Edwards wants to extend Town stay

[Tallman]

Edwards wants to extend Town stay
TWTD.co.uk

Carlos Edwards has confirmed his desire to remain at Portman Road beyond next summer when his present contract expires.

Edwards is one of a number of players whose deals are up at the end of the current campaign and he has made it clear he sees his future with Town.

The experienced right-back or winger said: “I would love to stay here. My family are settled, I am settled, there is a good bunch of lads here and this is a good club that should be – and I think will be – going places.

“I would hope that sooner rather than later the manager will give me the nod to go into his office for a chat, but for the time being I am happy to let my football do my talking for me.

“I won’t go and knock on his door, like a headless chicken, demanding a contract. They did offer me something at the end of last season and I told them I would hope to negotiate in six months’ time.

“I could have said yes and taken the bird in hand but I prefer to show them that I’m worth something good and want to stay here.”

The former Sunderland star has been a regular choice this season, although he was surprisingly dropped to the bench for the 3-2 home defeat by Doncaster a fortnight ago and his place in the starting line-up taken by Manchester City loanee Reece Wabara.

Edwards, who was restored at Nottingham Forest a week ago as Town suffered a fourth successive Championship defeat, added: “It is always good to have competition for places within the squad and obviously the manager brought Reece in for a reason – maybe it was to give me a bit of a rocket up my rear.

“I’m going to keep doing my thing and play well enough, hopefully, to give the manager a headache and make it difficult for him not to play me week in, week out. I don’t think I’ve done anything thus far to jeopardise my position.

“But I’m not going to get too swell-headed. I will be professional and try to continue playing good football and do the job the manager has asked me to do.

“He could have dropped me without saying a word but he called me into his office on the Friday and told me he was going to make a few changes and the reasons why.

“At the time I found it strange. I was a bit shocked and disappointed – and the fact that we lost the game made it even more hurtful – but I’m professional enough not to dispute his decision. Maybe I didn’t agree with it but I respected it and I have to accept it. There are a lot of disappointments in football but you carry on playing and life goes on.

“I’m not going to disrespect any player who takes my place. The manager may see something in them that he doesn’t see in me. When you are left out it always motivates you to try harder and if it doesn’t you shouldn’t be playing unless you just want to be a bit-part player.”

While Edwards’s future at Portman Road is uncertain, he and wife Denille are overjoyed to finally have their twins, born prematurely last month and weighing just two pounds each, at home with them.

It was an anxious time for the couple as the infants were in intensive care at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. He said: “We had to leave everything in the doctors’ hands and it has paid dividends. They have done their job and now the children are home and safe with their mum and me.”

[Tallman]

Carlos Edwards frustrated at Ipswich Town’s indecision over his future
By Stuart Watson (East Anglian Daily Times)

CARLOS Edwards is growing increasingly frustrated with Ipswich Town’s continued indecision over his future at the club.

Blues boss Paul Jewell insisted last week that the Trinidadian – one of 11 Blues players rapidly heading towards the end of their current deals – was ‘quite happy to see how things go’.

However, the EADT understands that the normally all-smiles player feels that Jewell, chief executive Simon Clegg and owner Marcus Evans have continually stalled negotiations over a new deal for months now.

A source close to the 33-year-old player said: “The manager keeps saying that he has concerns over Carlos’s age and weaknesses as a defender.

“Well he has started all but one league game this season and not once been in the treatment room, while it’s the manager who is playing him at right-back.

“Carlos is settled in Ipswich and wants to finish his career here, but he’s not being made to feel particularly wanted at the moment.

“He understands the club’s position but just wants to know where he stands.”

Edwards was offered a new two-year contract last summer on the basis that he would have taken an immediate pay cut of close to 20%. He turned that down, putting faith in his own ability to earn himself better terms during the final 12 months of his deal.

And while he has had plenty of off-field disruptions this season – a string of driving offences leading to a spell of community service, while his prematurely born twins have been in-and-out of hospital since last October – he has continued to be one of the club’s most consistent performers.

The EADT also understands that a compromise deal has been offered to the club.

Edwards will accept a reduced basic salary, but – confident in his fitness – wants increased appearance money and a clause which will see him automatically given a second year if he starts 23 league games next season.

LA Galaxy’s interest in the versatile player has cooled since David Beckham signed a new deal there, but it is understood that a number of Championship clubs – many of whose scouts watched Edwards put in a superb display in the 3-2 win at Coventry on Saturday – are closely monitoring the situation.

Town saw key duo Gareth McAuley and David Norris leave the club on Bosman free transfers last summer, with Jewell insisting he would not let a similar scenario unfold.

The Blues currently have 11 players in the final few months of their contracts, the other 10 being: Grant Leadbitter, Jason Scotland, Josh Carson, Tommy Smith, Lee Bowyer, Ibrahima Sonko, Richard Wright, Mark Kennedy, Cody Cropper and Cormac Burke.

[Tallman]

FANS VIEW: Carlos Edwards should be given a new deal – but make him a utility man, not a right-back
By Stuart Watson (East Anglian Times)

That was the general consensus of supporters who responded to yesterday’s EADT story which revealed that Blues boss Paul Jewell has voiced concerns over the 33-year-old’s age and defensive abilities heading into the final months of his current deal.

It is understood that the Trinidadian – who has started 52 out of Jewell’s 54 games in charge – is willing to accept a reduced salary but with increased appearance pay and a clause which would see him gain another year if he started at least 23 league games next season.

Here are a selection of comments from those that contacted the paper.

– Paul Tilman: “Think the terms put to the club are fair. He has performed well out of position.”

– Joe Street: “Think he deserves the deal. Has made some errors playing at the back but always puts in a decent shift.”

– Guy Thornton: “He doesn’t have a divine right to a contract. Defending is suspect.”

– Wil Cook: “If we sign another right-back then by all means keep him on for another year.”

– Matt Chambers: “Don’t care about his age, you wouldn’t know by watching him. Sign him up!”

– Richard Moss: “He was our best player Saturday; solid, reliable, but not first choice at right-back next season for me though.”

– Marc Fowler: “Clean strike, good crosser, impressively mobile – definitely sign him up.”

– Adam Cuthbert: “Should be given a one year deal, but if Jewell wants rid of a few older pros then maybe it’s the right time for him to go.”

– Matty Stanley: “Still need a right-back, but Carlos is a good back up and useful winger!”

– Andy Cross: “A great asset going forward but shaky in defence. Get a natural right-back in and move him up to midfield.”

– George Hutchings: “Carlos definitely deserves a new deal. Very good crosser, always looks assured on the ball and his experience is valuable.”

– James Parry: “Has given his makeshift roll 100% and deserves a contract on the back of that! We still need a right-back.”

Readers of the original story on this website were asked if Edwards should be given a new deal – 51% voted yes, 49% voted no.

[Big Magician]

stay strong 'LOS"

[rotatopoti3]

Edwards was offered a new two-year contract last summer on the basis that he would have taken an immediate pay cut of close to 20%. He turned that down, putting faith in his own ability to earn himself better terms during the final 12 months of his deal.


half a loaf wuz better than none wasnt it

[Mose]

Edwards was offered a new two-year contract last summer on the basis that he would have taken an immediate pay cut of close to 20%. He turned that down, putting faith in his own ability to earn himself better terms during the final 12 months of his deal.


half a loaf wuz better than none wasnt it

Bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Deal he has is better than what they were offering. Notice they weren't talking about taking a pay cut on the next deal. They were talking pay cut on the deal he already has. Frankly, if they not willing to pay him, somebody else will.

[Peong]

Their game was abandoned becuz of a frozen pitch. 

[Flex]

Leeds linked with Edwards.
TWTD.co.uk‎.

Leeds United are eyeing Blues right-back and current skipper Carlos Edwards, according to one of this morning’s tabloids.

New Whites manager Neil Warnock is claimed to want the 33-year-old on loan, although there seems little possibility that Town would be interested in such a switch with Edwards firmly established at right-back and with no other senior options in the squad.

Leeds may well be amongst a number of Championship clubs understood to be monitoring Edwards’s situation but more with a view to a deal in the summer when the Trinidad and Tobago international’s Town contract is up.

Earlier this week, Edwards said that he wanted to remain at Portman Road beyond the end of the season.

[andre samuel]

Carlos will not be short or suitors...........im not too sure of him as a right back, but as a right winger, he can more than cut it @ championship level.

ah love it !!