[Football] Could long term player contracts become the norm?

[andy_lee007uk]

Reading a post from another forum user on the Olise thread about the player potentially preferring a move to Chelsea over Man City due to a longer contract. It got me thinking, could we see longer term contracts (moreso with the 'big six clubs') become the norm over the coming years?

We have seen our own player Caicedo linked with Liverpool and Chelsea. But for his own reasons he chose Chelsea. Now it looks like Chelsea will also get Lavia and potentially could be looking at Olise joining their ranks.

If the over-riding reason is long term contracts (security for the players career). Then surely other clubs with excessive amounts of money will start to offer the same?

A very dangerous game to play as you could end up with a player who doesn't perform at the expected level that they did with their previous club.

Football clubs are forever evolving and the rules, regulations, etc. often force them into these new ways of running the clubs.

Let's not even get started on FFP as no-one seems to be particularly bothered by it at the moment (just pay a small fine and promise not to do it again).

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I would guess other big clubs are looking very closely at what is happening at Chelsea.

They won't get the FFP benefits in the PL any more, but if it seen as a determining factor in landing a key signing or otherwise, my guess is that the other big clubs will have to follow.

This puts Brighton size clubs at another disadvantage.

However, the caveat is that there is more than just a whiff of "spend today, worry about tomorrow another day" about Chelsea. There is a large degree of opacity about the origin of the Billion ish quid that Boehly has plucked out of the air. A more thoughtful Chelsea fan might be asking about whether the future of the club is secure, rather than gloating on social media to other sets of fans.

 

[fly high]

When freedom of movement at the end of a player's contract came in 10 year contracts were quite common. My memory may be wrong but think we gave Lawrenson one.

 

[RandyWanger]

I'm sure the lawyers have clauses in them but saying we signed Mwepu on an 8 year deal maybe thats a problem for an insurance company but seems risky. Or a Jack Rodwell type situation.

 

[KZNSeagull]

10 year contracts were partly what put us in the shit in the 80's weren't they?

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

10 year contracts were partly what put us in the shit in the 80's weren't they?

Yes and it's a huge gamble. If you take a young player with lightning speed put him on a long term huge contract and he's dogged with a series of injuries.. You end up with a player who never achieves their potential but you can't move them on without paying a huge payout.

They can't be loaned out either as there's a limit on that now. The club could end up a load of non playing players. Sounds a great idea for the likes of Chelsea. Glad to see it turn to shit.

 

[fly high]

Yes and it's a huge gamble. If you take a young player with lightning speed put him on a long term huge contract and he's dogged with a series of injuries.. You end up with a player who never achieves their potential but you can't move them on without paying a huge payout.

They can't be loaned out either as there's a limit on that now. The club could end up a load of non playing players. Sounds a great idea for the likes of Chelsea. Glad to see it turn to shit.

Imagine we had given Lamptey one....

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Yes and it's a huge gamble. If you take a young player with lightning speed put him on a long term huge contract and he's dogged with a series of injuries.. You end up with a player who never achieves their potential but you can't move them on without paying a huge payout.

They can't be loaned out either as there's a limit on that now. The club could end up a load of non playing players. Sounds a great idea for the likes of Chelsea. Glad to see it turn to shit.

Caicedo's thrown so many tactical sulks in his short career, that he probably now regards it as normal behaviour. Don't think it'll be too long before he's encouraged to throw one at Chelsea. Which will be nice

 

[Westdene Seagull]

When freedom of movement at the end of a player's contract came in 10 year contracts were quite common. My memory may be wrong but think we gave Lawrenson one.

Indeed - the contracts we handed out in what was then the First Division were what did us in and gave us the **** Archer and his merry servant **** David Bellend.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

When freedom of movement at the end of a player's contract came in 10 year contracts were quite common. My memory may be wrong but think we gave Lawrenson one.

Freedom of movement at the end of a contract didn’t come in until 1995 when what is known as The Bosman Ruling came into effect.

We certainly gave out some stupidly long contracts when we were in the old first division but I don’t think it was anything to do with freedom of movement.

 

[sparkie]

We've sighed huge sighs of relief when players like Agustien and Locadia have reached the ends of their contracts. There's always that risk.

 

[nwgull]

I'm not sure that the long-term security makes that much difference to a player's decision. I mean, yeh, an 8-year deal at 10m a year guarantees you around 40-45m net income, but it's not as if a more regular 4-5 year deal on the same wage would leave you destitute if you got a career-ending injury.

 

[FatSuperman]

I'm not sure that the long-term security makes that much difference to a player's decision. I mean, yeh, an 8-year deal at 10m a year guarantees you around 40-45m net income, but it's not as if a more regular 4-5 year deal on the same wage would leave you destitute if you got a career-ending injury.

An 8-year contract at £10m a year is huge, and a player would simply have to consider whether they think they'll be able to get a significant pay increase within a few years if they instead went for a 4-year contract. I think there is quite a bit of jeopardy there, and anyone who isn't Messi / Ronaldo would be thinking 'I'll take the 8-years thank you'. And frankly, if they do turn out to be the next Messi, then some giga club will buy them for £350m and pay them the crazy money anyway.

 

[Spiros]

I'm just amazed that the 8 year contract is happening at Chelsea - have they already forgotten what happened with Winston Bogarde? They could get a few like that from the current crop

 

[Hamilton]

I think it would yet again be a tool that was only in the interests of the rich clubs.

 

[trueblue]

I read that one of the safeguards in Chelsea’s approach is that the wages are a bit lower than might be expected so it’s not impossible to move players on. That was referring to Cucurella/Mudryk. Presumably that’s accepted in return for all those years of a guaranteed income. Still sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. Bound to be some duds who decide they’re happy where they are, thanks very much, and that big transfer fee is never going to be recouped.

If it was a good idea, surely someone else would have done it before Boehly - whose football dealings so far don’t inspire much confidence.

 

[beorhthelm]

If it was a good idea, surely someone else would have done it before Boehly - whose football dealings so far don’t inspire much confidence.

yeah, seems odd thing to try all of a sudden, think its going to bite Chelsea not set a trend. contracts are a difficult balance, protect an investment vs getting stuck with a liability.

 

[schmunk]

Eight year contract? What could possibly go wrong...?

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

When freedom of movement at the end of a player's contract came in 10 year contracts were quite common. My memory may be wrong but think we gave Lawrenson one.

We did and then Robinson, they both left within 2 years.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

I read that one of the safeguards in Chelsea’s approach is that the wages are a bit lower than might be expected so it’s not impossible to move players on. That was referring to Cucurella/Mudryk. Presumably that’s accepted in return for all those years of a guaranteed income. Still sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. Bound to be some duds who decide they’re happy where they are, thanks very much, and that big transfer fee is never going to be recouped.

If it was a good idea, surely someone else would have done it before Boehly - whose football dealings so far don’t inspire much confidence.

And yet I've seen reports of £250k pw for Caicedo.
Admittedly that is probably bolleaux.