O'KANE FACES D-DAY ON £175K SWITCH
EUNAN O'KANE'S decision – whether or not to join Crawley Town in a proposed £175,000 deal next week – could give Torquay United's investment plans a major boost, on the Plainmoor pitch and off it.
If midfielder O'Kane does opt to join Crawley – and I understand that it is not a foregone conclusion as far as the Ulsterman is concerned – it would give manager Martin Ling fresh ammunition in the summer transfer market AND switch on the green light for United's plans for a new training ground.
O'Kane is due to return from holiday in Florida on Monday, when he will talk over a move to United's former Conference and League Two rivals.
The Gulls already have plans to spend the transfer fee.
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Land at Forches Cross near Newton Abbot has emerged as the hot favourite to become the club's new training ground, and United want to improve the pitches and facilities there.
The Gulls' board also want to boost Ling's player budget.
The United boss would like to sign at least three more players to improve the squad which went so close to promotion last season.
Two players near the top of his shopping list are Scottish midfielder Craig Easton and ex-loan winger Billy Bodin.
Former Dundee United, Leyton Orient, Swindon, Southend schemer Easton, 33, impressed during a trial at Plainmoor near the end of last season, and I understand that he and Ling are talking over a possible permanent deal.
At Swindon Town, Robins manager Paolo Di Canio has questioned the future commitment of Bodin, who is holding out on a contract offer.
Ling said: "I am monitoring the Bodin situation.
"He's got an offer from Swindon, but if he became available I'm sure we won't be the only runners in that race."
O'Kane's future at Plainmoor has been in doubt for a while now, with a series of teams watching him last season.
But, at a time when few clubs have the sort of money it would take to buy him, Crawley now head the queue.
As part of a new contract which he signed midway through last season – it runs until the summer of 2014 – the 21-year-old former Everton scholar and United agreed a 'release' clause.
It is tripped if a higher division club offers £175,000 or more, allowing O'Kane to consider the move.
Crawley's new manager Sean O'Driscoll confirmed this week that he has made a bid, and it is the £175,000 demanded.
Some Torquay fans may be surprised if O'Kane opts to join Crawley.
But they will be playing in League One next season, manager O'Driscoll is a disciple of the passing game which O'Kane loves and, perhaps most important of all, they can afford him.
Crawley enjoyed a sensational rise under former boss Steve Evans, accompanied by lucrative FA Cup runs, and over the last six months they have made around £2 million from the sales of strikers Matt Tubbs to AFC Bournemouth and Tyrone Barnett to Peterborough United.
What remains to be seen is whether O'Kane really fancies a move there, whether he believes his career is better served by waiting for another club to come in or, of course, staying at Plainmoor.
United's other contract uncertainty remains centre-back Mark Ellis, who is currently away on honeymoon.
The Gulls have received no firm approach for Ellis, 23, who has another week to respond to a new two-year contract offer.
Comments
by AdrianGull
Friday, June 15 2012, 5:14PM
“Love Crawley for their rise from non-league football, or loathe them for their previously questionable financial backers and their well known management team, they are now more sensibly backed financially and way way more respectably managed on the field.....!
If Eunan can secure a contract at say around £1,000 or so a week more and play under as a previous comment of mine said, "a combination of O'Driscoll and Coppell" there will only be one outcome, a move to the Red Devils! O'Driscoll and Coppell were footballers and sides they have been involved with previously play football, therefore I believe Eunan will see this as a good move, albeit as a staging post on the way to Championship club in due course. Unfortunately for us, Crawley is also located next to Gatwick Airport, making it very easy for him to take trips back to see the family in NI.
The above said, I don't want him to go and relish seeing him again next season in yellow and blue not red and white.
On the subject of selling Bobby, again only at the right price for the club and for the right club for him! Mr Ling would have to work very hard to replace him, as with all due respect, Martin Rice is not a number one for a promotion challenging club.”
by hughanchor
Friday, June 15 2012, 4:53PM
“I agree. Eunan would be unwise to join an unfashionable club like Crawley. This Crawley club is like a small dog with a posh collar that aspires to be a big dog, barking loudly in a laughably squeaky voice, but always destined to be the runt of the litter. Best wait for an offer from a team that is really bigger than Torquay (rather than pretend bigger), and one that will still be around in three years' time.”
by PETE1955
Friday, June 15 2012, 4:04PM
“Not sure "unfashionable" Crawley Town would be the right move for Eunan. The 175k figure looks poor from our point of view but hopefully a few other clubs will show some interest and that figure may just rise a little.
Whatever you cannot prevent a young player from furthering his career and lets face it a couple of seasons ago this sort of asset would possibly been allowed to leave for peanuts at the end of his contract which does at least show the management are at last looking further than the end of their noses.”