Board critic gives his Rice contract verdict

I could never be called a board lover. In fact, I have been described as the complete opposite and have been highly critical of the West Ham owners on many occasions over very many things.

However, on the subject of Declan Rice and what package he should be offered, I find myself in the strange and slightly uncomfortable position of agreeing with the board sharing their view that it’s unwise to offer the 19-year-old too much too early.

In any walk of life, the experienced always gets paid more than the less experienced, so why should football be any different, He is still green in regards playing first-team football and has much to learn.

Yes, he looks set to go to the top of the game, but that doesn’t mean he can hold the club hostage on his wage demands. In fact, the offer of basic wage with extra for every appearance he makes for the first team is actually the right path to offer, it incentivises him to keep performing at the best level with a view to earning the money he thinks he deserves.

Personally, I don’t think any footballer should be paid over thirty grand a week but the market deems that is too a low figure for a top player.

However, we have to remember the club is not great financially, we don’t have a bottomless pit and you do have to leave room to raise the wage as the player develops and gets better.

If Rice signs this contract and keeps performing the way he is, there is no doubt that the club will in two seasons time go bigger again and offer him even more money.

It’s its rare for a player to sign for five years and stay on that same contract for five years

Declan Rice has many years ahead of him, he will have many opportunities to re-negotiate his contract and possibly become of the top earners at the club.  It does seem though that others are pulling Declan in a different direction, and they will know that if he plays hardball West Ham will probably rather cash in and sell him than risk him walking away for nothing.

Lastly, you do have to learn from your mistakes and we have seen it all before with Reece Oxford so it is hard not to share the once bitten twice shy principle. For now, he needs to pick the country he wants to play for, which for me should be Ireland as he has spent his entire youth international career in their green shirt. He has acknowledged their national anthem and to suddenly change your country perhaps does reflect the mentality of the person and whether they will show their club the loyalty we think it should be shown.

He then needs to agree on a deal without getting too greedy and knuckle down to become, in my opinion, one of the best Hammers the club has ever seen.