“ It’s going to be a massive Clear out? “

Big stars' contracts running out


The number of experienced Cardiff players whose contracts run out at the end of the season.

First-team stars including captain Sean Morrison, Joe Ralls, Marlon Pack, Vaulks, Aden Flint, Alex Smithies, Ciaron Brown and even Isaac Vassell all have fewer than eight months left on their current deals. Josh Murphy, who is currently on loan at Preston, also sees his deal run out next summer.

That, of course, is the spine of the side and the vast majority of Cardiff's experience.

How many of those stay on next year is largely down to the board but the manager will have a big say on who gets a new deal and who doesn't.

There are some big wages in the list above and if Cardiff are to continue their policy of austerity then hopefully shrewd decisions will have to be taken.

We saw this summer that Mick McCarthy got rid of a dozen players — loans included — many of whom had a wealth of experienced and, rightly or wrongly, threw his trust in the youngsters coming through and was virtually unable to add many new players, it will be the same for the new manager.

It has been a struggle, it must be said. Cardiff have lacked that experience and ready-made options for when the manager wanted to change things up.

Some of the youngsters have shone and others have struggled. But just how do you address the balance?

For me if you keep mainly relying on the kids as the main bulk we will fail, they need quality around them.

Do you back the kids and hope they all come good?

Or do you try to mitigate the risk by handing a few more experienced players new deals?

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Times have changed - players are very lucky if they managed to get a big wage contract. With youngsters coming through - and starting to display they are capable of surviving in the championship pool - this begs the question - are the big name players actually worth it ? - probably not any more.

Everyone has had to cut their cloth accordingly time for big wage players to as well. any payday is better than no payday - they are all likely millionaires anyway.

It's an interesting one and exactly why I think now is a real opportunity to get a young, ambitious manager in.

Of those players there aren't many I would lose too much sleep over them going:

Sean Morrison - still on big wages that we just can't afford. He's been a great servant but I think he'll be looking for one more big contract.
Joe Ralls - time to go.
Marlon Pack - time to go.
Vaulks - he's not on a huge wage so could be one to stay depending on the new manager.
Aden Flint - Out of Morrison and him he's probably cheaper and, this season, in better form so would look to keep.
Alex Smithies - has to go. Not on ability but, as I understand, he's now our top earner sound £25-£30k per week.
Ciaron Brown - not Championship standard
Isaac Vassell - needs to go
Josh Murphy - don't come back

Releasing some of those big earners should create enough room for manoeuvre for any new manager to get decent relacements in to go with the youngsters coming through.

All my opinions and I'm sure some will have different views on some of those players but not all.

It's an interesting one and exactly why I think now is a real opportunity to get a young, ambitious manager in.

Of those players there aren't many I would lose too much sleep over them going:

Sean Morrison - still on big wages that we just can't afford. He's been a great servant but I think he'll be looking for one more big contract.
Joe Ralls - time to go.
Marlon Pack - time to go.
Vaulks - he's not on a huge wage so could be one to stay depending on the new manager.
Aden Flint - Out of Morrison and him he's probably cheaper and, this season, in better form so would look to keep.
Alex Smithies - has to go. Not on ability but, as I understand, he's now our top earner sound £25-£30k per week.
Ciaron Brown - not Championship standard
Isaac Vassell - needs to go
Josh Murphy - don't come back

Releasing some of those big earners should create enough room for manoeuvre for any new manager to get decent relacements in to go with the youngsters coming through.

All my opinions and I'm sure some will have different views on some of those players but not all.

Think that’s very well put in all honesty, maybe I’d keep Ralls too (wage dependant). As bizarre as it was to let Wintle go out on loan I think both he and we may see the benefits of that next season, which would help to solve the midfield dilemma.

It’d be interesting to know what players will be available on frees elsewhere next year.

I would only keep Ralls out of that shower of shit.
Morrison has lost it and is on high wages.
Smithies is on too high a wage. Use Dillon Phillips.

Only one player worthy of staying on Joe Ralls

Vaulks maybe as cheap and a Championship average player.

None of us should be surprised these so called high earners will be considered part of the clear out.

If any of them are to remain then it would be on a rarer reduced wage. We might be able to keep some of them if we want them. Ralls is the only one out of the lot that might survive.

For me I'll be looking very closely at the young ones that have proved themselves. Will they be here next season?

None of us should be surprised these so called high earners will be considered part of the clear out.

If any of them are to remain then it would be on a rarer reduced wage. We might be able to keep some of them if we want them. Ralls is the only one out of the lot that might survive.

For me I'll be looking very closely at the young ones that have proved themselves. Will they be here next season?

That’s a good question Ian,

Will they sell players like Collwill??

Times have changed - players are very lucky if they managed to get a big wage contract. With youngsters coming through - and starting to display they are capable of surviving in the championship pool - this begs the question - are the big name players actually worth it ? - probably not any more.

Everyone has had to cut their cloth accordingly time for big wage players to as well. any payday is better than no payday - they are all likely millionaires anyway.

With respect one win does not display that our youngsters are capable of surviving the Championship. The previous 9 games are testament to that.

A clear out with no incoming experience would be a recipe for not only relegation but complete disaster.

Unfortunately some are worth their big wages or at least earning it at the moment

None of us should be surprised these so called high earners will be considered part of the clear out.

If any of them are to remain then it would be on a rarer reduced wage. We might be able to keep some of them if we want them. Ralls is the only one out of the lot that might survive.

For me I'll be looking very closely at the young ones that have proved themselves. Will they be here next season?

That’s a good question Ian,

Will they sell players like Collwill??

Welsh international, get good reviews most games, very young. I can see some of the Premier teams coming in for him.

None of us should be surprised these so called high earners will be considered part of the clear out.

If any of them are to remain then it would be on a rarer reduced wage. We might be able to keep some of them if we want them. Ralls is the only one out of the lot that might survive.

For me I'll be looking very closely at the young ones that have proved themselves. Will they be here next season?

That’s a good question Ian,

Will they sell players like Collwill??

I think that's a good point and maybe something we have to resign ourselves to.

Historically we're well used to using money from sales of youngsters to either keep the club going or, preferably, to re-invest.

Ramsey, Gunter, Earnie, Jerome, etc., the list goes on.

Personally I think that, based on what we have seen so far, the current crop of youngsters are possibly a once in a generation group. You'd normally be happy with just one Academy/U23 coming through per season but the current crop of Colwill, Isaak Davies, Evans already showing that they have a real chance of making it.

Then we have Zimba and Patten looking very likely to get chances soon.

Not all will make it. For me the jury is out on Bagen, Bowen, Harris and others but even then we'd certainly be happy with the numbers who look like they will make it. So we may have to accept that a couple will be sold to ensure we can balance the youth with experience.

If we got a big bid for Colwill or one of the others we'd have to consider it. The good thing is that to receive a big bid for a youngster in the summer it will have meant that they would have had a pretty impressive season for us first !!

That lot gone will save Tan a fortune

That lot gone will save Tan a fortune

Plus he will make a pretty penny on the sales of Colwill, Harris, Davies.......

Times have changed - players are very lucky if they managed to get a big wage contract. With youngsters coming through - and starting to display they are capable of surviving in the championship pool - this begs the question - are the big name players actually worth it ? - probably not any more.

Everyone has had to cut their cloth accordingly time for big wage players to as well. any payday is better than no payday - they are all likely millionaires anyway.

With respect one win does not display that our youngsters are capable of surviving the Championship. The previous 9 games are testament to that.

A clear out with no incoming experience would be a recipe for not only relegation but complete disaster.

Well as Morrison is playing more of them than McCarthy did actually it does.

It's an interesting one and exactly why I think now is a real opportunity to get a young, ambitious manager in.

Of those players there aren't many I would lose too much sleep over them going:

Sean Morrison - still on big wages that we just can't afford. He's been a great servant but I think he'll be looking for one more big contract.
Joe Ralls - time to go.
Marlon Pack - time to go.
Vaulks - he's not on a huge wage so could be one to stay depending on the new manager.
Aden Flint - Out of Morrison and him he's probably cheaper and, this season, in better form so would look to keep.
Alex Smithies - has to go. Not on ability but, as I understand, he's now our top earner sound £25-£30k per week.
Ciaron Brown - not Championship standard
Isaac Vassell - needs to go
Josh Murphy - don't come back

Releasing some of those big earners should create enough room for manoeuvre for any new manager to get decent relacements in to go with the youngsters coming through.

All my opinions and I'm sure some will have different views on some of those players but not all.

Can understand losing some of the above that are not contributing, Vassle and Murphy in particular. I think it would be dangerous to lose the whole of the spine of the team (who are experienced pros) all at once and expect to survive on youngster who are unproven (assuming we don’t get relegated this season!).

I would offer Smithies (2 years), Ralls (2 years), and one of Flint or Morrison (1 year) new terms at reduced wages and see what happens.

It's an interesting one and exactly why I think now is a real opportunity to get a young, ambitious manager in.

Of those players there aren't many I would lose too much sleep over them going:

Sean Morrison - still on big wages that we just can't afford. He's been a great servant but I think he'll be looking for one more big contract.
Joe Ralls - time to go.
Marlon Pack - time to go.
Vaulks - he's not on a huge wage so could be one to stay depending on the new manager.
Aden Flint - Out of Morrison and him he's probably cheaper and, this season, in better form so would look to keep.
Alex Smithies - has to go. Not on ability but, as I understand, he's now our top earner sound £25-£30k per week.
Ciaron Brown - not Championship standard
Isaac Vassell - needs to go
Josh Murphy - don't come back

Releasing some of those big earners should create enough room for manoeuvre for any new manager to get decent relacements in to go with the youngsters coming through.

All my opinions and I'm sure some will have different views on some of those players but not all.

Can understand losing some of the above that are not contributing, Vassle and Murphy in particular. I think it would be dangerous to lose the whole of the spine of the team (who are experienced pros) all at once and expect to survive on youngster who are unproven (assuming we don’t get relegated this season!).

I would offer Smithies (2 years), Ralls (2 years), and one of Flint or Morrison (1 year) new terms at reduced wages and see what happens.

Think Ralls should be given new deal ....so underrated IMO ...only other would be Smithies ..Morrison is just too far off the pace this season to get a new deal

First-team stars including captain Sean Morrison, Joe Ralls, Marlon Pack, Vaulks, Aden Flint, Alex Smithies, Ciaron Brown and even Isaac Vassell all have fewer than eight months left on their current deals. Josh Murphy, who is currently on loan at Preston, also sees his deal run out next summer.

Stars?

All I've seen on here is moaning about players not being good enough and can not wait for a clear out well them people will be the one's crying when we got a team of 20 odd years olds and a few freebies next season so the club will never win eitherway. What we all do know is its cost cutting at all costs irrelevant of who we would like to come and go and no matter what league we are in. Then we will see the serial cry baby's moan. Sadly that's how it's become all supporters are interested in are 10 million pound signings or who the manager will be and if its so and so is the new manager they won't go again. Can't not believe some of the shit I've seen posted from loads. Pathetic it is. Stick to sky sports and Sunday dinners I say.if you can't be arsed to watch us as a fan irrelevant who's on the pitch and whoever the manager will be. I'm not doubting people being fans but f**k me do they not know what cost cutting means or is it an excuse to cry all the time. Its going to be a massive clear out and that's that so we go with what's put out next season we've been told what's happening basically

It's an interesting one and exactly why I think now is a real opportunity to get a young, ambitious manager in.

Of those players there aren't many I would lose too much sleep over them going:

Sean Morrison - still on big wages that we just can't afford. He's been a great servant but I think he'll be looking for one more big contract.
Joe Ralls - time to go.
Marlon Pack - time to go.
Vaulks - he's not on a huge wage so could be one to stay depending on the new manager.
Aden Flint - Out of Morrison and him he's probably cheaper and, this season, in better form so would look to keep.
Alex Smithies - has to go. Not on ability but, as I understand, he's now our top earner sound £25-£30k per week.
Ciaron Brown - not Championship standard
Isaac Vassell - needs to go
Josh Murphy - don't come back

Releasing some of those big earners should create enough room for manoeuvre for any new manager to get decent relacements in to go with the youngsters coming through.

All my opinions and I'm sure some will have different views on some of those players but not all.

Can understand losing some of the above that are not contributing, Vassle and Murphy in particular. I think it would be dangerous to lose the whole of the spine of the team (who are experienced pros) all at once and expect to survive on youngster who are unproven (assuming we don’t get relegated this season!).

I would offer Smithies (2 years), Ralls (2 years), and one of Flint or Morrison (1 year) new terms at reduced wages and see what happens.

Think Ralls should be given new deal ....so underrated IMO ...only other would be Smithies ..Morrison is just too far off the pace this season to get a new deal

Morrison has been way off it this season. He always seems to have a rocky patch each season but comes back strong. He’s a big earner though and we do need more pace at back. We’ve got a decent track record of finding decent centre backs. Flint has been better this season but Morrison has been a great servant. Both big personalities in dressing room. Difficult. Not sure we can lose both. Doesn’t seem like one of the under 23s will step up at the moment.

Some should be worried

If we have a manager with contacts and a plan, then we could probably afford to let most of them go to reduce the wage bill.

Also will we still have Moore next season? Im guessing if alot of them go he will want to go himself.

We need someone who can come in and get some decent results with a young team, has contacts to maybe get 2 good loans in and couple of free transfers in.

Could potentially be a clean slate next season for the new manager as that is the spine of our team that could be going and a huge chunk of wages off the books!

Out of that list id do my best to keep hold of ralls. Maybe Flint and vaulks as well depending on our potential summer recruitment. Would like smithies but there will probably be a bit of interest in him and can't see him taking a massive pay cut to stay here.

Could potentially be a clean slate next season for the new manager as that is the spine of our team that could be going and a huge chunk of wages off the books!

Out of that list id do my best to keep hold of ralls. Maybe Flint and vaulks as well depending on our potential summer recruitment. Would like smithies but there will probably be a bit of interest in him and can't see him taking a massive pay cut to stay here.

Understand what you mean about clean slate and freeing up funds. Just seems like a lot of players to lose all at once who have been integral to us. Keen for us to evolve and have a younger team but that’s a lot of players to replace in what will be a very competitive market.

Championship teams will be looking for free transfers and youngsters from premier league more than ever. I imagine not many teams will have money to spend. Would love to try and get Tutu back from Arsenal either on loan of buy. Not sure how long his contact is or how much he would cost in today’s market. He seemed like a real player before he got injured. Exactly the type of player we need. Young, quick, good on the ball and has real quality.

Could potentially be a clean slate next season for the new manager as that is the spine of our team that could be going and a huge chunk of wages off the books!

Out of that list id do my best to keep hold of ralls. Maybe Flint and vaulks as well depending on our potential summer recruitment. Would like smithies but there will probably be a bit of interest in him and can't see him taking a massive pay cut to stay here.

Understand what you mean about clean slate and freeing up funds. Just seems like a lot of players to lose all at once who have been integral to us. Keen for us to evolve and have a younger team but that’s a lot of players to replace in what will be a very competitive market.

Championship teams will be looking for free transfers and youngsters from premier league more than ever. I imagine not many teams will have money to spend. Would love to try and get Tutu back from Arsenal either on loan of buy. Not sure how long his contact is or how much he would cost in today’s market. He seemed like a real player before he got injured. Exactly the type of player we need. Young, quick, good on the ball and has real quality.

It is a concern, particularly as Dalman has said there is no money available. A number of those players will have to be replaced or we will be relegated for sure next season.

But looking at the wages they are on, I'd imagine Murphy and vassel are on over 30k a week between them alone. Could probably get 3-4 players in for less than that. We definitely need to recruit well over the summer and I think that will depend on who we appoint as manager.

I’d keep Flint but not Morrison

I’d keep Ralls and Pack. I know people dislike Pack but he grafts really hard at winning the ball back for the whole game. He just needs a playmaker next to him to distribute the ball.

As for Colwill being sold to a Premier League team. Are you serious? He’s barely good enough for the Championship yet, despite some good moments. He isn’t even worth £500k yet. Great potential but could go either way.

That lot gone will save Tan a fortune

Plus he will make a pretty penny on the sales of Colwill, Harris, Davies.......

Who is gonna buy Harris?

Plus, don’t you say the youngsters aren’t talented?