Barnsley boss "Lots of enquiries made about Conor Hourihane"

[@owlstalk]

Barnsley boss Paul Heckingbottom says that he feels more clubs than just Sheffield Wednesday are chasing Conor Hourihane, with "lots of enquiries" having been made.

The Owls are reported to have lodged a bid for the midfielder, who is out of contract in the summer, but Aston Villa, Celtic and Rangers have also been heavily linked with Hourihane and could rival Wednesday for his signature this month.

 

And Heckingbottom has confirmed that more clubs than just Wednesday are keen on the Barnsley schemer, with lots of enquiries about what the future holds for Hourihane.

Heckingbottom also anticipates no speedy conclusion to Hourihane's future and the chase for his signature.

"They’d be one of dozens of teams interested in him, I would’ve thought, because he’s playing so well", Heckingbottom was quoted as saying by the Sheffield Star when asked about Wednesday's interest in Hourihane.

They are also fielding enquiries about full back James Bree

[SiJ]

They've backed themselves into a right corner with all these contracts. 

 

Perhaps the Barnsley fans should be pointing their six fingers at the club board rather than crying about other teams trying to sign their players? 

[@owlstalk]

I think they are to be fair

They're not happy

[peterbottom14]

Pushing his name out far and wide so hopefully we get gazumped.

One way or another he's leaving, hopefully we get the deal right and get him in.

 

[Salmonbones]

To be fair, they lucked out on a couple of signings that came good - far better than they could have hoped.   It's all well saying they should have tied these players down to longer/better contracts but there was nothing to suggest these two players would have developed as they have.

 

 

[Key]

CH to Barnsley: Sod off, I don't want to go to Villa for mega bucks; I'm going to the Massive for £350k. Up yours!

 

[Morepork]

Nixon also just tweeted an update - Be a huge bonus if we pulled it off.

 

 

Edited January 14, 2017 by Morepork

[peterbottom14]

Think at this point it's guesswork.

If he plays today then no deals are close.

msybe he'll move late on when people offer him crazy money.

Edited January 14, 2017 by peterbottom14

[Hawkeye]

It's a shame really for Barnsley, they get a great squad together, do well and then lose their players because they didn't manage the contracts well enough.

 

With the money in the championship now, to have any decent player not signed up for at least 18 months is criminal, and invites bids like ours.

 

Think the dingles have been OTT in their reactions, but I don't blame them for being livid.

[darra]

3 minutes ago, Hawkeye said:

It's a shame really for Barnsley, they get a great squad together, do well and then lose their players because they didn't manage the contracts well enough.

 

With the money in the championship now, to have any decent player not signed up for at least 18 months is criminal, and invites bids like ours.

 

Think the dingles have been OTT in their reactions, but I don't blame them for being livid.

It happens don't forget when we gave 3 of our players to the blunts for nowt.

[Hawkeye]

4 minutes ago, darra said:

It happens don't forget when we gave 3 of our players to the blunts for nowt.

 

We released them all and then the blunts signed them, as I remember it.

 

Slightly different. 

[AlbertanOwl]

35 minutes ago, Morepork said:

Nixon also just tweeted an update - Be a huge bonus if we pulled it off.

 

 

The second sentence is telling. Might be us. Barnsley have made a rod for their own backs. 

[WatfordOwl]

If we're going to get him, then you'd imagine we've got to up the offer from where it is at the moment as Barnsley may as well just hang on to him and see if they land in the playoffs at the end of the season.

 

Seems like there may be bigger offers on the table from other clubs but the player wants to go elsewhere - makes sense that club would be us.

[Blatter]

Just trying to talk up the price.

It may well back fire if it scares clubs off enough that they just wait for the summer and get him for nothing.

Should have given him a new contract if they want to keep him.

[mozzy85]

1 hour ago, SiJ said:

They've backed themselves into a right corner with all these contracts. 

 

Perhaps the Barnsley fans should be pointing their six fingers at the club board rather than crying about other teams trying to sign their players? 

Exactly, they've un-workable up big time on the contracts. This is something we are now really good at. Even Dave is on a 2 year contract and is a player we can sell. 

Saw people moaning about that contract being given but if we can sell him for even half a million we've recouped what we spent on SW. 

[mozzy85]

1 hour ago, SiJ said:

They've backed themselves into a right corner with all these contracts. 

 

Perhaps the Barnsley fans should be pointing their six fingers at the club board rather than crying about other teams trying to sign their players? 

Exactly, they've un-workable up big time on the contracts. This is something we are now really good at. Even Dave is on a 2 year contract and is a player we can sell. 

Saw people moaning about that contract being given but if we can sell him for even half a million we've recouped what we spent on SW. 

[swfcROB]

The Sun newspaper today are reporting Aston Villa will offer him 28k wages.

[aeroswfc]

They left it too late to sort all this out.

[Bluesteel]

1 hour ago, salmonbones said:

To be fair, they lucked out on a couple of signings that came good - far better than they could have hoped.   It's all well saying they should have tied these players down to longer/better contracts but there was nothing to suggest these two players would have developed as they have.

 

 

 

Heckingbottom hit the nail on the head. They have progressed much quicker than they could keep up with as a business. This time last year they had been around the bottom of league 1, then by the summer their players want to keep their options open but they wouldn't want to dismantle the side then.

 

if they had been around the bottom this season they might've had a chance of offering new contracts but they've been a victim of their own success.

[Bluesteel]

7 minutes ago, mozzy85 said:

Exactly, they've un-workable up big time on the contracts. This is something we are now really good at. Even Dave is on a 2 year contract and is a player we can sell. 

Saw people moaning about that contract being given but if we can sell him for even half a million we've recouped what we spent on SW. 

 

Yep, in our position and provided we have resources to do so, you retain your assets so that if FFP becomes an issue you can sell to eat into the negative balance.