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Steven Smith

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So for Norwich it has become a lose-lose situation!

They could either let him go for very little or nothing, or he sunbathes for a year on higher Premiership wages and then leaves on a "free"

They could, of course, seek to buy out his contract, but they would lose on this as well.

He would be doing nothing improper, so long as he observes the terms of his contract, but it is utterly cynical.

Could the club require him to do extra training, in order to keep his fitness while he sits out on saturdays? Would boot cleaning be out of the question?

This situation must have arisen elsewhere before. The club would would surely hesitate to select a player who is "only here for the money" and only for one year.

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If we loan smith to the dons and pay the wage increase we will be saving £1k per week - so £52k over the year or £40K over the season.This is probably the best solution as we will be making some money and still retaining the player''s contract if someone wanted to buy in January, a player playing is worth much more than a player on gardening leave.Also his wages are now sufficiently high enough to price him out of many clubs at the level he is comfortable playing at, so loaning him out might be the only option.Is this classed as Lambert''s first unsuccesful transfer?

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I believe it''s pretty normal that when a player''s wages drop as the result of a transfer the selling club make up the difference (or part there of) for what would have been the remainder of the contract. I read that this was the case with Leon Barnett with West Brom still paying a large chunk of his wages after the permanent move last year (but maybe I got the wrong end of the stick?). It''s just up to the board, Steven Smith and Aberdeen to work out a compromise that suits all parties in this situation. There''s no need for it to be a problem at all, either we keep him on as cover or we do the best available deal financially for us. Maybe Aberdeen actually can''t afford him now and it makes sense for us to keep him as cover/competition if we''re paying his wages anyway. Let''s face it, we''re not Man City.In any case I can''t understand for a second why anyone is giving the guy a hard time over this. Yes it''s a bit irritating to imagine someone earing loads of our cash (ours because we pay for our season tickets etc) without contributing to the first team. However, no one knows the real story of why he hasn''t settled in here, how hard he works in training and what his attitude is towards the transfer. Personally I get more annoyed with people posting negative comments about our players and other posters on the forum.

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I''ve seen some people critisise the guy so just answer yourself this question, what would you honestly do if you were put in his position. Would you stay here, take the money that will probably sort you out financially for life or get what would probably not even be half of that at Aberdeen.I know most people would probably say that they would rather play regular football at Aberdeen and beonl ess money but I think in reality most people would stick about here and take the money, its human hature and I know I certainly would.

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"The solution is very easy, we let Smith go for free to Aberdeen, they pick up his wage demand a get the player for nothing, so the cost say of to his value of 200K saved on the transfer fee can be picked up by Aberdeen."

He was going on a ''free'', that was understood by most. One of the biggests errors amongst fans is this obsession with transfer fees. He was joining Aberdeen on I would suggest a lower fee. The usual procedure is that the club he leaves makes up the difference for the remaing part of the contract with them - a year in this case.

However that remaining part has increased due to promotion. City will argue that as he was already leaving BEFORE we got promotoed he was ''as good as'' an Aberdeen player so should not benefit from anything that happens now. Smith, if he has an agent, will be strongly advised to ''stick it out'' and ask what is due, if only to stop any precendent being set.

City are in the driving seat. they will have already budgettted for the liability/cost of Smith''s wages albeit it appeared he was off to Aberdeen. What I suggest is happening, and which is the real story is that McNally is playing tough, as he has done else where (Cowling, NoTW, Fry) and holding out for a large cut in payments/wages to Smith. Thankfully we now have a hard faced businessman at the helm. Not some buffoon like Sheepshanks " I say, you chappie here''s that jolly old contract thingy, I''ve signed the bottom so if you could write some numbers in and a few noughts .... "

The lesson here is not that some player is asking for what is legally due but that we have a chief executive who is going to fight for every penny - be it what goes out of Carrow Road or what comes in, with extra charges on food/drink and more seats squeezed in.

No more the ''little old Norwich'', it seems.

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City 1st, I bet I like McNally more than you do, however, this article generated from a press conference in Scotland where Smith apparently is demanding more money to sign, suggesting that he would be happy to do nothing here. Let''s face it, he has been playing for them quite happily for the past few months on whatever money it was!

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If I was Steven Smith I would tell a certain Mr. Brown to go f*** himself after that report.

All it''s done is paint him in a bad light (that might not even be his attitude) when there is absolutely nothing about what Steven Smith has to say about the situation.

I certainly wouldn''t want to play for a prize a$$hole that has just hung me out to dry in the local media of the club I''m currently playing for just to get me to sign a contract.

It sounds to me like Steven Smith has said "look, you''re going to have to offer me a better contract to get me to sign for your $hithouse club in a tinpot league because of my current contract" and Mr. Brown has thrown his toys out of the pram. Sounds like he has a few similar attributes to a certain Robbie Cowardling.

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It just highlights the 2 types of footballers you get in today''s society.

Those who are willing to take a pay cut and drop down a league to get more regular football and live out their job as a player (As proven by Russell Martin)

And those who are in it for the money and willing to sit around doing nothing, showing no desire to succeed!

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So people are saying the Lappin situation is different because they think he wanted to play for us where as Smith didn''t, but now does. Surely it is the same principle though, neither wanted to leave when they had the chance to go out and play first team football, instead happy to train and pick up their wages. Or in Lappin''s case train with the youth team and pick up his money instead of playing in Scotland.

We signed Smith on a certain length of contract, if he doesn''t want to go so be it. But for me, it is exactly the same as Lappin''s case.

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="Yellow Rages"]Don''t see what the problem is. Why don''t we loan him to Aberdeen for the season on a percentage of the wage.

An obvious solution!

While it stinks, if we were in Smiths position we''d all do the same thing.

I''d of thought the best solution is for us to sell him to Aberdeen and pay him of the % of his Norwich wages that Aberdeen aren''t prepared to match!

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I agree, the guy signed his contract and he has rights. There are lots of instances of good players sitting on the sidelines for clubs for one reason or another - in some instances, world-class players such as Berbatov. Smith is our player and if the manager chooses to select him, he''ll play for us. I think it''s unlikely, but it could happen. More likely is that he stays in Scotland when all this posturing settles down.

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I was excited by the signing of Smith when we made it, quality LB with european experience. None of us really know what happened between him and Lambert and why he coudln''t settle at City but i am sure that if he stayed here next season, Lambert would not freeze him out, he will get his chance in pre season to show what he can do, just like everyone else- i would be much happier having Smith play LB over Lappin at least. However, he is on one of the higest wages at City, he was when he signed last year, and we can''t justify paying those wages for someone who may not fit into the 25 man squad, if we can''t sell him because he wont take a pay-cut, we should loan him out for the year, receive a fee and a percentage of his wages

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There really isnt much difference between this and the situation lappin was in a few years ago, Lappin also refused to move only because the money wasnt right and now he is viewed as norwich through and through. People seem to forget that this is peoples livelihoods and get caught up in the large quoted figures of the top end players, id be surprised if smith was on more than 4k a week. This is massive money dont get me wrong, but not astronomical and a pay cut would be felt - the guy has bills and a family like all of us

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[quote user="Joanna Grey"]Begs the question how many players do we have in the same situation as Smith? I believe Cody has a year left on his contract so it''s alright saying let us sell him for £300,000 when a lot of that will be taken up with paying off his wages (as a lower league club will not offer him anything like he will be getting this season).[/quote]

Great news if so because as you know I''ve always believed that letting him go would be a mistake.  This could actually work in Lambert''s favour. [:D]

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[quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"][quote user="City1st"]

The true test would be were we to have been relegated last season, back to League 1. Would Smith be accepting a possible pay cut in his wages and would McNally be insisting on it ?[/quote]An incredibly good point.If the situation was reversed we would all expect him to take the pay-cut, so why shouldn''t he take the pay rise?Anyway, I feel we are all judging him before this has really panned out - he may take the cut and leave.Out of interest Wiz you said Leech mark II (a reference to Gunn I''m sure given your modus operandi) but what about Lappin and Jamie Cureton? Didn''t they both do exactly the same thing? [/quote]

Dont know aqbout Cureton but certainly Lappin loves it here and has always given 110% and he stated that that he would stay and fight for his place which he duly won back so no one can put him in the greedy bracket

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Hire someone from bilaricay fc to brake his legs in 6 places so he cant ever play again. Both the player and the club get some compo everyones sorted. He can have his nice life with money and not having to do anything nor live in norfolk. We get some money for him and we all move on.

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[quote user="When Saturday Comes"]Smith isn''t quoted at all in that article.[/quote]

 

---

 

Some posters seem to be missing this crucial point. All the quotes about Smith wanting a well-paid, cushy life at Colney are from Craig Brown, saying that is what he imagines Smith now wants. There is no evidence that actually is what Smith wants.

 

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[quote user="priceyrice"]I was excited by the signing of Smith when we made it, quality LB with european experience. None of us really know what happened between him and Lambert and why he coudln''t settle at City but i am sure that if he stayed here next season, Lambert would not freeze him out, he will get his chance in pre season to show what he can do, just like everyone else- i would be much happier having Smith play LB over Lappin at least.
[/quote]

I''d rather have Lappin at left back to be honest. At least with Lappin you know he''ll give it everything for the cause whereas you could tell when Steven Smith played that he was not the kind of player who would put it on the line for Norwich City.

 

But of course Lappin isn''t the main competition for his spot anyway. Adam Drury is a far better defender and even he''s now going to be second fiddle to Mad Marc Tierney.

 

Steven Smith isn''t a bad footballer but I''d be very surprised if he ever cut it at a Premier League club or even a higher end Championship club.

 

 

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[quote user="PurpleCanary"]

[quote user="When Saturday Comes"]Smith isn''t quoted at all in that article.[/quote]

 

---

 

Some posters seem to be missing this crucial point. All the quotes about Smith wanting a well-paid, cushy life at Colney are from Craig Brown, saying that is what he imagines Smith now wants. There is no evidence that actually is what Smith wants.

 

[/quote]

[Y]That is how i read it.

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Craig Brown is just doing a reverse of Barry Fry. Instead of trying to up the price, he''s trying to lower it and get a better deal from Norwich.

Even if we were to sell him and end up paying some of his wages, would still be better than hanging onto him, but you know McNally wont be any push over in negotiations.

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There should be a clause linked to the Promotion pay increase, something about games played...although that said I can just see someone like Colin at QPR playing the guy 26 times instead of 27 just to save himself a few bob. And thats equally as tight.

Hopefully Smith buggers off pronto.

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I don''t even think there is really a story here: when all is said and done the sum total of it is that a player who is on a contract is on divisional pay, something he is perfectly entitled to. That''s surely not news.

If I was Smith I''d would be rather peed off at how I was being portrayed by a prospective future manager; the reality is that he''s done and is doing absolutely nothing at all wrong, yet is now being called a ''leech'' by some of the more ''emotional'' among us.

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Obviously doesn''t want to achieve anything in his career. He''s exactly the type of player Lambert is always saying about when trying to get people in on loan. He''d rather just sit on his arse and not be remembered for anything. Great story to tell the gran kids- they''ll be proud.He''s just greedy and lazy.

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" however, this article generated from a press conference in Scotland where Smith apparently is demanding more money to sign, suggesting that he would be happy to do nothing here. Let''s face it, he has been playing for them quite happily for the past few months on whatever money it was! "

absolute nonsense

As purple has stated above. All comments are from Brown NOT Smith.

The money he has been happlily playing for, is the money that the club he is registered with and so has a contract with is paying ie us. NORWICH CITY. I fail to see how something so basic cannot be grasped Endless posts about transfer fees and Smith being greedy demonstrate a frightening level of stupidity.

The arrangement would have been that whilst Smith was on loan to Aberdeen they would have been contributing to his wages.

If he leaves Norwich it will be on the understanding the remaining part of his contract with Norwich is paid. How much of that would be payavle by Norwich and how much by Aberdeen would be unknown (any further contract after the 2011/2012 season would be have to be agreed between Aberdeen and Smith). As Smith''s final year of contract with Norwich has now been increased the negotiations are about who will pay that increase is the moot point.

Finally that someone could claim that City were in a lose/lose situation is rather disturbing and makes you wonder just how close to suffolk some on here live.

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Did anyone consider that Smith may not be too bothered about moving because if he stays here he does get Prem pay but also, if there are injuries (as there will be) he will have a shot at the Premier League. If he were to have a couple of good games he could get a new contract out of us from it or a move to a decent team...no offense to Aberdeen but Scotish football and Aberdeen in particular are hardly world class.If he stays then it is competition for the first team, I find it hard to believe that he is going to put his feet up when he only has one year left on his contract and he has not earned enough to not get a decent contract / club next time.

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He is playing the system and whilst annoying who could blame him. At least he only has 1 year on his contract. I would keep him here for the full year rather than let him go north with our cash in his pocket

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[quote user="Yorkshire Canary"]He is playing the system and whilst annoying who could blame him. At least he only has 1 year on his contract. I would keep him here for the full year rather than let him go north with our cash in his pocket[/quote]

 

Make him cut the grass at Colney...with his teeth!

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