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| There are so many ways you could read the situation at the moment it is fascinating. Before we look at the different ways, it is probably pertinent to pick up a few quotes from today’s press articles regards Roberto. |
| Western Mail – "Four days ago I would have said I definitely wanted to sign, but now I am not sure where I stand with the club, The problem is it’s not clear to me where these stories about me holding out for a certain amount of money are coming from." |
| Western Mail – "And, in any case, the salary we are talking about is achievable for any club signing a player on a free transfer." |
| Western Mail – "There needs to be a human approach from the club and for people to show that extra bit of effort and determination," said Martinez." |
| Evening Post (Brian Flynn) – "”Money has got a part to play,’ but it’s not necessarily the case that Roberto’s wages are all there is to it. ‘He came originally to a club at the bottom of Division Three for a short-term project which was keeping us in the league. ‘We achieved that, and now he is looking beyond to see what our ambitions are." |
| Just a few selections from articles that have been written today. The first two for me contradict themselves despite them appearing in the same article from the same player. It is not about money but the money is achievable? We just wonder what the money being talked about is. Rumours printed on here suggest anywhere between £2000 and £2500 per week but these we stress are just rumours and nothing backs them up. Flynn also contradicts the first statement to a degree when he admits that money has a part to play. |
| On the money front I have a simple belief. We should pay Martinez more than the norm because he gives us more than the norm. Most will agree that without him we would be staring conference football in the face but at the same time we simply cannot afford to break the bank on one player alone. We should have a ceiling and if that ceiling has already been offered then, I hate to say it, it’s a case of that or nothing at all. I have no doubt that we are talking a big wage that the club are prepared to/have offered and if that is not acceptable then I’m afraid that we may have to say cheerio or should that be adios? |
| The ambition one is a decent statement. Unusually this summer we have seen names released by the club of players we are interested in. It has been said before that these could be being released to attract season ticket sales but could they also be being released to show a certain player that we have an ambition to match his? Is there a chance that the player is holding out waiting to see if those ambitions are transferred into actions before committing anything to paper? |
| The contact one is also an issue to me. Brian Flynn has stated many a time that he is travelling all over to make signings yet Roberto suggests that he has not made contact since last week. Last week of course is only a few days ago but at the same time the staff that I look to recruit get several phone calls from me keeping working on trying to persuade them. Maybe Roberto wants more contact here than Flynn feels is necessary? |
| Roberto Martinez is without a doubt one of the classiest players that we have seen down the Vetch in the last 25 years. His vision and control of the game last season was the biggest single factor in us staying up I believe and we should be making every attempt to sign him. However, every player should have his price and if we have reached that price with him then the ball is firmly in his court. We must remember that we are a third division football club at this moment. We all want us to rise higher but that can be achieved without giving into player demands if there are any. |
| It will be interesting to see the outcome of all this but I do believe that there is one more quote in the articles that suggest which way we are heading and that is the one from Roberto "All I can say to the Swans supporters is, if things can’t be worked out, the club will be in my heart forever and I will never forget about them or what I helped to do there last season." Does that signal the finish to a career at Swansea?? |
| I want Martinez to be at Swansea next season but I fear that we have reached a stalemate where neither side is prepared to move and there is a chance that the articles have been made to try and force the club’s hand by getting the fans on side and pushing hard for a signing. The last player to attract this was Matthew Bound and whilst a comparison is not fair on all accounts, look where that got us. |
| Let’s go for him but let’s get him on the terms we are prepared to offer and if we aren’t there yet give him our maximum bid and see what happens – we have nothing to lose by doing that? |
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