Players must make their minds up

By RICHARD WILLIAMS

06 June 2008

Decision Time for Evans and Done

BRIAN LITTLE does not want players offered new contracts at Wrexham to stay on at The Racecourse as a last option.

Although full-back Carl Tremarco has re-signed, Reds' boss Little is still waiting to see if two players will follow suit.

Centre-back Steve Evans and winger Matty Done make up the trio offered new deals but the pair have not yet decided if they will accept.

Little is particularly disappointed that Done, who decided to stay at Wrexham despite holding talks with Hereford United in the January transfer window, has not yet made a decision about his future, and he stressed that he would not be messed around.

"There has been no movement on Matty's part to try and sign the contract," said Little today. "I am sitting here wondering which way does he want to go. I wanted to avoid that.

"Are we just an option waiting to use if he has to? That is not healthy for us.

"I would be delighted if someone offered me a two year deal – not many get that at this level.

"The offer has been on the table for four weeks and I am disappointed Matty has not signed it.

"If he would prefer to be elsewhere, I will move to a different area myself.

"It is pointless being used as someone's last option. I want people here because they want to be here and want play for us.

"If that is not in a player from day one, it is pointless them being here because you won't get much out of them.

"I don't want people to sign as the last option. You need commitment and it is important people genuinely want to be part of the team. It is important to establish that with these two players."

Evans, who returned earlier this week from international duty with Wales where he was an unused substitute in the friendlies against Iceland and Holland, has held talks with Little about his future.

Little has made no secret of the fact he would like Evans to stay at The Racecourse and believes he could be an asset when Wrexham begin their Blue Square Premier campaign in August.

"Steve is keen to sign but a bit disappointed with the offer," said Little. "But Steve did not have the greatest of seasons. Some things he did were good but there were mistakes too.

"Steve does have the strength to play at this level but there is no point signing people who are not happy to be here."

Little has decided upon wholesale changes following relegation from League Two last term with 17 players told their futures lie away from The Racecourse, and a further five placed on the transfer list.

In view of the fact he is awaiting decisions from Done and Evans, Little believes it was wise to release so many out of contract players rather than waiting to see if they would accept new deals.

"That was the danger of too many being in this situation," said Little.
"If I'd been brave and made offers left right and centre, I may not have been able to have signed two players and be closing in on another.

"I would like to think there is some realism setting in.

"Some clubs who had a good season and were promoted have released 11 players. We were relegated so it is not that surprising we let 17 go."

Little does not believe there will be much movement regarding the five out of contract players – Anthony Williams, Richard Hope, Silvio Spann, Sam Aiston and Neil Roberts – at this stage of the summer.

"One or two have been speaking to clubs but I don't think anything is 100 per cent yet," said Little.

"I would expect that to kick in from the start of pre-season.

"The players are contracted so there is no point clubs signing them if they have to pay them through the summer.

"They might have something sorted but clubs will try to sign them as late as they can so they are not paying their wages."

And Little admitted that the five players on the transfer list, and whether they move on or not, will be key to how many more signings he makes over the summer because of the salary capping that is in place.

"There is still a lot of work to do. I would probably like to do more than I can but there is the salary capping to think of," added Little.

"I would love to bring in a whole new team but you have to abide by the rules and if I were to bring in a few more, that could be it.

"That is based on the five on the transfer list still being here so they hold the key.

"The more new faces I can bring in the better but I would not be able to do anything until they move on."