35 replies to this topic

[Gem]

"ethicalstrategy":2x57xkm5 said:

"wicksy":2x57xkm5 said:

"loz":2x57xkm5 said:

and to think somebody once claimed the reason Frank was leaving was because Grant is the manager.

Call me a cynical old ba****d, but in my view he ONLY factor which will decide whether Lamps stays at Chelsea is money. So long as Chelsea give in to his outrageous wage demands he'll stay, simple.

You cynical old bar steward!

In my view it is rarely just about money at that level.  Money is just used as a gauge.  So Frank reckons he has been one of the key contributors to our success over the last 3 years and feels that this should be reflected in his contract.

Translate that to the real world - you are doing a great job at work and your boss brings in someone else, on higher wages, who doesn't do as good a job.  How do you feel?  Pretty naffed off I suspect.  

But, you love your job and the people you work with so what do you do?  You go to your boss and say, I'm worth as much, if not more, than this new guy, and my contract will run out soon, I'd like a new one on the same basis, or better.

You want to stay but you're not going to let your boss take the piss out of you.  If you can agree a new deal that you believe reflects your achievement and status in the company then that's great.  Otherwise you might just decide that you'll consider other offers.

The amounts of money involved in football may well be considered obscene but the basic principal remains the same.

All hail sense  {SMILIES_PATH}/clap2.gif

[abramovich]

I may be a cynical old bas...d but i don't share the excitement about keeping Frank at the club for the next five-six years.

I mean that's what he wants if report is to be trusted - six more years and obviously more money. He'll be 30 this year and imo he is not likely to get better with age. Frank has been a loyal servant to the club in the last five years and probably had as much if not more  influence on our success as JT,Jose and Drogba but looking ahead i just don't see if giving him long term contract at this age and under current circumstances is such a swell idea.

Henry was a big part of Arse success, so was Horseface at the OT and both delivered goals in loads much like Frank. But when the right time came Fergie and Arsene made the right moves even if those decisions were not very popular with the fans at the time. Both clubs survived and both look to be doing well.

I'm not against keeping Frank at the club, i'm glad he loves Chelsea and wants to stay. I'm just trying to figure out how we're going to introduce changes to the current team, which are inevitable, and keep everybody happy.

[just]

"ethicalstrategy":2zy7ip93 said:

"wicksy":2zy7ip93 said:

"loz":2zy7ip93 said:

and to think somebody once claimed the reason Frank was leaving was because Grant is the manager.

Call me a cynical old ba****d, but in my view he ONLY factor which will decide whether Lamps stays at Chelsea is money. So long as Chelsea give in to his outrageous wage demands he'll stay, simple.

You cynical old bar steward!

In my view it is rarely just about money at that level.  Money is just used as a gauge.  So Frank reckons he has been one of the key contributors to our success over the last 3 years and feels that this should be reflected in his contract.

Translate that to the real world - you are doing a great job at work and your boss brings in someone else, on higher wages, who doesn't do as good a job.  How do you feel?  Pretty naffed off I suspect.  

But, you love your job and the people you work with so what do you do?  You go to your boss and say, I'm worth as much, if not more, than this new guy, and my contract will run out soon, I'd like a new one on the same basis, or better.

You want to stay but you're not going to let your boss take the piss out of you.  If you can agree a new deal that you believe reflects your achievement and status in the company then that's great.  Otherwise you might just decide that you'll consider other offers.

The amounts of money involved in football may well be considered obscene but the basic principal remains the same.

Isn't that exactly what Gallas did? He wanted terms and wages that he felt reflected his value to the team. However, Kenyon and Buck undervalued that.

The Lampard saga has dragged on for bloody ages and I'm glad Frank wants to stay. However, this is something he has said before and he still hasn't put pen to paper. I do hope his "love of the club" is duly reflected in realistic and reasonable demands for his new contract.

I heard on the radio this afternoon he wants a six or seven year deal. That is a very long period of time for a player who is knocking on 30. But so long as he is prepared to accept that he will, in all likelyhood, be playing less regularly at 33/34 years old and therefore won't be getting anywhere near 120K a week for his services at that age, I say let's get the deal done.

[Jimboola69]

He keeps SAYING this!

Until he actually SIGNS I am taking nothing at face value!

[mad_mac]

Part of me is very please to hear, again, about Frank wanting to stay at Chelsea.  If his words are true, then the reason he's been putting off any contract negotiations is to focus on his football and his family.  Good on him for that.

However, he turns 30 this year, and wants to stay at Chelsea for another 5,6 or 7 years?  I think that the only way Chelsea as a club would accept that would be if his wages were to be pro-rated.   "Ok Frank, we'll give you your wages as they are for the remainder of hte 18 months on your current contract, but then you'll be 32, so after that, we will need to drop your wages to (insert figure here) for the additional 2-3 years of the contract you are about to sign."

I just can't see us paying a 34 year old 120k a week when it is totally realistic that there will be newer talent that could fill Frank's position.

I know that Frank brings something to the table that not many other players can.  His love of the Club, the fan's respect, his camradery with the likes of Cech and Terry, his vice captaincy, and a bridge between the old and the new regime.  However, I don't think we should have our "pants pulled down" over the price of his contract, just gor the sake of nostalgia!

I welcome him staying, and I think if we do offer him a contract then he can get back to playing football.  however, we need to be sensible in our negotiations as a club.  Or else there will be contract battles of Epic proportions in the future.  Likewise, imagine a young talented player coming to the club, and he sees Frank languishing in the midfield still earning 120k a week..The youngster will then think he should be on parity with Frank when it comes to wages.

Scott

[Jimboola69]

He should only be offered a contract if he agrees to give up taking corners, free-kicks and pens!  {SMILIES_PATH}/happy0034.gif  {SMILIES_PATH}/frank.gif

[Gem]

"Jimboola69":557kytw1 said:

He should only be offered a contract if he agrees to give up taking corners, free-kicks and pens!  {SMILIES_PATH}/happy0034.gif  {SMILIES_PATH}/frank.gif

{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_lol.gif Even I have to agree with that  {SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif

[c3blu]

Frank staying is great news, and although i agree 5/6 yrs might be a bit optimistic i believe he still has many great years ahead of him. Lets not get to carried away with Ballack, he has looked like the player we hoped since his return but Frank is so important to the club both on and of the pitch. Seeing him staying may even influence others such as Drogba/Carvallho etc into staying at the club.(if reports are to believed that they are considering their futures)  
Frank is very fit and has never been quick so i dont see any reason why like a fine wine he wont get better with age and even more experience.
With the unwarrented abuse he gets from other fans up and down the country its no wonder he said 'Chelsea is my club,where else would i get the love i get from Chelsea fans'. {SMILIES_PATH}/happy0034.gif
{SMILIES_PATH}/frank.gif
Chelsea legend.
{SMILIES_PATH}/clap2.gif  {SMILIES_PATH}/clap2.gif  {SMILIES_PATH}/clap2.gif

[cappy]

"mad_mac":228ci08h said:

However, I don't think we should have our "pants pulled down" over the price of his contract, just gor the sake of nostalgia!

Scott

not our money?

...............................Cech

Alves...............Cav...............JT...........Bridge

.................................Mik

................Essien........................Ballack

..............................Ronnie

.......................................Anelka
..........................Drogba

WHAT A LINE UP - Id have the Coles in there, ..... somewhere

[Nibs]

"cappy":1t3srwam said:

"mad_mac":1t3srwam said:

However, I don't think we should have our "pants pulled down" over the price of his contract, just gor the sake of nostalgia!

Scott

not our money?

...............................Cech

Alves...............Cav...............JT...........Bridge

.................................Mik

................Essien........................Ballack

..............................Ronnie

.......................................Anelka
..........................Drogba

WHAT A LINE UP - Id have the Coles in there, ..... somewhere

Many a line up looks good on paper. But you immediately start thinking about all these players playing at their very best all of the time. Of course the reality is somewhat different. Sure it could be a good side, but this season I can count on one hand the number of great games Mikel, Essien, Ronnie amd Ballack have played. Love the idea of Anelka, but let's not get too carried away. It seems many have the idea that we sign Anelka and straight away we are guaranteed a 25-30 goal a season player. He's the sort of player who will score a few and then go a run of games without a goal - just like more a less any other striker. My fantasy football team can back that up!!
{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_sad.gif

[cappy]

fair call

we cannot keep anyone fit at moment! Surely we are due?

[mad_mac]

Cappy, I know that it is not our money, but Roman is a businessman and will not continue to pay over the odds for players

[Valerie]

"Gem":dh16w1h4 said:

I always stand in Frank's corner

Good, now you can take those corners for him!

I'm always a bit sceptical about players claiming they want to finish their careers at a club. That usually means the club have them on their payroll in the players declining years, what good does that do? Exceptions aside of course.

[Jimboola69]

Ronnie likes to play on the left and drift in ala Joe Cole.

[Butch]

Look at it in this way - Frank is currently in his prime. Sometimes I feel we want change for change's sake and end up losing players in their prime. This is the situation with Frank. He is important to Chelsea in so many ways that we simply should not be thinking of "tinkering" with the situation.

No, I don't expect Frank to be able to play at maximum level when he is 34-35 but that is so long down the road we shouldn't even be worrying about it at this time. Even if we are able to "delay his departure" by 2-3 years that would be good business. Frank doesn't strike me as someone who would hang around for long if deterioration of form means he finds himself on the bench more often than not! So I don't share the same concern about handing him a long-ish term contract. Again, I believe that what we get in the next 2-4 years from Frank, both on and off the pitch, will more than make any contract with him worthwhile.

Our club is in a "shaky" period where a lot of additional change could affect our chances of success. We already look likely to be losing Drogba on top of Jose. We need all the stability we can get to off-set this and keep our momentum going forward. The Chelsea identity is also important and JT will need help in "bedding in" the new players who will be coming in.

I really hope he stays (I think he will), and that we do everything in our power to keep him.

Cheers,

Butch