Taylor Concentrating On Playing - Not Contract
By Tyne-Talk
April 30 2008
Defender Steven Taylor has said how the next 2 games are currently at the forefront of his mind and contract talks will be put on the back burner until the season is over. Over the last 7 months Taylor has been linked with various clubs (detailed below) as his contract is due for renewal.
The 22 year old seemed discontent at the beginning of March when he was quoted saying he wouldn't be mucked around and worried that for as long as he didn't hear from the club, he feared he would be sold.
At the time he said:
"I have heard nothing at all about a new contract.
It is up to the chairman to offer me one, but the longer it goes without any feedback the more concerned I'm becoming.
I've lived all my life on Tyneside, come up through the youth system and have a great relationship with the Newcastle fans. There is no other club I want to play for.
Kevin Keegan has been fantastic to me since he came in. I love playing for him, but I know he has had a lot of other things on his mind since he came back. I understand that.
But I don't think this is down to him. It has to be sorted out by the people upstairs. There has been a lack of contact. My dad has been mucked about. Meetings have been cancelled.
I have been mucked about in the past and have kept my mouth shut. For things to have dragged on this long is a joke.
I get on great with Kevin, but I think it is the people upstairs who don't rate me. I won't be mucked about. I just want this sorted out.
The longer I hear nothing from the club the more I fear they want to sell me.
If there is no offer on the table by the summer then I will have no choice but to look at my options."
However in his most recent statement given to the Evening Chronicle he said:
"The next game is the only thing I'm looking at - it's as simple as that.
I've got an agent now, and I'll leave the rest to other people.
There's been enough talk all season, and I've had my say, and now I'm just getting on with my football.
I'm enjoying playing under the new manager, and I just want to play every game."
Month of Rumour | Rumoured Move To... |
September 07 | Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, Spurs |
October 07 | Portsmouth |
November 07 | NONE |
December 07 | West Ham |
January 08 | NONE |
February 08 | NONE |
March 08 | NONE |
April 08 | Liverpool, Spurs |
i often felt that there was a subtext to the earlier 'press releases' which was that taylor would only stay if he was given a big pay rise, and that he felt he must have a strong enough bargaining position to be able to threaten to leave. he is surely now hoping to stay as long as possible, and be a big part of the clubs bright future. the first sign of a positive summer!
i hope he stays, but i also hope he is presented with some very strong competition for a first team place next season, as he will need this to progress as a player
He'll be a captain of this fine club one day.
He's still learning his trade but does deserve a decent offer.
He's only going to get better.
West Ham are reportedly preparing a bid for Newcastle's highly-rated England Under-21 central defender Steven Taylor.
The 22-year-old is still hoping for a new deal at St James' Park but with Magpies owner Mike Ashley keen to reduce the wage bill at the club, the News of the World claims that the Hammers are ready to swoop.
West Ham chief Alan Curbishley is on the lookout for a new centre-half, with Anton Ferdinand continually linked with a move away from Upton Park and Matthew Upson, Danny Gabbidon and James Collins all injury prone.
Taylor has a year left on his current contract and is likely to cost around £5million, although Toon chief Kevin Keegan is eager to keep the defender.
anyway, its the news of the world so its not likely to have an ounce of truth in it
Taylor (?)
Solano
Bellamy
Dyer
Parker
Solano
Thats half a side and more
Really, though, West Ham? Well, that is the club who paid £8M for Matthew Upson and then had to sign him to a new deal. So I would ask for more than £5M.
I think he'll be kept, though. He's not the player to get rid of in order to keep wages down. There are much better candidates than him.
If he's one of our first choice cb's then we're in trouble again next season.
Get rid.
If he's bad positionally, then we need to scrap the entire defense.
And several PL sides-Liverpool included-have disagreed with you evaluation of his talent level. And then there's that thing about numbers and lying:
#73 on the ACTIM Top 100 for 2007/08
#14 among center halves
#2 among NUFC players
36 app., only 3 YC, scored one goal more than Alan Smith. Must be kept.
And no club should accept the first offer made for a valuable young player, in any case.
I'm picturing the Peruvian version of Sanford and Son...with Nobby as the Redd Foxx character, and his son driving a donkey cart filled with scrap metal.
why
he simply aint good enough,his positional play is no better than brambles,his decision making is worse,he is far to rash has no composure and is inexpierienced.
holding out for a new contract! ha! he should be happy with what evers offered,bit player
PRIMA DONNA
He's 22 years old by all of three months. Six years younger than John Terry for example, seven years younger than Kolo Toure and eight younger than Rio Ferdinand. He certainly still has years of development ahead of him. Center half is known as the position with the steepest learning curve in the sport. I've been consistent in my position that this club needs to bring in an experienced-in England-partner for him to help him learn. Toure learned from Campbell, Terry from Desailly, etc., etc.
He's not as bad as you're suggesting positionally and you're giving him no credit at all for his strengths: man-marking, tackling, being a leader and running game in and game out for 90 minutes.
What defender at this club has more upside than him?