McLeod drove a hard bargain

[blighty]

It's now as clear as dogs balls Andrew Mcleod drove such an ambitious deal in his contract negotiations at the end of the season, that it's effected the ability of the footy club to deal with prospective recruits & stay within the salary cap.When you consider Roo & Goodwin both took pay cuts & Hart's wage is partly defrayed via the veteran's list.......we are still so tight we can't afford to pick up Parker, then we were well & truly screwed!
When you also take into consideration,Bickley retiring saved them perhaps $100,000[most of his wage was on the vets list last year] & Smart wouldn't be playing for much more .....you realise McLeod didn't do us any favours.....

You'd hope like hell in 2004 he'd play up to the $500,000 he's so obviously cost us!

 

[DaveW]

Parker is staying as a rookie, not what he deserves, but at least we don't lose him. It's not such a big deal. If one of our defenders suffers a long-term injury, we can just promote him.

But boy I hope we're not massively overpaying McLeod. I really think recent player retention problems at other clubs have shown you can't afford to overpay anyone. I love watching McLeod in full flight, but if he wanted more than he was worth, we should have let him walk. I'm sure we could have stitched up a good trade deal.

There are some good reasons for trading McLeod:
* His trade value is still high. He is overrated to some extent, as his 18 Brownlow votes showed.
* His form is on the wane, and probably has been for two years.
* He has a dodgy knee, which played up a bit this year. This is only likely to get worse.

McLeod has a special history with our club, but we can't allow sentiment to medium-term on-field fortunes on mortgage.

That said, this is all just pure speculation on our part. McLeod might not be the mercenary he's being made out to be. (I think I've been careful so far with my 'if's. ) Even if he is, it hasn't caused us any major immediate problems.

Our salary cap should free up in 12 months time with the retirements of Carey and Smart. Ricciuto will go onto the veterans list in 2005 as well. Assuming of course we haven't signed off on any "back-loaded" contracts... *puke*.

 

[PAfolwr]

McLeod has earned the right to be your highest paid player.
$500K PA sounds like a lot, but that is about the going rate.

 

[macca23]

Originally posted by PAfolwr
McLeod has earned the right to be your highest paid player.
$500K PA sounds like a lot, but that is about the going rate.

Agree with that.

 

[noddy]

Originally posted by PAfolwr
McLeod has earned the right to be your highest paid player.
$500K PA sounds like a lot, but that is about the going rate.

I was under the impression he was receiving between $400k- $450k a year & the only stumbling block in negotiations was the length of his contract, but i stand to be corrected.

But i agree he has deserved to be one of if not the highest paid player on our list.

Now it is up to him to justify his contract & perform up to a level that is worthy of him being the highest paid player on the Crows list much more consistently than last year.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

McLeod should be our 2nd highest paid player behind Roo IMO.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by Kane McGoodwin
McLeod should be our 2nd highest paid player behind Roo IMO.

I am also of the opinion that captain should be the highest paid player at the club.

 

[maccas_no1]

Why do you say that Stiffy and Kane?????? When Bicks was captian did he deserve to be the highest payed player on our list????

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Originally posted by maccas_no1
Why do you say that Stiffy and Kane?????? When Bicks was captian did he deserve to be the highest payed player on our list????

IMO, Roo & McLeod are close in terms of playing ability / value to our team, but Roo should get extra for the captaincy.

Bicks should also have got extra for when he was captain, but not enough to make him the highest paid Crow.

 

[Crow-mosone]

Mcleod have always been very financially 'savvy'.
good luck to him, but it's always been clear where his priorities lay.

He only came to the AFC because he didn't get a big enough offer from Freo, and he nearly left to Brisbane in 1997. like they ****ing need him!

I have no problem with this, but Andy knows which side of the bread, the butter is on.

 

[ajmart]

Originally posted by DaveW
* He has a dodgy knee, which played up a bit this year. This is only likely to get worse.

Dave, take it as gospel from me, his knee is perfectly good. It was not the reason for any loss of form and will not be in the future

Cheers,

a.j.

 

[tribey]

Originally posted by ajmart
Dave, take it as gospel from me, his knee is perfectly good. It was not the reason for any loss of form and will not be in the future

So last season he was just resting on his laurels and was basically being just a useless ****?

 

[MarksGirl-kbcrowgirl]

Originally posted by dyertribe
So last season he was just resting on his laurels and was basically being just a useless ****?

c'mon Dyertribe, don't be like that!! Macca is a legend and deserves a bit of respect.

I agree, 2003 wasn't his best but he has given us so much over the years that it would mighty unfair to start calling him a "useless ****".

Expect big things from Macca in 2004.

k
xx

 

[tribey]

Originally posted by MarksGirl-kbcrowgirl
c'mon Dyertribe, don't be like that!! Macca is a legend and deserves a bit of respect.

If I was being paid $500k a year in any occupation and turned in noticably sub-standard performances for half of the year I'd be in danger of being sacked wouldn't I?

For that money Macca should be performing week-in, week-out, year-in, year-out - especially when the club, the man himself and those in the know keep telling us he's 100% fit.

Sure Macca has done the business in the past, of course he has, and a lot of us on this board were there in the flesh at his greatest triumphs. But that doesn't mean he has a right to long-service leave - especially during the business end of a season when we were supposedly in with a huge shout at the Premiership.

So having said all that - yes, I will be expecting big things from Andrew McLeod in 2004.

 

[MarksGirl-kbcrowgirl]

Originally posted by dyertribe
If I was being paid $500k a year in any occupation and turned in noticably sub-standard performances for half of the year I'd be in danger of being sacked wouldn't I?

For that money Macca should be performing week-in, week-out, year-in, year-out - especially when the club, the man himself and those in the know keep telling us he's 100% fit.

Sure Macca has done the business in the past, of course he has, and a lot of us on this board were there in the flesh at his greatest triumphs. But that doesn't mean he has a right to long-service leave - especially during the business end of a season when we were supposedly in with a huge shout at the Premiership.

So having said all that - yes, I will be expecting big things from Andrew McLeod in 2004.

agree with all your points. But........I thought what you called him was unfair. I still do.

k
xx