Alex Cuthbert... staying or going?
Two weeks ago he released a statement saying he was ready to make his mind up where he'd be playing next year. To this day, we've not heard further.
I'd like him to stay at the Blues. He's a young player. He's got talent. But he's not that good. He should stay and develop into a nailed on star.
My concern is he's a bit of a drama queen. He's had a lot of articles about him - understandable considering his try-scoring abilities which shone in the 6N - but unlike the other rising stars, I don't get the impression he's so well grounded. Jon Davies - the (new) model professional - came out with articles saying he's signed his near-to-moderate-long-term future to the Scarlets; George North gets all the attention from the media but shrugs it off with a down to earth shyness. But when Cuthbert makes the news, he is saying 'oh, I'm not getting paid enough', or 'I'd like to stay at the Blues if they can offer a decent salary'.
Cuthbert has been offered a '6 figure' salary. So at least £100k. At the bare minimum, in the day and age of the salary cap, that is about or above the average wage for all Heineken Cup players in Wales. When you can only spend £3.5mill on your whole squad (of about 30-odd I'm guessing) you're not going to get salaries like £200k back in the days of Justin Marshall and Mike Phillips at the Ospreys. Not in Wales. If money is all that you care about, I won't judge you, and will hope you get enough gametime for your development in France. But I don't think it's right you hold your club to ransom, and use the media to inflate your salary.
We want to be proud of our players. Do the right thing and repay the faith and commitment the Blues showed to you in helping to get you onto the international stage.
Cuthbert
posted on 2/5/12
To be fair to Cuthbert, his career as a rugby player will last 10-15 years, in which time he could be injured at any time and has to set himself up for life - pay the mortgage off, get a car etc, all the things the average chap can do over a 30-40 year working life.
If Cuthbert stuck to a local club and was struggling in 30 years time as a 50 year old binman in Merthyr would the fans or WRFU dig in to help him out or would he be long since forgotten - I'm guessing the latter
I wouldn't blame Cuthbert or any other player for seeking a bigger wage elsewhere, and for me this illustrates the problem of a wage cap - in a closed market where no side can offer anything outside it, it works but is morally repugnant. In a world where a player can go outside the wage cap (France for example) then it doesn't work and is still morally repugnant.
I want to see clubs develop and have equality (as in the Aviva Premiership) but I also want to see them able to have a squad that can compete with the likes of Leinster & Toulouse despite the rather attritional fixture list - do we really need the Anglo-Welsh Cup?
I think its an issue that needs a LOT of thought in both England and Wales, but I think Wales has a bigger problem - the crowds at the games are tiny and the clubs do not seem to have engaged with the fans - as a result the coffers are bare and the clubs wage cap is small compared to e.g. France
I can't and won't blame Cuthbert (though as an England and Gloucester fan I don't feel it as painfully as you) - if Freddie Burns left for the same reason I'd be very sad but would wish him all the best and would hope that the RFU were listening to what was going on.
Perhaps the way forward would be - no squad wage cap, but a cap on players playing in each Aviva Premiership match - obviously the Pro-12 is different due to the different rugby unions playing and as a result is more complex
posted on 2/5/12
For me its about knowing your worth.
Sounds like he knows he has worth and is trying to make it pay. I know there is an evil line to walk here between loyalty to club and loyalty to one's self, but i really can't blame him.
One might say loyalty to club is commendable another might call it fool hardy.
posted on 2/5/12
Like I said, if he has no intention of staying at the Blues then he should make it known. If he wants more money, then he knows that means France. The Blues won't be able to offer any players much more than £100k.
But he has come out to the media grumbling about the salaries being offered to him by the Blues. That's what irked me the most. I'm worried that he may be another media monkey.
I really think £100k is a very fair salary for him - he's young, about to go into only his second season, and not the finished product by any means. France may be able to offer more, because they pay their waterboys at least half a mill over there, which is why most internationals would consider going over at the end of their career. Does he think he's good enough to disregard Gatland's advice for Welsh players not to leave Wales? Again, I'm worried that he's paying too much attention to the media hyping him up, rather than just taking a very fair wage for a developing player and getting the chance to make a name for himself on the international scene.
posted on 2/5/12
Indeed Gecko i can't really find fault with what your saying either. In fact i would go further to say that my theory on a player knowing his worth and using it, should only really apply to established players who have been around the block and made a name for themselves. Also, he will be shown no loyalty on the continent where they are fickle to put it mildly. If he's not a superstar there he will barely be noticed. A risky strategy to be fair if thats the game hes playing.
posted on 16/5/12
He is staying, good news.