Holden - do we keep him or let him go?

Holden's contract is up at the end of the season and the word is that we've yet to offer him a new one. The thinking is that he needs to prove that he is still the player he was before his knee injury.

Many players don't make it back after a bad knee injury and I've got a feeling that Bolton think the same about Holden and his knee.

The player will obviously want the best contract he can in the summer but that may come from a Premier club with the money to take a risk that Stuart will recover.

So you think we should take that risk too - remember Jimmy Bullard and Hull though!

It would be utter madness to offer him another contract, absolute madness.

I think we should see how he plays for the remainder of this season. I assume Freedman will throw him in eventually. Obviously there's the risk of him not returning to the level he was at previously, so I think we will give him this season to prove himself and then decide whether it's worth giving him a new contract. I really do hope he gets back to the level he was before though with us.

Jamster26 wrote:I think we should see how he plays for the remainder of this season. I assume Freedman will throw him in eventually. Obviously there's the risk of him not returning to the level he was at previously, so I think we will give him this season to prove himself and then decide whether it's worth giving him a new contract. I really do hope he gets back to the level he was before though with us.

hi jamster, i'm jayne. i agree with everything you say. i really hope he comes good, he used to be a joy to watch.

Who knows what offers he'll get in the summer.

Some Premier League team will be prepared to take a gamble on him.

So it might not be whether we want to keep him or let him go.

It might be if he wants to stay with us.

I'd keep him btw.

Definitely keep him.

Natasha Whittam wrote:It would be utter madness to offer him another contract, absolute madness.

Offer him a one year contract. Surely he would understand the reasons.

As someone said on one of the other threads after Derby 4 of our next 5 games are at home. If he can't make the first team for some of them- then its clear that Freedman isn't particularyly fussed abut him- but I think he should play them and lets see if he's got back to anything like fitness. That should give us a clue as to whether he goes or stays

I hope he has got back - I'd vote to keep him

Jamster26 wrote:I think we should see how he plays for the remainder of this season. I assume Freedman will throw him in eventually. Obviously there's the risk of him not returning to the level he was at previously, so I think we will give him this season to prove himself and then decide whether it's worth giving him a new contract. I really do hope he gets back to the level he was before though with us.

Welcome aboard Jammy!

Tricky situation really with Stu, offer him a new deal and he comes back a shaddow of himself or let him go and he goes on to become a good player somewhere else.

No way, he's injury prone now and he's been out for a couple of years, he will never get back to his best IMO, we cant nurse him forever.

How many games has he actually played for us?

Could of been a cracker but that horrible twat Evans ruined his career !

scottjames30 wrote:No way, he's injury prone now and he's been out for a couple of years, he will never get back to his best IMO, we cant nurse him forever.

At last, someone with a bit of sense.

What business would offer an employee a new contract after they'd been off sick for nearly two years?

See what happens at the end of the season. Now is not the time.

Keep him forever.

In the real world, I would say cut him loose, and let him go. In Bolton's world, we will probably see how he goes to the end of the season, but if he improves, then we risk losing him. How old is he now ?

gloswhite wrote:In the real world, I would say cut him loose, and let him go. In Bolton's world, we will probably see how he goes to the end of the season, but if he improves, then we risk losing him. How old is he now ?

27 (28 in August). - in his prime really - but only 15 games left to the end of the season - so the clock is ticking as to should we pay thousands per week and a 3 or 4 year contract to a potential crock - or let him go and perhaps watch him flourish at some place else.

Tough decision to make - particularly as we are £135 million in debt at the club already!

Correct me if I'm wrong but 90% of Holden is better than the rest of our donkeys.
If somebody comes in for him then good luck otherwise keep him. If the doctors say he is knackered then pay for play maybe?

1 year contract - with a view to a longer one if he proves himself - if he doesn't flog him in January to West Ham

Keep him on for a year, he's just got fit and is worth persevering with. If we let him go you can guarantee another team will take a punt.

One season on reduced terms with a few extension and pay increase clauses providing he plays a certain amount of games is what we should be doing.

Letting a non-injured Stuart Holden go having invested all that time and money getting him fit would be stupid as shit.

bwfc1874 wrote:

Letting a non-injured Stuart Holden go having invested all that time and money getting him fit would be stupid as shit.

The club had no choice, it's in his contract.

Injury prone players tend to stay injury prone players. Silly to offer him another contract unless it's pay-as-you-go.

Holden should actually play for free for a season seeing as he's done so little for the millions he's earned - helping BWFC to go £135m in debt. But he won't.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

bwfc1874 wrote:

Letting a non-injured Stuart Holden go having invested all that time and money getting him fit would be stupid as shit.

The club had no choice, it's in his contract.

Injury prone players tend to stay injury prone players. Silly to offer him another contract unless it's pay-as-you-go.

Holden should actually play for free for a season seeing as he's done so little for the millions he's earned - helping BWFC to go £135m in debt. But he won't.

Injury prone players don't always stay injury prone, Van Persie?

His injuries haven't been self inflicted or the result of over stretching like Abou Diaby (definition of injury prone).

His have been as a result of shit challenges from idiot players, he was a great player when fit and worth the wages to see if he can get back to his best.

I'd rather pay him wages than a fully fit Keith Andrews for instance, it's a small risk that could be worth a lot to the club.