Source: Team_Talk
Pompey stars look set for swansong
Several of Portsmouth's players may not play for the club again after Sunday's FA Cup semi-final due to expensive clauses in their contracts.[LNB] Six of the south-coast club's players would trigger clauses - known as bullet payments - in their contracts that guarantee them a renewal of their contracts, or will entitle them to a range of cash payments.[LNB]While the club's administrator Andrew Andronikou would not reveal the names of any of the players involved, he did divulge that one of the club's players may not be able to feature against Tottenham at Wembley due to an agreement within his current contract at Fratton Park.[LNB]He told Soccernet: "This affects five or six players who will not be allowed to play after the semi-final, and one who might not be allowed to play in the semi-final.[LNB]"This all revolves around clauses in their current contracts which mean that the semi-final triggers a set number of games that either means the player is entitled, automatically, to have his contract renewed for next season, or that it triggers a variety of cash payments ranging from £100,000 to £50,000.[LNB]"So, if a player plays at Wembley he would trigger a new contract the club cannot afford, or if he reaches 20 or 25 games, it triggers cash payments, some of £100,000.[LNB]"These bullet payments means that they can play in the semi-final, but not play another game after it, unless they waiver those payments.[LNB]"That would be tragic for the player if the team are in the FA Cup final, but it will be the players', or their agents', decisions. They are going to have to forfeit those contractual obligations or they cannot play again.[LNB]"As the club is in administration and as the administrator, I am not in a position to allow these payments or indeed to allow the players to automatically renew their contracts for next season."[LNB]Andronikou also said that he would not interfere with Grant's team selection, but that he had made the former Chelsea boss aware of the monetary connotations.[LNB]"Naturally I am trying to stay out of the way and leave the manager to manage the team for such a big game, but he is aware of the financial issues involved," Andronikou added.
