Bates warning over wages
Ken Bates has warned players to get realistic in their wage demands.
Leeds chairman Ken Bates has warned players looking to move to Elland Road that the club will not be paying 'silly money' in wages.The Yorkshire outfit are still suffering from the massive payouts they gave players when they were in the UEFA Champions League but Bates has now warned that these days are long gone.
A move for Lee Clark has stalled in recent days because of the player's wage demands and according to Bates, too many players are pricing themselves out of the market.
''An awful lot of Premiership players are getting silly money, their expectations are too high and they are going to be in for a real shock this summer,'' Bates told the Yorkshire Post.
''Players cannot adapt to the big drop.
''I know of three players who have been asking for £12,000 a week when the average wage in The Championship is going to be around £3-4,000.
''We have also had one player, who will not even be fit for the new season, asking for £12,000 a week for a two-year deal and his agent wanted another £75,000.
''Well I hope he enjoys his career as a hod carrier.''
Meanwhile, Leeds have been linked with Rotherham goalkeeper Mike Pollitt - also a target for Oldham - and Venezia's Paraguayan striker Rivaldo.
