree being unhappy / not motivated, beyond internet message board tittle tattle. His demeanour on the pitch has always been the same since he joined us.
He’s had an injury ravaged season. Our upturn in form during September was when he got back to full fitness and scored quite a few goals.
His foot injury was a frustrating one. It sometimes feels like a player gets a long term injury and fans jump to the conclusion that they’re not really injured and is just wanting away. Same rumours happened with Forss too.
If McGree had a full fit season and had performed really well, I’d be more concerned. He’s not going to get a PL move - his injuries rule that out and his lack of pace would make him a luxury player IMO. The main risk would be a bigger foreign side I assume.
Hackney is in the same boat as McGree. I don’t see sides taking the plunge on him as his injury record this season has been poor and he’s not had enough time to show his improvement on the pitch.
Both could feel like new signings next season if they can stay fit.
r00fie1
Well-known member
Like Carrick always insists in public: contracts, negotiations, communications with other clubs and finance are not his direct responsibility.
However, it is clear that processes are taking place all the time within the club - such that the likes of Jones are tied down to decent contracts, and players we want aren't left to wait and hassle over contracts, either at Boro or through agents and other clubs. Good to see the fruits of all the hard work.
However, it is clear that processes are taking place all the time within the club - such that the likes of Jones are tied down to decent contracts, and players we want aren't left to wait and hassle over contracts, either at Boro or through agents and other clubs. Good to see the fruits of all the hard work.
I don't know whether McGree is or isn't motivated to stay at Boro but obviously the club will know. It was more of a comment that IF he isn't motivated then it would be pointless keeping him. We'd be better getting whatever fee we could and recruiting a replacement. I'd look to replace him anyway due to his fitness record and the fact he's in the last year of his contract. I think McGree is a good player at this level but he just hasn't played enough this season and given the nature of the injury that has been reported, there's no guarentees over fitness moving forward.
I've heard from very good source that there's still plenty of interest in Hackney. The nature of his injuries this season aren't really a concern for clubs. I don't think he'll be with us next season. I would love it if he was but I just don't think he will be.
I've heard from very good source that there's still plenty of interest in Hackney. The nature of his injuries this season aren't really a concern for clubs. I don't think he'll be with us next season. I would love it if he was but I just don't think he will be.
On The Bob
Well-known member
I might be completely wrong and you never know what the club might do. But if they want to have a good go at promotion next season, selling two of our best players will hugely handicap us. Unless they want to use some of the sale proceeds to seriously invest in the squad - but then a huge rebuild can lead to a slow start.
McGree is different as his contract length does determine our actions. If he’s not extended his contract by August, I think that’ll be the biggest indicator of what’s likely to happen.
If a crazy offer comes in for Hackney then fair enough. On the plus side, it would seem Hackney is happy to stay but we all know money talks in these scenarios.
Losing both would be a huge headache as replacing them won’t be easy and will mean we will have to bring more in - and the last thing we need is a huge rebuild.
Totally agree, and it's not just money either. If Hackney has aspirations to get in the England set up he needs to be playing PL football as a minimum. Obviously he will back himself to make the step up.
He'll be looking at Rogers now breaking into the Villa side and thinking if Morgan can do it then so can I.
I'm sure he is happy here at Boro, but that doesn't mean that he would turn down an opportunity to progress his career. He'd be daft to.
Obviously from the Boro side of things, we've set a precedent over the last few years where if a team matches our valuation of a player then we will sell. we don't stand in their way. I personally think that's important that we do that. If we refuse to sell promising young players, then young potential talent won't want to come and play for us in the future.
I don’t think he has the attributes to play as a “cutting inside” winger… he isn’t a great crosser of the ball from deep, doesn’t really shoot much and can’t really pick a through ball / clever pass.
His attributes are much better suited to playing as a traditional old school winger… using his pace to beat the full back on the outside, get to the byline for a pull back / low cross
festa5
Well-known member
Could be wrong but think Scott has said Hackney has indicated he's happy to stay. As you say money talks and there'll definitely be interest, but his injury hit season might lower what teams are willing to bid for him right now. Hopefully not enough to tempt us.
I've seen a couple of posters claiming to be ITK state McGree is open to a new contract too. But obviously its easy to make things up (also goes for rumours about him wanting out).
The hope is Rogers counts as the summer's big sale and we're now under no pressure to sell anyone unless silly money is offered. Again think Scott might have hinted at something along those lines, without explicitly saying so.
BoroMart
Well-known member
This is all off topic, but.........I was watching that amusing Sunderland 'til I die the other day on netflix, and the checkatrade trophy final was Pompey vs Sunderland.....and then I spotted him, Matt Clarke, with hair! Anyway he was involved in both the pompey goals bringing the ball out well from the back for the first one. He's a very decent champo defender. Can defend properly and can create overloads by pushing forward. He will always give it away and get caught up field occasionally, but generally it's a good thing to have a defender take that responsibility. No wonder Wilder was so eager to sign him.
If we play a back 4, see Clarke and Rav as our first choice next season, in fact if we play a back 3, they absolutely should still be first choice. Clarke having his first pre-season under Carrick and Rav starting next year with 40 league starts instead of 4 could see a big defensive improvement.
BoroMart
Well-known member
exactly, now Forss could play inverted winger. He's got a powerful and accurate shot, and is clever enough to run off the back of defenders and strong enough to run across the front of them. He should be very useful as an inverted winger, coming in on his right foot.
On The Bob
Well-known member
I do think we’re getting to the stage now where we’ve been slowly moving pieces into place for a big push.
We’ve reduced the wage bill and overall age of the squad. We have a manager who is invested in the future building of the club as well as the here and now.
Paddy will be the last of our really big earners to probably leave this summer.
We have a decent nucleus of a squad - a lot of which will hopefully be returning fully fit for next season. Some of which will hopefully improve and kick on again next year - certain the younger more unproven signings.
It’d seem stupid of the club to now have a massive summer clearance of our best players (even if it does earn us a good few quid) to then have to rebuild again. It’ll put us back at least a season.
I would hope we tie McGree down, manage to keep Hackney and look to add some more quality in the summer, particularly a longer term replacement for Howson who likely agree a new one year deal. Then look at bolstering our attacking options to add more quality and depth.
Everything I’ve heard from Scott was that they weren’t looking to have a summer like the last one, which will hopefully indicate a summer based on quality not quantity of incomings.
Fingers crossed!
BoroMart
Well-known member
Hackney (and Rav), we have got to keep. If we sell them we have the money for 5 or more first team players, but we would also have to ship a bunch of players out because of squad limits, it would be a massive upheaval, it might leave us in a good place for teh future, but not for the now. The aim should be to keep the progression year to year, and have a core of 8 or 9 first teamers moving into the next season, so we have limited upheaval and incremental improvements. Plan B; If we don't go up next year, sure we may have to sell Hackney for 20m and buy 3 high quality 5-6m players, the following year, we sell Rav for 20m and again replace with 3 high quality players. But we keep a core from season to season. This is what Brighton and Brentford did, even Ipswich this year. Broadhead, Burgess, Burns, Chaplin, Clarke, Davis, Hirst, Hladky, Luongo, Morsy, Woolfenden are the only Ipswich players to play 20+ games this season, and every single player was in the squad last year. Continuity, familiarity with the tactics, unit cohesion, all important if you want to punch above the weight of your finances.
On The Bob
Well-known member
Totally agree.
I also think any players looking at other options, can potentially be persuaded by giving promotion a real crack next season. If it doesn’t pan out, the there’ll be an agreement that they can be sold the following season.
Obviously, we’re always going to be open to a crazy offer for one of our better players but you would hope it’s got to be silly money, provided of course, there’s no financial pressure to sell.
BoroMart
Well-known member
To be fair I don't think either were meant to be first XI players, or replacements for McGree. they both ended up playing a hell of a lot more games than we envisaged.
BoroMart
Well-known member
I think the way we treated Tavernier gives us credit in the bank when trying to persuade players for one more year. We stuck to our word and sold him on as we agreed.
Luckily we are now in the financial position of not needing to sell cheap. We've got most of our key assets under longer contracts, our debt has been largely removed, and our income:wage ratio is reduced and manageable.
What if Hackney gave us one more year last summer?
