Wilson

[RAY Rock]

Interested to know your views

[alfie]

Yes he has had a great few months, but I believe that is far too much.

[SP]

Yes, a hard player for us to replace

[Thailand Mick]

I read today that mackintosh has stated that all money made from Fulham pier does count towards SCR so it will be interesting to see how much that helps boost our revenue but at the moment we need to get the wage bill down.

[MikeTheCubed]

Would depend on what he's currently on, and therefore what the increase would be, compared against the total cost of finding a similar replacement.

But I'm inclined to say yes, on the basis that he scores goals of such a manner that none of our other present attackers do.

[WolverineFFC]

Yes. Paying him 120000 a week on a 4 yr deal is less than what they will be spending to bring Chuk in. He's still a bargain financially at that point.

Unfortunately I think what Fulham are willing to pay is likely 3rd most important behind Marco's standing and European football opportunities at this point. He'll probably have atleast a half dozen clubs willing to pay the 100 to 120000 a week or more.

[Deeping_white]

Yes. Paying him 120000 a week on a 4 yr deal is less than what they will be spending to bring Chuk in. He's still a bargain financially at that point.

Unfortunately I think what Fulham are willing to pay is likely 3rd most important behind Marco's standing and European football opportunities at this point. He'll probably have atleast a half dozen clubs willing to pay the 100 to 120000 a week or more.

Paying him north of 100k a week when he's just turned 29 isn't a sustainable model though moving forward given SCR - we'd be liable to pay him that until he's 33 and realistically we'd struggle to sell him because once you start paying him north of 100k then with him turning 3,0 he'd have to take a pay cut to leave and he'd have 0 motivation to do so. Yes he's been good this year, but his form this year has been the exception rather than the norm, and most of his goals have been speculative long range efforts which in other seasons don't go in, and before you know it he's back to being below a 10 G/A player again, except this time he's got 0 sell on value and we're paying him huge wages

[Cornishnick]

He's had a great season, I love him and what he does for the team but . . .
It's only relatively recently he has really hit the heights, can he repeat that for the next x years? All players have a simple graph of their careers; it goes up and up until they reach peak and then drops down. Big question is; where is he on that graph? Answers on a postcard . . . . .

[H4usuallysitting]

Don't think it's the money, as he'll probably get a big lump sum (£10m+) as a signing on fee with another club

[WolverineFFC]

Yes. Paying him 120000 a week on a 4 yr deal is less than what they will be spending to bring Chuk in. He's still a bargain financially at that point.

Unfortunately I think what Fulham are willing to pay is likely 3rd most important behind Marco's standing and European football opportunities at this point. He'll probably have atleast a half dozen clubs willing to pay the 100 to 120000 a week or more.

Paying him north of 100k a week when he's just turned 29 isn't a sustainable model though moving forward given SCR - we'd be liable to pay him that until he's 33 and realistically we'd struggle to sell him because once you start paying him north of 100k then with him turning 3,0 he'd have to take a pay cut to leave and he'd have 0 motivation to do so. Yes he's been good this year, but his form this year has been the exception rather than the norm, and most of his goals have been speculative long range efforts which in other seasons don't go in, and before you know it he's back to being below a 10 G/A player again, except this time he's got 0 sell on value and we're paying him huge wages

We just completed paying Raul the same amount at an older age. Sell on just isn't a big deal in these circumstances. I used the 4 yr deal as an example to juxtapose against Chuk's contract which I think would be 4+1. Not sure I'd give 4 either, but 3 or 3+1 would be fine w me.

[Cambridge Away]

This most reminds me of Clint Dempsey. Struggled to get in our team for so long. When finally given a run (and some form) he is looking elsewhere. No hate, but the grass isn't always greener. Like Marco, where is he going to go where he will be a long term success? He needs to be playing regularly and top teams won't offer him that. Maybe Villa or Newcastle? I still remember him cupping his ears to the crowd in the Championship a bit too much (with Mitro and Carvalho and lookk how they turned out)

[Ludlow Richard]

No doubt whatever happens people will think the club screwed up. If Wilson stays on a massive contract, people will say FFC have got it wrong. And if he leaves for free, people will say FFC have got it wrong by not offering him enough. A pointless poll.

[General]

Look, it's a balancing act - he's done very well and over the course of the season.. but the interesting thing is that his goals are similar in number to Raul's this season, yet not half as much has been made about Raul's contract ending.

I suppose a few of Raul's goals are penalties, so decisive but less action and in game goals, like Wilson's.

Wilson has 16 goal contributions, whilst Raul has 13.

I think Wilson is in an interesting place, and it's an interesting situation to be in, in the sense that he's done very well by our standards and PL standards, and whilst a lot of that is on him, it's also environmental re the squad, the club, coaches and Marco helping him to reach those.. There's a chance though, and this is the risk, that it could be just the one season that he hits these heights, reflecting on the fact he hasn't done so before, and is also getting older.

Does he move? Who knows - but it could either simply sustain where he's at - completely disrupt it in a negative way or improve it.. no-one will know until the decisions made and time has past.

If I were him, I'd probably stay where I am - if I'm good at what I do, have a manager who I think can get the best out of me, and a squad that seems to be getting more exciting young players, I have the ability to be a leader and key player for a developing squad that has shown the potential to go toe-to-toe with the best clubs.

Internationally it's a different picture as he's been a welsh international even when in the Championship.

I suppose the only potential added thing is how much he wants to play in Europe (supposing Villa will play next season), and then perhaps whether he wants to be closer to Wrexham, where he grew up? Villa works on both fronts, but then there aren't any guarantees he'll play regularly as the competition is more fierce. With us now he's a starter and one of our key players, do I think Wilson will be the same at Villa, not so sure.

So yes, he may play a bit of european football - but how much vs how much on the bench - anybody's guess.

All to say, is he worth giving a three year contract for £120k a week? It seems on the higher end - though I'm perhaps gauging this more on historic wages as it being on the top end.. I think what seems fair is a £80k/similar base with performance related add-ons.

If Wilson is that good, it should be seen as a potential sure thing..?

[Marcus]

He has obviously loved it, been the best period of his career, we have to try and match what anyone else offers, within reason, as long as his agent is decent, and I can't see Harry having anything else, there should be honesty on both sides and we can get it done, Harry has been good for us, and we have been good for him, as Wayne said at the weekend, we are a good match.

[Jim©]

When Leno is on £130k a week and costing us points, wilson on £100k is a no brainier.

[WokingFFC]

Surely a half decent "replacement" would cost us circa £20m transfer plus salary - so £5.2 to £6.2m a year to Harry over 4 years seems a no brainer to me.

[Deeping_white]

Surely a half decent "replacement" would cost us circa £20m transfer plus salary - so £5.2 to £6.2m a year to Harry over 4 years seems a no brainer to me.

But a hypothetical replacement will likely be younger and have some resale value which in turn generates revenue back for the club. With the new FFP model, Fulham can't really afford too many players in their 30's on big salaries anymore because we need to generate revenue through sales. In the last few years we've had quite a few players run down their contracts and leave on a free, and this would likely turn into another example and starting from next season we can't be in that position.

[alfie]

When Leno is on £130k a week and costing us points, wilson on £100k is a no brainier.

So when Wilson has a shot and misses, does that cost us points as well ?

[HobGoblin]

Been great for the club, but if that's the weekly cost and 4 years contract, then a no from me.

Moot, anyhow as he will go, gets a big signing on fee for it too, and agent/player greed means he will go for that

[v]

Surely a half decent "replacement" would cost us circa £20m transfer plus salary - so £5.2 to £6.2m a year to Harry over 4 years seems a no brainer to me.

But a hypothetical replacement will likely be younger and have some resale value which in turn generates revenue back for the club. With the new FFP model, Fulham can't really afford too many players in their 30's on big salaries anymore because we need to generate revenue through sales. In the last few years we've had quite a few players run down their contracts and leave on a free, and this would likely turn into another example and starting from next season we can't be in that position.

Unless that younger player coming in does what Wilson's done and runs down his contract. Then any resale value goes up in smoke unfortunately