Jack Cork Finally Offered New Contract

A couple of papers are reporting that he's rejected the new deal and could possibly leave this month. :-/

Just searched and couldn't find any such reports.

Links?

Thanks

If he would rather play for the likes of Crystal Palace good luck to him.

A bit disrespectful, they are a good club with decent fans.

It does seem a bit of a token offer. If you really valued someone as a key plauer you don't wait until they only have a few months left before offering one.

 

Couldn't blame him for wanting to go somewhere he would start every week and possibly get a pay rise.

 

Hopefully he will stay though.

Agree. Being a first choice at somewhere like Crystal Palace is probably more attractive and lucrative for him. Although he is a good squad player our midfield is pretty well stocked and him going will give more opportunity to young players like Reed.

Just searched and couldn't find any such reports.

 

Links?

 

Thanks

The Sun, see post #37 (don't shoot the messenger)

Agree. Being a first choice at somewhere like Crystal Palace is probably more attractive and lucrative for him. Although he is a good squad player our midfield is pretty well stocked and him going will give more opportunity to young players like Reed.

From listening to last night's interview, and reading between the lines, it sounds like he's weighing up whether he stands more chance of getting a sniff of an England call up while being a squad player at a 'top of the table side' (i.e. Saints as things stand) or by being a regular in a side lower down the league. He seemed to be leaning towards the former. The truth is that he probably won't get anywhere near the England set-up in either scenario, sadly.

The Sun, see post #37 (don't shoot the messenger)

Ah, cheers!

From listening to last night's interview, and reading between the lines, it sounds like he's weighing up whether he stands more chance of getting a sniff of an England call up while being a squad player at a 'top of the table side' (i.e. Saints as things stand) or by being a regular in side lower down the league. He seemed to be leaning towards the former.

You may well be right - and its fair reasoning if he is thinking that. I cant see him securing an England place though.

Most England players are squad players at top PL clubs and that ones that aren't get told to throw away regular PL football against top sides to play bit part football against Champions League minnows like Ludogorets.

Cork's OS comments to the effect that he might have got some game time over Xmas with the injuries and suspensions show that he knows he isnt a first choice.

Its not a no brainer from his point of view to stay.

Replace with Clasie.

Relax.

At least that **** 'we all dream of a team of Jack Corks' song won't get sung anymore if he leaves.

I think most people would agree that he was much better at the back end of last season, and three goals this season puts him (more of less) on a par with other midfielders (didn't happen under Pochettino).

Some fans have suggested that he may not be in the same class as some of his team mates, but he is dependable and showed a bit of class (before his injury).

His agent may advise him to" look around a bit" before deciding, but I don't see too many clubs able to offer him a better deal, and certainly no-one at the top end of the Prem.table.

I think he'll stay (at least I hope so), and we may well see Jack as an even better squad player, if he feels really " settled " .

A couple of papers are reporting that he's rejected the new deal and could possibly leave this month. :-/

Doubt it, we'd still want a few million for him and no-one will pay that with his contract expiring.

From the brief mention his contract gets in that video, it sounds like he does want to stay but possibly didn't get the offer he wanted, and is disappointed he didn't get to use the christmas period to prove what he's worth to the squad.

A bit disrespectful, they are a good club with decent fans.

They are a yo-yo club though.

If he would rather play for the likes of Crystal Palace good luck to him.

Isn't your thinking exactly the approach fans criticise likes of chambers for?

Wanting to be squad player at, for example Man U or Arsenal rather than play regularly here?

He has seen that Schneiderlin, Wanyama, JWP, Davis are all used ahead of him (IMHO rightly so). Harrison Read maybe now seen as at the same level.

Unless there are injuries, or sustained loss of form, he isn't likely to play a large amount of games.

Having said that he is a good option for the squad as you can rely on him for a decent performance, would never be my first pick but never worry to hear he is playing.

Isn't your thinking exactly the approach fans criticise likes of chambers for?

 

Wanting to be squad player at, for example Man U or Arsenal rather than play regularly here?

 

He has seen that Schneiderlin, Wanyama, JWP, Davis are all used ahead of him (IMHO rightly so). Harrison Read maybe now seen as at the same level.

 

Unless there are injuries, or sustained loss of form, he isn't likely to play a large amount of games.

 

Having said that he is a good option for the squad as you can rely on him for a decent performance, would never be my first pick but never worry to hear he is playing.

But if he's injured then others will get game time ahead of him. That's why you have a squad system.

I'd be gutted if jack cork left. Surely he'll stay if we finish in the top 4?

Could work the other way round though. If we get into the top four, we'd no doubt be looking to add even higher quality players in all positions and strengthen our squad even greater thus being even more unlikely to play the extra games we'd have because we'd be playing such high standard opposition than in the Europa League and he may not be able to cut it quite that high but he may well be Europa League quality. I'd say he'd be more likely to say if we got into the Europa League than Champions League.

On the other hand, getting into the Champions League and playing in it, with a club like ours is a huge deal and will probably be his only chance to play in the competition so he may well stay on those grounds.

We can speculate about all manner of things but at the end of the day, none of us are him, none of us are Koeman, none of us are his dad (who seems to have gone quiet lately) so we don't know what his situation is and what his mind is and none of us know how he will look at it. The best thing we can do is keep winning, do as best we can and whatever our situation, offer him a new contract, be honest with him about his squad status and let the lad make up his own mind about whether it suits him or not. If he decides to stay then great, we've got a fantastic squad player but if he decides to go to elsewhere in order to get first team football, I'd be disappointed but I'd understand and wish him well.

Has he actually signed a contract extension with us since he arrived in 2011 or is this still his original one that's running out?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/premierleague/article-2909872/Southampton-midfielder-Jack-Cork-delays-decision-new-Saints-contract-despite-boss-Ronald-Koeman-wanting-stay.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

They've used a photo of Maya Yoshida and labelled it "Jack Cork (right) has been offered a new deal to stay at Premier League high-fliers Southampton"

More top journalism from the Daily Mail, this time the picture editor.

Wants to stay for personal reasons but may need to go for footballing ones.

Wants to stay for personal reasons but may need to go for footballing ones.

What a bargain he'd be on a free.

played the first 45 mins. for the U21 side that won at Fulham on Monday..

(interview afterwards).....said he was looking for some game time (with first team), but I suspect that they'll be a bit of horse-trading here.

Koeman may not be so keen to play someone who's wanting away, whereas if he were to sign a new contract ....we'd know what his real intentions were.....

MLG - what the Mail have done is got the image from Getty Images and used their descriptive. Lazy journalism? Yes, partially with the Mail, but primarily with Getty.

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/brown-ideye-of-west-brom-is-tackled-by-jack-cork-of-news-photo/454010414

Koeman: "We want to know Jack Cork's decision next week. If he wants to move then we need another midfield player"

Fair enough - time to sh1t or get off the pot Jack

So if he doesnt sign we will try to sell this window?

Fair enough - time to sh1t or get off the pot Jack

Can't see him signing a new deal. Surely it would have been sorted by now. Shame, really decent player.

Would have thought Reed would step in straight for Cork, though signing another midfielder might also be a partial hedge against Morgan and Wanyama's possible summer transfers.

Did Reed start the other day as Corky still isn't fully fit?

Would be very disappointed if he leaves. Think he's an excellent player. No doubt we'll lose Morgan in the summer but losing Cork too would severely weaken the area of our team that has been our strength of late.

Can't say i agree with Koeman's alleged ultimatum either(in echo) regarding signing the new contract, considering how long they left cork hanging in limbo.

I'll be sad to see him go as I believe he always put in a good shift.

So if he doesnt sign we will try to sell this window?

Difficult to tell from what Koeman said at the press conference. It's certainly a valid interpretation and possible implication of what he said though.

I don't think putting a deadline on it is going to go down well with Cork. It's taken the club the best part of a year (if not more) to sort out whether or not they want to keep him, and then they want an answer within a month or so? I'd hold out until the summer - refuse to leave if the club accept a bid, give my all for the rest of the season, and watch the offers roll in and compare them to the Saints offer.

I don't think putting a deadline on it is going to go down well with Cork. It's taken the club the best part of a year (if not more) to sort out whether or not they want to keep him' date=' and then they want an answer within a month or so? I'd hold out until the summer - refuse to leave if the club accept a bid, give my all for the rest of the season, and watch the offers roll in and compare them to the Saints offer.[/quote']

 

I think Koeman is perfectly within his rights to see how Cork plays before offering him a contract. Yes he's a decent player but not a great one, he wont command a fee like Morgan or Big Vic. We've offered him a contract, it's either good enough for Cork or it isn't, if it isn't then he can be on his way, he won't be hard to replace.

I don't think putting a deadline on it is going to go down well with Cork. It's taken the club the best part of a year (if not more) to sort out whether or not they want to keep him' date=' and then they want an answer within a month or so? I'd hold out until the summer - refuse to leave if the club accept a bid, give my all for the rest of the season, and watch the offers roll in and compare them to the Saints offer.[/quote']

 

That's the clubs prerogative though. And if he decides to leave, we'll sell him this window or won't play him again this season. Players have too much power as it is.

I think Koeman is perfectly within his rights to see how Cork plays before offering him a contract. Yes he's a decent player but not a great one, he wont command a fee like Morgan or Big Vic. We've offered him a contract, it's either good enough for Cork or it isn't, if it isn't then he can be on his way, he won't be hard to replace.

Koeman had the right to but he didn't exercise that right with Fonte who was in the same scenario.

Personally think Cork will be hard to replace if he leaves as he's an excellent player imo.

Koeman had the right to but he didn't exercise that right with Fonte who was in the same scenario.

Personally think Cork will be hard to replace if he leaves as he's an excellent player imo.

It's completely different with Fonte, he was the best player in his position and isn't being threatened by any youths coming though. He's a more senior person in the dressing room that everyone looked up to hence why he got the captaincy and I for one and glad that Koeman saw that.

It's all about opinions and in mine Cork isn't an excellent player and we had lots of players in similar positions at the club and coming up through the ranks. I think he is easy to replace, Reed has pretty much replaced him already.

Koeman had the right to but he didn't exercise that right with Fonte who was in the same scenario.

Personally think Cork will be hard to replace if he leaves as he's an excellent player imo.

Its not the same scenario, Fonte is a 1st choice player and Cork isn't.

Cork is behind Schneiderlin and Wanyama in the pecking order, plus we have Davis and Ward-Prowse (who is pretty established now) , then we have Reed and a number of other high quality academy central midfielders coming through. Saints have more depth in central midfield than any other area of the pitch.

You could quite feasibly interpret the whole thing as a public stunt to shows fans we offered him a deal but they may know he will turn it down.

If we valued him that highly it wouldn't have taken this long, and the club are clearly putting it across to fans that the ball is in Cork's court when it could well be a crap offer that we know he will reject.

Usually things are done "inhouse" apart from when it suits to communicate. They know Cork is popular with fans so if he leaves it sits more comfortably if its his decision rather than ours to mess about and not offer him anything until late on.

You could quite feasibly interpret the whole thing as a public stunt to shows fans we offered him a deal but they may know he will turn it down.

 

If we valued him that highly it wouldn't have taken this long, and the club are clearly putting it across to fans that the ball is in Cork's court when it could well be a crap offer that we know he will reject.

TBF we'd probably know if that was the case too. His old man would be whining about it on twitter.

I'm sure he was offered a deal that would reflect his abilities and the amount of game time he's going to have. I wouldn't be surprised if he's not happy with the offer on the table at all as it's probably "only" about 20K per week for a couple of years and he sees the other players latest contracts probably double that.

Obviously something weird going on for all this to be so public. Perhaps Cork is asking for more than he is actually worth? Or some kind of guarantee of first team action? Fortunately at the moment we have plenty of midfielders and whilst he would be a loss, does he offer any more than Reed or JWP?

It's completely different with Fonte, he was the best player in his position and isn't being threatened by any youths coming though. He's a more senior person in the dressing room that everyone looked up to hence why he got the captaincy and I for one and glad that Koeman saw that.

 

It's all about opinions and in mine Cork isn't an excellent player and we had lots of players in similar positions at the club and coming up through the ranks. I think he is easy to replace, Reed has pretty much replaced him already.

Fonte had established himself alongside Lovren as a starter, from a position at the start of the previous season where i saw plenty seemed unsure of whether he should be starting. I'm glad he was made captain and offered a new contract.

Imo Reed hasn't replaced Cork anymore than he's replaced Morgan or Wanyama. He's filled in but we looked so much better once Cork came on against Newcastle and so did Reed. I hope we don't have to see how hard and costly it will be to source a replacement of equal quality.

Cork is a cracking player, and he'd be a miss, but if he wants either more money, or wants to move on then he can go. He's not first choice, and as much of a good player he is, theres no point in paying him over what we want to.

I'm not convinced that we've only just offered him a contract, i'm sure that something was mooted in the summer, but never made it out in public. Now we're just turning up the screw and want to make a decision as we need to replace him in the summer if not. Maybe we'll bring in a top CM if we sell Morgan and then Reed will step in for Cork. Lets be fair, Cork has barely played this season and Reed is more than good enough to play.

Nice to see the club, rather than the player, on the front foot.

Given Reed's form I think the club have decided they don't need Cork.

Given Reed's form I think the club have decided they don't need Cork.

So why offer him a contract and one that, allegedly, doubles his salary?

From memory he p issed us about when he signed for us back in the Championship. There was a lot of will he / won't he before he signed.

I would like him to stay. I want him to sign but we are perfectly right to put him under a bit of pressure. If he is one of the "grass is greener" brigade then let him go .

@alancorky has been very quiet over the contract!!

From memory he p issed us about when he signed for us back in the Championship. There was a lot of will he / won't he before he signed.

 

I would like him to stay. I want him to sign but we are perfectly right to put him under a bit of pressure. If he is one of the "grass is greener" brigade then let him go .

I think you'll find Cortese nearly messed that one up. Tried bullying him into signing, playing hardball and generally being a bit of a knob. I believe he threw Corks agent out of the meeting, luckily Les was about to smooth things over.