'My job to' - Paul Heckingbottom's stance after fresh comments on Preston North End player contracts
Director Peter Ridsdale had his say on the contract situation at PNE this week
Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom is not too concerned about expiring contracts affecting performances of players.
It is a topic the 47-year-old has been asked a lot about, in press conferences over the last few weeks. On Tuesday, PNE director Peter Ridsdale went on talkSPORT to discuss the matter. He suggested that four or five players will most likely leave, while at least three will probably stay beyond the summer of 2025.
In that group are plenty of first team players, who Heckingbottom is playing regularly at present. Freddie Woodman, Jordan Storey, Emil Riis, Liam Lindsay, Andrew Hughes, Duane Holmes, Robbie Brady and Ryan Ledson are all in their final years at Deepdale.
On the back of Ridsdale’s comments, Heckingbottom was quizzed about the dynamic. As has been the case, the Preston manager was relatively relaxed about it. If anything, he put the onus on himself to deal with the variety of ways players react to the situation.
“Can it affect? Well, it's my job to make sure it doesn't affect anyone, do you know what I mean?" said Heckingbottom. "Everyone's circumstances are different and everyone reacts differently. When your contract is coming to the end, some players will want to stay and some players will want to move.
“Some players will react positively to the situation, whether it is to try and earn a contract elsewhere or try earn a contract here. Some players may feel stifled by it - the anxiety from it. But, it's the same every year. So, there is no yes or no to that... every situation and player is different."