We’re about to find out if Paul Lambert is a bastard.
I should clarify my statement when writing what sounds to be insulting but is, in reality, nothing of the sort.
After all, with the Christian Benteke saga in full flow, there is an opportunity for Lambert to really show what he is made of. From my understanding, the club offered a double your money deal (which would take him to around £50k from around £25k a week previously). This was presented to our Belgian number 20 along with words that sounded a little like this:
“Christian, we’re ready to offer you a deal. You’ve had a great season, and your role in our achievements last season were massive. However, it is very early days in terms of your career, and one season does not make you a legend in itself, but we’re happy to double your money for next year, review it at the end of next season if that goes well, and hope you can continue to develop as part of our project.”
Not long after, word came out from other clubs that £70k was feasible from clubs who are based in London. Invariably this lead to a query if Villa could match that, to which something like the below was stated:
“We feel the deal is a fair one in the circumstances. We have just agreed lower paid deals for two players who performed well last season [Andreas Weimann and Brad Guzan] and they were happy with the money offered. If we backtrack on our offer to you, then what message will that send to the pair who have just signed? That they have been paid cheaply? That they should kick up a fuss also? We should remind you that if players who are currently being told to look for clubs leave [Shay Given, Stephen Ireland, and Darren Bent], your [Benteke’s] wage will be the highest at this club. Considering you have only completed one season in the Premier League, we feel that is fair remuneration given our own club’s wage structure.”
All of the above makes a lot of sense, but greed is rarely logical. Fast forward a short time and suddenly there is confusion whether Benteke will be on the plane for our pre-season tour. Shortly after, we find out he has handed in a transfer request.
At this point, some fans have made noises to suggest that the offer made to Benteke is an insult, that he is clearly worth the extra money, and that Lambert is being a fool – to put it politely.
The reality is more that Villa have to think about more than one man – something I’m sure we should all agree on – and that manipulating a wage structure because of one person because they want more money is a dangerous territory. Change Christian’s deal to 40% more than he was offered, and what do the other players want, especially Weimann and Guzan? More? Surely they deserve it too.
Getting back to my original point, Lambert can really show them who is boss. If Benteke doesn’t sign the upgraded deal, he will only be on £25k a week for a maximum of three years. That means just over £3m over the course of what is left of his contract.
At that value, the club are in charge. Again, from what I understand at the club, Lambert has said he doesn’t have to sell – the chairman is happy to pay £25k wages for a player whether he features or not, and Lambert has, from what I understand, said he doesn’t have to sell the player unless he receives a bid consonant with his estimated value – £25m or more.
So the club are in control. If we get some derisory offer from Tottenham or Chelsea, we can keep the player, safe in the knowledge that the club support that decision and don’t need to sell him financially – we’re sitting a striker on four times Benteke’s wage whilst his value plumments, so do you really see the chairman worrying about Benteke’s wage costs?
If Benteke kicks up a fuss, he’ll end up training with the other outcasts – Bent, Ireland, et al – and Lambert will destroy his chances of going to the World Cup. What would really signal his intention would then be to sign someone like Wilfried Bony and give him the £50k a wage deal instead, telling Benteke the ship has sailed, and that he had better up his game or face a very harsh lesson in just who is boss.
Some might consider that harsh, destructive, or otherwise the wrong thing to do. However, in a footballing world we all lament as going mad because of stupid wages and crazy agents, it would be a landmark decision, and one that we can afford to make.
The message should be this – mess with your club, and we’ll mess with you back. It may sound like childish escalation, but it leaves the player in no doubt of what will happen if you cause trouble.
So Paul Lambert may well be a bastard. I, for one, am delighted to see that happen if it does because another Scot, Sir Alex Ferguson, had such a trait as a hallmark of his management career. If Lambert can emulate anyone, following Ferguson’s trail is hardly the worst to be following, is it?
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