DumbleDelia is Magic 0 Posted October 30, 2004 Now don''t get me wrong here. Flem has been a superb servant to this club. He has been magnificent in the last few especially last year. And this year he has proved some of his doubters wrong and shown he can cut it in the Premiership. However.....He is 33. Giving a player of his age, who still has a year to run on his contract, a further two year extension seems a lot. He''ll be 36 when his contract expires! Is it just me or does this seem a bit old? Also, I''d be willing to bet this is the most lucrative contract we have ever offered him. I''d be impressed if Flem played (consistently) this season and next.Thoughts? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FatMan Fat 0 Posted October 30, 2004 At the risk of attracting the vitriolic flamers I agree that it does seem to be another example of Mr W managing by personality rather than by principle. Sure, Flem has been consistent over the past few seasons and he has done well this season. As to how he will be able to cut it over the next 2 or 3 seasons - that''s a big question. If we are "rewarding" Flem for his loyalty to the Club then why wasn''t the same courtesy extended to, for example, Iwan and Malky? I spent some time on Friday with someone quite senior within Carrow Road and the whole thing about Malky came up again - you have to ask the question why he was frozen out when he returned from the break - ( and he WAS frozen out, and he still doesn''t know why) - and in a time when our finances are supposedly in a perilous state we offer what only be an "emotion driven" contract to Flem? Weird Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jersey canary 0 Posted October 30, 2004 A two year contract is too long, he has been caught twice this season already with similar goals, against Palace and Everton....Are we looking to stay in this division or rely on the same players to get us promoted again.....I am very disappointed by this, what sort of message does this send to Shacknell as well? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IPYellows 0 Posted October 30, 2004 Spot on Jersey, you have to question which division we expect to be playing in over the next three seasons. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ca 1 Posted October 30, 2004 [quote]Now don''t get me wrong here. Flem has been a superb servant to this club. He has been magnificent in the last few especially last year. And this year he has proved some of his doubters wrong and sh...[/quote]I agree with you DD, just cant get my head round Nigel''s thinking on this one at all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yellow and Green Goal Machine 0 Posted October 31, 2004 A possible answer would be that Worthy wants to keep an experienced central defender on the books to guide through Shackell and help out Ginger Pele. Why would he release a senior player and then have to go out and sign someone else as cover for that position? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZLF 274 Posted November 1, 2004 Age isnt the issue for me on this one - if they are good enough you CAN play until 35-36.Howeverif we avoid relegation, like Malky this season, I would expect Fleming to be shown the door. He is doing OK but still part of a defence that has conceeded 17 goals so far - he is one of the player I view as good div 1 players that who can do a job for us this season as we strengthen other areas of the pitches but still has a shelf life that should be much shorter than 2 years.I can only think that he has been signed as a safeguard against relegation. If we do go down he will do a good job for us in the championship and wont be looking to leave the club - I cant be sure what Charlton will do for example. If we do stay up a sale will release the wages and generate a very small transfer fee for an ambitious prmotion chasing team looking for a class defender?OTBC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
natalie 0 Posted November 1, 2004 I think that Craig Flemming is a great player really should keep him on he is the best he has been there for so many years and a local boy aswell Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bananaman 0 Posted November 1, 2004 It''s fairly obvious - if we go down, we have a talented, experienced and loyal servant who will help us come back up again.If we stay up, we have a talented, experienced and loyal servant who will step in at any time and never let us or himself down - just look at Colin Cooper at Middlesborough. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shortfatb 0 Posted November 1, 2004 ...and Bolton have Hierro who doesn''t seem to think that running at any time is an option and he is 71, approximately. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
susie b 0 Posted November 1, 2004 Whether Flem is back up or central to our plans over the next two seasons, he is one of the fittest, most dedicated players we''ve got, and a really good ambassador too. Knowing he would bleed green and yellow if cut makes me, for one, very glad that he''s staying.By the way, natalie, I think you''ll find that our Flem is a Halifax lad - at least he sounds it if you hear him speak! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites