Sam Szmodics-Your thoughts?

[Moptop1]

21 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Financial reward, and also I suspect designed to keep him settled at Rovers for the long term.

If we under pay that often leads to players leaving early or refusing to sign a new contract when we do eventually offer it.

I think part of this contract offer will be lessons learned from BBD, Lenihan, Rothwell etc.

Let’s hope so…

[bluebruce]

(Moving this from the match thread where it would probably have sidetracked the discussion too much...I'm sure people are going to have a go at me, but here goes anyway)

Wow, wasn't expecting that just yet. Still had a year and a half left, with a one year extension in our favour I think? I see it's basically 1 year longer now. Honestly, not entirely sure we needed to do that. With the existing deal, we could have kept him til age 30 (almost 31) before risking losing him on a free. Now we definitely will have him at that age if we don't sell, with an option for one year longer. With his age, and the physical intensity of his play (and the importance of it to his game), there's every danger he's nothing like the same player at that point.

I love the player he is right now, and have no issue with having him contracted that long in principle. But my concern is it's probably come with a big pay rise too given he's now the league's top scorer. Not that his excellent performances haven't kinda deserved it (within the weird financial world that is football, where everyone earns more than they should already), more that we are really struggling to cut our own cloth these days, and it could be the difference between getting another player (or getting a good one rather than a crap/average one). I wonder if we might end up in a Bradley Dack kind of situation when deciding whether to use the one year option, where the player is no longer as good as he was when the terms were agreed, and is ageing, on wages we can no longer afford relative to what we're getting for them. Dack incidentally is only a year older, although the two serious ligament injuries make him equivalent to another 2-3 years physically perhaps.

I know somebody is going to drag me for being negative or whatever, but I'm just thinking practically. Fantastic that he's willing to commit for longer though and I hope he keeps playing to these standards for the whole contract and proves my worry unfounded. It also might prove academic if we end up selling him in the summer say, in which case it would have only strengthened our bargaining position. So I'm not saying it's necessarily a bad idea. After all, so far he is our player of the season, and we've certainly come unstuck by not safeguarding contracts enough before. And maybe the pay rise isn't as big as I'm thinking.

[ben_the_beast]

Good move by the club. I'd imagine it's more to keep him settled by placing his salary in line with the top earners at the club. A happy, performing Szmodics is key to everything we do. Without him this season, we'd be scuppered.

At the end of the season he'd only have 2 years remaining on his deal so we'd be needing to negotiate at that point anyway, so getting it done now is wise and well deserved.

[Polky]

I remember the first few games and wondering why we’d signed him. Stoke at home springs to mind. Looked useless and was subbed off after 20 minutes, due to an injury.

He’s kicked on since then and is definitely the first name on the team sheet. Works his nuts off and can’t stop scoring at the moment.

Congrats to Sammie and the recruitment team, what a great signing 👏🏻 

[neophox]

If he keeps on scoring and we won't get promoted he will get offers higher up in the chain in the summer. So good deal for all parties.

[neophox]

Think Dolan will be tied up after new year too. Only 21 and over 130 games in the Championship.

[chaddyrovers]

Delighted by this News.

Szmodics's performances and work rate are fantastic and the way he is with the fans is excellent 

[arbitro]

He is pretty much everything I want to see from a player who puts on a Rovers shirt. Committed, skilful and hard working, 

He epitomises our club motto.

[NeilInBristol]

Despite our form he is now on 15... Who thinks he will get to 20 ala Diaz?

[booth]

Glad to see him score tonight. Sunshine on a rainy day. Sadly he'll get sold at the end of the season and the squad will be dumbed down even more.

[Waggy76]

8 hours ago, NeilInBristol said:

Despite our form he is now on 15... Who thinks he will get to 20 ala Diaz?

Unfortunately not , I think he will be sold in January...

 

[chaddyrovers]

11 hours ago, NeilInBristol said:

Despite our form he is now on 15... Who thinks he will get to 20 ala Diaz?

He will get 25 goals this season

[Oldgregg86]

5 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

He will get 25 goals this season

Just hope it’s for us 

[NeilInBristol]

6 hours ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Just hope it’s for us 

Any idea on odds like for Diaz?

Edited December 30, 2023 by NeilInBristol
Typo

[Oldgregg86]

47 minutes ago, NeilInBristol said:

Any idea on odds like for Diaz?

No mate . Still gutted I didn’t hear about the Diaz one til it was to late

[NeilInBristol]

49 minutes ago, Oldgregg86 said:

No mate . Still gutted I didn’t hear about the Diaz one til it was to late

Yeh me too

[chaddyrovers]

 

 

[47er]

On 30/12/2023 at 21:34, chaddyrovers said:

He will get 25 goals this season

Who for?

[Upside Down]

He's the best player we have and is keeping us afloat.

Sell him now so we can pay the bills for the next month. 

All hail the chicken overlords who are delivering us to the promised land.

[NeilInBristol]

7 hours ago, Upside Down said:

He's the best player we have and is keeping us afloat.

Sell him now so we can pay the bills for the next month. 

All hail the chicken overlords who are delivering us to the promised land.

Our bills are sorted because the tax office allowed the cluckers the ability to put the 11m back into the club. 

if we make any sales they are allowed to reinvest in the team..

 

However.  I don't think they will reinvest in the tea. based on previous seasons!

 

Sammie just signed an extension too..

[chaddyrovers]

9 hours ago, 47er said:

Who for?

Blackburn Rovers. 

He will score today

[47er]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Blackburn Rovers. 

He will score today

OK if you can't think past this week.

[47er]

2 hours ago, NeilInBristol said:

Sammie just signed an extension too..

As I  said, puts his value up.

[chaddyrovers]

24 minutes ago, 47er said:

OK if you can't think past this week.

He will be here for rest of the season

[Gav]

Sammie Szmodics has to be one of the best buys since the morons bought the club.

We’ll not bring in money like we did for Armstrong, but his all round contribution to this team is nothing short of phenomenal.