Burnley News 24/7Writer: turfmanphil 
Date:Wednesday April 14 2010
Time: 9:04AM
UK time is: 14:49:49
Choose your club
Other Sites
Network Navigation
Vital Partners
'If It's Football, It's Vital'
Will Grezza Get a New Contract?
Veteran defender and midfielder Graham Alexander could be about to sign a new one-year deal for the Clarets.
The Scottish international would have been out-of-contract in the summer.
The 38 year old looks set to remain as player coach at the club whether we are plying our trade in the Premier League or Championship next season.
Alan Nixon (bless!) in the Daily Mirror believes Grezza is close to an agreement and is a priority signing for Brian Laws.
Most Clarets fans will be pleased by this news if it turns out to be true.
Grezza has struggled a bit in the top flight this season but his leadership has been exemplary and of course his skills from the penalty spot are legendary. It looks to be the perfect timing too following his brace of goals last Saturday against Hull City at the KC Stadium both of course from the penalty spot.
If we remain in the Premier League, I would expect Grezza's duties could lie more towards the coaching side eventually but he could probably still do a decent job as a player in the Championship for at least one more season.
Nixon writes that Laws wants to keep some of his team next season whether they are in the Premier League or Championship and as well as Grezza states that Jensen is expected to sign with Blake making a decision soon. Steven Caldwell has also still to sort out terms.
Vital F1 Prediction League - Join now for Spain
Your Comments
I hope we keep Grezza long-term more for his leadership & coaching skills. Hopefully that side could be developed and maybe one day he could have a more senior managerial role with the club. He is a role-model for the young guns and seems to inspire others
turfmanphil
Nixon makes my blood boil. Two Vital penalties at Hull and are we daft enough to think Laws is saying to Grezza you are out to stud next year! lol I would imagine that they are discussing how to take the club forward into the next 4 slightly crucial games not wanting to overstate the word crucial!
VinRogue
Agree Tmp, but are we now saying that Laws is the man to take us forward on the back of our first away win in the premiership.
Fedupclaret
The results of the next four games could decide Laws fate if we start playing like dumbos again! If we play well and still lose then fair enough, we go down with Laws I would suggest still at the helm. I suspect he will be given a chance in the Championship if that is where we finish up. If things have gone tits up by Xmas though I would expect a new manager to come in
turfmanphil
If is is true VR that Laws has a list of the out of contract players he wants to keep no matter which league we are playing in next season then the sooner he ties up those deals and announces them the better. It would certainly shut up the likes of Nixon speculating all over the place
turfmanphil
Don't know if I agree Tmp keep laws whether we stay up or go down let him spend x amount on new players and then give him the bullet at xmas not good business sense, but who knows.
Fedupclaret
I think the problem is that the Board have shafted themselves by quoting the 'Dolittle&Spendnowt' accountants report as the basis for getting him in the first place. If Laws is excellent at being a manager in the Championship on a small budget they could hardly sack him should we go down? Unless there really were problems with player motivation and losing the dressing room they would have no firm reason to sack him under contract would they? My main concern is that Laws has something like a 35% win rate at lower levels and if once again the Board starts pleading poverty and doesn't give Laws the full whack of parachute payments and money from player sales, then we could be struggling
turfmanphil
So what are we saying spend next to nothing for next season keep 90% of the current squad which a lot of the people on VB don't think are good enough for the championship and finish midtable.
Fedupclaret
It is difficult to answer that without first knowing who in the current squad will stay and who will go. We could have a major rebuilding exercise on our hands and in a sense it will be a chance for Laws to build his own team and shake off some of the Coyle effects. Laws needs to be given all the parachute money and the money from players sales in my opinion if we are to stand any chance of mounting a promotion bid otherwise it is a return to midtable mediocrity and pfaffing about pleading poverty again. If Laws does get the full budget and still cocks it up with the club having no chance of promotion by Christmas then the Board need to make a decision
turfmanphil
I to would like Grezza to stay, I think he is a great ambassador not just to the club but football. As tmp says he would make a great coach and maybe one day take on a more senior role at the club.
sheclaret
Lets do it right at the end of the season whether its with Laws or not spend on improving the current squad. I would be happy if we did a WBA for a couple of years and be a yoyo team and keep adding quality players each season until we have a squad to keep ue in the prem.
Fedupclaret
Not really a fan of 'Boing,Boing' but agree we need to get this right and to do that we are going to have to be braver I think on the financial side in terms of calculated risk taking. I am not sure what the early gates will be at the start of next season if we go down but they will soon whittle away again if we return to midtable mediocrity. If gate receipts start falling, £16 million aint going to go far and cashflow will be a problem again
turfmanphil
I think he deserves another year if only to bring him on for penaltys ;-) speaking of which I read a good article on him yesterday here http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/8094967.Burnley_blog__Is_Alexander_the_greatest_penalty_taker_of_all_time_/
8clarets8
I heard Grezza was going to South Africa with the England squad as penalty coach, with the possibility of taking The Beast with him as penalty saving coach. Wonder where we would be without their success in these two areas. Anyway, I hope they are with us next season wherever we are.
cornwallclaret
Interesting thought that CC. Wonder how many penalties Grezza has scored in training with Jensen trying to save 'em! [Edited by turfmanphil]
turfmanphil
Oh heck here we go again tmp lol.....Money to invest = X, areas to invest = Players, Training Facilities and Ground imo. How you balance that is the great debate. Duff at deadwood when sold, netted 16 Million for their investment in youth policy having had him and nurtured him as a lad. They re-invest that money and hey presto happy days for all involved (simplified of course). Improve the stadium would be a 3rd priority for me out of these choices as we can cope if we are relegated. I would keep Grezza and get him helping with Gawthorpe as well! Yo-yo is fine as long as we have a sensible approach to spending X!!!!
VinRogue
My view would be the emphasis of spending X has to be on the players to give us the best chance of going up again. Training facilities and ground spend in the end do not ensure promotion, good quality players with a good manager do that so that is the priority surely! If we do get the promotion and have the right quality of players to give us a chance of staying up then that is the time to think about improving ground&training facilities in my opinion
turfmanphil
I would think Laws will be a bit wary of keeping GREZZA,as I have stated before he could be Kilbys next choice for manager if things go any more tits up.I personally would give him another year,but I am not looking over my shoulder worrying about the elbow.You will have noticed my adopted team Swindon have decided to settle for the Play-Offs,after spending 30 minutes of the first half on Monday night[televised]showing what wonderful football they can play and not having a shot on goal.
CEST LA VIE---G.O.C.[THE OLDEST CONTRIBUTOR]
ghost_of_coates
I think I am indifferent too about retaining his services as a player GoC but I hope he stays for all the managerial reasons stated above. I think Laws is going to be safe for the moment. As for Swindon,how good is Billy Paynter? Do you think he could be a good striker at Championship level for the Clarets and ultiimately be good enough for Prem?
turfmanphil
I'll be surprised if Grezza isn't offered a new contract , not only from the eventual coaching aspect but also from the leadership/team spirit contribution. On the subject of Laws, some of the players have now stated that they're behind him thereby knocking on the head the dressing room nonsense. But a lot will depend on the performances in the next 4 games I think, and then Kilby and the board will make their decision based on sound inside knowledge rather than these constant rumours which we have to filter through.
WelshClaret
On the subject of being a yo-yo club, I see nothing wrong at all with that prospect, in fact it'll be a major step forward on the last 34 years. I agree with tmp that the manager and players are the priority with the training facilities following naturally if we end up where we'd like to be, a mid table premiership club. We will need to strengthen the midfileld before our next premiership showing (could still be next season :-) ) but if Cork stays, McCann returns and Fox keeps improving it may not cost the earth. I think a lot of clubs will be spending a lot less from now on , the land of football milk and honey is slowly but surely coming back down to earth I think, and this will be no bad thing for us.
WelshClaret
I would keep as many of the current squad as we can, for the team spirit as well as their play. Obviously some will go for various reasons but we must keep the basis of the team and add good players to fill the gaps. I was never that down when we were losing and conversely I think there has been over-euphoria with the win at Hull. I think we will be relegated and that's no fault of Laws, it's just that we are a small club with a small budget who need the planets to align before we get in the big time. I think we can do a Wolves rather than a West Brom, ie go down with a lot more money than we had before. Rebuild over the next couple of years or so and then come up again. I think Laws seems a very nice guy but I still don't think he has the righty stuff unfortunately and will have to be replaced. I read in one paper that only Kilby's 'plea' to the Board saved him from being sacked after the Man City game.
ozjean
Cheers TMP----I think Billy would struggle in the Championship just like I said Simon Cox would when he moved to West Brom.Both are good squad members though and both are hard workers.But the find of the season for me has been Charlie Austin,does not work too hard,not much pace,still has lots to learn but sniffs chances out like Jimmy Greaves and I can remember Greavesie.
Ghost_of_Coates
ghost_of_coates
Have Your Say
Recent Articles
Rumour Mill-Jara to Reyes His Game at Turf Moor? (Saturday May 18 2013)
Heaton Rifles In To Sign Burnley Deal! (Friday May 17 2013)
Going North West for Two Further Friendlies! (Monday May 13 2013)
McCartan Goes-Why Don't the Club Shay Why? (Sunday May 12 2013)
Keeping the Heaton with Liversedge! (Saturday May 11 2013)
Clean Out or Wash Out? (Wednesday May 8 2013)
Burnley X-Files: Caldwell Out, Elliott In at Brum! (Wednesday May 8 2013)
Sparta at the Turf for pre-season friendly! (Wednesday May 8 2013)
Rumour Mill-Lions Roar for Dyche? (Wednesday May 8 2013)
Grant Becomes Second Keeper To Leave! (Tuesday May 7 2013)
Archived Articles
Vital Members League (view all)
| 1. | turfmanphil | 55 |
| 2. | Grimsby Claret | 29 |
| 3. | Couch Potato | 17 |
| 4. | 8clarets8 | 16 |
| 5. | cornwallclaret | 16 |
| 6. | Claretdale | 10 |
| 7. | VinRogue | 9 |
| 8. | WelshClaret | 6 |
| 9. | RickersTwickers | 6 |
| 10. | Fedupclaret | 5 |
League Results (view all)
| Latest Results | ||||
| Burnley | 2 | - | 0 | Ipswich |
| Wolves | 1 | - | 2 | Burnley |
| Burnley | 1 | - | 1 | Cardiff |
| Leeds Utd | 1 | - | 0 | Burnley |
| Blackpool | 1 | - | 0 | Burnley |
| Burnley | 3 | - | 1 | Bristol City |
League Table (view table)
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 8. Forest | 46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 4 | 67 |
| 9. Charlton | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 6 | 65 |
| 10. Derby County | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 3 | 61 |
| 11. Burnley | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 2 | 61 |
| 12. Birmingham | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | -6 | 61 |
| 13. Leeds Utd | 46 | 17 | 10 | 19 | -9 | 61 |
| 14. Ipswich | 46 | 16 | 12 | 18 | -13 | 60 |
Breaking League News
| Canaries Keeper Camp Linked Again
» Ipswich : 18/05/2013 12:26:00
|
| The Vital Forest Fan Interview: Egor the Red
» Forest : 18/05/2013 11:55:00
|
| Rumour Mill-Jara to Reyes His Game at Turf Moor?
» Burnley : 18/05/2013 11:07:00
|
| Wolves fans set for £260,000 refund
» Wolves : 18/05/2013 10:00:00
|
| LUFC On This Day - May 18th
» Leeds Utd : 18/05/2013 07:40:00
|
| Powell To Molineux?
» Charlton : 17/05/2013 20:32:00
|
| New Addicks Deal For Frenchman
» Charlton : 17/05/2013 20:30:00
|
Current Site Poll (view all polls)
|
|
2 © - All content copyright Vital Network Ltd, not to be reproduced without explicit permission Copyright Issues
Please note the Editorial comments and opinions on this site are the personal views of the Editor and should not be construed in any way to be representative of those of other Clarets organisations of which he belongs e.g. Clarets Trust. This applies to both the front page articles and posts in any of the forums.
Cookie Policy
At Vital Football, we along with most other modern websites use small files called 'cookies' to create the most secure, effective and functional website possible for our users. Without these files our business model, based on advertising, breaks down and we would be unable to continue to provide the services that you are here to utilise. By continuing to use this website after seeing this message, you consent to our use of cookies on this device unless you have disabled them. For full details please read our Cookie Policy which can be found here. However, if you would like to disable cookies on this device, please view our Cookie Policy which contains an opt-out tool for disabling advertising cookies. Please also visit our information pages on 'How to manage cookies' if you would also like to block all other types of cookies. Please be aware that parts of this site will not function correctly if you disable cookies.