[SOLD] Will Hughes

Discussion in 'The Transfer List' started by nornironhorn, Jul 7, 2021.

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  1. Hogg-DEENEY!!!

    Hogg-DEENEY!!! Squad Player

    I'm not putting much credence into that tbf!
     
  2. Since63

    Since63 Squad Player

    Not sure he 'wanted' to leave in January, but he was, not surprisingly, keen to go to Leicester as they were showing interest in him. I'm a bit surprised they haven't come back in for him again.
     
  3. HeiaWatford

    HeiaWatford Reservist

    Plenty of time for them to do exactly that.
     
    Since63 likes this.
  4. USAHornet

    USAHornet Academy Graduate

    Exactly. Fans attach emotional elements to contracts that most players don't, and that most of us don't in terms of our jobs.

    Look at it this way - you have a job with a company you like, but an economic slowdown may mean your job suffers and you lose 50% of your salary, in part due to things out of your control... or you could potentially get a job with a similar company you might like as much or more, that could offer you opportunities to move upwards, that on paper is going to be more stable and successful, and has less risk of you losing 50% of your salary.

    The second one seems like a pretty logical choice.
     
    a19tgg likes this.
  5. BusheyOrn

    BusheyOrn Reservist

    Fake news or real?
    ✍️ | #WatfordFC are delighted to confirm that Will Hughes has committed to another 5 years at Vicarage Road! The 26 year old has extended until 2026. Read more below https://t.co/NgRsaIq8Vk
     
  6. RS2

    RS2 Squad Player

    Fake. That's from him signing a contract with Nike years ago.
     
  7. Aberystwyth_Hornet

    Aberystwyth_Hornet Squad Player

    They even admit it's fake :(
     
  8. BusheyOrn

    BusheyOrn Reservist

    Thought so , back to depression.... :(
     
  9. lowerrous

    lowerrous First Team

    Look at that photo - he can't even grow stubble yet.
     
  10. onion8837

    onion8837 Reservist

    And is wearing a winter coat
     
  11. a19tgg

    a19tgg First Team

    And a moncler ski jacket at that, in a 30 degree heatwave
     
  12. Arakel

    Arakel First Team

    Would be easy to stipulate that into the contract if that's his concern.

    Most clubs don't play player wages when they're badly injured - they have insurance to cover it, so it would be a small matter to put in a rider stating if he has a long term injury the original wage stands for the duration of the injury to compensate versus lost transfer opportunities and then let the insurance cover it.
     
  13. a19tgg

    a19tgg First Team

    But…. why?

    It’s not like he’s a Watford fan or a product of our youth system, he stayed one season in the championship with us, why would he then want a likely relegation scrap again with us if he can avoid it?

    No doubt we could put a load of convoluted clauses in, but if you’re Will Hughes and a bigger club come in with no convoluted clauses… why wouldn’t you just move?

    The simple way to keep him here is just to pay him more than any other club are offering, if we don’t do then that then why would he accept a load of clauses he doesn’t need to accept elsewhere? Why accept a clause that compensated for a lost deal, when that actual deal could be taken now?
     
    Burnsy likes this.
  14. RS2

    RS2 Squad Player

    If I were Will Hughes I'd be getting my agent to whore me out to any club that'll take me. Which is exactly what is happening.
     
    cyaninternetdog, wfcmoog and Burnsy like this.
  15. AndrewH63

    AndrewH63 Reservist

    I honestly cannot see another current Premier League team he would be an automatic first 11 choice. How many squads would he improve? I suppose being home grown does add to his desirability for a Brighton or Southampton.

    If he does go in this window i would guess its more likely to one of the relegated clubs once they shift some of their own.

    I suspect he will just run down his contract and see where we are next May
     
  16. Arakel

    Arakel First Team

    There are countless reasons why people don't want to change employers. I'm sure you can think of some. :)

    The point is, a relegation clause doesn't need to be make or break and, if it is, as far I'm concerned any player that puts their personal financial wellbeing above that of the club is better off long gone anyway.
     
  17. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    That’s great in an idealistic sense. But some of our fanbase are in denial if they think we don’t have ‘mercenaries’ at the club. Every side does. Very few, if any, of our squad would stick around in the face of a better offer from a bigger club. Most of them are with us because they didn’t get one, simple as that. Having a squad that’s mainly built on players who love being at Watford is a pipe dream in the modern game. Most will attempt to enjoy it whilst they are passing through and then move on. A few will go beyond that (Gomes for example) and some will fall short of it (Dawson etc). But we are what we are and that’s a result of the club being sold as a ‘stepping stone’. I bet that’s how the moves were sold to Hughes and Chalobah too.

    Your last sentence is just a bit OTT but I understand it’s well meaning. But if we are offering £35k a week, with caveats of relegation clauses etc - but other PL clubs are offering more money without those clauses, there’s no way just because he’d accept the latter that he’s ‘well off gone anyway’.

    I honestly don’t believe the relegation clause is the sticking point here for Hughes. As I think he’d force his way out if we went down again anyway…and our business last summer shows we acquiesce those who want out. I think it’s far more likely the length of deal on offer or he simply believes he’s worth more than we are offering…but most likely? I bet he feels like he’s done his time here, wants to get more from his career and has interest from clubs who can better provide that. I doubt it’s anything against us other than our stature. I don’t blame him whatsoever if that’s the case. I’d just be gutted.
     
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2021
  18. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    I’m fine with that as long as he is still committed.
     
    AndrewH63 likes this.
  19. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    Good luck finding a squad that puts Watford over their long term financial well-being.
     
    Burnsy likes this.
  20. Arakel

    Arakel First Team

    I wholeheartedly disagree. My employer has a wage structure they stick to. So does yours. When Covid hit, I took a wage reduction due to the business being essentially closed down and our customers not ordering things. The business doesn't exist to go into debt just to keep employees happy - the number one employee is ALWAYS the business, and no one is more important than it.

    Football is no different to any other industry in that respect. The club needs to set out its finances sensibly and if players won't come on board, let them go and find a replacement. Football isn't some magical fantasy land where the rules of sensible spending are different - spend more than you can afford and you end up in debt. It's not hard to predict and there is a list as long as both our arms laid together of clubs who didn't balance their finances and paid the price.

    You pay what you can afford and if the employer's income is adversely impacted, such as in a relegation, you implement safeguards against it.

    Not sure where your first line came from at all. I wasn't saying anything about mercenaries versus not - I don't work for free and if my employer stopped paying me, I'd stop going. That makes me a mercenary by definition.

    I don't care whether or not a player loves the club, only whether or not they put in effort and perform. That has nothing to do with whether or not they put their needs ahead of the club. I am sensible enough to realise that if my employer goes under I lose my job by default, so when circumstances dictate I'll will take (and have taken) a temporary wage drop because it makes no sense to drive the business into bankruptcy.

    Third paragraph I largely agree with, but my original point was only talking about a theoretical contractual stumbling point, not stating that's what I think the sticking point actually is. As you say, if he wanted to go I think he'd have gone last year.
     
    La_tempesta_cielo_68 likes this.
  21. simpleMASH

    simpleMASH Reservist

    Why don’t you just marry the business if you love it so much
     
    luke_golden likes this.
  22. RS2

    RS2 Squad Player

    It doesn't sound like Hughes is kicking up a stink, it just genuinely sounds like there is something in the contract which he's not happy with. We obviously don't know what the terms are but it could be anything. I have no doubt if he stays having not signed a deal then he'll be 100% committed next season. Personally I can't see that happening though and someone will be getting a very good player for a lot less than his value this summer. I'm thinking even £5m.
     
  23. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    Yes and no.

    Football clubs spend beyond their means by and large, they just do so (mainly) in a manageable manner. Most clubs manage a debt that’s larger than the income. And then offset that every few years with loans, sales or sponsorship deals etc. Those who don’t are the ones who end up in trouble.

    But I digress - I don’t think anyone is suggesting we smash the wage structure or pay Hughes what we cannot afford. But him putting his financial well-being first doesn’t automatically mean he’s asking for anything we can’t afford?

    Maybe I read it wrong and if so I apologise. I took it as you meaning that if he’s more interested in earning more money than playing for Watford, then we are well rid of him. I was just debating that point really.
     
  24. Supertommymooney

    Supertommymooney Squad Player

    For £5m I'd just keep him and let the contract run down.

    If he helps us stay up, great. Worth far more than that.

    If not then his wages are straight off the books.
     
    dynamo380 likes this.
  25. Arakel

    Arakel First Team

    Seems like we are in agreement then, because that wasn't what I meant. :)

    I'm more interested in money than working for my employer. I don't expect different from any of our players. It's fine if players want to do the best for themselves, but the club needs to conduct itself sensibly too. If a player won't fit in that structure then toodle pipski.
     
    Burnsy likes this.
  26. Arakel

    Arakel First Team

    I did.

    I didn't invite you because you're a miserable sod, so that's probably why you don't know about it.
     
  27. simpleMASH

    simpleMASH Reservist

    I hope it rained
     
    Arakel likes this.
  28. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    Bizarre stuff.
     
  29. Since63

    Since63 Squad Player

    A bit pointless comparing footballers' employment status with employees in most other sectors. In football, a new manager can come in, decide he doesn't like you & treat you like a nasty smell, not put you in the squad, force you to train with the youth teams etc...effectively asking someone previously regarded as of 'supervisor' status to clean the bogs & make the tea. In 'normal' jobs, that would be construed as constructive dismissal & the employee could pursue the employer via tribunals for compensation. Footballers effectively can't. I don't blame any of them for viewing their current club (their employer) with detachment if not cynicism.

    Always accepting most of them get very well paid for the privilege of being treated like disposable assets.
     
    simpleMASH likes this.
  30. He and his agent need to get on with whatever the plan is - negotiate, sign, or leave.
    Its becoming tiresome and he’s not that good that he can behave as if he is.
     
    neverforgetboxingday likes this.
  31. Hogg-DEENEY!!!

    Hogg-DEENEY!!! Squad Player

    We might be getting bored of the whole business, but he and his representatives still have plenty of time, we're still fairly early into pre-season yet
     
  32. Arakel

    Arakel First Team

    You actually can claim constructive dismissal as contracted staff at a football club. Clubs don't get to treat staff however they want.

    Two easy examples that come to mind: Kevin Keegan and the female doctor at Chelsea Mourinho mouthed off at, whose name escapes me. I'm sure there are more, those are just the ones I remember.
     
  33. Heidar

    Heidar Squad Player

    Paolo Vernazza isn't it?

    Don't think he's trying to stiff Watford - just a fundamental barrier somewhere in the contract.
     
  34. Since63

    Since63 Squad Player

    Not sure how that would pan out for a player as their basic contractual conditions would include the requirement to do whatever the manager/head coach stipulates; at least, so I would assume. Neither of your examples were players.
     
  35. ForzaWatford

    ForzaWatford Squad Player

    I have often wondered about why players are exempt from traditional HR rules. I asked a PL footballer recently what the best prank he's ever done was, his answer was 'I took a **** in a players shoe'. If I took a **** in a colleagues shoe i'd get sacked instantly!
     
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