Declan Rice

[the pink palermo]

There is no reason he should have to accept less than Oxford.

I thinks it's clear we made a mistake with Oxford, let's not repeat the error.

[Het-Field]

PP, it’s not about errors. Rice is a full international, who has played 30+ games for us this term. He showed great maturity in responding to Moyes’ criticisms after the Arsenal game, and has been a very reliable hand this term. He was also a selection of both Bilic and Moyes, and Martin O’Neill views him in the same way. Several managers have deemed him capable and ready for first team action. A similar player to him, in terms of status is on a lucrative contract, which should be matched given Rice’s achievements. There is no reason it shouldn’t be.

[the pink palermo]

PP There is no reason it shouldn’t be.

Yes, there is.

Just because Oxford was over hyped and over paid it doesn't mean others should be.

Rice is capped for the ROI - a fine achievement but one that recognises he is the best available, which doesn't mean necessarily that he is that good.

Has it occurred to you that MP might not be as enthusiastic about a player who featured in some shocking team performances last season as you are ? He may see Rice as the back up, the 20 games a season CB not the 38 games starter ?

Rice is promising, no more than that, and £8k a week is fine. The money Oxford was paid was just daft. He couldn't get a game at Reading.

[Het-Field]

MP may certainly have a different view on Rice. But in reality we are actually dealing with a player of great potential, and he has shown himself capable of rising to the challenge. For the sake of an extra £12,000 per week, that makes abundant sense as an investment, which could well be recouped in the event of a sale over the next year or two. Oxford was the subject of significant hype. His youthful appearances in the Europa League and excellent performance against Arsenal added fuel to that, but his promise has not yet been fulfilled.

Also, I might ask, is this just a personal objection you have to players wages? We all share it, there is no market like it. But you have to play within the market. Telling a player like Rice that he will have to accept £12,000 less than a close comparator is not tenable. Also, you can’t just say “8k a week” is fine. Imagine in another sector if you were doing the same job and performing at a higher level, but you were told you’d be paid significantly less than the close comparator?

[woodford]

more to the point, if we lost him because someone else saw the potential and offered him £12k, what would this place be like . Seriously. Can you imagine

You pay to your market, not to your own sense of what is right. Business is business. And football now is just a business

[uptonparkhurst]

more to the point, if we lost him because someone else saw the potential and offered him £12k, what would this place be like . Seriously. Can you imagine

You pay to your market, not to your own sense of what is right. Business is business. And football now is just a business

Too true.

[Johnny Byrne's Boots]

Taken in a wider context it's hard to justify the wages paid to footballers of any age, never mind youngsters. However, the wages are what the market will stand and the money to pay then eventually comes from us, the football fans. We (well, those who subscribe) pay to be the audience to which advertisers pitch their wares. While people pay for two or three live football subscriptions and perhaps a season ticket too, all that money will chase a limited supply of players they want to watch.

Sadly, the football fans complaining about the obscene wages are a major part of the cause. The answer is easy, ditch your subscriptions.

[Estuary]

For once I think the club have got the balance about right, £15k a week and £15k per start or a % relative to the proportion of game played as sub. I would add few whistles and bells re number of games, and league position. I would also add £5m if he played for England( ).
Oxford bullied Sully into that £20k a week, and he is nowhere near the footballer Rice is. Its Oxford that is massively over paid, not Rice that is being under valued.

[DaveWHU1964]

It always feels like there's a gambling thing going on behind the scenes with us. Reece Oxford was paid £20k a week because the club felt he had the potential to develop into either a first teamer / a player worth an awful lot of money and wanted to see how things developed. That £20k a week was deemed worth a flutter.

Now we appear to be low-balling a much better player to the point where reports suggest he's (understandably imho) turned our £8k a week down in the belief that he will sign.

Gamble pays off = we have him on the cheap compared to the vast majority of his peers in the PL. (How long he'd remain happy and motivated if he signed that deal I wouldn't like to guess). Gamble doesn't pay off = we lose / piss off in the interim a very good player because our gambler's gut instinct was wrong.

As always it all feels haphazard, inconsistent and thus unprofessional.

[sendô]

It's a funny world we live in where people say a £416k annual salary isn't enough for a 19 year old.

I can't argue that given the wages for footballers that the above is really low, but there it is.

[Cuenca 'ammer]

I posted back a while that we should offer around 20K per....a lot less than a starting CB will earn in the PL this year and for a kid who played 30+ times and although admittedly Pinky, the defence in general were shyte...it can't be all down to him and I think that although he's only 19 that shouldn't determine how much he earns...

Pay him what a back up then at least will earn, and in my mind it's going to be way above 20K so I am okay with that as a place to start.

[Up the Junction]

Let's not forget that the only reason DR played so frequently was as a result of the sale of Fonte and injury to Reid. Either one of those doesn't happen and he's on the bench.

Though as someone who no longer purchases a season ticket nor TV subscriptions, I'm wondering if I'm still in a position to comment.

[Cuenca 'ammer]

Let's not forget that the only reason DR played so frequently was as a result of the sale of Fonte and injury to Reid. Either one of those doesn't happen and he's on the bench.

Though as someone who no longer purchases a season ticket nor TV subscriptions, I'm wondering if I'm still in a position to comment.

Why not boss ???? if you don't watch the games, you are entitled to pass an opinion as to who "should" get what or not....or judging by the general postings on who we might sign - my guess is hardly ANYONE has seen them on a regular basis being a prerequisite...everyone's posts are about as valid as yours !!!!!!!!!

:lol:

You make a good point but he DID start......and right now (and I don't go - obviously !! :lol: ) I feel a right to pass an opinion...based on watching and what I see....

as an aside do you know what percentages of people who post actually go a per pro to how many post ?? at an approximation ????

[S-H]

What did we pay Oxford? Wasn't it quite hefty for a teenager with a handful of first team performances under his belt? Maybe he just wants parity, and if that's the case, he's more than justified to do so.

[Mega Ron]

We pay him what he deserves and we keep a good player happy.

We don't and we might have a problem.

[MB]

What did we pay Oxford? Wasn't it quite hefty for a teenager with a handful of first team performances under his belt? Maybe he just wants parity, and if that's the case, he's more than justified to do so.

Rumour is he is on £30k a week. Happened about the time Man City were sniffing around.

[S-H]

Cheers MB, if true why should Declan accept any less, he's a much better more valuable player.

Not to say that I agree with the figures these kids are earning now, but it is what it is, I suppose.

[PortCityIron]

A bit off topic but figured this was the best place. Can one of our Gaelic (Irish) speaking members please PM me. I’ve got a question that needs answering. Cheers

[hammerman11]

shift Snodgrass byram hughill and pay rice 20k matching oxford.

oxford to be added to first team squad and let pellegrini observe him first hand.

rice and oxford in the squad with perhaps holland and browne would be a good start getting some young hammers in

sell hughill cullen byram snodgrass Martinez 30m ?

[S-H]

What about Masuaka..