Blackett confirming in the Coventry Telegraph tonight:
1) We’re not in a position to offer contracts to Wuss players.
2) We can’t offer contract extensions at the moment
3) Another meeting was held today to explain the new NOI. Vaughan and Holland explaining. Blackett didn’t give details but said it was “honest and positive”.
4) He expects something to happen soon rather than in a long time off at which point his priority will be “player retention”.
I guess point 4 is the most positive!
That's bad news about contract negotiations. If you were a player, would you hold on in the hope it gets resolved? Or would you take the security of a signed deal elsewhere? I know what I'd do.
In the normal scheme of things, Wasps would have already made contract extension offers by this point in the season, and also told those who would not receive such offers that they were on their way out. Those players will likely have been told that. The players Wasps want to keep, will have been told, we would like to keep you, but can't offer anything just yet. And, as you say, their agents will be working on Plan B. Some players will have said that they do not want to sign an extension/new contract anyway. To retire or move on. But, unlike other clubs, Wasps really can't be out there to fill the gaps they will now have. As a result, the squad is most likely to be weaker than this year. If we get to next year that is.