Fair enough, but i think that there would be more bother if Hull tried to reduce Hornes wages and when he took them to court they produce half a dozen of James Smailes match reports as exhibit A.

As nobeerineasthull as pointed out, it might be theoretically possible, but it'd be impractical. He's the top Hull points scorer in the Albert Goldthorpe Medal, for example. You might think it is a joke award, but would you rely on a judge to agree?

I don't know the lad, but he'd be foolish, IMO, to accept a pay-cut - unless it is in exchange for a longer deal. He's done nothing wrong, and his form and fitness have been good enough to be selected for 22 games in SL this year. He's got a young family I believe and has to look after them.

How would you react if a player felt his performances deserved a pay [iincrease[/i and he tried to squirm out of an existing deal to go elsewhere?

Excellent post, and sums up my feelings on the matter.

This, on the other hand, is utter rubbish. As usual.

Sums up mine too.

Read my follow up post!!



To address your 2nd paragraph, if his choice is to renegotiate on a lower deal or be dismissed the balls in his court. The only thing he has done wrong is to be a shadow of his former self. If he is like that next season too FC need to take a serious look at it. No room for sentiment in sport.

Unless there were specific performance targets in his [iexisting[/i contract that he is missing, why would he be dismissed?

As for sentiment - this isn't a contract renwal, it is honouring an existing contract. He might take a pay-off or some such, but he can do it on his own terms - assuming his contract is in order.

He's yours until 2011, for better or worse - I think there is every chance it will be 'better' and that you've got other more pressing problems.

Targets are generally non-contractual but if Hull FC said to him that they werent happy with his performances and they wanted to put some objectives in place as a development plan he would need to go along with it really. (providing he wants to improve and get his old form back)

If he doesnt FC would struggle to dismiss him but you can bet he wouldnt get a game and he would be isolated until he left.

Not really, on his own terms he wouldnt want to be sat in the reserves for not re-negotiating. Hull definately have bargaining power here.

He's ours til 2011 yes, and i hope your right that it will be for the better. All im arguing on here is that we do have options though if it isnt, whether you agree with me or not.

Bingo.

All this fuss about Horne seems a tad OTT given the position we're in TBH.

Call it contingency 'thinking' rather than planning in case worse case scenario comes true. Having no number 6 is pretty serious.

I still think that you're hugely overestimating the strength of the club's position in this case. Not to mention the strength of their determination.

I don't think that I can recall a single example of a player in Horne's position being treated as you suggest, which would indicate that it's not an attractive option for a club.

I agree. Horne has had good and bad games this season but has had issues to contend with due to his illness, his weight and also the fact that he has been coming back from a year out.

Add to that no SH to play alongside, switching of positions and playing behind a beaten pack then I think we need to back him. I think he will come good next season. If he doesn't and continues to have problems then look at it.

We do have other options there if the worst case scenario were to crop up. Whiting for one.

Youre right, i said earlier that ive never seen a club do it, i would guess FC wont act here either. My arguement is simply that they could should they want to/need to in order to free up a huge chunk of our cap if it isnt simply a drop in form.

Whiting or Washy would be options i agree. However, there are numerous choices here, most favourable one is to bring a recognised quality 6 in for me.

They could, but it would be incredibly harsh and very patronizing for a player of his stature. I'd be tempted to 'do a Winston Bogarde', if I was in that situation. Or demand a year's wages to clear off.

I don't think targets are what will see his form improve - it'll be having a better pack to play behind and Long at 7. Personal goals in a team sport could be dangerous, too:

Lets say one is score a minimum of 6 tries in a season. In a crucial game late in the season, with 5 tries in earlier matches, you find yourself through on the full back, with a support player on your shoulder. Normally you'd pass, but you need that sixth try so consider trying the dummy. Caught in two minds you hesitate...

You could try to be clever - tries and assists counting equally (just imagine every one screaming for the ball in oppositions 20!), but the best incentive is the simple and team-based win bonus. Not easy to manage the salary cap if it is too big, of course.

Change the record Kosh, your getting a tad boring.

R.Horne has been terrible for a while now this season, but before he is dropped I would actually like to see him as a running 6, used properly in defence and not asked to do any long range kicking

My Irony-O-Meter just melted.

Too much objectivity, too many external factors that could be influencing things. I'm sure if it was easy to sack a sporstman for lack of performance then the cash rich premiership football clubs would have been doing it for years instead of paying £ millions to garbage.

Horne could just turn around and say that his boss is rubbish and any case would fall flat on it's face

Yup, think weve kind of agreed that. My arguement is that it is technically possible should we need to have the contingency. Liklihood is zero but ive been speaking hypothetically.