This is Clarkeonenil’s regular comment column, cutting through the various passing issues of football and getting to the core principle in the shortest time.

Hidden within the myriad of idiocy that is the Leeds United news merry-go-round last week was a comment from Simon Grayson indicating that all discussions with players whose contracts were ending had stopped until season’s end. Well you can see why, poor Shaun Harvey and Gwyn Williams can’t possibly discuss terms and conditions whilst they have all the important work to do in the last 8 game run-in, like discuss terms and conditions! Of course this unique style of man management where you incentivise all your players to seek Bosman’s is also copied elsewhere, the mighty Crewe Alexandra are also using this template of the successful, financially secure club (although to be fair to Dario Gradi he is doing the equivalent of Grayson’s, Harvey’s and Williams job at Gresty Road). Bottom line is Marques, Ankergran, Hughes, Somma and Judas are on their way out, Dickov and McSheffrey have nowt to come from us come season end and Doyle and Lowry are going back (thankfully). The amount of ins and outs to come at Elland Road this summer, regardless of which division we are in, will rival that of Burnley.

Turf Moor will be an interesting place once relegation is confirmed, what with Brian “1 win in 10” Laws trying to convince the board he can bounce the club straight back up, regardless of the fact nearly all of the present squad will want to leave pronto, it could be an interesting time for outsiders to observe. One of the things we may spot is how little home grown talent is available for the Championship campaign. It is one of life’s great mysteries as to why promoted clubs take on another 15 overpaid professionals (most of which usually have a track record of relegation) and immediately stifle any prospect of a decent young player making a break-through. Oh for a club that gets promoted into the PL and just buys a couple of players to go with what took them up and allows players to progress through!

Meanwhile in Shropshire the stirrings of discontent can be clear heard from the Shrewsbury Town direction. It seems the new stadium and a couple of flirtations with the play-offs have created that old monster expectation in that quiet part of the world. I confess to not being sure how to react, on the one hand there is no reason why the club shouldn’t aim to replicate its 1980’s status as a side in the second tier but equally perhaps the fans should remember they dropped into the Conference not so long ago. The question is this, can Paul Simpson do any more with the players and resources he has? If the answers no then the abuse he complained about this week isn’t worth the effort is it? Speaking of effort, the amount Ipswich Town have to put in to deny “Roy Keane to get sacked this week” stories is astonishing.

The problem at Portman Road stems from Keane’s own reputation. After bailing from Sunderland because he got bored he attracts the attention every time the job looks tricky. This site has suggested before that if a club gives a manager a 3 year target they have to let them use that time. Keane, whether through ability of luck has just done enough to avoid relegation and as such it’s now up to Keane to rectify whatever wasn’t right this season. Constant press speculation isn’t helpful but to be fair the amount of press attention Keane generates can’t be all bad for the club, although they would have to go some to match the amount Newcastle United can generate.

So to clarify, one of your players is in hospital with a wired up jaw because of an assault that had nothing to do with why the club pays the two local boys involved. Got to be said, how Carroll isn’t up for another criminal charge to go with the one he is already facing beggars belief but much worse than that Taylor has to witness Newcastle acting like West Ham did when Hartson so publically attacked his team-mate. When are clubs going to stop indulging thugs and start sacking them?

The sack would be too good for the likes of Portsmouth’s “footballing consultant” Peter Storrie. I look forward to his advice to the administrator after relegation is confirmed and the PL pass on to the FL the dossier than would have made Chainrai fail a “fit and proper” test had the PL had the balls to do one. The problem for Chainrai is that he needs to close the book on all the infighing and intrege around Pompey but that can only happen if he re-buys the club and that opens up a whole new can of worms. The administrator, Andrew Andronikou has been laying the ground work for Chainrai to become official owner; we shall see how the FL reacts.

In the Championship next season Portsmouth could play the club Andronikou last was administrator for, Swindon Town. Notwithstanding the complications of the L1 promotion race one can only marvel at the job Danny Wilson has done at the County Ground. He even saw something in Jonathan Douglas that we never saw in 160 appearances. Wilson must have loved the win at Hartlepool last week given how they ignored his record and dismissed him. Sometimes a manager needs a couple of jobs to get his ability back on track and in this case well done Mr Wilson. Some other managers however could get a million jobs and still be rubbish.

Competition time, who does this quote belong to? “It’s a big rebuilding job here. Let’s get real – you can’t keep [making progress] with part-time staff. There’s only nine players left at the end of the season. Seven who played on Sunday won’t be here in a few weeks. People criticise knowing the problems there are here you get frustrated because you know how great the club is and what’s expected. I know what the fans want because I want exactly the same”. Leeds United and Luton Town fans disqualified because they will have heard it all before from the best Mr Delusion in football management history.