Matthew Upson joins Leicester City on one year contract

[cattlin'srockshop]

I also see this as a fine opportunity for Dunk. We survived without Bridge and will do the same without Upson.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Upson was one of the stalwarts of the team. A no brainer decision for him personally to go , probably his final season and this will now be in the top league and on three times the money we were offering.

 

[London Irish]

He was great for us but we need to start buying/using players who are not at the end of their careers if we are to progress. I am not totally gutted by this, good luck to Upson though.

Has Dunk's time come? Will Rohan be switched back to defence?

Not having a manager is my biggest concern, it's like shooting yourself in the foot every close season at this club.

Upson was our second best player so this is a bad day for us. But as long as we don't lose our first, that would be panic stations.

I really like the idea of Ince at centre back. I think he struggled a bit towards the latter part of the season in terms of going forward. I'd like to see us move to a much more quicker mobile passing midfield (a la Derby) and while guys like Stephens could be part of that I'm not sure Ince's gifts are ideally suited. But I'm sure the new manager will be aware Chelsea developed him as a centre back, so here's hoping.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Realistically I wasn't expecting more than another season out of Upson. Great player for us and he goes with thanks but it's time to bring in some younger players with a little more pace. As others have said great opportunity for Dunk who should have his head right again.

Thank you very much Mr Upson for two excellent seasons.

 

[Steve.S]

I think Upson's good days are behind him. I think the club did the right thing, last year Reading came in for Bridge and he spent most of the season injured. Most of us can see we have a slow defence, this league is a tough league, the last few months showed that he was maybe of the pace in a few games. Time to give Dunk the job alongside Greer and maybe look for a back up.
I wish him well, he has done a fantastic job here.

 

[dan4bha]

Personally, I've noticed a clear improvement in Greer since Upson joined, think even Greer learnt a lot from him as well as Dunk.

We had one of the most solid defences in the Champ without Upson too, don't think we will miss him too much

 

[algie]

Upson was our second best player so this is a bad day for us. But as long as we don't lose our first, that would be panic stations.

I really like the idea of Ince at centre back. I think he struggled a bit towards the latter part of the season in terms of going forward. I'd like to see us move to a much more quicker mobile passing midfield (a la Derby) and while guys like Stephens could be part of that I'm not sure Ince's gifts are ideally suited. But I'm sure the new manager will be aware Chelsea developed him as a centre back, so here's hoping.

If there is one player i want staying put and that is Ince in midfield. You say Ince struggled in the latter part of the season but i reckon that's down to him tiring. Before this season he played just four matches in his career. This season he raked up 33 games. Think you are over looking this point.

 

[*Gullsworth*]

I suspect he might not do much for Leicester next season, a bench warmer maybe. And that makes me sad, because he could have been a real asset for us.

But at his stage in his career that might benefit him. Another manic 40 odd games in the Championship may have moved his retirement closer with injuries plus he has probably doubled his wages.....Good luck Matt and thanks,you gave us a good period in your career!

 

[Pavilionaire]

Not so long ago the spine of our side was PIG - Upson - Bridcutt - Ulloa. Now only one remains and even he's subject to bids at the minute.

The bottom line is that all practically all clubs are losing big players now, i.e. I expect Arsenal fans aren't best pleased at losing Sagna to Man City.

Although I'm confident we'll replace those that have left my concern is that we've lost too much experience. However, if we bring in the right manager and get a Joe Cole / Zamora-type signing things will look bright again. But we need this manager position sorted in the next couple of weeks.

 

[Sheebo]

Us sticking to the rules of ffp is screwing us a bit. Gutted about this.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

you assume 2 contracts were offered?? we have no way of knowing if that's correct.

Even if we were promoted Upson could've left to Leicester who may have offered more cash or anywhere else for less cash as he was without contract. I agree if a player is determined not to sign a new contract there is nothing you can do, but remember the big picture here, loads of players contracts ran down at this season end, and then after that event we have Nathan Jones and Burke deciding who is allowed to leave and who is offered a new deal (Upson included), this is way to late.

If it is 2 contract offers as you guess, or something else, the club, should have a pretty good idea who is wanted and who can make the step up and who isn't, rather than decide after contracts have run down which is to late...... could you imagine the same happening to Man U players? allow half the teams contracts to expire and then simply hope the ones they want will stay?

Football is predatory, someone is always going to covet our best players and we need to do more before the ones we want have contracts expire, after which we have no control.

in the case of Upson a bit of foresight and persistent determination to pin them down before contracts expire was needed. A firm decision before his deal expired. He may have said "i'll wait" but it seems his contract decision as with the others in the squad was all done after his deal expired, by all means offer them a championship/Premier league either/or but to leave it till its to simply to late and we're powerless to the predators circling?

It is to late now and i wish him well, and i dont say this to deride our club, we all want the best players to stay and to succeed............. i still maintain that making decisions after contracts have expired is amateurish and removes control from the club. Its hard to find players of Upsons quality to wear an Albion shirt, If he leaves, let it only be because he rejected the contract offer made to him early (before his current expired) and despite the clubs every effort to persuade him to stay.

That needs foresight.

So if we offered contracts to players long before their current deals expired, whats to say that they would sign them, they may be the ones playing the waiting game because they want to see what else may be available to them (which may be a deal from a higher division team or one with higher wages than we can offer)

We sold Barnes and it was revealed after he left in January that he had received an offer from the club but hadn't signed it, how do you know when the players we have offered new deals to were giving the new contract offers? They may have been on the table for months. Players hold all the power, not the clubs.

Also, if promoted to the PL, there are limits on squad sizes and therefore you need to be careful how many you have signed up because they become a drain of reources if suddenly they arn't needed.

If we stay down, when will it become clear what our playing budget will be? - we would only have enough cash to go so far and again don't want to tie down a lot of players on big contracts to find we could have signed several decent targets but can't afford to because the money went on resigning those players again.

There is also the risk of getting someone to sign a new contract in say January, and they get injured and are out for 18 months so you end up with a lot of mokney tied up in one player you can't use anymore.

Its about balancing risk and reward, new deals would have been offered early to those we felt we had to try to keep but it may be that they simply decided to wait and see and in Upsons case, a PL team offered him one last chance to play in the top flight and it was too tempting to turn down. had he signed for us again, would Leicester have given him this chance again? I doubt it as its a fairly low cost risk to them (no transfer fee)

 

[The Camel]

Derby ruthlessly exposed the lack of pace at the back in the play off semi final.

99% of people would have preferred next season's cb partnership to be Upson and Dunk.

But Greer and Dunk is still far preferable to Greer and Upson.

GL Matthew and thanks for a great season.

 

[Sandradee]

Wonder if BHAFC will offer some counselling ....as my 7 year old is still crying about Orlandi going!, and now Upson he will be heartbroken!.

 

[Meade's Ball]

An honest to God disappointment that a player of his stature and ability has left us. As Pavillioanaire says we have but one chunky vertebrae left through the centre of our team, and that one is craved elsewhere. We have quite a lot of rebuilding to do in terms of leadership and fortitude and necessary dazzle. I hope our new chap gets to work with this mountain of spare wages soon enough and we have that blend of musculature and quick thinking that seems to coax success from this league.

Thanks, though, Upsy. You were a joy to behold for the most part.

 

[daveinprague]

Thank you Matthew...a chance to get back into premier league for your remaining career couldnt be ignored...good luck to you.

 

[Greyrun]

Talk sport remarking on his transfer said "blimey didn't they see him in the play offs"

 

[Zukey Seagull]

Can't believe this. Will miss him so much.

 

[BensGrandad]

Probably go the same way as Bridge, will spend half of next season injured/on the bench then retire.

That is my view. He was having to have jabs to get through at tbe end of the season so perhaps next year will be 1 season too long. Opportunity for Dunk with Maxi as back up unless of course the rumours of Rio Ferdinand as player manager come true

 

[Bladders]

That is my view. He was having to have jabs to get through at tbe end of the season so perhaps next year will be 1 season too long. Opportunity for Dunk with Maxi as back up unless of course the rumours of Rio Ferdinand as player manager come true

I think there's more chance of you becoming player manager BG .

 

[BensGrandad]

I think there's more chance of you becoming player manager BG .

Forget the player bit but I could manage the side quite easily even at 71 years old.