Source: Team_Talk
Murphy issues contract warning
Fulham captain Danny Murphy has urged new boss Mark Hughes to secure the long-term futures of his existing players. [LNB] The first-team squad Hughes inherited from Roy Hodgson this summer includes up to seven players who have less than a year remaining on their deals. [LNB]Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is expected to join Arsenal before the end of the transfer window, while left-back Paul Konchesky could be poised for a reunion with Hodgson at Liverpool. [LNB]And 33-year-old skipper Murphy, who has been at Craven Cottage since 2007, has called on Hughes to make player contracts a primary focus if he wants to avoid an exodus at the club. [LNB]"Strangely enough, and I don't know why the club has let it happen, but seven or eight of the squad are into the last year of their contracts," Murphy told the Daily Mirror. [LNB]"I don't think that's particularly healthy, and not many clubs allow that to happen. I think it's important that we get it sorted as a club because it is difficult for players to be having a year left on their contracts.[LNB]"It's different for me because I'm a bit older and, when you reach my age, you start doing it year by year, but for a lot of the other lads it's an unsettling time - you have other clubs coming in for them and you worry about getting injured with only a year left on your contract.[LNB]"New additions are all very well and good, but I think we need to get the players with a year left tied down and keep as many of the squad together as possible.[LNB]"Obviously when players do well they can move on to bigger and better things - I know Arsenal are chasing Schwarzer and Liverpool are after Konchesky - and I don't know whether we will be able to keep them, it's out of my hands.[LNB]"But you can't buy experience and you don't want to be losing key members of your squad."
