Pros

Joseph to consider holding out over contract By Andrew Hush
April 18, 2007

Shalrie Joseph will consider refusing to play for the Revolution if his ongoing dispute with the club and MLS over a new contract is not resolved.

Speaking to Soccer New England after the Revs’ training session on Tuesday morning, the Grenadian midfielder revealed that no further progress has been made towards a new deal. With both sides at an impasse, Joseph revealed that he may have to take drastic action to resolve the situation:

Shalrie Joseph (Photo by Chris Aduama)

“No, nothing is going on and, sooner or later, I am going to have to make a decision whether to continue playing or to hold out. I hope it doesn’t come to that point but I’ve got to do something that is going to help me, basically, push them to make a decision.”

According to Joseph’s agent, Ron Waxman, earlier this year the Revolution made a ‘final offer’ of a new contract to the 28-year-old that would have seen the player earn a guaranteed annual salary of $300,000 over the first two years. Joseph’s current contract, which expires at the end of the 2008 season, pays an annual salary of approximately $167,500.

The figure offered by New England, continued Waxman, fell $10,000 under Joseph’s wage demands and that, coupled with further disagreement over potential bonuses, led to Joseph requesting a trade in March. Almost one month later, and with no sign that a solution to the dispute is imminent, Joseph admits he is facing a difficult decision about whether to play or not:

“It’s really hard; I was hoping it wouldn’t come to that point at all but they leave no other choice and I have just got to do what it best for me at this point in time.”

As per organizational policy, the Revolution refused to make any specific public comment on the issue of the contract negotiations. However, Director of Soccer, Michael Burns, did admit that he hoped that Joseph would not refuse to play.

“As I have said before, we are not going to comment on Shalrie’s particular situation, or any other player’s for that matter,” said Burns. “Having said that, if that is, in fact, what he said, we obviously hope that is not the case and that, if it comes to that, he would reconsider his position.”

Adding that the Revolution would have to deal with a hold-out ‘if and when it happens’, Burns reiterated the club’s desire to hold on to Joseph. Furthermore, he insisted, there is still the chance to work things out to the satisfaction of both sides:

“We have dedicated a lot of time and energy to try to sort something out and, to this point, we haven’t been able to do so but we value Shalrie as a member of this team and would like him to remain a member of this team. The door has never been closed on our end.”

Meanwhile, Revolution coach, Steve Nicol, said that he realized that the breakdown in talks made for a difficult situation before reaffirming his own desire to keep Joseph, who marked his return to first-team action on Saturday with the Revolution’s third goal against Toronto FC.

“Shalrie is such a good pro that he always turns up and trains and plays,” said Nicol. “It is a difficult situation for him more than anybody but, you know, I guess we are kind of stuck. It’s the same old thing: why would I want to let go of a player, not only of the quality of Shalrie, but of the leadership that he brings to our team?”

Nicol added that he hoped the increasingly protracted saga would not become a major disruption to his side and, for now, the situation does not seem to be having any obvious effect. Indeed, Joseph is confident that he has the backing of his teammates.

“With the senior guys, I have talked to them about it and they understand what I am going through,” said Joseph. “They know how the MLS is and they know how negotiations go. They have given me their support and hopefully we can work this out.”

Tuesday’s comments from Joseph represent a shift in his rhetoric. Prior to that point, there had been no question that he would consider refusing to play. Now, having seen his trade request bear no fruit and with no immediate plans apparent to begin negotiating again, the threat of effectively going on strike has been broached for the first time.

Joseph mentioned no timetable for when he would take such action and it remains to be seen whether such a scenario plays out. For now, though, there exists the very real possibility that a lynchpin of the Revolution throughout the last five years, may take the ultimate step and refuse to pull on the uniform.

Joseph maintains that he doesn’t want that to happen but insists that he will sit out if he does not get the new contract he believes he deserves:

“We have got a great group of guys in this locker room and I can only see us getting to the finals every year if we keep our squad together. I would love to play; I would love to finish my career in MLS and especially for the New England Revolution but, as I said, that decision is not up to me right now. (The Revolution) have the ball in their court and they have to do what is right for them.”