Alex Goode: Saracens player signs new deal but sees ex-team-mates 'suffering'
- Published
Alex Goode made his senior debut for Saracens in 2008
Gallagher Premiership semi-final: Saracens v Northampton Saints |
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Venue: StoneX Stadium Date: Saturday, 13 May Kick-off: 15:30 BST |
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Radio London & BBC Radio Northamptonshire; live text coverage on BBC Sport website & app |
Alex Goode has secured his future by signing a new contract at Saracens, but says it has been "worrying" watching former team-mates "suffering" during a turbulent season for other clubs.
Former top-flight teams Wasps and Worcester have gone out of business in the past seven months, and London Irish are also in financial difficulty.
Goode called on Premiership Rugby to provide "clarity" and "certainty".
"That fear and anxiety for players must have been horrendous," he said.
Full-back Goode, 35, is preparing for Saracens' Premiership semi-final against Northampton at the StoneX Stadium on Saturday.
Sarries have won their past 15 Premiership home games - dating back to January 2022 - and Goode said the next fortnight would be a "huge buzz".
But he added: "I just hope for the future that things are sorted out and there is that clarity moving forward."
Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby bosses are in talks over a new long-form agreement to run from next year onwards, with both parties stressing a collaborative approach. PRL has promised a 'rebirth' of the league in 2024-2025.
Referring to Irish's players being paid late for April, Goode said: "You fear the worst when you hear this stuff.
"I think that's a very scary time, especially if you have a family, and even more so if you're providing for other people. When's the next pay cheque? What you're going to do about your mortgage. Where are we going to be living? Am I even going to have a career? That stuff is very serious and worrying and has a huge effect mentally.
"That been the overriding factor, and it's a shame because there's been some of the best attacking rugby in the Premiership we've ever seen. It should be really exciting, but it's tinged with that real worry."
'Players want to know where the game's headed'
Goode, who won 21 England caps, suggested the league should be run by an "independent person" rather than the club owners.
"You can't just have every owner having their input," he said. "Nothing gets done, or it's always at the lowest level or the team that wants to bring it to the lowest level decides what happens and you can't ever grow the game.
"Having an independent person in charge of Premiership Rugby would be the most important thing."
Goode has won the Premiership five times - the last in 2018.
He said he felt "more excited" this year than he had previously - and put that down to his age.
"I guess when you're young, you think it's going to happen quite a lot," he said.
"At my age... last chance you're going to get... how many opportunities are you going to get you have to take them?"
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