Thompson signs fulltime contract with Linfield

[pete]

BBC Sport[/B] (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/4775054.stm)

Linfield striker Peter Thompson has signed a three and a half year full-time contract with the club.

Do Linfield have other fulltime pro players?

[David]

Not at the minute, no but manager David Jeffrey has assured everyone that Peter will not be the last to make this move. Looks like the first step to the club moving to full time status although this will be a gradual process.

[Risteard]

Well semi-pro maybe David.
From what i can tell you'd need a minimum five years to establish professionalism without it being a huge gamble.
Although, would probably need four pros to do any sort of different training schedule.
Ideally, he's probably going to be involved in non-playing duties aswell to up the profile of the club, similar to the sort of thing Colin T. used to do years ago.

[David]

Yep as I said it will be a gradual thing. There is no way that a player in his 30's will give up his job to go full time and we have 4 regular first team players over 30. However we also have quite a few young players such as Jim Ervin, Michael Gault, Chris Kingsberry and Alan Mannus who might not be taking such a big personal risk so this step could be taken with them. Indeed I will be amazed if at least one of these is not full time by the start of next season. We then need to look at the players that we bring into the club in future as well as those making their way through the ranks.

[dcfcsteve]

Hopefully this will give Jeffrey's one less thing to cry about when facing EL teams in the Setanta Cup.

He was making a huge deal to anyone who'd listen about Derry being full-time (we're not. We're only semi-pro) as an excuse for Linfield's home performance against a Derry team that hadn't played a competitive game in over 3 months.

It's a good move for Linfield though. I would expect Thompson to move on at some point within that contract, netting the club a nice return..

[Risteard]

Are Drogheda and Shels first-team squads entirely full-time now?
Afaik, Hoggy and Colin T. train most mornings like the rest of the squad but are just inflexible at certain times.
Woods is part-time and some of our young fellas then are on courses and the like.
Derek Coughlan unlikely to figure this year it seems.

[dancinpants]

Not at the minute, no but manager David Jeffrey has assured everyone that Peter will not be the last to make this move. Looks like the first step to the club moving to full time status although this will be a gradual process.

Will this not be a bad thing for the IL? Look how dominant Linfield are already...christ ye couldn't match the current IL table by playing at amateur level in FIFA 06 FFS!!. Or does Jeffreys think other teams will try follow suit? (can't see that happening myself)

[David]

Will this not be a bad thing for the IL? Look how dominant Linfield are already...christ ye couldn't match the current IL table by playing at amateur level in FIFA 06 FFS!!. Or does Jeffreys think other teams will try follow suit? (can't see that happening myself)

At the end of the day not our problem. Linfield FC have to do what is best for Linfield FC. What other clubs do is up to them. Our success in last year's Setanta was unforgettable but to compete on a regular basis with EL clubs in either this competition or a future all Ireland League (not to mention European football) then Linfield must make this step.

[pete]

Cork City are not entirely fulltime but some semi pro players have jobs in football or are students. With even longer season its becoming increasingly harder for semi pro players at city. I don't think Rico will sign anymore semi-pro players.

[Risteard]

Ya i reckon Colin is perfectly fit for obvious reasons and Hoggy is able to keep up cos he's very flexible (just studies at home i think).

[Stevo Da Gull]

Thats a great move for Linfield and Thompson, fair play

[glentoranfan]

At the end of the day not our problem. Linfield FC have to do what is best for Linfield FC. What other clubs do is up to them. Our success in last year's Setanta was unforgettable but to compete on a regular basis with EL clubs in either this competition or a future all Ireland League (not to mention European football) then Linfield must make this step.
I have to agree. It's a dog eat dog world, particulary with the contraints in the Irish League.

You have to be out there for yourself in order to be successful and survive.

Fair play to Linfield. All the big clubs across the water think we are a bunch of dosey patties and take any offer.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Fair play to IL clubs for not accepting derisory Transfer fees for exceptional players.

[Gerrit]

Grand news to see that he stays in the Irish League! It's good to see the Irish clubs (both here and down south) are no longer kneeling for any foreign side opening the wallet... I doubt though if fans of other teams will like to hear this news as well :)