Originally Posted by
Fist of Lehmann
The reason why the club is prepared to pay for potential is the same reason it generally refuses to pay older players. It's run as a business, with a sharp eye on maximising value.
A player may feel he is entitled to a certain wage, based on what he has done in the past, but from an employers point of view, it's not what you have done, but what you will do, over the span of your next contract that should determine your value to the side and therefore your wage.
Older players on high wages but declining in value and usefulness are an inefficient way to spend your cash (although that doesn't mean that we shouldn't have made some exceptions).
Young players are well rewarded, not only for their future worth, but for their future improvement.
Which brings me to Theo. Within our pay structure £90k puts him pretty much near the top. To rate that, he will need to operate at a level more like say, his Newcastle performance or above, and less like his Swansea performance (or below) for the duration of his contract, 3-4 years.
This is why Theo's consistency is a concern. At his best, he is worth it more or less. At his worst, he isn't, not even close. I think the club's £75k offer was reflective of this.