Robbo Stalemate

No Agreement On Robbo Contract

Swansea City have stated that they have advised Andy Robinson of their final offer and that has fallen short of the player's demands from the club meaning that his days at the Liberty Stadium are likely to be numbered.

Despite the club's statement I really don't see them allowing Robbo to run down his contract to leave for nothing in twelve months time even if they have already dismissed bids from Cardiff City and Southend United.

Talks over the contract have been ongoing for several weeks with both sides at one stage keen to reach an agreement that would see an extension to a three year stay for Robinson. However, he admitted in tonight's Evening Post that this was a monetary issue and it seems that the club were not prepared to meet the players demands - rumoured to be in excess of £250,000 per year to place him on a par along side good friend Lee Trundle who signed a new contract at the turn of the year.

The statement on the official site today read

"Swansea City has made Andy Robinson an exceptional offer to commit his future to the Club, and feel we have reached the point where this has to be our final offer. We feel the deal being offered fully reflects Andy's career development since he joined us in August 2003. However, Andy feels that we are still some way short of matching both his playing and financial aspirations over the next few years. Obviously, the Club is disappointed with this stance. Swansea City do not want to sell Andy Robinson, and we are more than willing for Andy to stay with the Club and to see out the final year of his current contract - even if this results in Andy walking away as a free agent next summer.

To prove the Club's commitment to keeping Andy, we have in the past few weeks rejected offers from Southend United and Cardiff City of £200,000 and £300,000 respectively. Our aim this season is to achieve automatic promotion to The Championship and we feel that Andy has a big part to play in us realising that ambition".

Andy Robinson has been a vital cog in our machine for several seasons now and to lose him on the eve of a new season would undoubtedly be a blow to our preparations. However I do have to applaud the club's actions in having a figure and sticking to it. We seemingly have learned the lessons of the past of paying whatever it took and regretting it afterwards. Robbo has been a vital cog but the club has budgets to stick to.

I suspect that this is not the end of the week's dealings and I would be surprised to see Robbo still at the Liberty come the weekend visit of Cheltenham. But to be honest nothing would surprise me this summer.