August 09, 2004

Players angry at uncertainty over contracts

Posted by Editor on August 9, 2004 09:30 AM | No comments | Print | E-mail author

Glenn Metcalfe thinks players have been treated badly over contracts
Former Glasgow full-back Glenn Metcalfe has hit out at the uncertainty over contracts that professional players in Scotland experience.

Today's Scotsman reports that a number of players released at the end of last season are still in talks with the SRU over "compromise" deals to walk away.

Players are said to be angry at the manner in which they have been told their professional rugby careers are over while others still in employment worry their contracts' terms don't offer the security they had previously believed.

Glenn, who is now in France with Castres Olympique after the messy handling of his contract, said: "Players are being told that we have to be more professional, yet there were guys in all three teams playing games at the end of the season stressed out not knowing if they could pay the mortgage and support their families this summer.

"Without assurances from clubs, banks are reluctant to provide mortgages, while players given assurances, and who turned down English and French clubs, were shown the door at the last minute and found the other offers had gone.

"This is not the first year players have been left hanging on until they have no other option but to agree reduced terms to stay or to walk away, but the season just ended was a nightmare."

You can read David Ferguson's article here

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