Interesting interview with Lima

[Neils]

https://youtu.be/I9RUGVfuo2c

[jamestaylor002]

What I found interesting was Lima's comments regarding the difference in approach to the sport in each hemisphere and is likely the reason why we have found that the 6N have had relatively more commercial success than the Rugby Championship.

[baldpaul101]

Interesting comments about the pay cuts & who he wasn't told anything, but not clear whether that was really early days or not.

Admitted he is taking a 25%  pay cut and obviously wasn't overly happy with it (who would be). Interesting point about other players who re-signed on longer contracts who were rewarded with smaller pay cuts, 10 or 15%.

A lot of people on here have been, in my view slightly prematurely, congratulating Wasps on the job they've done contract wise, there's a few comments in there that suggest maybe all is not as good as could be hoped, but probably as best as could be expected! No one wants to take a pay cut after all!

[WonkyWasp]

But if it's a choice between 'less pay' and  'no job'  there isn't a choice really.  I know which I'd take.

[Neils]

Interesting comments about the pay cuts & who he wasn't told anything, but not clear whether that was really early days or not.

Admitted he is taking a 25%  pay cut and obviously wasn't overly happy with it (who would be). Interesting point about other players who re-signed on longer contracts who were rewarded with smaller pay cuts, 10 or 15%.

A lot of people on here have been, in my view slightly prematurely, congratulating Wasps on the job they've done contract wise, there's a few comments in there that suggest maybe all is not as good as could be hoped, but probably as best as could be expected! No one wants to take a pay cut after all!

The "congratulations " were based on the lack of public display of discord unlike other teams plus the Dan Robson quotes on how Wasps went about it. Lima was miffed at people contacting him based on a Daily Mail article wrapping Wasps up in comments about a number of teams before Wasps had made contact with anyone. I also wonder if not being included in the extended contracts has upset him.

[jamestaylor002]

Interesting comments about the pay cuts & who he wasn't told anything, but not clear whether that was really early days or not.

Admitted he is taking a 25%  pay cut and obviously wasn't overly happy with it (who would be). Interesting point about other players who re-signed on longer contracts who were rewarded with smaller pay cuts, 10 or 15%.

A lot of people on here have been, in my view slightly prematurely, congratulating Wasps on the job they've done contract wise, there's a few comments in there that suggest maybe all is not as good as could be hoped, but probably as best as could be expected! No one wants to take a pay cut after all!

The "congratulations " were based on the lack of public display of discord unlike other teams plus the Dan Robson quotes on how Wasps went about it. Lima was miffed at people contacting him based on a Daily Mail article wrapping Wasps up in comments about a number of teams before Wasps had made contact with anyone. I also wonder if not being included in the extended contracts has upset him.

I picked up on that too regarding extended contracts and whilst I appreciate we won't know what has been said behind closed doors, I hope this isn't an indication of Lima's future with Wasps. I know he had a difficult start with Wasps, which he discusses, but I've pleased with how things are going for him now.

[Raggs]

Thing is that Daily Mail article came out well in advance of all of this. Saying it was only Wasps and Glaws I believe that were putting in place 25% paycuts. Now it's the whole league pretty much. I think the Mail dislike us (or have a writer that does), so often seem to try and stick the knife in.

In addition, that was 25% paycut when a legal option could have been to simply furlough the players. I'd expect furlough money would have been closer to a 90% paycut for the likes of Sops.

Considering there weren't threats of leavers, and we weren't mentioned in other articles pointing out those clubs that had handled it badly, it makes me think that whilst we were looking at this perhaps earlier than other clubs, that extra time to prepare may have meant we approached the players in a better fashion.

The fact that Lima took a 25% cut could suggest he plans on staying here longer term, equally, maybe it doesn't, since he could have taken perhaps a smaller cut for a longer contract. Or that we only wanted him for 1 more season.

[baldpaul101]

I do wonder whether clubs as a whole are storing up issues for the future.

Tying up players on longer deals for less money in the short term sounds good now, but what if the flow of money never returns as expected & there's no money for the postponed payments?
What if the player has a sudden dip in form or a series on injuries, clubs could be stuck with players they can't move on as easily.

More importantly if players are thinking they are being shafted and the situation means they can't do anything about it (whether that's right or not, many players clearly do feel they have got the raw end of this) when things settle down, I can see a lot of player un-rest. Possible industrial action over the next issue (image rights or maybe clubs trying to get out of long contracts they persuaded players to sign), players leaving clubs as soon as they can, potentially leaving the country too.

No one in rugby seems to have come out of this well, I can't see this will end for a while & may play out in ways we can't imagine yet.

[Chunky24]

There is slightly different tone of interview with Lima from rugbypass here.

https://amp.rugbypass.com/news/my-mental-health-took-a-pretty-big-hit-it-just-all-snowballed-man-sopoaga-wasps/?__twitter_impression=true

[Rossm]

Thanks for the link, chunk. Very interesting read. I remember how obvious it was in the final three games before lockdown, that the black cloud had lifted and Sops at FB was enjoying his rugby again. Different player entirely.

[DGP Wasp]

Nice piece.  Very honest assessment by Lima, and good to hear that he's now enjoying being here.

Only one bit I'd really take issue with:
"Stuart Barnes, one of British rugby’s foremost pundits"

[baldpaul101]

One thing there which is slightly worrying. When the club doctor spotted Lima was struggling, they referred him to the RPA, I wold have hoped the club would have supplied the required counselling or whatever the correct term is for what was required. I'm not suggesting that the RPA don't do a good job, just would have expected the club to have someone he could see. Hopefully, given the comments from Dai & others about the importance of mental health, this has now improved...

[coddy]

Sops confiding his problems with the club first and then the RPA seems a natural and sensible thing to me.

It strikes me though that as he still yearns to play Fly Half I doubt very much if he'll be around after his current contract expires unless something unexpected happens to Jacob.

[Chunky24]

Sops confiding his problems with the club first and then the RPA seems a natural and sensible thing to me.

It strikes me though that as he still yearns to play Fly Half I doubt very much if he'll be around after his current contract expires unless something unexpected happens to Jacob.

I would have thought seeing his mates watching and playing rugby in NZ at the moment would have removed any thoughts he had of extending his stay any further and who could blame him.

[Hymenoptera]

Sops confiding his problems with the club first and then the RPA seems a natural and sensible thing to me.

It strikes me though that as he still yearns to play Fly Half I doubt very much if he'll be around after his current contract expires unless something unexpected happens to Jacob.

I would have thought seeing his mates watching and playing rugby in NZ at the moment would have removed any thoughts he had of extending his stay any further and who could blame him.

Given his mates are rumoured to have accepted upto 50% reduction in pay and are not coining in a revised near 400k GBP i reckon he's fine with staying.