So should we sell Ernie?

It seems possible that in the next few days someone will make an offer for Rob Earnshaw. Should the board accept it when it comes? The case for hanging on to Robbie is a powerful one that can be summed up succinctly; ?17 goals?.

The case for selling is also compelling ? but more complex. I?ve seen all but four of our games this year and, frankly, the blunders made by Worthington over the last two years of his reign - whilst the board concentrated on turning a profit from pies ? mean that we are nowhere near being a promotion outfit. And it?s going to get worse ? we have an aging squad, money will have to be spent just to fill the gaps left by Thorne, Fleming, Louis ? Jean and perhaps (god forbid) Dublin. Even Huckerby is now at the stage where he will only sign one-year contract extensions. So where are we? A squad that ? being generous ? is 5 players short of challenging for promotion ? and which will be even weaker this time next year. And we will of course have at least ?7 million LESS income next year. How precisely will PG be able to fund the major surgery needed to turn things around. I can?t see a way.

So look at it from Ernie?s point of view: I have no doubt that he is not pushing for a transfer - yet. How will he feel this time next year with us in the same position? Or a year after that? A scorer as prolific as Ernie needs to test himself in the top-flight ? if that doesn?t happen with us then sometime in the foreseeable future he will demand a move. So what the board will have to consider if an offer comes is ? do we sell now when he has years left on his contract and it is a seller?s market and use the funds to rebuild our unbalanced, untalented (in several cases) and aging squad? Or do we hang on to him in the hope that PG somehow works a miracle ? whilst taking the very big risk that somewhere down the line we will have to sell him for a pittance ? Keith O?Neill style?

Difficult.

Posted By: Clive Candy, Jan 5, 23:37:11