Bari Morgan - Gutted
Wednesday, 25th Jul 2001 00:00

Bari Morgan: Gutted, But No Hard Feelings

"I had no inclination that this was going to happen yesterday. In a way, I think I was unlucky as I picked up an injury towards the end of last season and missed the chance that some of the other younger players had in playing in the first team. The gaffer did say to me that there was a contract there for me when I was fit and I have been trying to sort it out for the last three weeks.

"I have been naturally keen to get the contract issue resolved. I went to see the gaffer last Friday and was asked to come back Monday when hopefully things will be sorted out. I took this as meaning that it was dependent on Robbo's move to Rotherham, that the club needed the money to put my contract on the table. On Monday the gaffer asked me to come back Tuesday and then he told me yesterday that they were releasing me.

"Of course it hurts, I didn't want to leave. Maybe they could have told me earlier but I believe John when he said that his hands were tied on this one and he had no alternative. 'Gutted' was the word he used when he told me. I think that both him and Curt rate me as a player but the contract wasn't there for financial reasons.

"The club has restraints on it financially with all the uncertainty on the takeover side and I appreciate that the budgets are tight. The general feeling amongst the players is that they are looking forward to the new season and that they try not to let themselves be worried by the takeover talk.

"In reality I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was unlucky with my injury at the end of last season."

Bari is of course one of a number of players who were hoping for new contracts with uncertainty still over the futures of Chris Todd and Stuart Roberts. "I believe that Toddy has been offered a new contract it's just a case of whether the terms are acceptable to him. As you know, Robbo has been at Rotherham and that fell through but he is back with us, sorry Swansea, for now at least.

"I personally will be training with the players this week as the gaffer has said I can train to keep myself fit. I have an agent and he will be looking to get me a trial or a move, hopefully to a professional club although it will be hard at this stage with many clubs budget's being used up.

"My agent's father is manager at Morecambe so hopefully a trial there will be a possibility but failing that there is always the League of Wales where hopefully clubs may show an interest in me."

On the two days either side of Bari's release, the club signed Nicolas Mazzina and Mamady Sidibe on 12-month contracts, surely that must have hurt? "I think the budgets were there for both players irrespective of whether Robbo stayed or went. We always needed a striker to strengthen the squad and Nicolas is a talented creative midfielder which again is something that maybe we were lacking last season. To be fair Nicolas certainly looks a good player and gets stuck in so no hard feelings towards either player on that front.

"Again, maybe it was a case of wrong time, wrong place as we have plenty of people at the club in my position, it does hurt and as I said before, it would be easier if I had found out earlier in the summer but there are no hard feelings."

Bari is one of several players released from the club in the last few months, with maybe more to follow "JJ was a big loss, I rated him as a player. However, he wanted to play at a higher level and turned down his contract offer which he is entitled to do. I think he is at QPR at the moment and I hope that all works out well for him. Gio was another quality player but hopefully the club have found a decent replacement in John Williams who has proved he can score goals in the third."

It must hurt for a player to be released from the club that offered him the chance to play professional football and Bari admits that he will always be grateful to John Hollins for that chance. There are no grudges held against the club and he wishes them all the best for the future. Maybe we will see him back one day, who knows.

"If I had 6 numbers up on the weekend I have to be honest I would not buy a football club. 6 numbers is a nice amount of money but a football club can take much much more than I could win. Maybe I would put enough in to get myself a contract out of it mind."

I'd like to thank Bari for his time as he must be hurting at the moment and I am sure that I am not alone in wishing him all the best for the future. We hope that he can sort himself out with a club and, having never really had the chance to see him with an extended run in the first team we don't know his full capabilities. Let's hope he can realise them wherever that may be.

Bari Morgan was talking to Phil Sumbler