With Leon having missed much of the season through injury, Josh Kilmister looks at the worst case scenario
So yesterday, out of pretty much nowhere, we were rumoured to have rekindled our interest in Southampton midfielder Jack Cork. Within hours, it came out that we were in ‘advanced talks’ with The Saints, and now it seems we have had a bid of around £3m accepted for the Englishman. So where does this leave our other midfielders?
If the deal goes through we’ll have Shelvey, Ki, Carroll, Britton, Cork and even the likes of Fulton and Grimes fighting for one of the two available places in midfield. Sigurdsson doesn’t look like losing his place any time soon, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable with any of the players listed playing in his role anyway. That’s seven players fighting for two places, with perhaps another two making the bench; that’s three players who won’t be in the squad at all.
As much as he’s impressed this season, the signing of Cork might just jeopardise any potential move to make Tom Carroll’s loan permanent either now or in the summer, that is of course if we don’t lose anyone else from that midfield seven. Shelvey perhaps? Honestly, as much as he’s annoyed me this season, I’d be a bit gutted to see him leave. There’s obviously a player in there somewhere and I’ve got a feeling if we let him leave, we’d definitely regret it somewhere along the line. Ki is, as far as I’m concerned, here to stay while Fulton and Grimes are very much prospects for the future.
That leaves Leon Britton. I’m sure I’m going to get a load of tweets telling me I’m wrong here, but perhaps Leon’s had a word behind the scenes. Maybe he’s decided that the time has come for him to hang up his boots for good. Of course I could be completely wrong. Leon could be training harder than ever and thoroughly looking forward to competing with Jack Cork for that defensive midfield position but, as much as I hate to even think about it, I think his time may have come.
The reason I say this is not because of any poor performances – he’s been as good this season as he was in his prime – but his injuries. Leon Britton isn’t a player you would normally associate with injuries, but since February 2014 he’s been out on three separate occasions with a knee injury and is currently out with a groin injury, and he might see that as sign that he should consider his retirement. Britton has only had twelve injuries in his professional career, and four of them have come in the last twelve months.
Earlier this season Britton was given the role of co-commentator for BBC Wales in our game against Newcastle, and he later said that it was something he would consider taking up after his football career comes to an end.
“Being out injured has made me think more about after football. I’ve been injured for three months now and it’s the longest I have been injured in my career as such since I turned a professional.
"It has given me the opportunity to look at other avenues like the media. You have to think about it. I wish football could last forever and I could go on until I am 50, but the reality is there is going to be a day when I have to hang up my boots and I have to look at what career path I will go down after that." – Leon Britton
It’s not hard to see that he wasn’t happy being injured and although this time around it isn’t his knee that’s keeping him out of Monk’s plans, it must take it’s toll mentally for a player who so desperately wants to be out there helping his team, that’s the main reason I really hope the club can offer him a position in the backroom staff. I would only assume that the club contributed to the costs of Monk’s coaching courses, so offering Leon the same sort of package wouldn’t be a problem. Of course, that’s not saying he’s going to be our next manager, but there’s definitely a place for him in the coaching staff.
Ultimately the decision is his to make and whether he decides to keep on playing, go into coaching or even into the media, he’ll have the whole Jack Army behind him. But if what I’m saying becomes reality then I know Jack Cork is good enough to fill such a huge hole that would be left in our midfield. His contract is up in the summer, but maybe bringing him in now would even give him the chance to work with, and learn from the master himself.
Thanks to Josh as usual - follow him on Twitter @JoshKilmister. Personally I think we'll see Leon back sooner rather than later, but that said I'll be amazed if he doesn't graduate to a role within our coaching setup. If anyone's earned a job for life, it's Leon Britton.