Sodje stuck in contract limbo

9:08am Thursday 22nd May 2008

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EFE Sodje is demanding his contract stand-off with Gillingham is resolved quickly as he looks to continue his career.

The Shakers target has been told he is surplus to requirements at Priestfield, but still has 18 months left on his current deal.

Gills boss Mark Stimson revealed earlier this week that the club were trying to agree a package with the 35-year-old, which would enable him to talk to other clubs as a free agent.

But Sodje, who impressed in a three-month loan spell last season, says no contact has been made.

The 2002 World Cup star has been hurt by allegations from the Gillingham camp which suggest he booked a holiday to clash with extra pre-season training, brought back to the unusually early date of June 3.

And though the defender offered to return for training a fortnight earlier, to make up time, he insists his efforts have also been met by a wall of silence at Priestfield.

"The manager has made his feelings quite clear with what comments he has made this week, and to other players," Sodje said.

"Pretty much from the day he came to the club, he told me I would never play for Gillingham while he was in charge.

"I have tried to continue professionally and I have never once asked to leave. As far as I am concerned, I am still a Gillingham player.

"Obviously, if you are not in the manager's plans, then it is time to leave. If they want me to go, then they know what to do. If they come up with a package, I will go.

"People have come up to me and said I am a Bury player - I am not. I know how they feel about me, but we have not spoken in those terms."

Knill is keen to bring Sodje on board, but must first wait for the player to get clear of what is rapidly becoming a messy situation with the club he signed for last summer.

The centre-half made just 12 league starts, three for Stimson, before fracturing his eye socket in a game against Yeovil. In the interim three months before his return, Sodje was told to leave the club on loan.

He turned down Wrexham to come to Gigg Lane where he played the last 16 games of the season, scoring once, and helping to secure the Shakers' survival in League Two.

Stimson said this week that he, too, would like to see a quick end to the negotiations as he looked to rebuild his relegated squad.

"In an ideal world it would be great if we could come to some agreement," he said. "The chairman is trying to see if we could cancel Efe's contract because he is not in my plans for next season.

"He's not going to be here in June because he's got a holiday booked and that tells me something.

"He'll be back by pre-season (July 1) and maybe something will be sorted out then."

Should Sodje's situation be resolved, it is by no means a foregone conclusion that he will be back in a Bury shirt next season.

Knill has expressed his interest in signing the former Macclesfield and Huddersfield defender but has already admitted that his form over the last few months could attract bids from other clubs on his release.