Why does Notts have a very loose approach to contract renewals?

The business model that has been spoken about regarding recruiting players, that will attract bids would be fundamentally flawed if we allow the likes of Kyle Wootton, Ruben Rodrigues and Matt Palmer to leave on frees.

I am now starting to wonder if Cairo Mitchell is a direct replacement for Kyle Wootton.

In my opinion, renewals should be handled the moment a player is likely to extend their existing deals. Not only does it keep their value high, but it spreads confidence within the club and gives the fans something to get behind. I don't understand why Notts or Ian Burchnall has this loose approach to handling negotiations. I think its more likely players will leave, surely we want them to feel wanted and secure with longer deals?

Just look at the reaction to extending Cal Roberts contract last time, it spread heaps of joy and, gave the squad a boost in terms of not losing a key player.

Part of me believes that the club will be in talks with players, with Ian Burchnall's coy comments masking over the fact that they're actually keen to extend current deals without it being given the full focus within the media.

This can lead to issues such as a loss of focus, plus it can outright work against a club trying to retain it's better talent.

With the interested parties adding pressure, especially if their manager(s) comment on how much they want the player. This alone can force players to become discontent, but again, it depends on each player.

I would hate to think the club isn't looking at renewing players contracts as a priority.

It should be one of the first things which gets sorted. In fact, Jimmy Sirrel told Alex Ferguson, not to allow his best players contracts to run out.

The best clubs extend their best players contracts the moment they feel clubs might show interest, knowing full well that this would maximize the players valuation or ease them to stay focused.

I am hoping Kyle Wootton extends his stay.

nothing at notts would surprise me, we have the horrible habit of allowing players to leave on a free. i would not begrudge kyle wootton for moving on, but i would hope that sees notts gave him the platform to flourish and therefore would sort something out so that he could leave helping the club obtain a fee.

Maybe we offered Wootton a contract a summer but he said no, or didn't want to do it yet. Who knows...

The thing with contract renewals is they're never really made public until they're signed (at this level anyway). I agree with Chris, I don't think the club is daft and I'm sure there is more going on behind the scenes in terms of re-signing players, especially as one of the 'philosophies' of the club is signing players so they can be developed, sold on and not just lost on a free.

I get that it doesn't look great at the minute in terms of Wootton, especially with the news Pompey are looking at him but it's all just speculation at the moment. Kyle has done well for us but you couldn't blame him if he moved higher up, I'm just hoping we can get a short extension so we'll at least be able to get a decent fee for him.

I don’t think they are loose about the approach I think publicly they may well be but behind the scenes there is probably a lot going on. We didn’t know about Cal’s renewal until it happened. I think IB is playing a bit of a game with the media and possibly trying to stoke the interest in the players to maximise offers.

@Pie since 89 Difference with Cal Roberts, it was speculated and rumoured that the club had opened discussions to extend his deal. Right around the time he was being linked with clubs due to his contract running out at the end of the year. The manager didn't dismiss it either in press conferences, its almost identical to the time fans wanted to see Alan Judge extend his stay and the club released comments about him enjoying his football, that he was focused on that rather than extending.

We can only hope that he extends or the club manages to attract a fair bid before his deal expires.

I think its like the transfers, the club wants to keep it their business because opening up about new deals can lead to further competition.

Notts might be wary of their playing budget, when you don't have much you can't just give players a raise which often happens with new deals. If Kyle Wootton does sign a new deal, I would imagine the club would add in a release clause.

If I was Ian Burchnall I would do my upmost to retain him.

 

I always felt Notts needed to be more prompt and outright with sorting out contracts, allowing a contract to reach a year is the point an extension should start to be discussed.

It takes two to tango - I think it's a given that the club will want to extend his contract, but does the player? He know he'll have a contract offer from Notts come what may. If he doesn't sign now, in the summer he'll have offers from other clubs higher up that maybe wouldn't have been interested in paying a fee. So from a cold, sober point of view I can understand the player's point of view in wanting to see other offers, and in turn I can understand the logic of clubs looking to sell in January rather than losing a player on a free in the summer. 

I still hope he signs a contract extension though. He's never pulled up trees anywhere else, but at Notts he knows where he is and he knows he's onto a good thing. 

I don't think Kyle Wootton is the sort to hold up a club for more money, I know nobody here has said this, but often I do notice these types of knee-jerk comments when reading comments on social media.

In my opinion, it's for Notts to convince the better players that they're wanted and, sell them on the vision of the club.

I would also assume that Kyle Wootton is very happy at Meadow Lane, so playing up the higher pyramid might be tempting, but that's where you convince your best players that the club actually matches their ambition to play at a higher level.

Could it be that he's simply waiting to see where Notts are come closer to the end of the season?

He's proved himself at this level, if Notts aren't to gain promotion this year - I can't blame him for considering his options. Notts has been smart with their money under the Reedtz brothers. They have shown ambition to a certain level and, I am not suggesting they should be doing a Wrexham like I have seen elsewhere. The National League isn't the place for good mid-aged footballers, who are almost in the prime of their career.

I'm hoping the club waits for the Football League transfer window to open and, smartly recruit some additional players to add 'Non League' grit to our team, but also another striker that is able to score.