I've just asked Leventhal on his Athletic Q&A about Deeney's contract status due to conflicting reports on its remaining length - his reply was, I quote: Deeney has two years left which I understand also has an option for a third year. He may get stuff wrong a fair bit - but he's look pretty stupid repeating this line if it wasn't true. I think we need to accept Deeney isn't out of contract this summer. Someone has asked him to clarify if that means 1yr+1yr option from this summer...surely it can't be 2yrs+1yr option even by our mad standards!
So maybe just the 3 more years of Troy's prem league level costs. Phew, was worried for a moment there !
Somebody has asked him to elaborate on that point but he hasn't yet. I think if it's a continuation of what he said in an article earlier in the season, that this is the penultimate mandatory year and there's an option for another after that. So will end Summer 2022 or Summer 2023 if extended.
This means we are severely restricted on any rebuild if we don’t go up this year. What an albatross around our neck.
I'm so confused about the Deeney contract situation, it just doesn't make sense. He was given a new 5 year deal in 2016, since when there's been nothing official about it whatsoever. Why would the club extend the contract of the captain and not tell anyone about it? What's the benefit of keeping it a secret? Troy himself hasn't said anything either, and he's hardly the type to keep his mouth shut. They make an official announcement every other time a player signs a new deal, right down to the U23s.
So it runs out this summer but there is some sort of verbal agreement for another deal which may or may not happen?
Asking the question as it seems a bit confusing as to does he have a contract which runs out this summer but there is some sort agreement to extend it by another year or so ?
Fair enough but as said above we wouldn't have heard he had a extra year by now or did they just forget to tell us! He certainly won't be on the same sort of wages as he was in the Premier league if there is an extension due.
Think it’s sadly clear by now that Deeney has certain privileges within the club. He could easily sign a deal and ask for no one to be told I suspect. The clubs communication issues went from being poor to an utter mess last season - I’m not surprised we weren’t told as fans really. Also, let’s not forget there were complex discussions around wage deferrals going on at one stage - Any new deal could have been agreed and signed then and kept quiet due to the nature of the optics at that time. I suspect this is what has happened personally. As a wider thing - when we talk about finances etc, we should remember too that those wage deferrals will need sorting at some point.
It wouldn’t surprise me, given the theories around Troy contractually having to start games, if that also had something to do with (or was actually more related to) the extension option. It’s plausible the extra year is performance/appearance based, which means even if he’s not actually contractually obliged to play it would explain him trying to exert undue influence on the manager/his team mates/owners. If there is over £3.5m riding on him starting a certain number of games as an example, then that would certainly explain a lot.
Gino has shown a distinct lack of judgement in understanding the depreciating value and usefulness of players as they age. For every ageless wonder who can go on until 38 and keep producing, there are dozens whose ability, physical condition and motivation drops off a cliff around 30-33, but we never seem to learn, judging by the lenghts of contract we award that take players right into the twilight of their careers.