bigwheels Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 He's had one season in the top flight and looked quite good in a poor side. I just have a feeling that that was his peak, or, at least, very near to it. He's certainly a player like Ian Taylor - good engine and gets from box to box. I'd just be a little more enthusiastic if he was just a little bit younger or had a few more solid seasons under his belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 In which case he would be out of our range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwheels Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 Hardly - especially if he was at just-relegated Norwich or, perhaps, like perennial target, Sidwell, at a half-decent Championship club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted June 28, 2005 Moderator Share Posted June 28, 2005 I know what you're saying BW but I think Richard is, unfortunately, right on this one. If Francis was the player you describe, then his price, his wages and his suitors would put him out of our range. We'll have to take the risk and hope that his Premiership season with Norwich is more typical of what we can expect. That is of course presuming his asking price is not ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwheels Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 If Francis was the player you describe, then his price, his wages and his suitors would put him out of our range. It would make him more like Sidwell - current suitors: us, and Charlton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwheels Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 He's basically in the bracket of 'Talented Championship Players' that go to midtable Premiership clubs if they were willing to take the risk. Even younger or a few more seasons would only put him at the top of this pile, imo, and only because he'd be less of a risk. The important thing there is that they would still have room to grow as a player. If he was significantly better (trying to think of a name - the only one I can think of is possibly Reid, but Spurs paid through the nose for him), then he wouldn't be at Norwich now and I'll agree with that. I guess its a case of significantly better. But there are players out there that are only a few years younger with a bigger reputation (say 'Best Player Outside of the Premiership ... ) that are being courted by all the same teams. We were looking at Sidwell for well over a year but I'd imagine the trail started to go cold once Davis broke into the side. Scout stopped going to Reading games for a start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigJim Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 Do we really need another midfielder? At my last count we had 8 potential candidates for the first XI GM, PB, SD, NS, GB, MB, D2, LH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwheels Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 That was my other thought. Although it did seem that a player who had played only one above average season in the Premiership was being touted as 'about our level' for a second ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigJim Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 Mail on Sunday seem to think Kevin phillips and Stuart Taylor will be in this week. Bloody hell! Informed journalism at last. Watch out for the next issue chaps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullol Posted July 1, 2005 Share Posted July 1, 2005 You can add Dean Ashton to the list. Have also heard old el rifle pants Walter Pandini linked. Not sure about Wally though, although he should bag a few more goals than he did on loan at Small Heath by having a bit more depth and quality around him. I reckon we could net him for less than the £2.7m Zaragoza are offering. Could get JPA to whisper some Spanish sweet-talk in his shell-like, in the same way he persuaded Viafara to move to Pompey?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez Posted July 1, 2005 Share Posted July 1, 2005 Go no, would hate that bin man at villa! Bring on Vieri been released, wants to go to spain perhaps we could tell him brum is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melv Posted July 2, 2005 Share Posted July 2, 2005 maybe he'll remember us from 98 when we tried to sign him last time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiddybloke Posted July 2, 2005 Share Posted July 2, 2005 Veri would never come to us. :cry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villafan306 Posted July 2, 2005 Share Posted July 2, 2005 It's a nice thought though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villafan306 Posted July 2, 2005 Share Posted July 2, 2005 You can now add Wigan's central midfielder Jimmy Bullard Teamtalk: Suitors circle JJB for duo Wigan will be forced to sell crown jewels Jimmy Bullard and Nathan Ellington if the Latics pair fail to agree new contract terms. Boss Paul Jewell's preparations for the club's first season in the Premiership are tough enough as he is struggling to attract top-quality players to the JJB Stadium. But of equal concern to him will be the fact that both Ellington and Bullard - who were pivotal in Wigan's promotion campaign - have only 12 months remaining on their current deals. Latics are in talks with both players' agents - but the fact they are at loggerheads will alert the likes of Birmingham, Blackburn, Aston Villa and Everton, who are all looking to bolster their squads and have money to spend this summer. Blues boss Steve Bruce has been a long-time admirer of Bullard, but would face stiff competition from Villa, as David O'Leary wants to add a goalscoring central midfielder to his playing staff. Everton would also be in the hunt, as David Moyes proved with the signing of Tim Cahill from Millwall that he has the ability to turn the likes of Bullard into a Premiership star. Ellington would be of more interest to Blackburn, who despite landing Shefki Kuqi from Ipswich want to further strengthen their strikeforce, and have also been linked with Benni McCarthy and former star Andy Cole. Ellington was Wigan's leading scorer with 24 goals last term and said: "My agent is speaking to Wigan, and I'm confident everything will be sorted out soon. I've a year left on my contract." Bullard, meanwhile, is seen as crucial in Wigan's survival bid in their debut Premiership campaign next season. "We are talking to Jimmy about a new deal," said Jewell. "He will be a key player for us next season. He played every game for us last term and we've no intention of selling Jimmy Bullard to anybody." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRL Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 According to DailyStar we are looking at Scott Chipperfield from Basel... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LancsVillan Posted July 4, 2005 Moderator Share Posted July 4, 2005 Daily Star is more of a circus act than a paper see what I tried to do there ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RantinRob Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 Are you related to Frank carson? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LancsVillan Posted July 4, 2005 Moderator Share Posted July 4, 2005 you calling me Carson? no Franks in my family, we got rid of em all when the Euro came in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RantinRob Posted July 4, 2005 Share Posted July 4, 2005 That was **** awful :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts