Just been reading on other saints site that offered lee 2 year contract but apparently wants see how season pans out before making a decision

You can see the sense from both sides.

The club want him to sign early, get a better deal.

He wants to sign later, feels he can increase his price or get a better offer elsewhere once he has a chance to play and put himself in the shop window.

More power to him really, he's obviously confident in himself, if he does not put on a good show then his price would drop.

Don't blame him really, I wouldn't want to sign a contract and then find your not playing or out of favour.

Giants may come in for him again too....

If gaskell is playing most weeks I can't see why if wouldnt sign a new,deal but if like last season lance is playing before him week in week out then he be off somewhere else . I can't see him putting pen to paper before August anyway

i think its pretty black and white that this will be the case. He played well enough throughout 2011 to establish himself as a SL player. He was then dropped out of sight without doing anything in particular wrong because the temp coaches found a system that worked and weren't brave enough to tinker with it (even though Ray Charles could see Gaskell would've improved our game).

Whatever the ins and outs of his year, should he decide to leave he won't be short of offers. Talented lad is Gaskell.

Indeed. You can generally tell whether a good decision has been made to release a player by the calibre of the club that they end up at afterwards (see Dixon, Ashurst etc). I'pretty sure that if Gaskell doesn't sign a contract at Saints he'll end up at Wire, Wigan or Leeds.

Works both ways but isnt it a little dangerous for LG?

Plays well and gets the first team games that he wants then give him what he wants (within reason).
Gets his first team games but under performs then may get a contract but with reduced money from Saints and across the board then itll be interesting to see what happens.
Plays disastrously and gets a bad injury then what happens?

we still stand by him, just with a smaller pay check.

its makes sense to wait and see. NB must be happy with him in training for this to be on the table now, but game time is different and as such makes sense on waiting and see how he fairs.

like LeFrank whats the rush

Spot on. I thought he was treated very badly last season and I don't blame him holding out to see whether Brown is made of better stuff. Gaskell must be skeptical as a result of his experience last year.

I agree with most think should hold out to see what NB ideas/plans are before rushing in however I don't think he doing this to hold out for more money just more playing time

No saying the lad not signing because he off somewhere else in 2014 but I find it hard to beleive the club would be offering a new deal so early

As I said I read this on the other saints site so what ever the outcome only him hid agent and saints/NB will no the outcome

Just can't see saints offering a lad a two year deal who never played last season so early on

Wigan bound 2014, as is Foster after 12 months at Bradford.

In his last year, a half back not signing a new deal.

Does this sound familiar?

No not really Kyle was playing week in week out Gaskell hardly played last year so think that's the deciding factor

Really is that what Kyle was doing?

If Gaskell went to Wigan then it might not be to play at 6.
Green has just been signed on a 3 year deal.
For the friendly at HKR this weekend Wane is picking Sam Powell and Ryan Hampshire at half back.
Those two could be slot ins should either Smith or Green be injured. Green and Hampshire have real pace and both are far faster than Gaskell. Powell can equally play at 6.

He'd become a regular by that point, it was injuries rather than selection that stopped him playing during the back end of 2010 nothing else. Eastmond screwed us over as we didn't have anybody else but a young Gaskell and an untried Lomax to come in hence the 'panic' buy for Hohaia in the end. That's so far turned out well!

As for Gaskell, he hasn't played much in the last 12 months and at the moment we don't really know what Brown's plans are with him.

I personally see him as a potential full back of the future, although with our lack of quality with the kicking game and in the halves he's better suited there at the moment. I hope we can sign him up on a new deal, from what I've seen him there's lot of talent to work with.

www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/101 ... _position/

www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/101 ... _position/

well he has NBs backing early doors.

this does highlight the problem with the friendlys at the min, he he trys 3/4 different combos at 6+7 you learn nothing as its just changes to much and everyone in the team need to then reajust

That sounds good. Hopefully Brown is less of a useless yes man than our previous coaches. Hohaia simply isn't a half back.

Don't like that article though, Hohaia has played FULLBACK most of his career. That is where he should be playing while we are stuck with him.

Works well for both if he stays fit, Any bad injury and he's taking a gamble but fair play to the lad for wanting to play. Not sure he's out long term 6 but he's better than Lance