CONFIRMED Ryan Leonard

[gavtheblade]

They must be crackers turning another bid down.
Thought this was dead in the water any road? ?
Rug Ron must think they'll get more than we are offering.
Can't see it myself when his contract is nearly up.

 

[mancunianblade]

Don't blame them. we were top 2 now dropped to 4th following an injury to a key performer. Within 2 weeks of this happening we have gone back with another offer a full month before the window opens. why the hell would they accept the first offer? In the summer we were adding numbers, now they know he will be a key player for us. They know he will be the best available within Wilders self imposed budget and therefore know they can at least hold out for another offer. we aren't going anywhere, our hand is well and truly there for all to see.

 

[Addison]

I think they're fucking mad to reject that to be honest. They aren't going up this season. They could strengthen significantly with that amount of money in at least 2/3 positions.

Chairman has a track record of letting players run their contracts down rather than take the money. If its £700k again and he's rejected it we should get Leonard to sign a pre contract agreement, move on and get him for free in the summer. We can't waste our time dealing with the likes of Martin throughout January when there is an urgent need to get midfield replacements in at the beginning of the month. Player wants to come and has previously put a transfer request in. Whiteman on loan would be a better carrot to dangle than Lavery as part of any deal. He's already scored a hat trick against them and plays in a similar position to Leonard.

 

[Shrimperama]

I would imagine our valuation of Leonard is in the region of 800k.

At that money we would be mad not to sell.

If we have rejected a cash up front offer of 700k then thats quite a statement.

Yes we are 9th in the table at the moment. We have exactly the same amount of points per game as this time last season. Last season we missed out on the play offs by just 2 mins. Millwall scoring so late to deny us.

I seem to remember that the blades started poorly and then just soared up the table. A good or poor run can happen at any time.

Fwiw I dont think we will better last season but IF and it' a big IF we can actually keep players fit we have a good chance.

At the start of the season we had 9 first teamers injured. This meant we dropped points. We are still unbeaten at home in the league.

Back on thread id rather see Lenny at a proper club than Scummy millwall.

The boy deserves a shot at a higher level.

 

[Rootshallbloke]

Chairman has a track record of letting players run their contracts down rather than take the money. If its £700k again and he's rejected it we should get Leonard to sign a pre contract agreement, move on and get him for free in the summer. We can't waste our time dealing with the likes of Martin throughout January when there is an urgent need to get midfield replacements in at the beginning of the month. Player wants to come and has previously put a transfer request in. Whiteman on loan would be a better carrot to dangle than Lavery as part of any deal. He's already scored a hat trick against them and plays in a similar position to Leonard.

I have no idea what figure is in Ron's mind but if you want Lenny before the end of the season, and it does look that way, then you do have to deal with the likes of Ron. If fact, you have to deal with Ron himself. That's just the way it is as he's the Chairman of Southend.

 

[bertieblade]

Surely Leonard could sign a pre contract with us on 1st January and then refuse to play for Southend until they release him. It may not be the gentlemanly thing to do but has been done before and will be done again.
We then get him on a free and he gets a signing on fee from Us, unfortunately Southend get bil nil as this is what happens when you let people run down their contract.
I would assume Leonard and his agent have already spoken to us via a third party and a deal is in place

 

[itsinyerblood]

I would imagine our valuation of Leonard is in the region of 800k.

At that money we would be mad not to sell.

If we have rejected a cash up front offer of 700k then thats quite a statement.

Yes we are 9th in the table at the moment. We have exactly the same amount of points per game as this time last season. Last season we missed out on the play offs by just 2 mins. Millwall scoring so late to deny us.

I seem to remember that the blades started poorly and then just soared up the table. A good or poor run can happen at any time.

Fwiw I dont think we will better last season but IF and it' a big IF we can actually keep players fit we have a good chance.

At the start of the season we had 9 first teamers injured. This meant we dropped points. We are still unbeaten at home in the league.

Back on thread id rather see Lenny at a proper club than Scummy millwall.

The boy deserves a shot at a higher level.

That's a fairly reasoned post mate, but I recall hearing something very similar last season when we were interested in Len. It was then a case of "next season we'll be in great shape to make a serious promotion attempt", and so it went on, and on, and on, add to which, I also recall Ron apparently making a promise that if promotion didn't happen this season then he'd allow Len to leave..........as has been suggested elsewhere, a pre-contract agreement will cut through any perceived obstinacy from your Chairman.

£800K for an untried player at this level is still a gamble, so rather than waste time allowing Ron to act like a half-baked dotard, it will work out to be a more creative and productive lesson if we're calm about this and still look elsewhere for new recruits.

 

[Rootshallbloke]

That's a fairly reasoned post mate, but I recall hearing something very similar last season when we were interested in Len. It was then a case of "next season we'll be in great shape to make a serious promotion attempt", and so it went on, and on, and on, add to which, I also recall Ron apparently making a promise that if promotion didn't happen this season then he'd allow Len to leave..........as has been suggested elsewhere, a pre-contract agreement will cut through any perceived obstinacy from your Chairman.

£800K for an untried player at this level is still a gamble, so rather than waste time allowing Ron to act like a half-baked dotard, it will work out to be a more creative and productive lesson if we're calm about this and still look elsewhere for new recruits.

I didn't know you were interested in Leonard last season, I thought it only happened just before the current one began. Anyway, we are very grateful for your continued interest in Leonard, honest.

 

[itsinyerblood]

I didn't know you were interested in Leonard last season, I thought it only happened just before the current one began. Anyway, we are very grateful for your continued interest in Leonard, honest.

You're quite right, let me rephrase that........It was either towards the end of last season or pre-season that we registered our interest.

As for other Southend players we feel may be able to adjust to the demands of the Championship, let's say that it's unlikely we'll feel the need to deplete your limited resources any further.

 

[BigBed]

Ryan Leonard??

Never heard of him.............

 

[Addison]

I have no idea what figure is in Ron's mind but if you want Lenny before the end of the season, and it does look that way, then you do have to deal with the likes of Ron. If fact, you have to deal with Ron himself. That's just the way it is as he's the Chairman of Southend.

Theres no point in us wasting time with someone who has no interest in selling unless its a stupid fee. Leonard will have to drag his feet with you for the remaining 6 months of his contract. He's shown what a quality player he is by still turning in the performances for you each week despite wanting to leave and having his transfer request refused. He probably feels he's earnt the right to move for a reasonable fee but your chairman for some reason thinks he's a top negotiator and can squeeze us for a fee well above his valuation.

We won't pay the £1 million plus Martin hinted last summer he wanted. Even if we offered it he'd want more. You have 4 teams above you out of your next 5 games. Don't do well in them and your outside chances of a play off look even less likely by the start of the January transfer window. Will that change his mind and you look for extra funds to get new players in to try and keep up with the pack. Doubt it, RM strikes me as someone who thinks he knows best and would rather lose money and sacrifice your chances on a point of principle. We'll wait for the summer and then pick Leonard up on a free. Good luck for the rest of the season.

 

[Rootshallbloke]

You're quite right, let me rephrase that........It was either towards the end of last season or pre-season that we registered our interest.

As for other Southend players we feel may be able to adjust to the demands of the Championship, let's say that it's unlikely we'll feel the need to deplete your limited resources any further.

That sounds good to me. Just let us know if you change your mind as we always welcome your interest, but you know that already.

 

[Rootshallbloke]

Theres no point in us wasting time with someone who has no interest in selling unless its a stupid fee. Leonard will have to drag his feet with you for the remaining 6 months of his contract. He's shown what a quality player he is by still turning in the performances for you each week despite wanting to leave and having his transfer request refused. He probably feels he's earnt the right to move for a reasonable fee but your chairman for some reason thinks he's a top negotiator and can squeeze us for a fee well above his valuation.

We won't pay the £1 million plus Martin hinted last summer he wanted. Even if we offered it he'd want more. You have 4 teams above you out of your next 5 games. Don't do well in them and your outside chances of a play off look even less likely by the start of the January transfer window. Will that change his mind and you look for extra funds to get new players in to try and keep up with the pack. Doubt it, RM strikes me as someone who thinks he knows best and would rather lose money and sacrifice your chances on a point of principle. We'll wait for the summer and then pick Leonard up on a free. Good luck for the rest of the season.

I reckon you'll probably get Lenny in the end and I hope he will do well for you. Thanks for the good wishes.

 

[BushBlade]

We need a CM, that much is obvious. So we either pay £800k for Leonard, or we find someone else for that money or less. We've got three weeks left to do it so we'd better get on with it.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

As we well know the play offs are a lottery, but you have to be in it, to win it.

Ryan Leonard should guarantee that we don't slip out of the play off positions, which is looking likely the more we go on without a proper ball playing centre midfield player. It has to be Leonard or someone else and the fact that we have made another bid early December suggests there is no one else on the horizon.

Under the present circumstances they have us over a barrel - sadly we have to pay more than normal for a player out of contract next summer.

Other clubs may come "looking" to take some of our better players in the summer, so we can't afford to let this opportunity slip by of being in that end of season 4 team lottery. What's the prize worth? £100+ million. Just remember, getting into the playoffs will guarantee revenue from at least semi final play off games and hopefully a PO final which won't have been accounted for. We would make £500K from our semi final home leg alone with gate receipts and TV money.

If there is money to spend, go and get Leonard.

Someone posted the other day - Coutts isn't our best player, but he is the most important and we must put that type of player back in the team.

UTB

 

[FriethBlade]

Spot on Fulwood...This is the promised land we are talking about and as usual we seem to be f@@@@@@@ about over a couple of hundred thousand. Bristol City spent 4m on a player in the summer and we are fannying around hoping to pick a player up on the cheap from Southend...only at Bramall Lane eh ?

This is not about spunking millions, it's about buying a player Wilder has been after for.months and the need is even greater with Coutts injury. It seems to be well documented we have one of the lowest budgets in the division and this seems to be proving it...Southend ffs!!!

 

[stringer]

Spot on Fulwood...This is the promised land we are talking about and as usual we seem to be f@@@@@@@ about over a couple of hundred thousand. Bristol City spent 4m on a player in the summer and we are fannying around hoping to pick a player up on the cheap from Southend...only at Bramall Lane eh ?

This is not about spunking millions, it's about buying a player Wilder has been after for.months and the need is even greater with Coutts injury. It seems to be well documented we have one of the lowest budgets in the division and this seems to be proving it...Southend ffs!!!

You realise he can't be signed until January, yes?

 

[alcoblade]

You realise he can't be signed until January, yes?

Stop it with the logic, will you?

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

Rug Ron, latest photos released

 

[Dellas Cowboys]

Ryan we are crying
for more midfield dynamism
Ron Jeremy
Clarkson you are not
though you drive a hard bargain
send us Rigsby while there's still a fee
and I'll holiday in Southend-on-Sea

 

[Davie Blade]

RL certainly seems a CW type of player with a great box to box engine, who can create and defend.
CW clearly is bidding early to test the water knowing what a difficult guy their chairman is to deal with and has form for letting contracts run out.
However currently Southend are 7pts adrift of a play-offs place having played a game more. They have 4 six pointer games coming up against play off rivals before the JTW opens. The results of these could well define this seasons play off chances. Reading their fans forums comments the vast majority of fans aren't too confident of reaching the play offs and think they should cash in now.

However, if I was in Ron's shoes, I'd sit tight until those crucial games have been played before deciding to sell. IF they won 3 or 4 of them the fans would rightly castigate him for selling their best player when in touching distance. Lose them and they could be miles adrift.
Ron is playing hard-ball ,which he has every right to. I am not sure Millwall will re-enter the bidding, as from the players perception joining a club in a relegation scrap isn't much of step up or attraction!

The unknown factor is what RL/agents are saying. He could well force the issue, as he is also in a much stronger position to 'down tools'
The big question is whether CW sits it out for a few weeks or thinks fuck it we have moved on to our next transfer target.
Thank goodness CW is paid a more than a few quid to make these tough decisions.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Reading their fans forums comments the vast majority of fans aren't too confident of reaching the play offs and think they should cash in now.

It's an interesting thread, isn't it? Hell of a lot of goodwill towards the lad, in fact many believing the club ought to let him move on for his sake so he can have a crack at a higher level.

 

[adebo]

It's an interesting thread, isn't it? Hell of a lot of goodwill towards the lad, in fact many believing the club ought to let him move on for his sake so he can have a crack at a higher level.

Either that or they realise he is going in July and they won't see a penny! Its just a shame their chairman is playing hardball still. It doesn't help him , Leonard, Southend fc , or us, which is why there is animosity growing towards him. I still feel he might end up at millwall. But the fact Wilder is still confidently pursuing him gives me confidence. And I think he would be a great signing!

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Either that or they realise he is going in July and they won't see a penny! Its just a shame their chairman is playing hardball still. It doesn't help him , Leonard, Southend fc , or us, which is why there is animosity growing towards him. I still feel he might end up at millwall. But the fact Wilder is still confidently pursuing him gives me confidence. And I think he would be a great signing!

Yeah, fully agree with you about him being an excellent signing - reckon he'd be a great fit. Really pleased CW's still going for him.

But got to admit I do admire their chairman for refusing to be cowed. I suppose it all comes down now to whether he'd welcome the money at this stage to freshen things up in January after what's been a pretty underwhelming/underachieving season for them so far.

 

[SUFC Guy]

I really do think it's time to give them what they want for him. Our bid must be close to what we've offered or we wouldn't even bother bidding. Too much to lose in this Jan transfer window and so so much to gain.

We might not find another player in the same style as RL - which is close to Coutts's style

Pay the man please Chrissie love

 

[Davie Blade]

Cant see him going to Millwall. Why risk going to a club to start off next season in L1?
Write into his contract a bonus for P: promotion and its a no brainer.

The chairman won't be cheered from the roof if he goes for FA in May.
I explained earlier why it wont happen just now.

 

[Ricky]

If their chairman is going to sell him (and he should do) then he has a decision to make.

Sell him early in the window and maximise the amount of time available to replace him.

Or hang onto him for another 4 games and hope to get the same fee at the end of the window. Then there's the replacement issue.

 

[Mouth of the South]

I really do think it's time to give them what they want for him. Our bid must be close to what we've offered or we wouldn't even bother bidding. Too much to lose in this Jan transfer window and so so much to gain.

We might not find another player in the same style as RL - which is close to Coutts's style

Pay the man please Chrissie love

Other than them both being central midfielders, Leonard is nothing whatsoever like Coutts as a player.

It's also a good job you aren't a club's CEO in charge of transfer negotiations - you'd cost them an unnecessary fortune. In fact, your surname isn't Ridsdale is it?

 

[Mouth of the South]

If their chairman is going to sell him (and he should do) then he has a decision to make.

Sell him early in the window and maximise the amount of time available to replace him.

Or hang onto him for another 4 games and hope to get the same fee at the end of the window. Then there's the replacement issue.

Or line up possible replacements now, wait until the back end of the window to drive the auction price up as clubs get more desperate but at the risk that clubs may decide to go elsewhere and that you may not be able to land any potential replacements.

In the case of Leonard, with the Southend Chairman obviously either unwilling to sell or holding out for a ridiculous price, I'd be very surprised if Leonard moves before the final few days of the window, if at all.

 

[Rodley]

Other than them both being central midfielders, Leonard is nothing whatsoever like Coutts as a player.

It's also a good job you aren't a club's CEO in charge of transfer negotiations - you'd cost them an unnecessary fortune. In fact, your surname isn't Ridsdale is it?

Agreed. He’s a completely different player to Coutts. We’ll need to get a PL loan of his type I think.