Baker to Barnsley (4 Viewers)

[duffer]

Waggot and Pressley both said after he left that we tried to keep him

Did the club offer him a contract before the end of the season? Or did our "trying to keep him" not quite go that far?

 

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[lordsummerisle]

Further proof that there are some idiots who are happy to accept a mediocre League 1 squad,

I thought Baker was going?

 

[mds]

I would guess Baker going made the funds for Tudgay to sign available.
I know which i would rather have.

 

[duffer]

I would guess Baker going made the funds for Tudgay to sign available.
I know which i would rather have.

I see your point, but wouldn't Wilson or Clarke going free up funds for Tudgay (and a bit besides). Really he's replacing one of them, rather than Baker, no?

 

[LJC_CCFC]

Fact is, in signing O'Brien, Swanson and Coulibaly Pressley had deemed Baker surplus to requirements. He's 31, past his best which was evident as last season went on and it gets a 'high earner' off the wage bill.

 

[mds]

I see your point, but wouldn't Wilson or Clarke going free up funds for Tudgay (and a bit besides). Really he's replacing one of them, rather than Baker, no?

Yep, that other stuff the other money i never thought about i just assumed it had gone towards fixing global warming, theres a huge hole at the end of the world needs filling.

That was just my first thought, Baker out for Tudgay in, didnt even think about "that" money.

 

[duffer]

Fact is, in signing O'Brien, Swanson and Coulibaly Pressley had deemed Baker surplus to requirements. He's 31, past his best which was evident as last season went on and it gets a 'high earner' off the wage bill.

Possibly - although I think it's just as likely that Pressley was told he'd have to get rid of anyone on a half-decent salary. As for being 31 and past it, I guess that doesn't apply to Tudgay.

I'm all for optimism, but to pitch all of the changes over the summer as being about improving the squad seems a bit unlikely to me. SP's a good manager, and I've got faith, but I'm not convinced that we've got a better team than last year, in truth. Just mho of course, and we'll soon see.

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

From Baker's Facebook:

Update for the fans.
First of all thanks for all your messages much appreciated and still so loyal. Obviously as my future is not certain at Cov I have spoken to other clubs and had to work out my best options for me and my family, but at this moment in time all deals are off so remain a Cov player as always I will try my best to keep u updated as and when I can.

 

[dongonzalos]

Good
I would rather keep our top assists man. Also I would rather use 5% of the Callum money to sign a striker who can finish off Bakers supply

 

[dongonzalos]

Fact is, in signing O'Brien, Swanson and Coulibaly Pressley had deemed Baker surplus to requirements. He's 31, past his best which was evident as last season went on and it gets a 'high earner' off the wage bill.

And fans criticise players for showing no loyalty.......

 

[Grendel]

And fans criticise players for showing no loyalty.......

He is only loyal to the bank balance. Clearly clubs have seen whys he is on and it's thanks but no thanks.

 

[skybluepm2]

From Baker's Facebook:

Update for the fans.
First of all thanks for all your messages much appreciated and still so loyal. Obviously as my future is not certain at Cov I have spoken to other clubs and had to work out my best options for me and my family, but at this moment in time all deals are off so remain a Cov player as always I will try my best to keep u updated as and when I can.

Top bloke, deserves better for his loyalty imo.

 

[dongonzalos]

He is only loyal to the bank balance. Clearly clubs have seen whys he is on and it's thanks but no thanks.

Grendel you are at Jag and they decide your 100000k a year is no longer something they want to pay.

Unfortunately for them they have a clause in your contract saying they have to give you a years notice.

They approach you and say Grendel we could employ 2 people for your wages in this department. We would rather you find another Job.

You look around turns out its true Aston Martin only want to pay you 60k a year.

You really enjoy your job.

You politely decline their suggestion.

They then demote you from head of marketing to a team member (on the same pay) thinking it may encourage you to go.

I take it at this point you quit Jaguar take a 40 k loss

or

do you finish your last year doing nothing as a protest to the way you were treated.

Or

do you finish your final year working your ass off because if personal pride doing the best you can whilst keeping an eye out for your new job next year?

I have respect for Baker is he chooses A or C

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

I'm sorry, but that's not quite right. Murphy came out and said quite clearly that he wanted to get something sorted before the end of the season, and understood he might need to take a pay cut. In response, the club didn't even make him an offer before the end of the season. He hardly had his head turned by better offers prior to then, and it seems reasonable to assume he might have stayed had the club offered him something *before* last season had finished.

Baker, whether you rate him or not, played 43 times and scored 10 goals last season, and 55 times and 15 goals the season before. I think we'd be quite excited if we were signing a midfielder with those stats, or a goalkeeper with Murphy's pedigree at this level.

As I see it, letting Baker and Murphy go is far more about cutting costs than improving the team. I can sort of live with that, except for the nagging doubt that if we were playing in front of bigger crowds at the Ricoh we might not have had to have cut wages quite so drastically.

Where is your source for Murphy saying he was willing to take a pay cut and wanted to get something sorted before the end of the season? If you can provide one then fair enough but the only article I can see where Murphy talks about taking a pay cut are dated May 4th which was a day after the season finished

 

[Hobo]

Baker is saying all deals are off still a Coventry player

 

[Grendel]

Baker is saying all deals are off still a Coventry player

Hasn't found someone to match our wages then. Can't think why.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

Baker is saying all deals are off still a Coventry player

Always said we should keep him

 

[shmmeee]

Where is your source for Murphy saying he was willing to take a pay cut and wanted to get something sorted before the end of the season? If you can provide one then fair enough but the only article I can see where Murphy talks about taking a pay cut are dated May 4th which was a day after the season finished

Not explicit in this article from March, but very clear it's not about the money and he does say he had agreed with Pressley to sit down before the end of th season:

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sp...-news/coventry-citys-joe-murphy-wants-6872917

As for Murphy’s situation, the goalkeeper said: “I had a word with the gaffer last November just to see whether I had a future here because last year a lot of the lads found out after the last game of the season.“I’m 32 now, not 18, and I needed to know if there is anything here for me, so we sat down and had a chat and he said yes and that we’d sit down before the end of the season and speak again.
“Things could have changed, I don’t know, regarding how he feels about me but for me it’s about playing football.

 

[LJC_CCFC]

And fans criticise players for showing no loyalty.......

Footballers aren't loyal on the whole, they make decisions that are best for them. I want what's best for the club. Baker had one brilliant season for us (12/13 in which he got 15 goals and 14 assists). Last year he started off well, but faded and was dropped on numerous occasions by Elvis. His replacement Jim O'Brien has played more games at a higher level, including a season with Motherwell in which he was selected in the PFA team of the season (A good achievement considering that Rangers and Celtic usually dominate those teams). For me Baker peaked in that season at the age of 29, O'Brien is 26 and his best days are obviously ahead of him. Tbh if you search the forum you'll find threads titled 'Isn't Baker/Christie/Moussa/Murphy/Clarke shit'. My point being that all these players have taken a lot of stick and yet are being seen as Gods now that they've left, which is ludicrous.

As it stands we'll start the season like this

Allsop

Phillips/Willis
Webster
Johnson
Pugh

O'Brien
Thomas
Fleck
Swanson

Miller
Tudgay

Bench
Burge
Clarke
Seabourne
Coulibaly
Phillips/Willis
Maddison
Thomas

For me that team is good enough to make the play-offs (Judging on what I've seen of League 1 over the past two years, and what is required to achieve success in it)

Add in a few more signings (two strikers and a centre midfielder) and we should be challenging for automatic promotion.

The only clubs to fear this season are:
Bristol City (Although I have doubts as to whether Steve Cotterill is a good enough manager to take them up)

Sheffield United (Need a new forward, but besides should be at the top from the start)

Orient (Bit more money to spend now that Hearn has sold up, they showed last year how a team of not particularly talented footballers can go very far in this league)

The likes of Preston, Posh and MK will as it stands be with us challenging for the playoffs.

The rest are rather average sides.

 

[Chipfat]

Baker is well within his rights to demand a pay increase with any move,, all players are.. If the deal is not better he will not move and see out his contract and leave when he gets his final pay check.. If we as fans are unhappy about the situation, don't blame the player, blame the twat that put him on a contract that is not in line with the company structure. As for loyal to his bank account! name me one player who isn't or wasn't, so if you are looking for morals or loyalty you are looking in the wrong business...

 

[dongonzalos]

Footballers aren't loyal on the whole, they make decisions that are best for them. I want what's best for the club. Baker had one brilliant season for us (12/13 in which he got 15 goals and 14 assists). Last year he started off well, but faded and was dropped on numerous occasions by Elvis. His replacement Jim O'Brien has played more games at a higher level, including a season with Motherwell in which he was selected in the PFA team of the season (A good achievement considering that Rangers and Celtic usually dominate those teams). For me Baker peaked in that season at the age of 29, O'Brien is 26 and his best days are obviously ahead of him. Tbh if you search the forum you'll find threads titled 'Isn't Baker/Christie/Moussa/Murphy/Clarke shit'. My point being that all these players have taken a lot of stick and yet are being seen as Gods now that they've left, which is ludicrous.

As it stands we'll start the season like this

Allsop

Phillips/Willis
Webster
Johnson
Pugh

O'Brien
Thomas
Fleck
Swanson

Miller
Tudgay

Bench
Burge
Clarke
Seabourne
Coulibaly
Phillips/Willis
Maddison
Thomas

For me that team is good enough to make the play-offs (Judging on what I've seen of League 1 over the past two years, and what is required to achieve success in it)

Add in a few more signings (two strikers and a centre midfielder) and we should be challenging for automatic promotion.

The only clubs to fear this season are:
Bristol City (Although I have doubts as to whether Steve Cotterill is a good enough manager to take them up)

Sheffield United (Need a new forward, but besides should be at the top from the start)

Orient (Bit more money to spend now that Hearn has sold up, they showed last year how a team of not particularly talented footballers can go very far in this league)

The likes of Preston, Posh and MK will as it stands be with us challenging for the playoffs.

The rest are rather average sides.

When you say that team is good enough to make the play offs

Please can you tell me more about Maddison and Thomas. If the players in their positions get injured they are in.

Also I could ask you the same about three other players you are unlikely to know about until you see them play?

We need about three more proven at this level signings before we can discuss the play offs

 

[LJC_CCFC]

When you say that team is good enough to make the play offs

Please can you tell me more about Maddison and Thomas. If the players in their positions get injured they are in.

Also I could ask you the same about three other players you are unlikely to know about until you see them play?

We need about three more proven at this level signings before we can discuss the play offs

And Elvis has said on numerous occasions more signings are incoming, plus we've yet to utilise the loan market which inevitably will happen imo.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

Not explicit in this article from March, but very clear it's not about the money and he does say he had agreed with Pressley to sit down before the end of th season:

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sp...-news/coventry-citys-joe-murphy-wants-6872917

So Murphy didn't say he was willing to take a pay cut before the end of the season as the other poster claimed. He doesn't actually say he wanted/would have signed a new deal at the time either.

It looks to me he just wanted to know if he was going to get a contract offer from the club, presumably so he could weigh up all his options and see what deal would be best for him.

The fact is we tried to keep him but he signed a better deal elsewhere, people want to believe we let him go and didn't try to keep him then that is up to them.

 

[dongonzalos]

And Elvis has said on numerous occasions more signings are incoming, plus we've yet to utilise the loan market which inevitably will happen imo.

We get three other signings of proven ability at this level including a top class striker
I would agree with you.

However I can't agree with you that this current squad possibly minus baker can achieve the play offs

 

[dongonzalos]

Grendel please could you change your icon to this

 

[Samo]

And Elvis has said on numerous occasions more signings are incoming, plus we've yet to utilise the loan market which inevitably will happen imo.

2 of our signings are loans.

 

[shmmeee]

So Murphy didn't say he was willing to take a pay cut before the end of the season as the other poster claimed. He doesn't actually say he wanted/would have signed a new deal at the time either.

It looks to me he just wanted to know if he was going to get a contract offer from the club, presumably so he could weigh up all his options and see what deal would be best for him.

The fact is we tried to keep him but he signed a better deal elsewhere, people want to believe we let him go and didn't try to keep him then that is up to them.

We'll have to agree to disagree. To me that article shows a player who is perfectly happy to play out his career here.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

We'll have to agree to disagree. To me that article shows a player who is perfectly happy to play out his career here.

tbf he'd be added to the rather long trend of players who protest their desire to stay, the club mutter in the press about talking to them... nothing happens on that front.

Morrison, McKenzie, Westwood, Fox etc. all had the odd problem when it came to contract negotiations. In fact the only ones who didn't were when Dulieu was here!

 

[shmmeee]

In fact the only ones who didn't were when Dulieu was here!

If you fancy a laugh (or a cry) have a read of this: http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sp...ews/coventry-city-chairman-ken-dulieu-3034095

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

We'll have to agree to disagree. To me that article shows a player who is perfectly happy to play out his career here.

So why is he at Huddersfield then?

 

[Deleted member 5849]

So why is he at Huddersfield then?

And so the circle of skybluetalk life continues.

 

[jon92]

Way pressley said it can't see him being involved in the squad. Even if he don't find a team

 

[dongonzalos]

So why is he at Huddersfield then?

Because we are at Northampton so we can't afford the going rate for someone of his ability.

 

[shmmeee]

So why is he at Huddersfield then?

I think this is where I came in.

 

[Grendel]

Because we are at Northampton so we can't afford the going rate for someone of his ability.

Someone on here claimed we offered him £4,000 a week and he turned it down.