decide if the latest offer from Hibs is good enough to avert court
action. The former Hibs boss will decide if enough is enough, and
either take the money or go to court, either way it would seem Hibs fans
will be reading about it in the press as once again Franck's
representatives keep the media informed of the progress of
negotiations. That in spite of their asserted public disgust at how the
case had spilled out onto the pages of some newspapers, blaming the club
for leaking stories about the contract negotiations to the press.
In the way of negotiation, Hibs have
made a fifth and then yesterday a sixth offer to Sauzee over the
remaining year of his contract with the club, which was terminated by
Hibs last month. While the club continue to refuse to be drawn on what
these offers are, considering it to be a private matter between Sauzee
and the club, Sauzee's representative Malcolm Brown is not so coy,
although even he has stopped short of spelling out the terms of the
offers made by Hibs. Brown, who had delivered an ultimatum to Hibs at
the weekend that either they paid Sauzee's contract in full (£275,000)
by Tuesday or court action would be started the following day, said:
"We received a fifth
offer from Hibs on Tuesday, and Franck slept on it on Tuesday night and
then rejected it on Wednesday morning. Hibs responded with a new offer,
their sixth, this afternoon and that is with Franck just now. He will
again sleep on it and give his answer this morning, so you can say
negotiations are continuing."
Great derby memories for Mixu Paatelainen (sns)
Brown had
revealed at the weekend the Hibs had made an offer of around £60,000 in
settlement of the remainder of Sauzee's contract. While there is no
'set' settlement percentage in such matters, Hibs.net understands
that around 40% of the contract value is normal in such cases, with the
player/manager concerned usually in new employment when settlement is
reached in any case. Sauzee has shown no great urgency in seeking
another job, although the player still much loved by Hibs fans has been
invited to act as a studio expert for the BBC at the Edinburgh derby
match on Sunday. A figure then of around £100,000 will be guessed at as
the level to which Hibs will be prepared to settle with Sauzee, and for
the sake of everyone concerned the hope is that the player will lay this
to bed as quickly and quietly as possible.
Meanwhile Mixu
Paatelainen is looking forward to Sunday's clash with Hearts and hoping
to keep up an excellent personal record of 7 wins from 8 in Edinburgh
derby clashes. Mixu has only lost that one game to Hearts, but he knows
that each match is tough and the history of the clash has no part to
play in the outcome! Paatelainen said: "I
have good memories playing against Hearts. But you can't rely on history
and think you will beat them or any other club because of it. We just
have to make sure we perform to our best and see how it goes, but I have
good memories in the derbies and hopefully I'll have some more come
Sunday." Paatelainen's last league outing for Hibs was indeed
against Hearts at Easter Road, the Finn missing a penalty in the final
minute that would have given Hibs a win. However the memory of that
slip-up is forgiven by Hibs fans who will never forget Mixu's finest
derby moment, an Easter Road hat-trick helping Hibs to a famous 6-2
victory.
