Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

jm08 · 12-06-2012 5:18pm

Hype710 wrote: »

That was one of the first things that came to mind when reading the article. The IRFU don't look good from these central contract issues that have come out in the press; D'arcy getting an extra two years then rescinding an offer for Fitz after the best form of his career from September to January.

D'Arcy had lost his central contract but was still first choice centre for Ireland for the last two years.

If the IRFU are going to treat players like that, they should get prepared for an exodus of the top talent when they are in their prime and can rake the money in in France. (We won't mention minding themselves a bit more when playing if they think they are going to be discarded as soon as they get injured).

Luke got his first major injury when playing for Ireland, so I think the IRFU should be looking after him.

copacetic · 12-06-2012 5:21pm

jm08 wrote: »

D'Arcy had lost his central contract but was still first choice centre for Ireland for the last two years.

If the IRFU are going to treat players like that, they should get prepared for an exodus of the top talent when they are in their prime and can rake the money in in France. (We won't mention minding themselves a bit more when playing if they think they are going to be discarded as soon as they get injured).

Luke got his first major injury when playing for Ireland, so I think the IRFU should be looking after him.

There will be no exodus, the reason there isn't already is due to the tax rules here making it financially worth their while for players to stay. Nothing has changed.

[Jackass] · 12-06-2012 8:56pm

I'd say he'll still get near enough to the 200k from Leinster that the IRFU were offering him.

I half feel sorry for Luke that this happened to him and injury ruined his negotiating position, but at the same time, I'm pretty happy that Drury couldn't hold the IRFU to ransom any more, and I think they come out of this in a stronger position RE future negotiations.

I would hate to see any of our talent leave over money, but Drury and his like are the problem, not the IRFU, and I can't help but feel that little bit of greed in all of us is brought out by that professional sh*t talker when negotiating on a players behalf.

Hopefully he'll just sign the feckin thing now and can move on with his rehab and get well soon and try and recapture his form from before he got injured again.

It's a long long road back for Luke though, and it's been a tough couple of years as it is anyway.

Best of luck to the man, and looking forward to seeing him tog out for Leinster next season.

lemansky · 13-06-2012 9:14am

From today's IT

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0613/1224317816205.html

LUKE FITZGERALD will not be able to resume his playing career, possibly until the new year following recent neck/shoulder surgery but a priority outside of his rehabilitation will be to secure his future.

Negotiations between the 24-year-old player’s representative, Fintan Drury, and the IRFU reached an impasse and the offer of a central Irish contract – it is believed to include a reduction in salary from €280,000 to €200,000 – was withdrawn.

Leinster chief executive Mick Dawson has taken over the discussions with the player, who will be out of action for between 26 and 32 weeks following a successful operation. He has suffered an horrendous run of injuries in the last 18 months or so. Fitzgerald’s current contract expires at the end of the month.

Dawson, when asked if he was now working on hammering out a new deal, replied: “Correct. His contract is up on the June 30th. I understand that the operation went very well and the doctors are pleased. He has a 26- to 32-week rehab period and we have a duty of care to make sure that goes right. Hopefully he will be working with us under our tutelage and getting back out on the pitch and ready for action again.

“Luke has been with us from the age of 18 . . . we would hope that he would be with us for a lot longer. He has been a fantastic player, will be a fantastic player and he’s very, very popular with the crowd. He has served us very well and we’re acutely aware of that. We want to make sure we can nurse him through this injury, get him back on the pitch and hopefully get him back playing for Leinster and Ireland in early 2013. We are in discussion with his agent Fintan Drury and I’d be disappointed if it wasn’t sorted out sooner rather than later.”

Dawson also confirmed Leinster had permission to recruit a non-Irish qualified secondrow and that they were in discussion with a number of players.

Shelflife · 13-06-2012 9:28am

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Not in sport, that's a cliché I don't agree to, there are exceptions left right and center between the sports world and the business world.

If the IRFU was like any other organisation Fitz could sue them through the gills![/QUOTE]

Sue them for what exactly ?

thomond2006 · 13-06-2012 9:31am

IrishTimes wrote:

LUKE FITZGERALD will not be able to resume his playing career

What an awful first sentence, nearly split my coffee

JustinDee · 13-06-2012 9:56am

irishbucsfan wrote: »

If the IRFU was like any other organisation Fitz could sue them through the gills!

How so?
Viable contract was offered, but refused and the player's agent sought to up its value via the media.

Taco Corp · 13-06-2012 11:21am

JustinDee wrote: »

How so?
Viable contract was offered, but refused and the player's agent sought to up its value via the media.

Are you saying that Drury released his salary details to the media?

molloyjh · 13-06-2012 12:50pm

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Not in sport, that's a cliché I don't agree to

I understand that to a degree, but if the players are willing to (and expecting to) take home the salaries they are getting they have to also expect that the contract negotiations at least are going to be run in a business manner. There's only so much money in the pot and all of it needs to be tightly controlled for the good of the game. Luke should have just taken the deal he was originally offered. But hind-sight is twenty twenty as they say.

I feel bad for the guy, but I also fully understand the unions position. Hopefully when he gets back to playing for Leinster he can have a good injury free run. I don't doubt that when he does he'll be back in the Irish set-up and will get himself a central contract again.

chancer12 · 13-06-2012 12:57pm

lemansky wrote: »

From today's IT

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0613/1224317816205.html

Feel incredibly sorry for him, his recovery period will not be enhanced by these negotiations. One can only hope that Leinster will be fair and Drury realistic. Bottom line is there are bills to be paid and if his contract expires at the end of the month he's not in a very strong negotiating position. I would agree with the previous poster who said that he got his injury during his time on an IRFU contract. While the timing of the surgery is unfortunate I would have thought his employers have a duty of care and its seems incredibly callous to say **gger off now till you're better and we'll talk again. Not the kind of thing that encourages young players to commit to the game.

Fishooks12 · 13-06-2012 1:02pm

This whole mess should have been sorted a long time ago. Saying who's fault it is only amounts to speculation but it certainly hasn't worked out for Luke

Teferi · 13-06-2012 1:08pm

I don't have any problem with players trying to squeeze as much money as they can out of their careers considering the punishment they put their bodies under and the limited time they will play professionally. Sadly this hasn't worked out for Luke this time due to injury, no doubt he will come back strong and earn himself a central contract again in the future.

Cpt_Blackbeard · 13-06-2012 4:16pm

The whole Fitz scenario is a mess, but he isn't blameless. He was offered what looks like a very fair contract by the IRFU considering his current place in the international fold and the current economic conditions. He/His agent got greedy and didn't accept the offer and now his future is up in the air.

Fishooks12 · 13-06-2012 4:25pm

I wouldn't be surprised to see a French club step in an make him an offer right now.

thomond2006 · 13-06-2012 4:31pm

Fishooks12 wrote: »

I wouldn't be surprised to see a French club step in an make him an offer right now.

Toulon failed to get Alex Cuthbert, don't be surprised if they come sniffing around Fitzgerald. They could do with a back three player to compete with Lapeyre, Palisson and Smith (Rooney is average to poor). He would be a great signing and from a marketing standpoint a player from another country could attract some Irish fan interest in the club.

Fitz could get 250k+ probably (that's 100% a guesstimate mind)

durkadurka · 13-06-2012 4:34pm

Would a French team come in for a player who won't kick a ball this side of Christmas? Where he is not certain to come back from injury the same player?

Shelflife · 13-06-2012 4:39pm

Unfortunately for Fitz he has got himself into the worst possible position.

longterm injury and out of contract.

No Team will touch him until he recovers and if they do the contract will prob be tied in with an appearance clause.

Sometimes when you play hardball it back fires, such is life.

thomond2006 · 13-06-2012 7:03pm

durkadurka wrote: »

Would a French team come in for a player who won't kick a ball this side of Christmas? Where he is not certain to come back from injury the same player?

yikes forgot he was injured when I posted the above re Toulon.

matthew8 · 13-06-2012 7:07pm

I will be seriously depressed if Fitz leaves Ireland. He makes a such a huge difference to the Leinster backline and going by his pre-injury form would easily start for Ireland.

trackguy · 13-06-2012 7:21pm

matthew8 wrote: »

I will be seriously depressed if Fitz leaves Ireland. He makes a such a huge difference to the Leinster backline and going by his pre-injury form would easily start for Ireland.

He would be a loss for Leinster. Whether it harms his international career... let's wait and see (if he moves).

Next season is going to be a sad one for him I feel - he will most likely only have half a season to make an impression. It's a Lions year and it looks like he won't have enough time to impress.

matthew8 · 13-06-2012 8:38pm

trackguy wrote: »

He would be a loss for Leinster. Whether it harms his international career... let's wait and see (if he moves).

Next season is going to be a sad one for him I feel - he will most likely only have half a season to make an impression. It's a Lions year and it looks like he won't have enough time to impress.

We all know how much the IRFU HATES when players go abroad, like Murphy, Cullen, Jennings and Reddan.

danthefan · 13-06-2012 8:41pm

matthew8 wrote: »

We all know how much the IRFU HATES when players go abroad, like Murphy, Cullen, Jennings and Reddan. Infact Fitz knows too, as he started ahead of Murphy at full back for some reason, and it derailed him.

It was a very good reason, Murphy was injured.

profitius · 13-06-2012 8:46pm

Luke wanted more and it backfired. Business is business.

He is earning way more than the average person and is living the life most people dream about. And yet people feel sorry for poor Luke!

CatFromHue · 13-06-2012 8:53pm

profitius wrote: »

Luke wanted more and it backfired. Business is business.

He is earning way more than the average person and is living the life most people dream about. And yet people feel sorry for poor Luke!

He's also had two injuries that took 6-8 months to recover from sustained in his line of work so it works both ways. Then there's the rest of the injuries too.

Business is business and he has to maximise his earnings right now as his career will be over in 6-8 years. He can't wait til his next contract to get a better pay packet as there may not be a next contract.

profitius · 13-06-2012 8:56pm

CatFromHue wrote: »

He's also had two injuries that took 6-8 months to recover from sustained in his line of work so it works both ways. Then there's the rest of the injuries too.

Business is business and he has to maximise his earnings right now as his career will be over in 6-8 years. He can't wait til his next contract to get a better pay packet as there may not be a next contract.

Hes right to try and get the best deal for himself. Unfortunatly for him theres a load of wingers coming through now so he doesn't have as good a barginning position as he had a few years ago.

matthew8 · 13-06-2012 9:45pm

danthefan wrote: »

It was a very good reason, Murphy was injured.

Sorry, got it wrong, but I think Murphy has often been overlooked.

Taco Corp · 13-06-2012 9:53pm

matthew8 wrote: »

Sorry, got it wrong, but I think Murphy has often been overlooked.

His 70 odd caps suggest he wasn't over looked

danthefan · 13-06-2012 10:26pm

matthew8 wrote: »

Sorry, got it wrong, but I think Murphy has often been overlooked.

Not by Kidney. I'm not sure there's any point over the last few years where you could say Murphy deserved to be ahead of Kearney. When Kearney was injured in 2010 for example Murphy started. In 2011 they were both injured as was Jones so Fitz started.

Rigor Mortis · 13-06-2012 10:27pm

I wish Luke a speedy recovery and the best but I think his loss is being overstated. I would not want to lose him to injury or to another club, but he appears to be injury prone and that impacts on the team. I think the original approach in terms of dropping the offer price was realistic at the time. Fintan D made a mistake not taking it.

totallegend · 13-06-2012 11:50pm

danthefan wrote: »

Not by Kidney. I'm not sure there's any point over the last few years where you could say Murphy deserved to be ahead of Kearney. When Kearney was injured in 2010 for example Murphy started. In 2011 they were both injured as was Jones so Fitz started.

Point of order here; injured or not, Jones was not remotely on the radar for international selection at that time.

Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

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