Quote: LovesToSpooge "For me he's got to be kept. We've put lot of money and resources into the lad and to just release him and possibly waste all that would be a real shame. If he were the difference between us signing another useful addition to the squad next year then I'm sure he'd be shown the door, but the likelihood is he isn't taking up much cap space so probably isn't the difference between us signing another player.'"
You are right the club has put a lot of money and resources into him. Far more than he deserved given his contribution to the side so far. I don't think he has done anything to warrant more money going in his direction when there are young players coming through.
As to the salary cap people need to get away from this notion we can pay players peanuts. Whatever he earns he will have to be one of the top 25 paid players because if he is not then his wages would come from the small £55K pot of money set aside to give young players a few games. So of we paid him say 30K that would mean he would be preventing other younger players accessing that pot of money as we would only have £25K left for any of them to get a few games of SL.
Quote: LovesToSpooge "Plus for me his performances have always been decent enough, yes he looks lethargic and lazy but that's just some players style. We've also got to remember that in the not to distant future both Carmont and Gleeson will retire, and the more options and choices we have for replacing those two the better.'"
The thing in his favour is Richards injury. That might get him another year but I would certainly have kept Ainscough before him if we needed cover. Unfortunately Ainscough had already done the deal with Bradford before the GF so KP might have had some luck on his side there.
The other problem with KP is his age in that he doesn't qualify for the under 20's so would take up one of the three overage places in that side - again getting in the way of other players.
So when you look at how keeping him on affects the club in terms of salary cap, and under 20 places etc then the only way he should get another deal is if he was, given his age, a player at the top of his form and a genuine contender for a first team place. He isn't and I don't think any club can keep persevering with players in their mid twenties (he will be 25 next year) who have yet to establish themselves in the side on merit.
Dave
