Shaun Barker

[G STAR RAM]

Anyone know what has become of him?

Is he still around the club?

Surprised he is not playing regularly given that so many of our medical experts on here were saying it was wrong to get rid of him?

[North_Stand_Ram]

Had a chat with him at the Derby quad. Unfortunately he's had no offers. But he's currently doing media work with Radio Lancashire with Blackpool which is good!

[DEL]

That's means retirement then. 

[MackworthRamIsGod]

Gutted seeing as he was playing regularly for the u21s before being released...

Still really sad to think a move off the ball ended the career of our captain. 

 

[needles]

Surely got to be worth a pay as you play at Notts County or somewhere. Feel for the bloke.

[sage]

That's means retirement then. 

Not necessarily, injuries pile up over the winter, so he still has the Xmas/January time to find somewhere.

[deano180]

If he's that desperate to play football again I'm sure a conference side would have taken him on? 

[Carl Sagan]

As a free agent he can be signed up at any time. Having miraculously achieved a decent level of fitness, through incredible dedication and hard graft, I would suggest not risking his health if he doesn't need the money. But as has been said above, if he's desperate to play, it's simply a question of going down to a level where he's offered a deal. If money's not the issue, I'm sure a club somewhere would take his registration and give him the chance to prove himself.

[Dimmu]

Hopefully he will follow his heart and starts raising orphan kittens.

[whiteroseram]

I van understand teams not wanting to instantly risk giving him a 2 year contract but im suprised he's not been on trail somewhere at least given a chance to prove his fitness maybe with view to a pay as you play deal. As some of you said it could well still happen 

[Day]

I'm not surprised, nothing against Barker at all as a person. Had a certain manager been in employment that would have been his only hope.

Still surprised by the amount of people that were saying give him another year to prove himself. 

[Sith Happens]

I cant imagine its as simple as just offering a pay as you play, there is the cost involved in drawing up contracts, has to be some sort of minimum payment plan i would think. Add to that coaching costs, and potentially costs incurred should there be a recurrance of an injury.

Maybe had it been 5 years ago and he was younger then he may have got some sort of deal. Still hope he does, but reckon that went out the window when Clough left Sheff Utd. Maybe when clough takes charge of Burton when hasslebank moves on to another club.

 

[TroyDyer]

Mainly concentrating on his charity now I think. 

It's doing really well and his wife Becky is opening her own business shortly. 

Been working alot with Derby live and other organisations in the city. 

[Ilsonram12]

He must have a crap agent if no offers have surfaced

[Bald Eagle's Barmy Army]

He's spoken to Clough who is confident of landing a League One managers job when one comes up, probably in the next 4-8 weeks and Clough has guaranteed him a deal which is why he hasn't signed for anybody else.

Just my guess BTW.

[Papahet]

So Mansfield, Alfreton and Notts County aren't interested in a former championship defender? I find that very hard to believe, regardless of his injury problems.

You'd be willing to play for nowt if you was that eager to get back into the game and prove yourself.

Blackpool/Rotherham are another club(s) who surely would have taken an interest in bringing him back for a look.

[Stive Pesley]

Question is - if he's been let go, where is he maintaining his fitness?

[eddie]

So Mansfield, Alfreton and Notts County aren't interested in a former championship defender? I find that very hard to believe, regardless of his injury problems.

You'd be willing to play for nowt if you was that eager to get back into the game and prove yourself.

Blackpool/Rotherham are another club(s) who surely would have taken an interest in bringing him back for a look.

There may be insurance implications

[Gypsy Ram]

There may be insurance implications

I read somewhere that we didn't have insurance on players up until this season. I could be wrong. So I doubt those smaller sides have insurance.

But would any manager want to risk having the guy go out with a serious knee injury that could leave him limping for the rest of his life.

I am happy for Barker to be fit again and walking, running and jumping again at u21 level. But seriously, the guy has so much potential outside of football, and he's still young in the professional world. My opinion is that he should pursue that (media, charity, art and fashion) career and forgot about playing. That's what I would do. 

[oomarkwright]

i would expect shaun to be taken on at Burton Albion when Clough returns there after JFH gets a job in the champ or PL between Dec to Feb.