Ben Mee Leaving !

[Zlatan]

At what point does the ticket office open for processing refunds?

[DCWat]

No one has caught that Jack Cork has also not been offered a contract according to the Athletic.

Two massive losses for next season.

Did it not say that the option was in the players favour and that he may be open to staying?

[DCWat]

I’m sure Collins isn’t putting confidential contract information on Twitter
If Mee leaves Long and Thomas will be fine

[RVclaret]

No one has caught that Jack Cork has also not been offered a contract according to the Athletic.

Two massive losses for next season.

That’s not what it says. It says the option for a year extension was in his hands, not ours, but it’s not signed yet - though he is open to staying.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Did it not say that the option was in the players favour and that he may be open to staying?

I missed that. I assume that means it’s his choice.

[Newcastleclaret93]

How anyone can think Long and Thomas would be fine is beyond me.

[SalisburyClaret]

How anyone can think Long and Thomas would be fine is beyond me.

Long has never let us down in the Premier League - what makes you think he’ll not be good enough in the Championship?

[Zlatan]

How anyone can think Long and Thomas would be fine is beyond me.

We need to sign John for a stiff back three

[DCWat]

I missed that. I assume that means it’s his choice.

It appears so, assuming correct.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Long has never let us down in the Premier League - what makes you think he’ll not be good enough in the Championship?

Because he’s carried every time he plays. If he starts in the championship for us we will be no where near top of the table.

[THEWELLERNUT70]

It looks like we are trying to get rid of the high earners while bringing the age of the squad down

[Jamesy]

I’ve posted my thoughts on this on the ‘next manager thread’.

I’d like to believe Nixon, that it’s down to work permits / small details of the contract.

But the longer it drags on, the more you wonder if there’s another problem. Other overseas managers this season have been announced ‘subject to work permit approval’ which is a formality. If VK and staff are just down to work permit, why not just announce him?

Exactly. That’s what I said on other thread. The club could have said he has agreed terms and we are just waiting for a work permit. I wasn’t being negative the other day, just concerned. In the midst of all this mess re. Manager and Ben Mee the previously media savvy, communication happy Alan Pace appears to have gone missing?
Let’s just enjoy the bank holidays as all of this is beyond our control anyway.

[Les Lawrence]

Ben's 31 - 32 this year. If he gets offered more money elsewhere, he's gonna take it. Can't blame him,

[Newcastleclaret93]

It looks like we are trying to get rid of the high earners while bringing the age of the squad down

Ben Mee would be the best CB in the championship. There needs to be a balance if we are to get promoted.

[paulatky]

Perhaps Blakesboots can play CB

[taio]

Last one out turn off the lights.

Exciting times..

[Andingle]

I'm starving hungry just for a little smidgen of good news , in fact I think I'm famished ☹

[Newcastleclaret93]

Last one out turn off the lights.

Exciting times..

It’s the leadership and experience of promotion we are losing that I’m concerned about.

Will any of this team experienced promotion before? And what that takes.

[JohnMac]

No good clinging to what was in the past, as a Club we have been doing that since we started the fabulous run under Dyche. It has slowly strangled us and Ben being here just delays the progression of any young potential. Dunne needed to play football and chose to leave, maybe Thomas would be next without being given an opportunity.

If ever there was time for a reset it is surely now.

[DCWat]

It looks like we are trying to get rid of the high earners while bringing the age of the squad down

IF there’s a chance to keep Mee and we are opting not to, it’s throwing the baby out with the bath water.

[taio]

It’s the leadership and experience of promotion we are losing that I’m concerned about.

Will any of this team experienced promotion before? And what that takes.

Balance, as always, is what's needed in terms of the squad.

Buy my concerns, and the concerns of many, go way beyond the playing staff.

[Les Lawrence]

Expect a few more to go, relegation wage money, release clauses etc. No loyalty in football its all about the money,

[matttheclaret]

Cork not had his option for another year taken up either according to the Athletic

[taio]

Expect a few more to go, relegation wage money, release clauses etc. No loyalty in football its all about the money,

It's never been more about the money at our club right now given our new owner and leadership or lack of it.

[ervi34]

Long has never let us down in the Premier League - what makes you think he’ll not be good enough in the Championship?

Long is an error prone player who is only good enough to be a sidekick for another dominant defender like Mee or Tarky. No chance he can lead our back 4.

[Zlatan]

Expect a few more to go, relegation wage money, release clauses etc. No loyalty in football its all about the money,

The vast majority of footballers don’t actually earn that much over their careers, of course they’ll follow the money and I don’t begrudge that

[Newcastleclaret93]

Balance, as always, is what's needed in terms of the squad.

Buy my concerns, and the concerns of many, go way beyond the playing staff.

Yep even the most positive Burnley fans must be starting to feel concerned.

I said the other day Pace is rapidly going to lose this fan base. I can see a few early losses into the season and it could turn toxic.

[taio]

Yep even the most positive Burnley fans must be starting to feel concerned.

I said the other day Pace is rapidly going to lose this fan base. I can see a few early losses into the season and it could turn toxic.

I'll be keeping and using my season ticket. But can't blame anyone for being totally disillusioned with how the club is being run.

[BOYSIE31]

Can't be true Tony told us he had signed

[NewClaret]

Ben's 31 - 32 this year. If he gets offered more money elsewhere, he's gonna take it. Can't blame him,

I agree, although we’ve also given him a great career, made him a very rich man and he’s our captain - of a club that’s just been relegated. I might’ve thought in those circumstances he’d show some commitment and sign at least a short term extension (not precluding a final big contract elsewhere).

Hard not to be disappointed in him as I really thought he was Mr Burnley and our leader.

[ervi34]

Can't be true Tony told us he had signed

Orsic as well.

[ksrclaret]

Can't be true Tony told us he had signed

Well something clearly looked likely given a member of Mee's family strongly alluded to him staying last week.

[warksclaret]

If Ben is leaving I am not one bit surprised having seen his clip on twitter shortly after we got relegated.I said at the time he would be off reading between the lines, and suspect despite his amazing length of service and the way he helped out in the last 8 games from the dug out, no one has put an arm round him and said "how do we keep you at our club". I hope I am wrong

[Quickenthetempo]

Mixed news about this (still a rumour).

Great captain and brave as a lion.

But he's been the top earner and the main reason we defend so deep with the lack of pace. Some love his goal line clearances, I prefer defenders to stop the shot happening in the first place.

He would have been good for the championship but needed replacing when going back up.

Thanks for your service though Ben, if you do go.

[matttheclaret]

Can't be true Tony told us he had signed

He didn't though did he. He said it had been agreed, but that's a big difference from it being signed

[CrosspoolClarets]

Offer Collins the captaincy. Keeping him is pivotal. He is obviously a leader, a full year leading us is better than two thirds of a season spent on a PL bench, or 10 minutes here and there. His mistakes at the end of the season showed he isn’t yet ready for a full run in a PL side.

Then I’d be happier, but lose all three and we are stuffed.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Offer Collins the captaincy. Keeping him is pivotal. He is obviously a leader, a full year leading us is better than two thirds of a season spent on a PL bench, or 10 minutes here and there. His mistakes at the end of the season showed he isn’t yet ready for a full run in a PL side.

Then I’d be happier, but lose all three and we are stuffed.

If I’m a betting man, I would put money on Collins being gone in a few weeks.

[RVclaret]

If I’m a betting man, I would put money on Collins being gone in a few weeks.

I’d back that too

[Nori1958]

Following the money like every other footballer. No way was he going to stay here just for sentimental reasons....

[Newcastleclaret93]

I’d back that too

Low release clause. Current trajectory of our club. Wages on offer in the prem.

It’s a no brainer for him.

[colne-claret]

Long has never let us down in the Premier League - what makes you think he’ll not be good enough in the Championship?

Long and Thomas would be a very good partnership in league one or two. Not championship though. Long needs to be back up.

[Fretters]

Can't be true Tony told us he had signed

I wish people would stop saying this. He said it had been agreed which is totally different to signed.

[hoskinsgoalatswansea]

Offer Collins the captaincy. Keeping him is pivotal. He is obviously a leader, a full year leading us is better than two thirds of a season spent on a PL bench, or 10 minutes here and there. His mistakes at the end of the season showed he isn’t yet ready for a full run in a PL side.

Then I’d be happier, but lose all three and we are stuffed.

Yup, why not? Tony Adams captained Arsenal to the league title in 89 aged just 21.

Collins is definitely the one I’d want to keep. We’ve had the best years out of Ben and I don’t think we should be throwing big money at him to stay. He should, however, be offered something on a par for the division we’re now in, and then it’s up to him. I’d actually be surprised if there’s much prem interest in him, but I guess we’ll see.

[SalisburyClaret]

Long is an error prone player who is only good enough to be a sidekick for another dominant defender like Mee or Tarky. No chance he can lead our back 4.

For a sidekick, he gets those players who are “carrying’ him out of trouble often enough. Plays internationally as well but not good enough for the Championship - amazing

[ksrclaret]

It is looking like a huge rebuilding job right now. Most of the out of contract lads seem to be off (not that the club have bothered to tell us), and it seems a few of our players under contract will be off if these release clauses are to be believed.

Best of luck to the new manager, whoever it may be.

[Newcastleclaret93]

For a sidekick, he gets those players who are “carrying’ him out of trouble often enough. Plays internationally as well but not good enough for the Championship - amazing

Plays internationally yet hasn’t even been selected in the latest squad.

For the record he’s made two appearances for Ireland in 2016. He regularly gets beaten to a squad position by championship players or u21s that have played a handful of games.

[Les Lawrence]

Ben has been a great player and leader for us, said all the right things after the white lives matter banner etc. But he's gonna take a final payday elsewhere, looking after his family etc. Anyone who thinks his legs haven't gone, watch him running back for Leeds 3rd at Bellend Road

[Im_not_Robbie_Blake]

Long has never let us down in the Premier League - what makes you think he’ll not be good enough in the Championship?

'Being fine' isn't good enough though, is it?

[bfcjg]

If he joins Tarks a team in the Premier league will have a brilliant centre half pairing, if the same team sign Pope they will have an unbelievable core.

[Boss Hogg]

Only positive I’m thinking here is that IF VK is the new man, he wants to play football on the deck, with retaining possession in the defence being quite a bit of the part of the system. Mee, as much as we love him, has never been good at this and loses the ball way too often.

Keeping this defence together is mainly what gave me confidence for the season ahead. I think Mee would be a massive loss. I think the above post is probably the reason behind it though. I’m not confident breaking up that defence, changing the system completely and replacing with young lads with little Championship experience will get us back up.