Tigers boss laments lack of loyalty
February 03, 2012 09:49:33 UK
Leicester Tigers' director of rugby Richard Cockerill says rugby is going 'football crazy' when it comes to the transfer market.
The beginning of January - the time when players who are out of contract in the summer are officially allowed to talk to other clubs - signals the start of the 'silly season' where speculation about player movement is rife.
It's an unsettling time of year for every squad.
Richard Cockerill
Leicester know that only too well this year, with several of their players linked with moves away from the club - two of them confirmed in recent weeks following the announcement that Billy Twelvetrees and George Skivington would be joining Gloucester and London Irish respectively in the summer.
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"That's the nature of the business; it's an unsettling time of year for every squad," said Leicester's director of rugby.
"Some guys have their contracts renewed and are settled; some are undecided about what they want to do; some may not get their contracts offered as early as they would like; or the clubs, like the players, are seeing what's out there; that's just the way it is.
"The longer the game stays professional it will become more like football every year; you see that in the way it is reported in the press; you see that in the way agents deal with things; and you see it in the way that the new era of players deal with things. I think it is here to stay."
The Tigers are 1.36 to win this year's Grand Final while Saracens can be backed at 6.00 and Harlequins at 3.00.
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