Planet Swans ArchivesUltimatums are, in my opinion, dangerous things to make. Imagine walking into your employer and saying “Give me a pay rise or I’m off” – some people may get that pay rise, others get their bluff called and are made to look silly. Personally, as a manager myself I would never give into an ultimatum. Why? Because the moment you give into it once then you get them thrown at you time and time again.
Imagine this scenario. The management committee have a few conversations tomorrow and decide that they better act. They offer Addo and Nicho a new contract and the management team congratulate themselves on a job well done. They work throughout the season and into the start of next one, wheeling and dealing in the transfer market. Around October things are not going their way and they decide they want a few more pound notes (or even Euros!) to buy some players. “No” say the board, “no money, you have spent enough”. Ah, let’s issue another ultimatum “Give us some money or we will leave” Or maybe we re-sign Sidibe and then we get an offer that the board want to take “Let him go and we leave” say the management. The possibilities are endless.
Colin Addison and Peter Nicholas are under contract at this football club until the end of the season. Why should they be offered new deals now? We have a dozen or so players out of contract at the end of the season as well. Do you hear ultimatums from this corner as well?
I will be honest and say that I am undecided about whether we should renew the contracts of Addo and Nicho. They have done a decent job with the hand they have been dealt since they have been here but we have real tests this week in Scunthorpe and Hull with all due respect to the likes of Southend and Halifax. We still have Luton and Mansfield at the Vetch, they are big tests too. I don’t think we can fully judge the management until the end of the seaosn AFTER they have had a decent run with a fair hand that they seem to have at the moment.
So why should they be offered contracts now? Can you imagine a queue of clubs lining up to take them on at the moment? I can’t see it to be honest but I remain open to being surprised on this front. But at the same time I feel disappointed that Peter Nicholas has gone on record in making this “sign us or we’re off” statement. No one person should be allowed to hold this football club to ransom. Not one.
We are putting results together and if this continues then they both deserve a second bite at the cherry next season but of course if they don’t continue then I don’t believe that they do. It is still too early to make our minds up about whether they should get that chance in my opinion and I urge the management committee (or whatever we call them) not to give into this ultimatum and if Colin Addison and Peter Nicholas walk away because they stand firm then so be it.
