DCFC Ram

fascinating stuff.

Is DCFC still Keogh's employer then?

and not much more after it has, I suspect.

'It was (one of: Carson, Forsyth, Christie, Lowe or Bogle)'s fault'

a non disclosure agreement and it all quietly goes away - is a possibility

From my reading of the DT report. It may be that MM's decisions regarding Keogh and the other two were simply business.

The club would pay Keogh X to the end of his contract, he would contribute little or nothing to the playing side of the business during that period. His saleable value during the contract will be minimal. His saleable value would be less than X at the close of his contract. So bad business. So bye.

The other two would cost Y and Z respectively to the end of their contracts and they could contribute positively to the playing side of the business during that period. They have saleable values during their contract. They also have saleable values at the ends of their contracts (to different extents, of course). So ok business. So they get to stay.

MM's line may well be why should he a business hit by sacking the 2 younger players.

Selling them being a different proposition altogether. 

The photo allegedly taken on the evening (with the member of public) may show who was there. It may have been that not all opted to appear in the photo though, I guess. There was talk at the time of a younger player having been involved. It was also suggested that he was in the passenger front seat. Looking at the photo of the car, if he was in it, it would have shook him up at the least.

19 minutes ago, Ramleicester said:

Hmmmm. Well having been involved in employment and sports law for the last 30 years you are spot on.... but.

Sports contracts (football rugby cricket etc) all cater for long term injuries. If they did not then every time a player got injured they could be sacked or have pay cut. Indeed Keogh I am sure hopes to play again. (Think about it... George Thorne would never have been paid).

In any event Keogh has been sacked for gross misconduct not incapacity. The presumption is then that he carried out an act of gross misconduct in line with his contract. Also that it must have been more / worse that the other two muppets who were driving.

In terms of gross misconduct the scope in a sportsmans contract is pretty wide in that they are allowed to get away with a fair bit more than the average employee due to their asset value ( unfair but there you go).

The list tends to be along the lines but not limited to....

Criminal act leading to prison

Alcohol or drug abuse but amazingly sometimes alcohol is on the misconduct rather than gross misconduct category.

Bringing the club into serious disrepute - being captain gives him higher responsibility.

So I guess he could have ticked two of those boxes .... so the offer of a contract change... which he refused... so yes he deserved to go.

Phew long way around saying we agree (kind of).

In hindsight, experience should probably have shown that the club's (in my view) morally bankrupt decision to start Lawrence at Barnsley and bring on Bennett in the game - prior to the court case - would quickly be eclipsed. So, my views on that decision are unchanged. However, I'm too interested in 'Keoghgate' to stay away from this excellent forum.

So here's my threepenneth.

Regarding RL's excellent post. I too was surprised that the club didn't go down the route of 'unable to fulfil his contract due to his behaviour away from his job' type reasoning. The 'gross misconduct' does invite comparison's with the decisions of / club's stance with the 2 drivers.  The 'unable to fulfil' reasoning would make sense it that the 2 are and Keogh isn't.

Obviously there may be all sorts of reasons for the club's decision/statement.

Something that did surprise me was the information release on the day of the 'sacking'. As I recall it, DT seemed to be aware of the pay cut/sacking threat first - then they announced the 'sacking' a little later. It could be that the club briefed DT - but it didn't feel like a club announcement to me. 

anyway - cheers all!