Edinburgh gossip - Ross Ford

Afternoon all in what is my first post on 606v2 after moving from the main site. Seems to be some good debate on here and most of the better people from the original 606 so seems a good choice to join

So thought I would kick things off with a bit of controversy!

This is surrounding Ross Ford and his re-signing for Edinburgh. This information has come from someone I know who is good friends with some of the academy guys at Edinburgh so I cannot guarantee it is correct, but it wouldn't surprise me if it is genuine:

The story goes that the reason Ross Ford stayed in Edinburgh is that he was offered 400k by a French club but said that if the SRU could match that he would stay. This is where Aberdeen Asset management enters the story as they said that they would pay half of it, meaning the SRU could afford the other half and keep him. So happy days - Ross Ford agrees and signs the contract, only for AAM to pull out of the deal at last minute, leaving the SRU to fit the full 400k.

The story then goes further to say that this is the main reason why so many guys have been laid off - they have had to cut the squad to be able to afford the massive wages.

So what do you guys think about this? I have to say I have heard the story from other people who said they had other sources too so I think it seems pretty genuine.

It is a complete farce if it is true though and really adds to my loathing of the SRU. I think it would have been a much better move for himself, Edinburgh and Scotland to move away to develop his game but he is still here and the SRU are paying for him when he will miss most of the Edinburgh season due to Scotland commitments etc. Add to that the fact that a hooker can't change a game much - I'd happily pay 400k for a world class stand off but will his presence really make that much of a difference to the team (on the rare occasion he plays).

On a side note apparently the players in Scotland hate Gordon Mckie with a passion. Doesn't surprise me that one!

So interesting to see if anyone else has heard this story and if it really is genuine. I am fairly confident in my source but am happy to admit I am wrong.

Wow... just wow!

Nice to see you mate!

Well Well Well, controversy or what!?

If that is true I would be pretty miffed. Ross Ford is a good player but it's not as if Andy Kelly is a poor hooker. To be honest if that's what he is getting as a salary I think it's a shocker. Perhaps a performance based 400K would be more deserving than such a cushy contract.

For 400K I would let him go. Kelly played well in the last few games of the season.

Furthermore if this is the reason the like of Alex Blair was shown the door it just goes to show how short sighted the SRU have become.

With the way McKie runs things i.e. sod Scottish rugby, I want my C.V. to read how much money I saved, I'd be very surprised if this was true.

If it is true however, yet more disgraceful management from those cretins.

Ford is not playing like he's worth £40k a year never mind £400k.

Ford should have been shipped off to France and 2-3 good players brought in that the SRU's £200k could have been used more effectively.

I'd have left Ford go personally.

RDW, Good tae see you, and great post to start!! Can I sign up to Ross Ford's agent pls?!

That does seem one heck of a sum, no matter how good he is - pls tell me that it's win-bonus-linked, with 400k as a max poss payout (assuming Embra win the ML and HC?!?!). Kelly is a more than adequate replacement.

I had heard that AAM had agreed to pay half of it, but old Gilbert has reneged?! Doesn't entirely surprise me

They should have said £400k per annum minus £5k for each time in the season he misses his line-out jumper. That would probably take him back down to minimum wage.

I'm not sure I believe this story, but as pointed out above, Kelly would serve Edinburgh well, we'd be able to recruit a youngster into the Edinburgh squad and hopefully I'd never need to hear the name Dougie Hall again.

As a means of comparison, I think Ruan Pienaar might be on £400k for us (Ulster). Ford is good, but that's quite a sum.

With half the substantial wage coming from external sources surely all the contracts should have been signed simultaneously. If true, a good example of the mismanagement the pro-clubs have had to endure

In the circumstance would let Ford go to earn his money, and probably be remotivated, and allow Edinburgh more flexibility. BTW not surprised at the dislike of McKie, not sure I've ever heard anything good about him for quite some time.

Don Alfonso - as I said I would be happy with that sum if it was a world class (or even very good international class) playmaker who can win you matches on his own.

Ross Ford certainly aint that!

Thanks for the all the welcomes guys.

This is Ross 'Let Ronan O'Gara run over me' Ford we are talking about, right ?

So about one tenth of the teams wages budget on one player, a player who misses loads of games into the bargain. Only the SRU could come up with that kind of deal. Also will make it harder to deal with current players when there deals are up, when they find out a player is on that kind of cash, they are going to want a lot more when it comes to re-signing.

I have no way of being certain that the rumour is true or not, on one hand the bumbling nature of the way the deal is supposed to have been done does not surprise me. On the other I can't see the SRU even putting up the £200k in the first place.

The thing is such is the way the pro-teams are run, we will never know for sure. The Annual accounts just show the total costs as being for Professional and International Rugby at approx £10m. There is no breakdown into what is the cost for Glasgow and Edinburgh Separately. No detail on the costs of running the international teams or the coaches. This allows the SRU and McKie to spin a story whatever way they want, when they are coming under attack they or what to put the boot into the Pro Teams, the £10m figure gets banded about. When they want to defend underperformance the far more realistic £2.8m each, gets rolled out.

McKie continues to cut the debt (very slowly), but is doing it only through cuts. Income streams remain static at best, he is reaching a point where there is little left to cut, except the teams themselves. With the HC places up for renewal in a couple of years time, I would be surprised if we still have Pro Teams in any sort of competitive shape come 2014.

Ironically one of the few things that has been cut is McKie's wages, which have almost doubled to £300k+ in the past couple of years.

Boston and Dot Mantooth here too, seems the bulk of regular Scottish poster are making the transition to V2. nice to see!

Any sign of InjuredAgain? He was a good poster.

Dorothy_Mantooth wrote:
Ironically one of the few things that has not been cut is McKie's wages, which have almost doubled to £300k+ in the past couple of years.

At least Fordy is worth more than McKie!!

Maybe the 'erse' McKie will jump ship and join Rangers? We could do worse than Martin Bain - a rugby chap too.

Hi guys. Sorry for being late but I only just signed up for this the other day.
Funnily enough, I posted a thread like this on the old 606 when i said that Ross Ford wouldn't be a massive loss and that, if sponsors were throwing their money around, I would prefer it was used to keep someone like Fraser McKenzie.
I hadn't realised the numbers involved nor did I know AAM had perhaps backed out.
For that salary, I would expect a much better and more influential player (a top class stand-off or back rower).
I don't think we can blame McKie for this one if the OP is correct.

Good to see you injuredyetagain - and sorry to see you are still injured! I think that's most of the main posters on here now. Hopefully everyone stays regularposters so we can fight the Scottish front!

Agree with you totally - that kind of money for a world class 10 or backrow yes, not for a hooker who will barely play.

RDW - is your source Ben Cairns or Alan Macdonald? Something you said on the old boards made me think you went to Royal High although you will have been a few years younger than these two.
Sadly, I am too old to worry about being injured. Injuries (and even opposing props) caught up with me all too often and I retired a few years ago. I took up refereeing but, unfortunately, in my first game refereeing, I snapped my achilles!!!

Well sometime salaries are ridiculous - Sam Norton Knight was on 250k at the Blues...and to be honest I would happily trade 2 SNKs for a Mike Ross...or a glass of champagne...or a glass of squash to be honest.

Somebody agent has been working overtime...

Injured - you're right about Cairnsy and Al but I am not that young - they were in 6th year when I was in 4th year so was involved with senior schools rugby at the same time.

And no - it's not them! As I said it is a 2nd hand source from a friend of some of the academy guys so best not to say who.