Kennedy to make plea to Sale star Hodgson
Neil Leigh
SHARKS INFLUENCE: Charlie Hodgson
Sale owner Brian Kennedy will this week launch an 11th hour personal crusade to try and persuade talisman Charlie Hodgson to reject the lure of a move away from Edgeley Park and to instead sign a new long-term contract with the Sharks.
Prior to Mike Brewer's abrupt sacking a fortnight ago, the England fly-half was certain to leave Sale with Saracens believed to have all but confirmed his capture.
However, the departure of the abrasive Kiwi, who was dismissive in his attitude to the Sale playmaker, and the subsequent promotion of Hodgson's ex-Sale team-mate Pete Anglesea as head coach has given the Sharks a glimmer of hope that they could yet persuade the 30-year-old to see out his illustrious career at the club he has served with such distinction for the past decade.
To that end, Kennedy is set to hold personal talks with the Yorkshireman to see if he can yet be persuaded to do a U-turn in his thinking and hand the club what would be a huge New Year fillip.
It's fair to say Kennedy will need to use all his powers of persuasion judging by comments Hodgson made prior to Sunday's thrilling 28-22 win over a Sarries side desperate to recruit England's most talented playmaker.
"It is a big decision and I'm nor ruling out moving," Hodgson revealed last week.
"Finding somewhere else will be a tough decision because Sale is my club and they have always been good to me.
"Being involved in relegation battles doesn't appeal to me – that is definitely a factor. Life after rugby is a factor, too – in three or four years I will be thinking about retiring."
For his part, Anglesea – who spent much of his playing career acting as a human shield to protect Hodgson from rampaging forwards – admits he is desperate not to see Hodgson walk away as he looks to rebuild the club's fortunes.
"At the end of the day, Charlie is my friend. We played together for a long time and I've always been there for him," said Anglesea.
"I think Charlie will make what he sees as the best decision for him. Of course I would love him to stay and I've already spoken to him about it.
"That's all in the balance right now as we don't know at this moment in time what Charlie is thinking.
"But one thing I am really pleased about is to see him back playing."
Also playing his part in trying to persuade Hodgson to nail his colours to the Stockport mast is long-standing Sale and England colleague and close personal friend Mark Cueto.
The newly-appointed Sharks skipper has spent the best part of a decade starring alongside Hodgson for Sale, England and the British Lions and he says that if the club are to be a force once again they must move heaven and earth to persuade the playmaker his future is best served by staying at Sale.
"Charlie and I are constantly talking," Cueto revealed.
"Charlie's world class and he's an international fly-half and he's make a difference in any team We all know what a difference he makes every time he plays for Sale and what we're like with him and what we're like without him.
"The club are going to have to make a massive push to keep him - particularly if we are seriously talking about moving forward in the next two or three years. Guys like him we've got to keep and we've got to make a massive effort to keep.
"Stability is vital. The best teams are those that have been together for a few years. England's 2003 World Cup team, teams that win the Premiership year in, year out... they are the teams that consistently put the same teams out, week in, week out.
"We've got 20 players out of contract this year which is far too many. The top clubs generally have three or four leaving and the same number coming in and that's where we need to get to."
While Sale sweat on Hodgson's long-term fate, one departure from Edgeley Park has already been confirmed.
American scum-half Mike Petri has left Sale and joined Welsh club Newport Gwent Dragons for the rest of the season. Petri arrived last summer, but failed to break through into the first team.
http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereve...210_kennedy_to_make_plea_to_sale_star_hodgson
Sale it appears are fu*ked. Looks like they're in the same position now that I remember Saints being in just after Solomons departed.
Neil Leigh
SHARKS INFLUENCE: Charlie Hodgson
Sale owner Brian Kennedy will this week launch an 11th hour personal crusade to try and persuade talisman Charlie Hodgson to reject the lure of a move away from Edgeley Park and to instead sign a new long-term contract with the Sharks.
Prior to Mike Brewer's abrupt sacking a fortnight ago, the England fly-half was certain to leave Sale with Saracens believed to have all but confirmed his capture.
However, the departure of the abrasive Kiwi, who was dismissive in his attitude to the Sale playmaker, and the subsequent promotion of Hodgson's ex-Sale team-mate Pete Anglesea as head coach has given the Sharks a glimmer of hope that they could yet persuade the 30-year-old to see out his illustrious career at the club he has served with such distinction for the past decade.
To that end, Kennedy is set to hold personal talks with the Yorkshireman to see if he can yet be persuaded to do a U-turn in his thinking and hand the club what would be a huge New Year fillip.
It's fair to say Kennedy will need to use all his powers of persuasion judging by comments Hodgson made prior to Sunday's thrilling 28-22 win over a Sarries side desperate to recruit England's most talented playmaker.
"It is a big decision and I'm nor ruling out moving," Hodgson revealed last week.
"Finding somewhere else will be a tough decision because Sale is my club and they have always been good to me.
"Being involved in relegation battles doesn't appeal to me – that is definitely a factor. Life after rugby is a factor, too – in three or four years I will be thinking about retiring."
For his part, Anglesea – who spent much of his playing career acting as a human shield to protect Hodgson from rampaging forwards – admits he is desperate not to see Hodgson walk away as he looks to rebuild the club's fortunes.
"At the end of the day, Charlie is my friend. We played together for a long time and I've always been there for him," said Anglesea.
"I think Charlie will make what he sees as the best decision for him. Of course I would love him to stay and I've already spoken to him about it.
"That's all in the balance right now as we don't know at this moment in time what Charlie is thinking.
"But one thing I am really pleased about is to see him back playing."
Also playing his part in trying to persuade Hodgson to nail his colours to the Stockport mast is long-standing Sale and England colleague and close personal friend Mark Cueto.
The newly-appointed Sharks skipper has spent the best part of a decade starring alongside Hodgson for Sale, England and the British Lions and he says that if the club are to be a force once again they must move heaven and earth to persuade the playmaker his future is best served by staying at Sale.
"Charlie and I are constantly talking," Cueto revealed.
"Charlie's world class and he's an international fly-half and he's make a difference in any team We all know what a difference he makes every time he plays for Sale and what we're like with him and what we're like without him.
"The club are going to have to make a massive push to keep him - particularly if we are seriously talking about moving forward in the next two or three years. Guys like him we've got to keep and we've got to make a massive effort to keep.
"Stability is vital. The best teams are those that have been together for a few years. England's 2003 World Cup team, teams that win the Premiership year in, year out... they are the teams that consistently put the same teams out, week in, week out.
"We've got 20 players out of contract this year which is far too many. The top clubs generally have three or four leaving and the same number coming in and that's where we need to get to."
While Sale sweat on Hodgson's long-term fate, one departure from Edgeley Park has already been confirmed.
American scum-half Mike Petri has left Sale and joined Welsh club Newport Gwent Dragons for the rest of the season. Petri arrived last summer, but failed to break through into the first team.
http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereve...210_kennedy_to_make_plea_to_sale_star_hodgson
Sale it appears are fu*ked. Looks like they're in the same position now that I remember Saints being in just after Solomons departed.
