PopTart wrote:
To be honest I'm not totally unhappy with this.
Clearly Hampshire is a gifted athlete and a good player. If the only choice was whether to keep him or not I'd have kept him.
However it isn't the only decision.
We have players already signed up for next year and we have positions we need to strengthen and most of all we have a limited budget.
He's perfectly entitled to ask for more but if it doesn't fit out budget we are correct to say no.
The club is not stronger for letting him go and the team is arguably weaker but the club IS stronger for sticking to its financial strategy and we're wise to act quickly to recruit a replacement.
Personally I can't argue with any of that. Ateotd we'll know what kind of call it was when we line up next season and see what wheeling and dealing MC/CC can do in the off season.
Looking at Ryan's career so far, I worry a little that when he finds a new club, that will be his 5th by the age of 24. For one reason and another since making 1st team he's not settled for right long anywhere and imo that's what he potentially needs to do and really nail down his place and become less of a utility player if you like, which I think can hurt a player sometimes - I did think it was going to be at Trinity and was hoping last season we'd tie him down for 3 years but alas it isn't going to happen.
Slightly O/T We've got 2 overseas places left that I'd like get filled by a Prop and halfback.I'd have taken Green, as a bit of a like for like for England and I'd have signed Tangata if he'd have been British but imo he's not quite good enough for overseas spot but he'd did a good job while here.
