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Playing a dangerous game
 By
David Thorpe
Stephen Hunt has never been far from controversy.
In his first season in the Premiership he received death threats after
his tackle on Petr Cech left the Chelsea goalkeeper needing life-saving
brain surgery.
Hunt drew praise for his work ethic for club and country as Reading survived
in the Premiership and the gung-ho winger has attracted attention from
a host of other top-flight clubs including Newcastle United, Portsmouth
and Bolton Wanderers.
Despite having only signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract with the
Royals in January Hunt has asked for a new contract and a massive 50 per
cent pay rise.
The Waterford native currently earns around £10,000 a week at the
Madjeski Stadium but claims that other first-team players at the club
earn £15,000 a week and is threatening to move elsewhere if he is
not given a better salary.
That demand has not made Hunt popular with Reading manager Steve Coppell
who said: “We do not negotiate new contracts with players who have
two years left. We can do nothing about other clubs wanting our players
but Stephen has a contract and won’t be going anywhere.”
Coppell has acted as a mentor thoughout 26-year-old Hunt’s career,
signing him for Brentford, Crystal Palace and Reading and he was among
the first to praise Hunt’s contribution at the end of last season.
So the Republic of Ireland international’s demand for more money
from the manager who has taken him from League One to the Premiership
in four years is unlikely to go down well with Reading fans and will surely
dent Hunt’s down-to-earth image.
Given that it has taken Hunt until the age of 26 to reach the top of the
football tree it is perhaps understandable that he wants to make up for
lost time in the financial stakes.
Hunt’s early career was hampered by injuries. While a winger at
Crystal Palace he suffered a broken leg and was out for 14 months at a
time when many bigger clubs were being linked with his signature.
He also picked up an injury which caused him to miss the start of the
last Premierhsip season but since then he has wasted little time in establishing
himself for club and country.
Whether his latest outburst will help to move Hunt on to the next level
or hinder his future career only time will tell but one thing is certain
whatever path Stephen Hunt’s career takes it is unlikely to be dull. |
