Marcell Speculation

[Cap'n Grumpy]

The chances of IH re-signing for me is a nigh on certainty.

Ian Humphreys coming back?

Shirley nat.


(yes, I know it's Hendo)

[UlsterNo9]

If I remember correctly we acquired Dan McFarland from Scotland under similar circumstances? Open to correction, if not it's a little pot, kettle, black.

[Snipe Watson]

If I remember correctly we acquired Dan McFarland from Scotland under similar circumstances? Open to correction, if not it's a little pot, kettle, black.

But, but , but that was different.........

[jean valjean]

Obviously we are all disappointed at this news, however at best I think we would have got one more season from marcel, then like Ruan he would be shown the door by nucifora anyway. He wants to return home so would have gone then anyway. We still have no certainty how the finances will go in the next 12 months so a guaranteed 300-400k to UR is not to be sniffed at. Get a decent replacement or 2 plus some extra gametime for the young backrowers coming through and in the meantime enjoy watching marcell bust a gut for us in the next few months.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

[Dharper]

Outside backs are fine. I’d re sign Mathewson for a yr if he was open to it (I actually think he’s been criminally underused). Then reinforce that pack. LH a priority, a big carrying backrow, we currently are a quality backrow short, and we need to resolve carter in 2nd row. Does he want to go home? Do we re sign, or get replacement. In short we need a bar steward pack, we have decent packs esp if we add Addison/balacoune.
Leinster/Munster are moving on again.....we can’t afford to be left behind.

[solidarity]

Key word there being professional, if he was a professional he wouldn't be asking to get out of his contract early

Professional in the sense that he gets paid for doing his job.

He's not playing for Ulster because he feels any sense of loyalty - or at least didn't when he first signed. He may have developed a love of the province since then, but not enough that he is Ulster till he dies.

How many of us on here would regard ourselves as professionals, (or did so while working), but would turn down an offer from a new employer which was more to our liking - either because of salary, working conditions, location or any combination of these. Not many I would guess, so why would we expect a rugby player to do so. He's not breaking a contract, (or so it seems) - his new employers have bought it.

Ruans only come along once in a very long time.

I'll be sorry to see Marcell go, and will be even sorrier to see him play against Ulster, but I wish him well and consider myself fortunate to have seen a great player in his prime.

I'm with you in this Cap'n. A professional plays for whoever pays his wages and does so in the context of his whole life, family and so on. Going to a better paying job in a better place where his family will be happier is what most of s would do, As a professional, I guess Marcel will play his best for the next few months. I'm sure he would want to leave on a high.

We all know that fans are life-long loyal to a province (although we are now a club). Professionals come and go. That's why they're called 'professionals'.

[big mervyn]

Here we go again. Afoa all over again. We offer a saffer a very good contract when funds dont exist in SA. Then we stand by him when he gets injured and misses an entire season. As a reward for sticking by him he fu*ks us over and jumps ship. Dont play him again he's not fit to wear the shirt. Blood the youngsters now. Sure the seasons over anyway with the 'somewhere over the rainbow' tom kite. Marcel, you're dead to me.

Two seasons

But then signed on for three more.

... but only stayed for 2.

[Dave]

In rugby it remains fairly rare for a player not to honour his contract in full. Unless of course you are well stocked in that position. Why do these things always happen at Ulster? This is another shocking occurrence in a long line of shocking occurrences in the disasterclass that is Ulster 'bloody' Rugby.

Shall I list them all? The McLaughlin presser, John Afoa (I'm away home for the weekend hope the game that I'm not playing in goes well), the entire Les Kiss era (too many individual incidents to mention), Jonno 'I want to be closer to the family' Gibbes (by closer he means france), mind that player who didn't play but bought a farm and setup a sausage company all on our dime - oh am I forgetting something hmm....Shane Warren Gatland and the little incident of shafting two innocent young men.

I see people are trying to normalise this, as per usual, do people not get tired of making excuses? He wants to be close to his family etc, we have heard all this before. A professional rugby club cannot be run on the basis that contracts are not worth the paper they are written on. All you need is to knock on the CEOs door, tell them some sob story and you're off! Marcell has broken his contract whatever way you look at it, albeit with the agreement of all parties. Jonny doesn't know who to blame but at least he wants us to know it wasn't the FIRFU. Thanks for letting us know.

What happens next week if Billy Burns or similar, knocks on the CEOs door and says you know what I miss my hamster who is still in England...alright good luck Billy bye bye.

We are now left in an awful situation. Recruiting players, probably from the Southern Hemisphere, which will be very difficult with our current infection rates compared to theirs. Also the length of their contract will be meaningless anyway. It should just be a 6 month free trial we offer. If you don't like soda bread after the first week you can go back home to be with your cat who has the sniffles...cry more please this is very sad.

Some are comparing this situation to McFarland coming here. Remember Dan had to serve his 9 month notice period before 'officially' taking up the head coaching role. Entirely different to a playing situation. At least the SRFU had the cajones to not allow him to leave with immediate effect. Even though a coach who is leaving is a fairly redundant asset. In fact it could be a danger to have them around with the information they will continue to have access to. However, they did not wish to set a preceedent for the next time.

If this had been a financial issue it would have been understandable but Petrie has stated it is not. Business as usual at UR. Clown business. Actually the whole fcuking circus.

Jokeshop.

[UlsterNo9]

Healthy debate, arguments and counter arguments.

This place is in danger of looking like a supporters forum again. Long overdue.

[Off the Top]

I'll be sorry to see Marcel go - he has been brilliant over the last couple of years. However with big operations on both knees, I was always worried he was going to break down every match - especially as there were always two or three defenders waiting to tackle him.

I wish him well and I hope he gets another crack at the Springbok jersey.

Looking forward to welcoming another new dynamic back row into the Ulster team. By using Marcel's salary we should be able to get someone useful.

[Ravenhillman]

First post having been a long-standing serial browser.

Really disappointed that Marcell has decided to leave. However I think there has been a lot of unfair speculation. He will have had an early release clause that he has activated for the reasons that he stated. The management will have been aware of this for some months. He will be taking a salary drop to return home and I for one wish him well. He has always tried his best and lead the way as a warrior for Ulster.
We will miss him and I hope we can get a great replacement....hard to fill his boots though.

[justinr73]

I very much doubt he would have had an early release clause but, with Ulster having been presented with this problem some months ago, I have a degree of confidence that the early release hinged on a ‘replacement’ being sourced.

I don’t see how it would have been a better outcome for Ulster to have held on to Marcel for another 12 months and missed out on the financial compensation.

Welcome to Ravenhillman btw.

[big mervyn]

It is what it is, but let's not kid ourselves that he has earned the sobriquet "Ulaterman" that seems to be freely bandied about on Bakebook. Boys like Ruan, Andy Ward, the Rev., Big Nick, Pedrie and even Stefan Terblanche in his all too short stay, definitelly did but it's much more than stand out performances on the pitch.

[solidarity]

It is what it is, but let's not kid ourselves that he has earned the sobriquet "Ulaterman" that seems to be freely bandied about on Bakebook. Boys like Ruan, Andy Ward, the Rev., Big Nick, Pedrie and even Stefan Terblanche in his all too short stay, definitelly did but it's much more than stand out performances on the pitch.

Very impressed with this cross community outreach, Merv. The cross between Ulaidh and Ulster is masterful. It can only be hours until the maintained schools ditch GAA and embrace rugby. We double our player pool, bring on some serious talent and rule the world.

But you'll have some eejits to put up with, who would insult you by saying that it was just a typo. Fools. Just walk away, Merv, walk away.

[Bobbievee]

In my naivety, could someone explain the financial outcome of Bulls " buying out the contract" ?

So the direct financial benefit to Ulster is the 450k savings of MCs salary, Plus whatever Petrie and co managed to persuade the Bulls to cough up as a one off........which might be what?