Sources suggest that Jake Hastie is about to disappoint the club and sign a four year pre contract deal with Rangers. A number of papers to reveal this tomorrow
We'll get compensation for Hastie and while dropping him would be very satisfying, it would hurt us financially later on.
As a very vague comparison, Hamilton reportedly got 200-250k plus add-ons for Lewis Ferguson. Ferguson was also 18 and basically started his senior career with the Scottish Cup last term - he ended the season with 14 games and no goals. So if Hastie keeps on at his current rate, even allowing for more goals being expected from his position than Ferguson's, we're looking at quarter of a million for the starting point - which hardly seems unfair.
Ultimately the club will never nail every decision on when and how much to offer young players but I think, broadly speaking, we get it right more often than not. If Hastie goes it will be a shame from us but far from the end of the world and we will move on very quickly.
If he chooses to go we'll get a fair amount in development compensation but it will still be a disappointment. It's a tough call whether to play him.
Have him wear Steelman mascot suit every home game until end of season.
By the sounds of things we're going to lose him, whether to Rangers or otherwise but it doesn't matter where he goes. Obviously money talks but it's a shame as he's a real young talent and I think he would benefit from staying here for another year or so like Turnbull to play regularly band develop his game, but his agent won't be advising him that way unfortunately.
Questions need to be asked of the club as to why he wasn't tied down on a longer team some time back. When you consider some of the dross we've offered extensions to and our shocking transfer business last summer then this doesn't look good on the club.
I understand the club may be challenged by what they can do, but this is clearly a sign of mismanagement of cultivation of talent from this side of the business. Hastie's been out playing elsewhere without receiving this attention. This isn't a one off... the same *could* have come about if Turnbull chose likewise. When you also consider the cost to bring in McCormack there seems to be cash being put to no productive use.
Yes, and with the money being paid out to McCormack for virtually no return along with last summer's "strengthening of the 12-18" and extensions being given out to the likes of George Newell who will probably never kick another competitive ball for us again, then allowing two young talents to run down their contracts looks like sheer folly. We got lucky with Turnbull as he opted to stay with us but it was always likely that we would lose one or both of them and so Hastie can't be blamed if he chooses to move on now.