News of former players

Discussion of all things related to the club and first team
Jamie
Posts: 470
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 11:51 am

Les1949 wrote: Sun Jul 24, 2022 5:02 pm Imran Uche is training with Reading U23s
Fair play to him!
Is he on contract at Hampton, potential fee or bonus payments?
Lord Elpus
Posts: 643
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:09 pm

Don't think Uche was on contract, no, but maybe someone can confirm? Very surprised to see that, to say the least...
GRTourist
Posts: 219
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2021 11:38 am

Lord Elpus wrote: Tue Jul 26, 2022 1:26 pm Don't think Uche was on contract, no, but maybe someone can confirm? Very surprised to see that, to say the least...
This is correct, Imran was a free agent as of the end of the season. Invited in for discussions (see Squad Update post on the website in May), but clearly took the opportunity to try out for opportunities at other clubs.

Imran came down to watch the Hanworth friendly, and fair to say he was very excited about the opportunity for Reading - delighted for him and I hope he can make a success of it.
Jamie
Posts: 470
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 11:51 am

Good for him, however as he came through our academy it would make sense to learn from this.
Have clauses in the deals that when play x amount of games for first team it triggers a contract.
Also that gives year options in the clubs favour.
Need to protect the development work gone in for a number of years, so at the very least get performance related payments or sell on clauses.
Lord Elpus
Posts: 643
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:09 pm

It's all very well talking about triggering contracts etc but it has to be of benefit to the club. Hines would be one that I would have wanted that for, but Uche is much more inconsistent and I couldn't really see much progress from the season before. He must have a really good agent or something, so fair play, and I hope he does well at Reading.
GRTourist
Posts: 219
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2021 11:38 am

Jamie wrote: Wed Jul 27, 2022 10:59 am Good for him, however as he came through our academy it would make sense to learn from this.
Have clauses in the deals that when play x amount of games for first team it triggers a contract.
Also that gives year options in the clubs favour.
Need to protect the development work gone in for a number of years, so at the very least get performance related payments or sell on clauses.
Imran was with the Academy, but he left. He went and played for Northwood and Bedfont Sports before coming back.

Clearly the club can't put every player on a contract, and some players won't be willing to go on them. Imran made 26 first team appearances (including friendlies) - would that have warranted triggering a contract? What if he had then totally failed to develop, made no further appearances that season and all of a sudden Hampton are wasting a weekly salary on a player who is no longer good enough to play, at which point you'd no doubt be griping on here that the club is wasting money on contracting players who aren't good enough.

Everything looks so easy and reasonable when you put these comments up which are quite implicit criticism of the way things are done, and once again, you seem to know exactly how to run every aspect of a club - floodlighting, revenue generation, contract management - is there anything you're not an expert on? Gary's mentioned he's looking for reinforcements up front, maybe he should sign you because I'm sure you know everything about playing as a number nine as well.
Tony
Posts: 1304
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:57 pm

Uche not good enough for NLS in my view. Manager did not trust him at CB and too wasteful playing in CM.
Lord Elpus
Posts: 643
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:09 pm

If Uche does end up getting signed by Reading I bet he ends up on loan to another non league club anyway, Hungerford or somewhere, as they aren't a million miles away from Reading. I think we have signed better players this summer quite honestly.
Josh2002
Posts: 529
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2021 3:11 am

Sam Cox has joined Welling.
Jamie
Posts: 470
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 11:51 am

GRTourist wrote: Wed Jul 27, 2022 3:06 pm
Jamie wrote: Wed Jul 27, 2022 10:59 am Good for him, however as he came through our academy it would make sense to learn from this.
Have clauses in the deals that when play x amount of games for first team it triggers a contract.
Also that gives year options in the clubs favour.
Need to protect the development work gone in for a number of years, so at the very least get performance related payments or sell on clauses.
Imran was with the Academy, but he left. He went and played for Northwood and Bedfont Sports before coming back.

Clearly the club can't put every player on a contract, and some players won't be willing to go on them. Imran made 26 first team appearances (including friendlies) - would that have warranted triggering a contract? What if he had then totally failed to develop, made no further appearances that season and all of a sudden Hampton are wasting a weekly salary on a player who is no longer good enough to play, at which point you'd no doubt be griping on here that the club is wasting money on contracting players who aren't good enough.

Everything looks so easy and reasonable when you put these comments up which are quite implicit criticism of the way things are done, and once again, you seem to know exactly how to run every aspect of a club - floodlighting, revenue generation, contract management - is there anything you're not an expert on? Gary's mentioned he's looking for reinforcements up front, maybe he should sign you because I'm sure you know everything about playing as a number nine as well.

Take a chill pill dude.
It was an example of how it could make sense to protect things in the future, suggestions don't mean criticism.
I wasn't saying necessarily Uche warrants a contract (by the way doesn't have to be big money, and can be heavily worked with appearance bonuses) I was merely trying to make a point that non league clubs are getting shafted by players who develop their talent and then leave for nothing. At pro level if u23 you at least get some compensation.
Not a dig at the club at all, this forum is meant to be for discussion, so I was putting out there to create debate as to how Hampton, and others could look to protect their development, or rightly be rewarded.

Why you then have a rant making out I claim to be an expert on everything? I haven't said that at all, but surely input should be welcome to try and help the club out?
I own a sports kit business, I have a network of contacts in the industry, and know people who own companies that could help with certain things.
So to go through the areas you are having a go at me on.

Floodlights - dealt with them at the club I formed in the equivalent of Combined Counties level. We had a ground with ones that ran off a diesel generator, so we looked at improving the system with a main grid upgrade, did extensive research, getting info from many companies, and overwhelmingly there was a certain format that was far superior. Also had this brought to "light" again when involved at another club (now step 3), and they went for the system of pylons down the side rather than in corners, then had major problems as there were darker patches in the corner, and when doing the LUX test, failed the standards for that level, which resulted in lots of additional costs having to reposition lights etc.
(so got quite a bit of experience seeing what happens if get the setup wrong)

Revenue Generation - worked at various non league clubs, and in commercial roles. Was literally my job. Did it at Hampton for a while many years ago, where we introduced a junior membership pack, got a couple of hundred kids signed up, and attendances improved in decent %'s - also helped we were going for promotion of course!
Brought in sponsorship and commercial deals for various clubs, including main shirt sponsors etc.
Recently won the kit supply deal for the return of Masters Football, winning the deal against the likes of Nike, Kappa who were offering cash sums on top of supply - I'd like to think it was down to offering a better all round ongoing partnership, so I'd be proud to say I think I negotiated pretty well, if you want a specific example to show I am not just saying things for the sake of it.
By the way - have offered to try and get commercial income for Hampton, I have asked a couple of times for the sponsorship packages so I can circulate to my contacts, but not got anything back from the people I have enquired with. A little odd, as why not just send the packages out to people who enquire, I may bring nothing in, and nothing lost, or if I then got any one to put money in, then it's basically money for barely any effort for the club.

Contract Management - I certainly don't have much experience in this with players, and really wouldn't want to - that was meant to be my point. Modern players it is very rare to find any loyalty, and it's really crap how clubs don't get any sum for development. I was merely thinking of ways that could protect an asset when developed in the academy. Of course not all players would agree to it, but then maybe they are the people worth having in the system to invest time into.

So "GR Tourist" hope that is the kind of reaction you wanted. Your photos are fantastic, and I'm unsure what other involvement you have with the club, but you are very defensive to people having a say. You may not agree, but that's the beauty of the world. But don't be so dismissive of other people who may have a passion for the club. I may live away from the area, but I will always see them as "my club" and will always support them.

Players, Managers, Chairman, Directors, all come and go. But I don't think fans should be dismissed for showing some passion, and wanting things to be as best they possibly can be. Surely we are all wanting the same thing and Hampton to be as successful as possible, so surely worth having open dialogue to make that more achievable.
Shepperton Supporter
Posts: 1605
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 10:18 pm

Zack Robinson has gone on a season’s loan to Dundee.
Brit
Posts: 85
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 3:49 pm

Jamal retains the number 18 shirt for Bournemouth. Which other former Hampton players made it to a Premier league team (or earlier the 1st division)?
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