Transfer Watch #2: All quiet on the Western front
Shhhhhhhh. Can you hear that? It’s like a rustling. Very, very soft. Nearly nothing, but it’s there. That’s the sound of agents counting their cash. Only, it’s a bit quiet at the moment, like they’re all on holiday or something. Hmmmmm.
Well, one man who isn’t on holiday is J’Lloyd Samuel, who has signed his contract at
Bolton to become Little Sam’s first ever big signing. And by ‘big’, I mean ‘not very big’. While J’Lloyd’s signing can be seen as a death knell for the terrible Nicky Hunt, it’s also a stark warning for
Bolton. Without Sam’s (the bigger one) ability to smell an Iranian/Venezualan/Maltese bargain a mile off, this is where you will be shopping from now on. Samual is an average Premiership performer from an average Premiership team, who didn’t think he was good enough. That should tell you all you need to know. He’s young, and has a point to prove – in the classic
Bolton mould – but would any other team pushing for UEFA spots sign Aston Villa’s third choice right back? Thought not.
Tomorrow’s chip paper
- Most places are stating confidently that utility defender/midfielder/goalkeeper Phil Jagielka is bound for David Moyes’ Everton. Jags is a good player in the P Neville mould and I, for one, can see this being a good move for both parties. Likely
- Honorary Englishman and reborn Roy of the Rovers hero, Owen Hargreaves is shortly to tie up his dream move to ManU. £17 million is a snip considering Bayern baulked at anything below £25m last year, and his combatitiveness should add the steel United have missed since one R Keane left. A great move for both, and will happen next week.
- Fergie is also meant to be contacting his shirt manufacturers to ensure the name of Klaas Jan Huntelaar will fit across the back. He’s Dutch and scores for fun, and we all know how old red nose loves that type
- Liverpool rejects, for one reason or another, Craig ‘The ****’ Bellamy and Harry Kewell are interesting Martin O’Neill’s Villa revolution. It looks likely both will be shipped out, especially if the news below is true, so keep an eye on this one
- Rafa Benitez is training his beady beady eyes on
Lyon’s flying Florent Malouda and long-time target, Simao, in an apparent bid to buy in some width. While he has Gonzales and Pennant, neither are high on quality, and it seems Rafa’s patience has run dry. With plenty of dollar$$ to $pend, I’d imagine Simao will be wearing red at some point next season - Gareth Southgate seems to be attempting to create a ‘Footballing Bastards XI’ by inviting both Michael Brown and Joey Barton up the Boro. I’m not sure I’d like to see that midfield against me. Though I suppose the likelihood would be that they’d be suspended
- David Healy is naturally getting courted by Fulham, whose boss Lawrie Sanchez is no doubt keen after managing the striker to score hattrick upon hattrick for him. Shame he never did it enough for
Leeds, mind - And finally, Gabriel Heinze is supposed to be spending a pretty penny of his own to buy out his contract and run off to Real Madrid
Hot for the press
As last rolls of the die go, bringing back the prodigal son, banished by your own ‘fair’ hand to appease a pack of baying hacks, is pretty desperate. The media maelstrom that is David Beckham waltzed back into the
England fold this week after nearly a year in the doldrums following his unceremonious cutting at the hands of Steve McClaren.
This troubles me in many ways. Beckham was obviously not dropped for footballing reasons – he’s not going to bring anything new to
England, other than those qualities we all know he already has. If they were not good enough a year ago, why are they good enough now? His form for Real Madrid has given McClaren an easy excuse, but in truth he’s been the most consistent of the Galacticos. So, then, he was dropped to distance McClaren from the Ericksson regime. Fair enough – there was a clamour for a sea change at the time, and the most obvious way to differentiate one slaphead from another would be to drop the captain, who was perceived to have that little amount too much power.
But now McClaren has crawled back to Becks the moment he’s in trouble. So, not only was Beckham dropped because of his name, he’s now being brought back because of it. McClaren neither has the balls to make his own decisions, nor to stick by them once their justification is shown for what it is – flawed.
The questions are simple:Ø Was Beckham dropped because he wasn’t the best right midfielder we had?Ø If so, why wasn’t he in the squad? Or wasn’t he the second- or third- best right midfielder we had?Ø If it wasn’t because of footballing reasons, then why has he been brought back?Ø Doesn’t his re-emergence undermine every reason for his departure?Ø Or is it simply that McClaren will do whatever the nation’s media pressure him to, rightly or wrongly?
At least Ericksson, Taylor, Hoddle, even Keegan, could make their own decisions, Steve…
Transfer watch #1. ‘Can anyone say, ‘Scott Parker’?’
It’s that time of the year again. The sun comes out, people start to wear less clothes, and football managers dust off their rolodexes and start the annual callround for new players, whilst desperately trying to offload that lump of a striker you paid a club record for on transfer deadline day last year. I’m looking at you, Wigan. So, I’m going to have a look over the comings and goings over the next couple of months, with a little analysis thrown in. So, today we saw Steve Sidwell agree to join moneybags cup-botherers Chelsea on a (whisper it) free transfer. It’s a good bit of business for the runners-up, gaining a competent midfielder for nix dollars and some much needed cover while Essien and co are off for the African Nations Cup. But why oh why did Steve do it? Money is the simple answer, and a probable England call now he’s ‘Big Four’ material, but he’ll play about ten times a year and be fourth choice while Ballack, Lampard and Essien are fit. If only Scott Parker had had a quick word in his ear.
Meanwhile, NBNC is thinking that most of this column will be devoted to one droopy Redknapp, after Harry secured the services of Sylvain Distin on another free today. Great signing for Pompey, I think – Distin will add some pace and guile alongside the force that is old Sulzeer Campbell and, should Sol stay, link to create one of the best centre half pairing outside of the top four. Pompey really look as if they’re stepping things up a notch this summer, with Muntari and Hreidarsson also nearing signing on the dotted line. Muntari in particular will beef up their midfield no end, having excelled in the World Cup and showing glimpses of class for Udinese. Pompey for the top six? Stranger things have happened.
Much like Spurs signing a young Englishman from the Championship? What do you mean that all Martin Jol does is buy all of the promising youngsters the lower leagues has and wait for a couple to come good? Ah well, the latest to grace the Lane and add some much needed left footedness to Tottenham is Derby youngster Gareth Bale, with a fee all agreed. Bale has undoubted potential, and his ability with a dead ball is impressive. However, he’s defensively extremely vulnerable which, for a full back, seems a pretty important drawback. I’d imagine Jol will not stop at Bale in his left-hand side strengthening, with the teenager’s year next season more of a bedding-in period, a la Huddlestone, than a burst onto the scene.
Finally, sinking stone Charlton yesterday completed the signings of two strikers, Luke Varney and Chris Iwelumo, paving the way for Darren Bent to hotstep it back to the Premiership. Varney in particular is a good buy – sharp and (cliché alert) schooled the Crewe way. Iwelumo has scored a hatful for Colchester over the past year, but I’ve yet to be convinced. He’s a handful, no doubt, but I would bet on Varney to score more, come the end of the season.
Tomorrow’s chip paper – today’s rumours
- Bayern Munich are eyeing Arsenal top scorer (despite this year being mainly injured) Robin ‘Ice Cream’ van Persie. Apparently for £8m. Won’t happen.
- Old
Chelsea favourite Eidur ‘Down’ Gudjohnsen is interesting everyone, from ManU to the Hammers to Roy Keane. I would imagine none of these will happen, though Eidur will move somewhere - One Carlos ‘The Jackal’ Tevez is interesting
Chelsea. If Sheva slings his hook to become ‘the biggest Premiership flop ever’ TM, it’s possible - Antoine ‘The One’ Sibierski is interesting Fulham, apparently. If Fulham become any more mediocre I think I’d cry. Although, given their track record, I’ll get me Kleenex.
A game of two midfields
Whilst I truly hope it’s not, tonight has the potential to be as big a snorefest as watching a ManU – Chelsea FA Cup Final in a bed factory, after a big lunch while several anaesthetists ply you with drugs. The morning after a night out.
Both defences are pretty solid, with only Maldini’s age and Agger’s fear of the hurly-burly to be seen as potential weaknesses. Equally, both strikeforces can seem slightly toothless. Shorn of Ronaldo through being cup tied,
Milan rely on Gilardino and Inzaghi – neither high on technique, though both can obviously finish.
Liverpool have Kuyt, Bellamy and Crouch. Rarely can there have been a team in the Champions League Final with a worse array of strikers since, well, the last time
Liverpool were there.
So, the game will hinge on the midfields. Kaka and Gerrard are gaining the plaudits pre-game, but the true turning point will be the performances of Pirlo and Alonso. They are the heartbeat of either team, link the play and dictate the tempo. They are the ‘quarterbacks’ and, without their prompting, Gerrard and Kaka will be starved of the service they need to show off their energy and skill.
With both teams looking likely to play 4-5-1, I can sense a 1-0 win.
Just don’t think it’s going to be pretty.
What a turn up
So, yesterday brought this. How brilliant is that? Not only is he an Englishman with a true love of football – one of Jack Hayward’s criteria remember – but he’s putting his money where his mouth is. He has previously been a benefactor to Wrexham, and fought hard to get involved with
Liverpool. He is a Reds fan at heart, but then maybe a little objectivity is what we need from Wolves – it has certainly shown the difference between Jez Moxey (eternally under-appreciated) and John Richards (charming, but with lesser business sense).
Anyway, the ramifications are likely to be huge. Wolves have operated on a shoestring for two or three years now. Gone are the days when we’d blow wads on Tony Daley, Geoff Hurst, Steve Froggatt or John de Wolf. When McArthy came into Wolves, we had barely a first team to put together, and his wheeling-and-dealing has been second to none. Kightly for £25,000 was possibly the best business since Bull, while Keogh also looks like a snip at a little over half a million.
However, given our relative ability to live within our means, this announcement gives us a platform to compete financially with the biggest in the division. Look at what
Birmingham achieved with £9m last year – Wolves should have less than that amount, but enough to compete with that amount, this year. So, to the fun stuff – who to go for. Here are my choices:
Goalkeeper – if there’s one position where we’re more than happy, it’s in nets. Murray is the best keeper
England have never called up, and his injury record ensures he should be with us for at least another year. Hennessy has proven his worth on loan at
Stockport, and showed glimpses of huge potential against the Baggies. Ikeme as third backup is riches at this level.
Left back – Jackie McNamara’s exit has left Wolves a little short at left back. While Charlie Mulgrew has come in, injuries have curtailed any impact, and I don’t think Daniel Jones is up to it yet. Sources have been talking about Ashley Williams from
Stockport, but I’m unsure of his pedigree. While left back’s are pretty few and far between, I would be pleased if McArthy took a leaf out of the Keane book and loan in a youth player from the big 4, namely Armand Traore. He’s young, quick, and will overlap in the Cole/Clichy mould. He’s had little chance under Wenger so far and if, as expected, Arsenal strengthen their back line again, he might be further from the pecking order. Whether he’d come to Wolves is a point in question, but Aliadiaire did previously and to good effect.
Centre Half – Between Craddock and Collins, we’ve got two pretty good, reliable defenders. Breen started to creak towards the end of the season, and many onlookers have been publicly demanding a centreback with some pace. Paletta at
Liverpool could be an option on loan, but I think he’d be roughed up far too easily in the Championship. Having seen his two barnstorming displays against us in the playoffs, I’d love us to make a concerted effort to get Sam Sodje in the door. He’s not tall, but his aerial presence was magnificent in the away leg, and
Reading would surely let him go. Whether
West Brom will take him on permanently will depend on their status, so a good alternative could be Antony Gardner.
Centre Half – Craddock or Collins, as above.
Right Back – We have Rob Edwards, who is competent, and Mark Little, who will improve. Collins can cover and hopefully a youth player will come through again, so we should be ok here.
Left Wing – McIndoe hasn’t had nearly the impact on the left that Kightly has on the right. I think he’s definitely worth keeping and letting him compete for his place, especially with Gobern likely to move on, but I’d love to see Scott Sinclair have a season in the gold and black. He was by far-and-away
Plymouth’s shining light and, with Cole and Robben likely to regain fitness, he should be surplus to requirements at the Bridge. A truly exciting player who would light up Molineux. If not, loan deals for Chris Eagles or Wayne Routledge would also make my week.
Defensive Midfield – Karl Henry and Darren Potter have both made positive impressions this year. I’d be tempted to stick with Henry for the moment – he bleeds gold.
Offensive Midfield – Mark Ward and George Olofinjana both have massive potential, with both yet to fully achieve it. I’m uncertain as to where else to go, that would keep the balance of the team and underpin McArthy’s young, hungry and British mantra. I’ve always liked Claus Jensen at both Fulham and Charlton, but injuries and attitude would probably get in the way, despite the fact he’s on a free. I would bank on Big Mick making no changes in this area.
Right Wing – The best signing we could possibly make is putting Michael Kightly on a long-term contract. The boy is a class above the Championship, no doubt, and his attitude and commitment has mirrored his play. Signing of the season.
Up front – Andy Keogh has made the support striker role his own. He’s young, full of running, and has touch – something Wolves fans haven’t seen in a striker since, ooh, Robbie Keane. If he gets selfish, he’s one hell of a prospect.
Up front – Here’s the problem. Jay Bothroyd has buckled down for precisely five games, and Craig Davies and Carl Cort have both been moved quickly and efficiently on. That leaves our Jay the only senior option for this berth, and unlikely to score 20 a season even then. Billy Sharp is the obvious choice. He linked up with Keogh to devastating effect for Scunny, seems to be available, and has scored 30 goals for the past two years. He’ll be expensive, but he’d repay us with goals. He’d be the Frankowski we wanted. Two other options I like are Aliadiare and Derbyshire, though the latter is likely to be unavailable.
