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Time to cash in on Faz

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 2:08 pm
by ian.birchall
Cruel but true. All good things come to an end and the lad has given tremendous service to the club but he will be 30 before he plays again for us even if he stays and yes I know that we played with our heads up our rear ends on Friday but the day is rapidly approaching when we would have to play without him anyway.
If we can get this reputed £400-600k for him at this age to spend on new younger players then it has to be good business, I am sure that DaiJones, when he gets back from Rome, will confirm that at 30 Faz has got 4 more years of Rugby Yawnion in him so that has to be £half a million more to Faz so it has to be good business for him too.
Nice to see that Rugby League hater Jones the Vitriol choaking on his gruel in The Times.

Re: Time to cash in on Faz

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 2:59 pm
by The Black Pearl
Totally agree with you on this one Ian. You've summed it up excellently. Andy is still a great player but time catches up with everyone and I would rather cash in on Andy now and not just see him retire in a few years. In a way it's like given us a a bit don't look upon it as Andy turning to the dark side. Look at it as Andy doing Wigan a favour and allowing us to go out and sign some great players with Union Money (ha ha). People were shocked when Wiagn sold Ellery Hanley and if my memory is correct that was about the right time to. Lets hope fingers crossed that Adrian Morley, Sonny Bill Williams and Freddy Fitler can be brought to Wigan.

Re: Time to cash in on Faz

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 3:00 pm
by GeoffN
Agreed, Ian. My only proviso is that there aren't that many top quality replacements available, at any price. SBW would be a superb signing, but the Bulldogs will do everything they can to keep him.

Re: Time to cash in on Faz

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 3:26 pm
by ChrisA
The Black Pearl posted:
Totally agree with you on this one Ian. You've summed it up excellently. Andy is still a great player but time catches up with everyone and I would rather cash in on Andy now and not just see him retire in a few years. In a way it's like given us a a bit don't look upon it as Andy turning to the dark side. Look at it as Andy doing Wigan a favour and allowing us to go out and sign some great players with Union Money (ha ha). People were shocked when Wiagn sold Ellery Hanley and if my memory is correct that was about the right time to. Lets hope fingers crossed that Adrian Morley, Sonny Bill Williams and Freddy Fitler can be brought to Wigan.
Fitler has retired, but yeah if we could get in Sonny Bill who looks like a better player than Farrel did at 19 then I say yea let Farrel go, thing is that leaves us short this season, we wouldnt be able to get him this season, so we would be a prop and loose forward down at the start of the season.

Re: Time to cash in on Faz

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 3:28 pm
by GeoffN
General consensus seems to be him leaving at the end of this season, half of which he's gonna miss through injury anyway.

Re: Time to cash in on Faz

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 3:29 pm
by DaveO
ian.birchall posted:
Cruel but true.
Cruel but rubbish!
All good things come to an end and the lad has given tremendous service to the club but he will be 30 before he plays again for us even if he stays and yes I know that we played with our heads up our rear ends on Friday but the day is rapidly approaching when we would have to play without him anyway.
Rapidly approaching? He has two years left on his current contract. He wasn't given a 6 year contract because we only thought he was worth having for four or be to old at the end of it was he?

If it is time to cash in why wasn't he simply put on the transfer list at the end of last season instead of feeeding the RU press? Any club would have snapped him up and offered him a top contract.

He has just won the Golden Boot and Man of Steel and all of a sudden he is too old!

He has gone from indespensible to a crock in the space of a week.

We SIGN players older than Farrell who aren't half as good!
If we can get this reputed £400-600k for him at this age to spend on new younger players then it has to be good business
Can you explain why? Dave Whelan owns the club and £400K-£600K is loose change to him. Why raise cash by selling the countries best player when you don't need the cash?

You also have the 20/20 rule to consider. If Farrell goes that frees up one and only one slot so unless you intend to give all this dosh to one player it will be sitting in the bank doing nothing while we are without Farrell.
I am sure that DaiJones, when he gets back from Rome, will confirm that at 30 Faz has got 4 more years of Rugby Yawnion in him so that has to be £half a million more to Faz so it has to be good business for him too.
It might well be but so was signing a six year deal when he signed it. He should stick to it.

No one was remotely thinking if cashing in on him when he won these awards and no one was two weeks ago. All of a sudden we should let him go because he has been a great servant or because we might pick up £600K we don't need.

Reports linking us with SBW are no basis to get rid. If SBW is available Dave Whelan should stump up the cash without us selling Farrell. He promised three world class players but he didn't say we had to get rid of one to sign another.

I am sure the club will come out with similar statements about his age and the money but anyone who beleives them wants their head seeing to because it will be pure spin.

All the club needs to do is follow St. George Illawara's example over Gasnier and tell Farrell to see his contract out.

The fact that have not done so is more worrying than Farrell (supposedly) wanting away.

Dave

Re: Time to cash in on Faz

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 5:35 pm
by Hullen Edge
Can't agree more DaveO.
Fazza last year was truly inspirational - fully deserving every plaudit and award he gained.
I don't recall any mention of Fazza being over the hill then !!

It will be a huge loss to both the team and the sport should he decide to change codes.


Re: Time to cash in on Faz

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 7:23 pm
by ian.birchall
DaveO, but you are missing the point again that it will be good for Farrell himself, he will extend his career, earn more for his retirement, yes contracts are for duration not for Christmas but if it suits both sides then the contract can be vacated. He's done good for us but he isn't going to last 4 more years in League, lets get some lolly in and help Farrell.
Oh yes, I like the way that you think £half a million will not matter to DaveW just because he is already worth £250m, how do you think he got that in the first place?

Re: Time to cash in on Faz

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 8:29 pm
by warrior till i die
as brian noble said today if faz goes it paves the way for younger players. It would help lockers tremendously because without doubt he should have farrells place.

Re: Time to cash in on Faz

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 10:16 pm
by mrs_carney
Not to put sean or any other youngster down but just out of interest if faz went wouldnt scully get his place and the "wonderful" mcguire get stand off?
But i think without a doubt o'loughlin should get faz's place!