Argus: Hammond wants to play in Championship

[Withdean Wanderer]

Sorry, where did that come from? Bas demanded to become club captain? Yeah, right

 

[Mr Burns]

I'm not Dick Knights biggest fan, but that story from the Argus to me says, Hammond's going to wait until the end of the season whatever happens.

He's wants to see if a championship clubscomes in for him? If they don't he'll more than likely stay. If they do, he'll go. Unless we offer him something ridiculous for him to stay now, which is never going to happen and nor should it, it appears he wants to see what offers he gets elsewhere before committing himself.

You can't blame him really, but I think until its sorted, the captain's armband should live elsewhere.

FFS read the agents comments, he doesn't wanna sign yet!

 

[bhadeb]

I'd say the club were quite right to set a deadline. The last thing we need is to get to the end of the month without a response - and then find out that he won't sign. We had all that with Harding.

We are a selling club and Hammond is one of our key assets. We can't afford to let him go for nothing.

but unfortunately thanks to dick not sorting it we will probably lose all round

1. dean could be sold in january

2. he can go for free at the end of the season

both ways we lose a good captain

3. which i hope happens is he decides to stay - but it will be no thanks to dick's disorganisation

 

[Barrel of Fun]

but unfortunately thanks to dick not sorting it we will probably lose all round

1. dean could be sold in january

2. he can go for free at the end of the season

both ways we lose a good captain

3. which i hope happens is he decides to stay - but it will be no thanks to dick's disorganisation

Other than the fact, as Mr Burns pointed out, he doesn't want to sign until the end of the season?

 

[Scotty Mac]

I'd say the club were quite right to set a deadline. The last thing we need is to get to the end of the month without a response - and then find out that he won't sign. We had all that with Harding.

We are a selling club and Hammond is one of our key assets. We can't afford to let him go for nothing.

if he hasnt been sold by the end of the month then he will go on a free - as far as i can see, if we are going to get any money for him he has to be sold in the next 9 days

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

Sorry, where did that come from? Bas demanded to become club captain? Yeah, right

It was mentioned in the thread about Bas by a couple of people.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Sorry, where did that come from? Bas demanded to become club captain? Yeah, right

Oh, bugger.

Was I supposed to keep quiet about that?

Sorry.

 

[The Large One]

Ah, but that's assuming you believe every word Knight says. Just because the agent is an agent, doesn't mean he isn't telling the truth. Similarly, just because Knight is chairman, doesn't mean he IS telling the truth. Personally, i find it more than believable that Savage was offered a hundred quid or so more...which when you consider that we'd have picked him up for bugger all suggests we were VERY tight on that one. I consider it a cock-up, because Forster doesn't seem to score alongside Revell, and we're very short up front (not in numbers, but of players who are good enough).

As for George - well he had a valid point (backed up by tonights story), Knight didn't like it, and now he's not coming back. A shame. If it wasn't for Knight, would we have him back now? I think so

I'm well aware of anything Dick says which may or may not be the truth, and what the agent may say and to the extent they may tell the truth.

Of course, that article was written with Naylor being very much hand-fed the story by this Tim Webb. I've just re-read it, and realised that one of the first statements has so little value, I wonder why it was put in. The one that says... But the skipper's agent, Tim Webb, has assured fans the player has no desire to leave and that it will be the club's choice if the influential midfielder is sold during the January transfer window.. If Hammond doesn't want to leave, and the club doesn't want to sell him, where's he going to go, and why was it put in? He is, after all, still contracted to us.

The point is, it appears that Tim Webb has effectively told Hammond not to sign. If Hammond REALLY doesn't want to leave, why doesn't he sign? Is this the man who really wants to lead the team out at Falmer? The answer is, there is far more to it than that. It's about... money. We know that's what agents are there for, so why doesn't he come out with it and say 'this offer is shit, and I can take my boy elsewhere for better money'?

But I do go back to my earlier point. A very big part of this story is missing. I'm just not sure if I can put it on here. Unless someone else - who knows the same story - put it up, I don't know whether to say it. That's what's frustrating.

With your points regarding Bas. The cock-up is on Bas' side. He has refused a contract. We can argue all day whether the offer was a 'fair one' or not, that's for the club and the player to argue out but, where is Bas now? At the moment - f***ed.

As for 'if it wasn't for Knight', you can worry about whether we have O'Callaghan, I'll be more concerned with 'if it wasn't for Knight' we wouldn't have a club. O'Callaghan is a small consideration in comparison.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

If Knight sells him then it really does suggest there's little aim for play-offs/promotion - he's practically ruling out the possibility of us being there next year

 

[clapham_gull]

but unfortunately thanks to dick not sorting it we will probably lose all round

1. dean could be sold in january

2. he can go for free at the end of the season

both ways we lose a good captain

3. which i hope happens is he decides to stay - but it will be no thanks to dick's disorganisation

Doesn't look to me like nothing has been sorted out, seems quite clear from the clubs point of view.

You can't let a player hang on until the end of the season to decide to stay when he's on a free transfer and it looks like with Thomson we've got ourselves a nice little insurance policy.

That's the way I read it.

 

[The Large One]

if he hasnt been sold by the end of the month then he will go on a free - as far as i can see, if we are going to get any money for him he has to be sold in the next 9 days

I reckon he'll sign in February.

 

[bhadeb]

I'm well aware of anything Dick says which may or may not be the truth, and what the agent may say and to the extent they may tell the truth.

Of course, that article was written with Naylor being very much hand-fed the story by this Tim Webb. I've just re-read it, and realised that one of the first statements has so little value, I wonder why it was put in. The one that says... But the skipper's agent, Tim Webb, has assured fans the player has no desire to leave and that it will be the club's choice if the influential midfielder is sold during the January transfer window.. If Hammond doesn't want to leave, and the club doesn't want to sell him, where's he going to go, and why was it put in? He is, after all, still contracted to us.

The point is, it appears that Tim Webb has effectively told Hammond not to sign. If Hammond REALLY doesn't want to leave, why doesn't he sign? Is this the man who really wants to lead the team out at Falmer? The answer is, there is far more to it than that. It's about... money. We know that's what agents are there for, so why doesn't he come out with it and say 'this offer is shit, and I can take my boy elsewhere for better money'?

But I do go back to my earlier point. A very big part of this story is missing. I'm just not sure if I can put it on here. Unless someone else - who knows the same story - put it up, I don't know whether to say it. That's what's frustrating.

With your points regarding Bas. The cock-up is on Bas' side. He has refused a contract. We can argue all day whether the offer was a 'fair one' or not, that's for the club and the player to argue out but, where is Bas now? At the moment - f***ed.

As for 'if it wasn't for Knight', you can worry about whether we have O'Callaghan, I'll be more concerned with 'if it wasn't for Knight' we wouldn't have a club. O'Callaghan is a small consideration in comparison.

YES DICK DID SAVE THE CLUB AND THANK YOU FOR THAT - THAT WAS 10 YEARS AGO THOUGH - HE NOW IS DRAGGING THE CLUB DOWN - WHY DOES HE NOT WANT INVESTMENT - LOOK WHERE STEVE FOSTERS CONSORTUIM WENT ?

 

[clapham_gull]

YES DICK DID SAVE THE CLUB AND THANK YOU FOR THAT - THAT WAS 10 YEARS AGO THOUGH - HE NOW IS DRAGGING THE CLUB DOWN - WHY DOES HE NOT WANT INVESTMENT - LOOK WHERE STEVE FOSTERS CONSORTUIM WENT ?

Not sure Foster has actually put any money into Luton to be honest.

 

[Mr Burns]

Sounds like he's definitely off then. The way I see it is Hammond, through being made captain and having a decent season last season, believes he is a championship player. Personally I don't think he is, but good luck to him, he's got a bit of ambition, and I like that. The club have presumably got him on a fairly low wage at the moment (his last contract was signed when he wasn't a regular, let alone captain), and are baulking at the huge increase he'll undoubtedly be asking for. To be fair, he probably has a case. I wouldn't say he should be the highest paid player, but as captain he deserves to be up there. So, we have a situation where a player who thinks he is championship class is asking for a decent wage in order to stay in league one, and the league one club don't have the money and, possibly, don't rate him as highly as he rates himself. I think the key bit is "Hammond wants to play in the championship, but will wait and see if that's possible with Brighton." If we're honest, the chances of us making the play-offs are slim unless we sign 2 more players. Even if we did get in them, the chances of winning them are only 1 in 4. As things stand, the chances of us being a championship club next season must be about 5%. He's not going to sign up under those circumstances, and if his agent can get him a championship club (even if it is a rubbish one) then he won't sign in the summer. Good luck to him for having ambition and belief, but I don't want us to break the bank for him as I believe he could be replaced quite easily.

[

 

[The Large One]

YES DICK DID SAVE THE CLUB AND THANK YOU FOR THAT - THAT WAS 10 YEARS AGO THOUGH - HE NOW IS DRAGGING THE CLUB DOWN - WHY DOES HE NOT WANT INVESTMENT - LOOK WHERE STEVE FOSTERS CONSORTUIM WENT ?

He does want investment. You're wrong to imply he doesn't.

Simple, really.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

No, it suggests he's shrewd. We've got a replacement in Thomson, and Knight may be able to get some decent money for him now rather than let him leave for bugger all in 4 months.

Yes, but if we're really challenging for the Championship as has been said by Knight/Wilkins, then Knight should be reasonably confident that Hammond WON'T go for bugger all in 4 months time

 

[The Large One]

Fair points, Mr CB.

But then, I'd hope that EVERY player at Brighton has aspirations of playing in the Championship - not just Dean Hammond.

 

[Scotty Mac]

I reckon he'll sign in February.

whys that? i dont see what he has to gain by doing that. sign in february for a side that, to all intents and purposes, looks like heading for mid table mediocrity in league one. alternatively, wait until the end of the season and see what offers come in from bigger clubs?

he may not be having the best of seasons this year, but a player of hammonds abilities on a free is something that a lower-championship club, ie sheffield wednesday, should be seriously considering