Johnny May

[ay2oh]

IMO would like to keep Holmes, May, Gigena, Thompson, Veanu , but not too fussed about the rest

[bc]

It seems to me that we have many experts on the salary cap on this forum which amazes me given how confusing it is. While there is a £7m cap, it is my understanding that 'allowances' are given for academy products, which must get extremely beneficial if they get to full internationals. I am not sure of all the nuances but I would have thought that there is a strong argument that players that come through the academy, leave and come back, are treated as Tigers academy products. On that basis, Saturday's squad academy products were:
Cole, T Youngs, Green, Wells, B Youngs, Ford, Olowofela, Reffell, Harrison, Worth.

The point I am trying to make is that it does not necessarily come down to having to get rid of quality players if we have a good feeder via the academy which we are now starting to see of years of neglect.

I suspect that much of this talk about May having to be ditched because of what we are paying Ford, Genge et al, is agent talk!

[Mark62]

It seems to me that we have many experts on the salary cap on this forum which amazes me given how confusing it is. While there is a £7m cap, it is my understanding that 'allowances' are given for academy products, which must get extremely beneficial if they get to full internationals. I am not sure of all the nuances but I would have thought that there is a strong argument that players that come through the academy, leave and come back, are treated as Tigers academy products. On that basis, Saturday's squad academy products were:
Cole, T Youngs, Green, Wells, B Youngs, Ford, Olowofela, Reffell, Harrison, Worth.

The point I am trying to make is that it does not necessarily come down to having to get rid of quality players if we have a good feeder via the academy which we are now starting to see of years of neglect.

I suspect that much of this talk about May having to be ditched because of what we are paying Ford, Genge et al, is agent talk!

Or his own comments on Rugbypass etc which are widely quoted and available

[RagingBull]

It seems to me that we have many experts on the salary cap on this forum which amazes me given how confusing it is. While there is a £7m cap, it is my understanding that 'allowances' are given for academy products, which must get extremely beneficial if they get to full internationals. I am not sure of all the nuances but I would have thought that there is a strong argument that players that come through the academy, leave and come back, are treated as Tigers academy products. On that basis, Saturday's squad academy products were:
Cole, T Youngs, Green, Wells, B Youngs, Ford, Olowofela, Reffell, Harrison, Worth.

The point I am trying to make is that it does not necessarily come down to having to get rid of quality players if we have a good feeder via the academy which we are now starting to see of years of neglect.

I suspect that much of this talk about May having to be ditched because of what we are paying Ford, Genge et al, is agent talk!

The cap is 6.4 million.
With the Academy credits on it becomes 7 million basically. (academy credits are 600,000 and maximum 50,000 per player)
Green also wouldn't be able to claim credits as you have to be at the club 2 years to claim them again.

[Tiglon]

You don't need to be an expert on the salary cap to know that if you pay up to the cap, then give two players substantial pay rises, you're going to need to make a saving somewhere else.

It may be that those savings can be made elsewhere to accommodate a salary big enough to keep May, I hope so.

[kk20gb30]

Tigers must make every effort to keep May at Tigers

I would go along with this - although everyone has their price.The scenario regarding contracts is always a two way street.There will be no shortage of takers for Johnny May and this could well be his last big hit in terms of financial remuneration.Times past , we (The Club) did not have to pay the most to either attract or keep players - those days are past.The loyalty card too, cannot be played effectively by many any more.
Realistically perhaps Tigers should ask themselves what the cost would be to replace him like for like,look at what he brings and then offer accordingly.The problem being , negotiation seems to be (partially) done in public , players do speak to each other and there aren't that many (people, not just professional athletes) that will take a salary decrease when their colleague(s) have just had a healthy and non too secretive pay hike.
Kind of come full circle here - I personally hope we can reach agreement.He would be missed in playing terms.

[loretta]

IMO would like to keep Holmes, May, Gigena, Thompson, Veanu , but not too fussed about the rest

Unfortunately, based on what I've seen so far this season, I can't help but think that Veainu has lost his twinkle toes. Too many injuries. Hope I'm wrong, but I think we'll be seeing a new 1st choice fullback by the start of next season.

[ay2oh]

IMO would like to keep Holmes, May, Gigena, Thompson, Veanu , but not too fussed about the rest

Unfortunately, based on what I've seen so far this season, I can't help but think that Veainu has lost his twinkle toes. Too many injuries. Hope I'm wrong, but I think we'll be seeing a new 1st choice fullback by the start of next season.

He didn’t look too bad against Exeter and Bristol and two of his injuries were caused by foul play by opposition players which is hardly his fault

[RagingBull]

In the 4 premiership games Veainu has played for us this season
We have gotten 11 points.
In those games he's
Tries: 1
Assists: 2
Meters run: 283
Defenders beaten: 14

Really don't who would be doing a better job.
Also I think people assume he was doing the steps like he did against Munster every game.

[ABClub]

Veainu is vital to keep. Our back three looks completely different with Telusa at fullback.

As Steward comes through hopefully we can rotate him as well.

[CitizenSmiff]

Balance is the thing for me with May, I'd love him to stay but we can't keep sending the entire guts of our back line away on England duty and expect to make much progress. I'm very far from a transfer expert but it does seem like his wages could be spent on a proven SH try scorer who doesn't have mid-season international commitments.

[RagingBull]

Interesting that Malouf might be free next season.

[JP14]

Interesting that Malouf might be free next season.

I doubt we would go back to him, I enjoyed his stint here though, his finish against Gloucester is a particular highlight.

[Tiglon]

Veainu is brilliant - still as dangerous as ever (sometimes it doesn't seem that way because defenders tend to be more wary of him and he gets tackled by 2 or 3 players not just 1) and has improved the boring parts of his game. Safe under a high ball, good in the air, good defensively and positionally. If he was English, I'd have him starting every time ahead of Daly or Watson.

I don't think Malouf would be a good enough replacement for May, but I don't know what he's been up to since he left Tigers. We need 2 "finished article" (or close to finished article) wingers and if May leaves we realistically just have Holmes in that category for next season. Olowofela isn't there yet (but making progress), Thompstone is past his best (still a decent squad player) and Aspland is a project. As someone else said, we should be looking for a proven Southern Hemisphere (not that that is important) finisher who isn't an international and will cost less than May. A Scott Hamilton. Easy, right?

I think Maitland is free this summer. He'd fit the bill for me while Olowofela continues to develop.

Priority though, is still to keep May.

[RagingBull]

Veainu is brilliant - still as dangerous as ever (sometimes it doesn't seem that way because defenders tend to be more wary of him and he gets tackled by 2 or 3 players not just 1) and has improved the boring parts of his game. Safe under a high ball, good in the air, good defensively and positionally. If he was English, I'd have him starting every time ahead of Daly or Watson.

I don't think Malouf would be a good enough replacement for May, but I don't know what he's been up to since he left Tigers. We need 2 "finished article" (or close to finished article) wingers and if May leaves we realistically just have Holmes in that category for next season. Olowofela isn't there yet (but making progress), Thompstone is past his best (still a decent squad player) and Aspland is a project. As someone else said, we should be looking for a proven Southern Hemisphere (not that that is important) finisher who isn't an international and will cost less than May. A Scott Hamilton. Easy, right?

I think Maitland is free this summer. He'd fit the bill for me while Olowofela continues to develop.

Priority though, is still to keep May.

TBH was thinking more Thompstone replacement potentially rather than May.