The end of player power?

This is the first time in my career that I have been a free agent in the off-season and I view it as a positive as it means a potential club will not have to pay a fee for me and can save some money.

In the current climate, I would say the power has shifted in favour of the clubs as they have a large pool of unattached players to choose from. At Bradford, where I spent the second half of the season on loan, seven or eight players have not had their contracts renewed due to the way the game is going and clubs having smaller squads and budgets to operate on next season.

I thoroughly enjoyed my three months at Bradford, playing 17 games in four positions and also making positive inroads with the local Asian community in terms of improving integration and cohesion. The number of Asian fans increased largely due to the groundwork of visiting the local schools and speaking to the kids first hand. Everyone from the chairman, manager, fans and local community made me feel at home.

I have spoken to a few clubs but did not get the same feeling for them as I did for Bradford, and to be fair they are not probably bigger clubs than Bradford even though they are in a higher league.

Clubs let you know their interest by either contacting you directly or enquiring via your agent if you have one. There is no set time in how quickly a deal can be concluded, it comes down to both parties, the player and the club being happy with the deal. Deals have been known to break down at the final hurdle due to small details, small details that could be the difference maker to the player or the club. On the other hand, talks can stop early if a player’s wage demands are too high or the club’s offer is too low. It’s all about reaching a sensible compromise.