Contracts: the summer juggle

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Keep both on that assumption. Both offer something, Eidur more. 6 goals now isn't it?

Yep, 6 from 20 appearances. Zach has 6 from 10, Cravies is now top scorer with 7 from 30, ALF has 5 from 12 (but interestingly only 2, against Millwall, in the last 7).

And the almost forgotten man, Stuart Holden? No longer under contract to us but still hoping to come back here.

Sadly mate I don't think any of us are holding our breath or building our hopes.

NL's just finished his presser and said "Contract negotiations are ongoing. We've submitted offers to three players and are now waiting to hear back."

[Jonah]

Of those listed pratley is the only real definite for me . Of the keepers if bogdan is affordable I'd hope he stays , eidur and Heskey well worth keeping at the right price . I just don't see le fondre staying, if he did it would be at the expense of clough and really clough needs to develop as a poacher as well as a playmaker . Mills is big standard at this level so fine if he accepts the going rate for an average championship centre half.
Of the loanies janko I'd love to see us keep as he has the potential to develop as a powerful all round midfielder . Other luxury items would depend on how they are priced .

[StaffsTrotter]

by my reckoning we have 14 players out of contract with only offers to 3 - wow.

[Jonah]

But which three ? Course there may be more who are being given time to assess there real options . My money would be on eidur Heskey and pratley being the three with solid offers right now though Heskey may not have decided if he wants another year yet .

[LeverEnd]

But which three ? Course there may be more who are being given time to assess there real options . My money would be on eidur Heskey and pratley being the three with solid offers right now though Heskey may not have decided if he wants another year yet .

Sounds like Bogdan is probably one.

[StaffsTrotter]

But which three ? Course there may be more who are being given time to assess there real options . My money would be on eidur Heskey and pratley being the three with solid offers right now though Heskey may not have decided if he wants another year yet .

That is the question. Judging from NL comments and after reading the tea leaves I would have speculated Bogdan, Mills and Pratley. I suspect all these 3 as higher earners being offered reduced deals to see what their response is, before moving onto alternatives if needed. Also guess NL thinks Eidur & Heskey are his if he wants. As intimated in BN reports, guess the likes of C Davies are not regarded as robust enough

[TANGODANCER]

As intimated in BN reports, guess the likes of C Davies are not regarded as robust enough

That's because they're not. The difference between Kevin Davies and all who followed him as point man is beyond description. He didn't blame the training ground or anything else, he just played. Oh for another like him.

[officer_dibble]

I wonder if craig 'hamstrings' davies is done for now? Shame if so as i like him.

[Jonah]

It must be a worry for cravies as much as anyone . He's a good striker but at the current rate seems only available for a third of a season . It may mean he will accept a cut price deal and be a useful extra for us next season or it may mean we just have to let him go. Clubs aren't going to be offering him much given his injury record though .even if Heskey and cravies stayed we'd still need a striker of their ill without the fitness problems .
It may well be that cravies is released but comes back as a non contract player to provide cover. It won't be easy for him to find a club willing to risk a high wage for his Injury record

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

It won't be easy for him to find a club willing to risk a high wage for his Injury record

I doubt he's ever had a high wage. After being released by City (at 18) he's been permanently signed by Oxford, Hellas Verona (who signed him for £85,000), Oldham, Brighton, Chesterfield, Barnsley and us. I daresay the wage we gave him was the highest he's ever had but I'd also bet it wasn't very much and that he'd carefully consider a bit less. As you suggest, he's unlikely to get many better offers from second-tier clubs.

[LeverEnd]

I think a lot of players at our level will be taking salary hits this summer. Everyone is affected by ffp, clubs coming down have to start trimming their wage bills, except maybe burnley who went up with an eye on coming back down. Prem clubs don't pick up many championship players from average squads. I reckon good facilities and a decent manager puts us in a better position to recruit and retain than financial accounts might suggest.

[Peter Thompson]

Further to TD's post - I know that its unlikely but does anyone have any idea whether Stuart Holden will be joining the club for pre season ?

[LeverEnd]

Further to TD's post - I know that its unlikely but does anyone have any idea whether Stuart Holden will be joining the club for pre season ?

I remember Lennon saying that when he's fit he can come and train and he'll have a look at him, basically the ball is in his court.

[LeverEnd]

"He is doing his rehab in Los Angeles. We have just said 'when you are fit and ready come over to Bolton and we will have a look at you again.'

"He is a lovely boy and a good player. The door is definitely open for him to come back."

That was before the massive injury crisis though. Seems unlikely that he'll be offering him anything now after what he's said about avoiding injury prone players, even if he looks good.

[bobo the clown]

Whatever happens he'd only come on some form of pay-as-you-play basis.

Reading his various facebook/twitter stuff though I get no vibe that he's planning a return any time soon.

[thebish]

Whatever happens he'd only come on some form of pay-as-you-play basis.

Reading his various facebook/twitter stuff though I get no vibe that he's planning a return any time soon.

get you, you modern young thing!

[thebish]

As intimated in BN reports, guess the likes of C Davies are not regarded as robust enough

That's because they're not. The difference between Kevin Davies and all who followed him as point man is beyond description. He didn't blame the training ground or anything else, he just played. Oh for another like him.

Amen!

get thi'sel down here and watch SKD take the first training sesh...

[StaffsTrotter]

But which three ? Course there may be more who are being given time to assess there real options . My money would be on eidur Heskey and pratley being the three with solid offers right now though Heskey may not have decided if he wants another year yet .

That is the question. Judging from NL comments and after reading the tea leaves I would have speculated Bogdan, Mills and Pratley. I suspect all these 3 as higher earners being offered reduced deals to see what their response is, before moving onto alternatives if needed. Also guess NL thinks Eidur & Heskey are his if he wants. As intimated in BN reports, guess the likes of C Davies are not regarded as robust enough

What do I win then ?
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/wa ... Wanderers/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

But which three ? Course there may be more who are being given time to assess there real options . My money would be on eidur Heskey and pratley being the three with solid offers right now though Heskey may not have decided if he wants another year yet .

That is the question. Judging from NL comments and after reading the tea leaves I would have speculated Bogdan, Mills and Pratley. I suspect all these 3 as higher earners being offered reduced deals to see what their response is, before moving onto alternatives if needed. Also guess NL thinks Eidur & Heskey are his if he wants. As intimated in BN reports, guess the likes of C Davies are not regarded as robust enough

What do I win then ?
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/wa ... Wanderers/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

<applause>

The offer for skipper Mills, however, may yet not be enough to keep him at the club with strong rumour of interest from other clubs in the Championship, including former Whites boss Dougie Freedman’s Nottingham Forest

Must admit that paragraph gave me a little bit of hope, which is interesting.

[StaffsTrotter]

How much is Iles really in the know. There may be interest in Mills, but Forest ? Wasn't Mills on DFs hit list before becoming Lazurus man and also given the embargo Forest are supposedly under (according to BBC cannot spend a transfer or a loan fee; and are restricted to a total spend of £600,000 a year on any new signing. That figure includes wages, agents' fees, and any other "employee costs"), it would be interesting indicator of the wages we are offering.

On the subject of the 5 offers, I actually agree with PT - the future is not Emile Heskey. If thats the road we are going down we'd just as well get SKD back, he could do the same job and not be as injury prone