Tomas Kalas - Hull interview

[Davefevs]

Interesting that he mentions that he’s very interested in staying.  Of course it could be nothing, just him saying the right thing.

[Lorenzos Only Goal]

He got messed about at Chelsea, I think Pearson is good for him and Atkinson and him look like they could form a decent pairing.  I think he's being genuine. 

Edited December 10, 2021 by Lorenzos Only Goal

[Greedo]

Not saying he’s been poor, but don’t think he’s justifying the wage he’s purported to be on. Far from it. Would need to take a cut on a new deal imo. Would rather free up the wages otherwise. 

[Taz]

Regular football, settled, and not being sent out on loan every few months here there and everywhere.

At the end of the day he's a footballer, and if we won't agree terms, then someone else will. That being said, I get the genuine feeling from his comments. 

I think his next contract offer will probably be less money pw/pm, but maybe split over an extra year.

[Lanterne Rouge]

IIRC when he signed he said something along the lines of being happy to have found a `home` at long last.

[Gazred]

It's an interesting point in his career really.

In his prime, still under a good contract at midpoint, played well for us in his time here, put in some good performances at international level. He's sort of ripe for a move to a bigger club or for a better deal yet he doesn't ever seem to have been seriously linked with anyone that i can recall.

He clearly sounds settled and he's no doubt on a fat wage so not in a rush to give that up. Perhaps he has just found a level, a club and a homelife that suits and genuinely doesn't have a desire to seek something else at this point. As he says, he's had a pretty nomadic lifestyle for most of his career.

Would he extend in the summer if offered? Could meet those demands even if reduced terms?

[underhanded]

If we want to improve as a team, Kalas is the type of player we want to retain. He's absolutely class at this level, and that really can't be leveled at the rest of the team (in the main). FFP is always a concern, but to want him away to 'free wages' will just excerbate the decline under us. 

If he wants to stay, we should be trying to keep him

 

[Waconda]

Apparently there were absolutely no bids for him in the Summer !

After a very decent showing in the Euros as well.

His time here has not always been easy but he does seem content currently. 

[RedRock]

8 minutes ago, VT05763 said:

Apparently there were absolutely no bids for him in the Summer !

After a very decent showing in the Euros as well.

His time here has not always been easy but he does seem content currently. 

Yep, that no/no acceptable bids were received surprise me too after, what I thought, were very good performances. He was definitely performing at his absolute max though and maybe it was thought there was little scope for improvement to attain the highest levels in the game. 

In a non-international tournament context, I think he’s a top 10-type Championship performer. What he needs for me is to start bagging a few goals and developing playing partnerships with others - an almost impossible task at our Club to date due to our player turnover and, seemingly, a complete lack of awareness in the Club of the value of partnerships.  

[LondonBristolian]

1 hour ago, Lorenzos Only Goal said:

He got messed about at Chelsea, I think Pearson is good for him and Atkinson and him look like they could form a decent pairing.  I think he's being genuine. 

On top of that, some people just don't like up-rooting all time. We're only his third permanent club and, despite all his loans, he might prefer avoiding moving where possible. 

[Unan]

He doesn't seem like a fool to me, maybe he's invested his money in to passive incomes and doesn't want to make as much as possible in his short career. He may know that he's already set up for life and wants to have a better quality of life, eg not moving around every other year, as others have mentioned.

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, Taz said:

Regular football, settled, and not being sent out on loan every few months here there and everywhere.

At the end of the day he's a footballer, and if we won't agree terms, then someone else will. That being said, I get the genuine feeling from his comments. 

I think his next contract offer will probably be less money pw/pm, but maybe split over an extra year.

Let’s just say for sake of argument he agrees a new contract next summer for an extra two years.  The £2m amortisation then gets split over 3 years, so £666k p.a.  It actually reduces our costs next season by £1.33m.  It’s a bit robbing Peter to pay Paul, because you’re adding £666k into the costs for the two years after, but it’s better to spread that cost out next year, which could be our worst year FFP wise.  Every penny counts.  Couple that with a slight wage reduction, it makes for sensible financial work…and he’s a bloody good player too.

[DaveF]

1 hour ago, Greedo said:

Not saying he’s been poor, but don’t think he’s justifying the wage he’s purported to be on. Far from it. Would need to take a cut on a new deal imo. Would rather free up the wages otherwise. 

I disagree. He's on a lot of money but he's a top centre back at this level with a great reputation so I would say he's probably about right in the grand scheme of things football wise.

[Taz]

36 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Let’s just say for sake of argument he agrees a new contract next summer for an extra two years.  The £2m amortisation then gets split over 3 years, so £666k p.a.  It actually reduces our costs next season by £1.33m.  It’s a bit robbing Peter to pay Paul, because you’re adding £666k into the costs for the two years after, but it’s better to spread that cost out next year, which could be our worst year FFP wise.  Every penny counts.  Couple that with a slight wage reduction, it makes for sensible financial work…and he’s a bloody good player too.

I did originally throw a similar example in, but then though sod it, Fevs will come along and fill in the details in a much better/realistic way than I ever could!

You don't disappoint 

Edited December 10, 2021 by Taz

[cidercity1987]

I would want to go if I was him.

I am sure he likes living here but he is far far better than the majority of his teammates and must feel so frustrated. He was brought in on the promises of promotion pushes that have never transpired.

[Davefevs]

9 minutes ago, cidercity1987 said:

I would want to go if I was him.

I am sure he likes living here but he is far far better than the majority of his teammates and must feel so frustrated. He was brought in on the promises of promotion pushes that have never transpired.

But if Nige’s plan is to bring the squad up to Tomas’s level…..

[Waconda]

52 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

But if Nige’s plan is to bring the squad up to Tomas’s level…..

He is not going to able to buy many if any new "Kalas" level players.

Will have to coach average/underperforming up to good.

Make the team better than the sum of it's parts.

In time he hopefully will be able to do it,

[ExiledAjax]

I think the removal of the captaincy has helped him. It feels like Bentley is much more natural in that role and its allowed Kalas to play his position, and nothing else.

We'd be a poorer squad without him so I hope he gets an extension.

Edit: have read the interview now. A lot to like there. 

The bit about how he sits deep to allow Atkinson and Vyner to play a bit was a nice insight into the system. Likewise the bit about nicking Baker's boots and finding them more comfortable, that's a fun insight into how strange little happenings can make a big difference. 

It's also good to hear him being coy on the long throws. I don't love them - not sure why we don't vary it up a little - and he seems to do them 'just because'. 

I'm happy for him to have found a city he enjoys living in. 

Nice piece all around.

Edited December 10, 2021 by ExiledAjax

[Numero Uno]

56 minutes ago, VT05763 said:

He is not going to able to buy many if any new "Kalas" level players.

Will have to coach average/underperforming up to good.

Make the team better than the sum of it's parts.

In time he hopefully will be able to do it,

This is why people wanting a short term fix are barking up the wrong tree. Our job is a difficult one in that there is little money in the pot and the starting point is a low quality squad. We’ve got to get high earners who aren’t doing it out of the club and rebuild. As you say we’ve also got to make what we’ve got better and with the likes of Scott and Benarous around we’ve got a chance of doing that. It’s a slow burner.

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, VT05763 said:

He is not going to able to buy many if any new "Kalas" level players.

Will have to coach average/underperforming up to good.

Make the team better than the sum of it's parts.

In time he hopefully will be able to do it,

Indeed, luckily (as you start to allude to) there are other ways.  You also don’t have to look at it as improving average / underperforming either.  You bring in players with upside, like Atkinson and Tanner.  So you don’t talk about them as being “average” in their current context, you start talking about them as able to play at this level already but with significant growth - a mindset shift.  Some of that growth will happen regardless of coaching because of where they are in their development curve.  You might top that up with coaching and also mentorship from existing players (James for example).

[Unan]

A point I haven’t seen mentioned is it’s far cheaper to keep a quality player already here than to buy one from another club. We may be able to save a few million but then we’d have to buy another player with that money, who won’t be as good.

Edited December 10, 2021 by Marcus Aurelius

[Davefevs]

8 minutes ago, Marcus Aurelius said:

A point I haven’t seen mentioned is it’s far cheaper to keep a quality player already here than to buy one from another club. We may be able to save a few million but then we’d have to buy another player with that money, who won’t be as good.

Which, when you look at the past 5-6 seasons under Ashton, very few “mid-age / senior” players re-contracted here.  Churn (trade) was the wrong strategy….wages grew, amortisation grew ridiculously.  I honestly struggle to see how Lansdown, an accountant, could be fooled into looking at “transfer profit” and not forensically look at the rest of the stuff.

Flint only signed a new deal on the basis he could leave!

Smith did, but on existing terms whilst injured.

Paterson did.  Pack did.

That is pretty much it for any player over 22/23 in the Ashton-era.  If anyone can think of others, please correct me.

 

[2015]

There have been some very critical opinions of him for a while now. Fact is, take him out the side we're MUCH worse than we currently already are. 

[Davefevs]

1 minute ago, 2015 said:

There have been some very critical opinions of him for a while now. Fact is, take him out the side we're MUCH worse than we currently already are. 

My opinion is somewhat blurred by he’s our most saleable asset (imho) and if we did trade (contradicting my post above) he could realise the most money.

When actually his performances have saved us.

Edited December 10, 2021 by Davefevs

[2015]

Just now, Davefevs said:

My opinion is somewhat blurred by he’s our most saleable asset (imho) and if we did trade (contradicting my post above) he could realise the most money.

Would rather keep him if I'm honest. Won't get many better Centre backs where we currently are in the league or in the transfer market.

[Davefevs]

6 minutes ago, 2015 said:

Would rather keep him if I'm honest. Won't get many better Centre backs where we currently are in the league or in the transfer market.

Yes, the comments from posters above have cleared my blurriness, and I think you are (all) right….it’s best to try and keep him.

[ExiledAjax]

8 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Which, when you look at the past 5-6 seasons under Ashton, very few “mid-age / senior” players re-contracted here.  Churn (trade) was the wrong strategy….wages grew, amortisation grew ridiculously.  I honestly struggle to see how Lansdown, an accountant, could be fooled into looking at “transfer profit” and not forensically look at the rest of the stuff.

Flint only signed a new deal on the basis he could leave!

Smith did, but on existing terms whilst injured.

Paterson did.  Pack did.

That is pretty much it for any player over 22/23 in the Ashton-era.  If anyone can think of others, please correct me.

 

But its even cheaper to sell a 27 year old for £10m and replace them with a 21 year old.

It's short term cash at the cost of long term squad building. And now we're here with only 5 or 6 players in their prime years.

It's not a unique situation in our division, and is in some way a symptom of the whole financial landscape of football, but it's still quite bad and could have been mitigated more than it was.

[GrahamC]

11 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

But its even cheaper to sell a 27 year old for £10m and replace them with a 21 year old.

It's short term cash at the cost of long term squad building. And now we're here with only 5 or 6 players in their prime years.

It's not a unique situation in our division, and is in some way a symptom of the whole financial landscape of football, but it's still quite bad and could have been mitigated more than it was.

With the greatest of respect there is no chance of us getting £10m for him, in the current transfer market I doubt we’d even get £3m.

I’d keep him & build a defence around him, our best defender, a good age & seemingly settled in the area.

[ExiledAjax]

3 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

With the greatest of respect there is no chance of us getting £10m for him, in the current transfer market I doubt we’d even get £3m.

I’d keep him & build a defence around him, our best defender, a good age & seemingly settled in the area.

Agreed, wasn't suggesting that. Just using 10m as an example figure that 27 year old player X might sell for.

[Red Army 75]

Love the Kalas . Such a different player without the weight of Captaincy on his shoulders. Good to hear he likes it here. And he has been our best player this season IMO. Definitely hope he signs a new contract