brittain22

Stop your moaning child. Given is 35. Friedel and van der Sar were still top 'keepers at 40. Yes they were, But its still rare to see keepers still playing at top level beyond 35 years old. Just because Friedel managed it, dosnt necessarily mean every keeper we sign in the future will all still be playing up to 40 years old. Schmeichel was a top keeper(better than Given) yet still finished at the top come 37 years old.. I think it is now common place, off the top of my head Van Der Sarr, Friedel, Schwarzer, James, Jaaskelainen, Hahnemann and Lehmann (1st time). I think Given is best value and offers much needed pedigree/confidence to our faultering back line.

I'm pretty sure he did the bricks last year as well. I'm sure if you scrolled through you'd find this as an example of his dedication last season. Saying that i'm ready to give him a shot, it was a funny situation he came into and maybe he can turn it around. I reckon if he stays he could take the '7' shirt.

Shame of it is, if he does come it's just another step on his ladder. If he carries on playing well he'll want a bigger club in 18 months. I'd try and pick up Matty Phillips from Blackpool as well, so if and when Downing/N'Zog go we've got Albrighton and him ready to step in.

Taarabt argument is that he needs to prove himself at a higher level. For the pain in the arse he is he needs to be special/special. Not just a show pony, he'll end up in Qatar or somewhere in the not too distance future. When his big moves fails due to his personality. I remember when Jason Koumas (probably most impressive but insert Dorrans, Kamara, Sidwell etc) looked like Zidane in that league...

Sadly Sky Sports understands is as good as 'we have no news and time to fill'. E.g Aston Villa look to sign Portuguese international Miguel. Mind you I hope it's true!

I think as with most fans on here, I’m really trying not to over react and to see any positives that this may have. I just can’t – he’s been relegated twice, he has spent money and failed, he has no supporters on side and he will not attract or attempt to attract the players we want. This Graham Taylor Mk2/latter O’Leary appointment. Welcome back the modern equivalents of Mark Kinsella, Oyvind Leonhardsen, Ulises De La Cruz and Ronny Johnsen. Devastated. Remember this man rates Liam Ridgewell.

I still really can't get my head around the thinking of whoever thought this is a good idea.

To be honest I can't say I blame him for holding out or even leaving now. This whole chase has been shambolic combined with last season's problems it's easy to see why he wants to go.

No it isn't. Managers have philosophies, how many managers in the game do you see change their way they manage clubs regularly depending on their club? Martinez doesn't get Wigan playing like Barca but he certainly gives a passing game a go because that's his style. McLeish is a very negative manager and it wouldn't change here. Maybe not to the extent, just like when O'Neill was at Leicester, we'd just see a slightly better game, mainly because we have better playes. We wouldn't see a change of style though from what McLeish usually manages. David Moyes uses negative tactics, so does Rafa Benitez - but i see loads of people wanting them here?? Whats the difference? Oh thats right...he managed blues. And been relegated twice out of three goes...

I don't think he's that bad, but if we are basing our search on 'Premiership Experience'. Relegated, 9th, Relegated - cannot be a viable option. I'll be so glad when this circus is over.

Apparently Steve Mcmanaman is 9th favourite now on Sky Bet, so shows what they know. Please god don't be Mcleish. Today is painful.

So in summary, no one knows anything.

Didn’t Tim Abrahams say about the shock announcement on Monday or maybe earlier. This thread is just going round and round.

Henderson has obviously been doing something I've missed. This can go two ways Lampard to Chelsea or Parker to Chelsea.

Isn't the Bent article just old from Saturday? Ancelotti is out of it.

In terms of left field with premiership experience: Ranieri, Shearer, Venables, Souness, Pearce, Zola, Vialli, Strachan or really off piste George Graham. I think Ranieri would be better than Benitez and much more fun.

I think you're right but if McClaren loses a couples of games, the reaction will be appalling (worse than Houllier). They'd be mad to appoint him on that basis. We need someone to unite us and McClaren would have to get off to a Gregory-esque start to get tolerance. Today it's looking like Rafa's. Tomorrow who will it be?

So is Hughes now free to talk to us, now they have Jol or do we still have to wait? I can only see the interviewees being Benitez and McClaren unfortunately, as the clubs stance on Hughes was pretty clear.

The odds on this suggests one thing...no one knows anything!

Very good club manager?! To be fair at Twente he did well although he inherited a fairly decent side as they qualified for the Champions League the season before he got there. Middlesbrough Mid Table Highest Finish of 7th - Nothing spectacular there, considering money and wages Gibson gave out. Cup runs masked a negative team. Wolfsburg - Appalling. That's the ones that worries me as he had to build a side. That's what he'll have to do here and I just think it's too much of a gamble after last season.

Does anyone not think he is just being respectful? As if he comes out and says I turned down Villa it looks bad for the next man. I would imagine we contacted him, he had the weekend to think and then has released this statement. Fair enough – big punt by us. I think i want Martinez now, if Moyes is off the radar. I'd rather give it to Gary Mac than both Benitez and McClaren. Let's hope Randy does the right thing and starts the Summer with an exciting appointment.

Anyone thinking Jol is back in the mix?

What going on now? Please god don't be Benitez or Mclaren. I'd probably prefer Gary Mac. On the plus side that £10 on Ancelotti at 16-1 is looking much better.

Not getting into the whole City thing but any player City bought was £5-10m overpriced because it was City. People forget Adebayor, Given, Bellamy, SWP, Robinho were all doing well under him and he also bought Tevez, De Jong, Barry, Zabaleta, Kompany and Lescott. So all in all not bad. Not great but not bad and he would have learnt from it. Failures of Santa Cruz, Bridge and Ben Haim and Jo was bought for him, the day he arrived or one day after or something. He has said he had nothing to do with it.

This is the Hughes thats about to walk out on Fulham after a season? Love you long term? I said this aswell, jumping ship after one year at Fulham.. what makes people think he'll stay here long term? Yep, it hasn't gone unnoticed as I posted as much myself. What he is doing to fulham is exactly the kind of thing our board wanted us to believe they wanted ti avoid during the last appointment. Its all been a complete farce if he is appointed and so soon. What I’m saying is he needs us to do well for him to do well. Deschamps and Ancelotti will get a job at this level standing on their head regardless of how they do and in reality if Real or Barca or even Liverpool jobs were free they’d not be anywhere near us. We’re only ever going to be a stop gap for that type of manager. Long term wise this is a chance for a manager to build an entire team and Hughes is the best bet as he can see it right through. In reality there are only 4 or 5 clubs he can go to above us and if he then goes to one of them he obviously has done a phenomenal job with us. The Fulham thing is so isolated it’s untrue. Hughes for Fulham is a classic Ancelotti for us. Bigger club comes knocking - I’m gone.