Wolves pull plug on Clayton

[Alex_Crew]

It appears that laughing boy is again without a club. Wonder if he'll sign our contract now? - view external link (http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Crewe-Alexandra-Wolves-rule-deal-Max-Clayton/story-22738710-detail/story.html)

[chinaalex]

Was thinking it had gone a little quiet.

May do him good to come cap in hand and perhaps make him realise he's not all that yet.

[MikeSB]

Also other clubs who may have been interested will know he has been at Sunderland and Wolves who are a league lower and not good enough yet. So will they now take a chance?

Perversely it sends out a great message to all the other lads at the academy that the best way was and is to sign contracts, get games and 'prove' you are good enough for the big move.

Most here will say they are not surprised at all. What happens next to Max if nobody comes in all season? Does he resign for us? Nobody even knows giving him a 3 year deal here was a good one if he still fails to impress. The club have been as fair as anyone could be. I wonder what Wolves valued him at?

I can't see sitting at home on a Sat afternoon will suit him or his dad though! Maybe tail between legs and sign here may only be the choice he has now. But that throws a spanner in the fact we have had to sign other players in the mean time and so what a mess for everyone concerned!

He was warned and so that million pound s

[AlexLeicester]

[quote="MikeSB"]Also other clubs who may have been interested will know he has been at Sunderland and Wolves who are a league lower and not good enough yet. So will they now take a chance?

Perversely it sends out a great message to all the other lads at the academy that the best way was and is to sign contracts, get games and 'prove' you are good enough for the big move.

Most here will say they are not surprised at all. What happens next to Max if nobody comes in all season? Does he resign for us? Nobody even knows giving him a 3 year deal here was a good one if he still fails to impress. The club have been as fair as anyone could be. I wonder what Wolves valued him at?

I can't see sitting at home on a Sat afternoon will suit him or his dad though! Maybe tail between legs and sign here may only be the choice he has now. But that throws a spanner in the fact we have had to sign other players in the mean time and so what a mess for everyone concerned

[bonehead]

if we sign other players he might be even further from the 1st team

and if saunders gets games and does well then thats another player past him

[Cragle]

Don't forget that he could still go abroad, and I'm fairly sure that if he does that will mean no compensation for us. :?

[VindePays2009]

Does no compo also apply to the Scottish leagues?

I'd love to see one of the three major players in the Group of Death (Scottish Championship) take a chance on him.

Or maybe he could taste Premiership football with Osman at Partick Thistle, or go to Hamilton Accies.

His agent should be getting on to these possibilities; but then again, maybe his agent's not very bright.

[Rivo]

No surprise there, he's never looked like a Championship player. I'd rather not have him back, team spirit and morale is going to be important this year if we are to make up for the weak squad.

We don't need any disruptive influences around the camp, especially the young pro's. Go try your luck in L2 Max.

[Cragle]

Does no compo also apply to the Scottish leagues?

I'd love to see one of the three major players in the Group of Death (Scottish Championship) take a chance on him.

Or maybe he could taste Premiership football with Osman at Partick Thistle, or go to Hamilton Accies.

His agent should be getting on to these possibilities; but then again, maybe his agent's not very bright.

Still entitled to compo if goes Scotland I think

[alexmick]

I thought that we would not be allowed compensation if Max went to Scotland. Did we not get caught out with this scenario once before? I think that it was Higdon who fled north of the border after we had offered him terms to stay at the Alex. We didn't get any money from that move, if I remember correctly.

However, is Max good enough to play in Scotland? They say the standard is poor... so maybe that would suit him. At that level he might shine and his ego would be left intact! ;)

[itwasin]

The Leap from League 1 to the Championship is MASSIVE for 18ys to 21 year olds,let alone the Prem 50% of Championship players are now from abroad, there is nowhere for the likes of Max to go? and there is a surplus of players like him around. One would have thought he would have done his homework, as he was going uphill to fast. If the likes of Powell are finding it difficult then what chance! Welcome back MAX

[AstonAlex]

We definitely do not get any compo should Max move north of the border as Scotland are no different to Switzerland (or come to that Wales) in both UEFAs and FIFAs eyes.

I hope he does decide to sign for us and prove his many doubters wrong - let's face it his options are diminishing rapidly and as has been said on many threads we need every penny we can get so him moving abroad would be a double kick in the teeth.

I just hope that, if he does sign, three things happen:
Firstly he gets a proper run in the first team if he deserves it
Secondly he is supported by the fans from the get-go
Thirdly he bangs in a hatful, proves people wrong, reacts in a positive manner . . . and we get a small fortune for him :D

I always was an optimist!!

[bigroof]

We definitely do not get any compo should Max move north of the border as Scotland are no different to Switzerland (or come to that Wales) in both UEFAs and FIFAs eyes.

I hope he does decide to sign for us and prove his many doubters wrong - let's face it his options are diminishing rapidly and as has been said on many threads we need every penny we can get so him moving abroad would be a double kick in the teeth.

I just hope that, if he does sign, three things happen:
Firstly he gets a proper run in the first team if he deserves it
Secondly he is supported by the fans from the get-go
Thirdly he bangs in a hatful, proves people wrong, reacts in a positive manner . . . and we get a small fortune for him :D

I always was an optimist!!

At the Steve Davis supporters evening, Steve seemed fairly sure that compensation would still be due if he went to Scotland. He believed that there had been an adjustment to the rules; in other word

[out0lunch]

Not sure on this but haven't Max znd Byron got the same agent?
Byron's agent tried to get him a move to Scotland 2 years ago so there would be no compo, but as someone said perhaps the rules have changer.

Secondly can I suggest to Max that he reads Kenny Jacket's comments about him and his possible future

[mason71]

Max is good...but he's not champo level. He needs more time and i believe he will come back sheepishly to Crewe and get that time

[KennyLuntsFanClub]

Can anyone hazard a guess as to how much he really is worth? Certainly not £4-6million as Nick Powell (where is he now?), yet we only paid/agreed £100,000 for Brad Inman.
From what we've seen of Max Clayton, mainly in League 2 and a bit in League 1, could we really demand more than half a million pounds, or are interested clubs going to have to pay for his 10-15 years academy education?
By the way, Crewe Alexandra 5 Barnsley 2.

[CroutonRouge]

Nick Powell has been given the no. 22 shirt in the Man U squad. Obviously in their plans.

[KennyLuntsFanClub]

Thanks CR: hadn't picked up on that and it's good news for him, and for Crewe further down the line. If only MC would follow suit.

[sacrewebleu]

I think Kenny calls this right, we have over priced Max in the market and i think on purpose. I for one think we will get burnt .

Theres another twist left in this, so I wouldnt gloat, for one thing I think its distasteful as the relationship must be irrecoverable by now and it takes two , our football last year and not being played when fit woukdnt really develop Max, so I appreciate im in the minority in that I can sympathise a little.

With the pricing of Max and the tickets for the bolton game, we are not as cuddly as the football world think we are. Money, money, money.

[AlexLeicester]

Not sure I agree totally with that.
I was at a few U21 games last season and watched 'dead-cert 1st 11-ers' playing for a place on the bench. Almost all responded well and looked to be simply enjoying the game.
Several have progressed to the 1st team this season.
If Max returned and used the U21s as a stepping stone I am sure he will benefit.
From what I understand last season, his attitude to fellow players and the management was fine.
In conclusion: 1. he's been very badly managed by his agent; 2. his confidence will have been shattered; and 3. his natural human pride will mean he tries everything not to have to come back.
If, however, he does return I will be on my feet cheering and clapping - solely because he wears the Alex shirt.

[OgerAlex]

I've said this on other threads but this Clayton issue is getting well beyond a joke now. What's all the hype around him for anyhow?. Can anyone more than a couple of games where he's been any good?. Sunderland and Wolves have both declined his services, so it might the case he goes off and plays League 2 standard football for someone like Motherwell. I'm glad we've played hard ball with him - if loads of academy lads took his line the club would fold.
If he is the crewe fan people claim he is then his actions really are bizarre as he knows how we operate.

[MikeSB]

All this negative talk is really depressing me, especially as a recent graduate of the Somerset course in positive thinking and as a result of coming top of the class, received a free ticket for the second round of the league cup.

Max needs to Factor in ten games playing for Crewe and scoring twenty goals in the process could go a long way, even as far as Teesside where his boat comes in at last!

Otherwise its Deeside and playing to the chimps over the road!

Drat! Just need to look at the course notes again! ;)

[VindePays2009]

Motherwell only of League 2 standard, Oger?

Don't let wee Pat Nevin hear you say that, he'd have his jaiket aff and be wanting to sort you out.

Now if you were to say Kilmarnock...

[bigroof]

Not sure that he'll be lacking confidence. He's been training with Wolves and Sunderland, and people have only said good things about him. They just weren't prepared to pay Crewe's price. Kenny Jackett's assessment is tantamount to saying: "go and develop a bit more with Crewe".
Any 'differences' he may have with Steve Davis are likely never to be admitted publicly. Max may believe that he can be used in certain ways, which Steve didn't explore; Dario even hinted at that sort of scenario in his summer interview on the website.
If he returns - whether we see it as 'tail between legs' or not - the 4-3-3 might just be suited to him, but, having practised away, he'll have to dislodge those geared up for fighting for their place, already here; that means under 21 football for which he was destined anyway, with Wolves or Sunderland.

[OgerAlex]

Motherwell only of League 2 standard, Oger?

Don't let wee Pat Nevin hear you say that, he'd have his jaiket aff and be wanting to sort you out.

Now if you were to say Kilmarnock...

Ha ha ha, Killie aren't as bad as St Mirren...I've watched them a few times over the years (other halfs a Buddie) and Max would walk into that side!...

[Gobstopper]

Its obvious that Max will not be coming back to Crewe and if Crewe have priced him out of the market then it is Crewe who will lose out if Max is forced to go abroad to play football. You have to ask why the board have put a wholly unacceptable price on his head. A player is only worth what someone is prepared to pay and no on is prepared to pay the asking price from Crewe. Do Crewe really think he will now sign the deal on offer and why would they want him to. It would have been better to have made an acceptable offer with Sunderland or Wolves, let Max go and recoup some money and let this saga be at an end, its in everyones interest.