Wellington are still after Pheonix.

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/thisweek/ho ... ZB-WGN.asf

Starts at 12:30.

Still trying to get Porter.

Hoping to sign another striker within two to three weeks.

Joel is quality. Saw him vs. Southend, you can just tell the way he plays etc

Hartlepool have not spoken to Joel.

We have sent him a letter saying we're renewing your contract and see you next season.

Joel is apparantly dissappointed.

Uncle Ken is "being a bit stubborn".

They are working with the PFA.

They're trying to find a loop-hole they can exploit.

If not he will be a Hartlepool player next season.

let him go, no point in keeping him here if he wants to go home, use his wages on another striker who wants to play for us.

Just listened to that and it's a bit disappointing that the club haven't even spoken to him, is that the way to treat someone, just sending them a letter to tell him option on his contract has been taken? It's clear he wants to return to Australian football, and it's clear they need to sit down and sort it out.

As much as we love Joel as a player if he's here against his will next season he'll be absolutely no good to us. As that guy from Wellington Phoenix said it's not as if he wants to join another league one club or a rival.

Is all that really true though?

I feel Wellington are adding some spin onto this to make us look bad.

If they want him that bad, simply pay for him!

Didn't sound like it and the sort of things he was saying sound perfectly plausible for Pools.

It's easy to see both sides but for a lad with personal issues to deal with you would have thought that the club could have been a bit more sympathetic.

I can see it 100% from Pools point of view...

BUT...

If Joel wants to return home,
If his family have already returned,
If his heart is not in it,

Then he must go.

I could be selfish and want him to stay but when it comes down to it...it would be cruel not to let him go.

it is easily solved pay a fee for him and sign him
they want him on the cheap or for nowt

Well said Mr Offshore.

I haven't yet seen anything saying Wellington have contacted Pools about this. I'm sure if they had then KH would have named a price by now. As it is all we get is hearsay.
Can anyone really believe that Wellington have made Porter an offer and are leaving it up to Porter himself to negotiate with Pools for his release?

Pools' have done nothing wrong.

I rate Porter, and have since day 1 when he was often slated, but this, if anyone is to blame, is all his fault.

He signed a contract, presumably with his agent's help and that stated,

HARTLEPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB HAVE THE OPTION TO EXTEND THIS CONTRACT BY ONE MORE SEASON.

Now he may have approached the club, towards the end of the season and asked if they were going to take up that option. he may have got an answer, he may not have. I am going to presume he didnt , otherwise he would have known exactly were he stood.

So if anyone on here is unsure of what the next year holds in their employment, they will go home discuss it with their immediate family and put anything planned on hold. They wont move their family to the other side of the world, on the off chance they will join them.

There are 4 options here.............

1. Wellington make an offer acceptable to Pools' and we sell him to them

2. Porter honours the contract that HE SIGNED

3. Porter buys out HIS CONTRACT AND MOVES wherever he wishes and attempts to get a contract with a club within that location.

4. Porter goes on strike, Pools keep his registration and he can't play for a season anyway, and he goes a year without wages.

Porter is a HARTLEPOOL PLAYER and is until the end of the 2008/09 season, unless any of the above options are carried out.

but this debate is about a player who was quoted in the mail as being willing to stop if offered a 3 year deal

What if . Then he has my sympathies and if it is the case, then maybe he should just let everyone know he going regardless of what in an effect to save his family.

But , if his wife left him ,what was the reason ?

If he moves to Australia will it save his marriage ?

If we let Wellington have him for nothing, can we replace him ?

If his children dont settle there and his wife brings them back to England and what they know will he return to another club in England ?

We can all put What If's , but the facts are what I previously said, he signed a contract knowing we had an option to keep him another season.

So going back to your If his wife left him and took children then he has Option 3 he buys out his contract.

Chip - email me tomorrow at work mate - I'll forget