Mirror football writer Alex Richards gives his thoughts on Kevin McDonald’s contract situation.
Positivity was the watchword as Wolves flew out to France for their pre-season training camp at Clairefontaine.
Players are talking up a promotion push; Connor Coady has arrived for £2million from Huddersfield and Jack Price has been handed a new deal. All has seemed rosy in the Wanderers’ garden.
But now, not so much, all stemming from an interview given by Kevin McDonald.
The Scottish midfielder has been an integral part of Kenny Jackett’s side during the last two seasons, proving himself vital to the team’s style of play with his composure, passing and strength at the heart of midfield. His consistency has shone like a beacon.
But following his arrival from Sheffield United two years ago, on a three-year deal, his contract has been allowed to hit its final 12 months.
Needless to say, he isn’t all that pleased about it.
“Yeah of course, I’ve said to the manager, if the offer is right I’ll sign the offer but that offer has not been put down, and there’s no indication that offer is going to be put down. So it is obviously a bit unsettling not knowing where you are going to be.
“I want to get a contract sorted first and foremost at Wolves, or if they’re not willing to offer me a contract then you try and look elsewhere. I’m like any other player, we all want that bit of security. We don’t want to be in the final year of our contract, and I’m the same.”
Quickly slated on social media, deemed unprofessional by some, scandalous according to others. Personally, I fail to see the problem.
Here’s a guy who has signed for the club and proven himself as valuable as any other player on the club’s books in the last two years. He arrived after the club’s drop to League One, starred as promotion was secured then proved himself as a classy operator in the Championship last term – pushing aside any original fitness concerns as time went on. That’s why Fulham have been sniffing around, launching two bids and wanting him to lead their promotion push in the coming campaign.
This summer, a new deal simply HAD TO be coming his way. Something which he deserved. Heck, even if it was just something to merely maximise his value should the club decide to cash in.
But instead he’s only been offered, a deal which to him “didn’t really indicate they wanted to keep me”. Additionally, the club – according to McDonald – didn’t tell him about any offers from the Cottagers. Hardly a way to enhance trust between the two parties.
Asked questions over a potential move and his situation, he answered them. Why shouldn’t he? Because of some level of loyalty to the Wolves hierarchy? Would you if you felt they weren’t showing similar behind closed doors?
Why not air your grievance? In doing so, McDonald has let people know what’s going on, how he feels and applied some pressure.
He’s happy where he is but he wants to feel valued. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s ludicrous to make him out to be a villain. Bakary Sako walked off into the sun and people dared utter the word ‘legend’ for his three years service. Good player, no question, but there’s a reason he’s not been snapped up yet and it’s called going about things the wrong way. But I guess these are the times, where things must be now, now, now and are either one extreme or the other.
McDonald has made himself all but indispensable in the last two years, taking the club up a level and then some. In many ways, he’s been the side’s on-field brain, making the midfield a question of McDonald +1. While others have dipped in and out of the line up, struggling to perform over the course of an entire season, he’s remained. And crucially, he wants to continue wearing old gold, and try to lead the club into the Premier League once more. The club should hand him the contract he deserves.
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