GARY CALDWELL IS REFUSING TO BE RUSHED
into making a decision over his future, with reports yesterday
indicating that the Scotland international is set to sign a new deal
with Newcastle United while going to Coventry on loan for a year.
Hopes were high in Edinburgh when
Caldwell revealed prior to departing with Scotland to the far east that
he had a mind to sign a new three-year deal with Newcastle, with an
immediate 1-year loan release back to Easter Road. Coventry meanwhile
where among a host of clubs who wished to sign the defender who had a
superb 3-month spell at Easter Road, catapulting himself into the full
Scotland squad in the process after enjoying regular first-team football
for the first time in his career. Reports from Newcastle yesterday
indicated that Caldwell, having returned from the Scotland tour to make
a decision on where his future would be, had in fact decided to sign the
deal with Newcastle - but would go on loan to Coventry rather than Hibs.
The player however had promised to
speak to his boss at Newcastle as well as Hibs boss Bobby Williamson
before taking any final decision. The signs however are not good for
Hibs, and it would come as a severe setback for Williamson should he
miss out on yet another player he had hoped to keep at Hibs for at least
another year, Craig Brewster having already agreed to sign for
Dunfermline on a two-year deal. Last summer Hibs fans were pondering
over another 'will he won't he' situation with Marc Libbra eventually
deciding to join another English Division 1 side, Norwich City. Hopes
are that the Caldwell situation will not drag on quite as long as that
one did!
Options for the Hibs boss appear to be
dwindling by the day, with managing director Rod Petrie already having
made it clear that drastic cuts would need to be made to the Easter Road
wage bill and no movement is likely before July. Williamson has the
added complication that from the coming season 'transfer windows' are
being introduced, with any new signings having to be made by August
after which movement will only be possible during a brief period in
January. And Hibs will not be able to rely so heavily on loan deals
either, with clubs being restricted to just one loan player at any given
time.
The future then for Hibs, like most
SPL clubs, would appear to be in 'lend/lease' deals such as that it was
hoped could keep Caldwell at Easter Road. Such deals are not regarded
as loan deals, with players in effect being transferred to a club under
an agreement that his contract would be returned to his parent club
after a given period. Deals of this type hold a number of advantages
for all concerned, and it looks likely to be a road that Hibs will
follow if the circumstances permit.
Meanwhile preparations continue for
the event of the summer as far as many Hibs fans are concerned. There
is a last-minute clamour for tickets to the 'Farewell to Sauzee' event
at Easter Road on Saturday, when fans will pay a final tribute to the
former club skipper and manager. Tickets for the event were sold out
with days of being made available, leaving many fans of the French star
disappointed. Hibs.net will however be at the farewell bash, and
a full interview with Sauzee will be recorded and released on the site
at the weekend.
