Like many other fans I have been watching Euro 2008 bemoaning the fact England failed to qualify, writes blogger Jarrod Hill.
However, I have enjoyed seeing some of the players we will be playing against next season and watching some of the worlds best talent.
If you are anything like me, I sit there identifying players who, if I was Tony Mowbray, I would be interested in recruiting.
Of course I could simply suggest Ronaldo, Torres, Van Persie, and Deco, but until that Russian billionaire comes in we still need to be looking at players we could perceivably be able to afford.
Four players who have caught my eye in the early part of the competition I have detailed below.
Eren Derdiyok
Swiss striker, who has looked a real threat against some quality defenders, aged 20 and currently playing for FC Basel he is big, strong, and very quick.
Still learning his trade and by no means the finished article, but looks like he may be one for the future.
Andreas Isaksson
Swedish goalkeeper who currently plays for Man City, rumours are he is looking to leave City after losing his first team place to Joe Hart following injury.
Now fit he looks a superb keeper, and when only 26 years of age still has his best years ahead of him.
Josip Simunic
Graham Poll liked this guy so much he gave him three yellow cards before sending him off at the last World Cup.
At 6”5, he is a dominant old fashioned centre half who currently plays his club football in Germany for Hertha Berlin, looks older than his age (30), and has been a regular for both club and country for the last seven years.
He has been impressive against England in the qualifying games and continues to be vastly underrated in my opinion.
Volkan Demirel
Two games and two superb performances from the Turkish goalkeeper, kept them in the game on more than one occasion against the Swiss with some superb saves.
Aged 26, he currently plays his club football for Fenerbahce, he was considered a little inconsistent when younger but has become more consistent with age.
Just my opinion nothing else, but who has caught your eye? Who would you like to see Mowbray go after? Armchair football management at its best!!!
54 Comments
that KAKA dont look to bad im sure he would like to play for us in the best league in the world,aye boing boing
this time last wik i was getting ready for the party,can we have another one please aye boing boing
Think we can forget signing anyone playing at Euro 08. We need to find players noone knows, so they fit in our budget. On another note, acording to Danish newspapers Alby have been given a deadline untill today friday, to take the offer made to him. Havent seen this in the British media. Anyway-acording to his agent he has soooo many offers from all over the world, incl. the premiership. I think not !!! Not to bothered if he signs or not, more interested in how goes with KP. Cant wait for mondays fixtures. Dreamt Newcastle away and a 1-0 winn in the first round.
morning jarrod, nice blog, and a great theme as well. Like you i was very impressed with the swiss stiker, but a bit nervous to say much as they were eliminated so soon. Noty sure of the name, but there was also a very quick winger who played for turkey, skillfull and could certainly get the ball across. pity were not doing the vine again,but i will be playing again tonight.
The Swedish Goalkeeper is pants, Polands Keeper looks the real Deal.
hill top baggie, Arda Turan, did not include him as he is expected to makle a big money move to the serie a, but i also spotted him and thought hes good!!!
Cant have a party tonight tezza im off to the download festival at castle donnington all weekend, lets rock, (its work related).
see you all next week
pip, not sure Celtic would want to sell Boruc though mate.
I’ve had an idea Jarrod. Although I’m a very irregular contributor, I always read E&D articles, your blogs and especially the comments, which follow. It’s evident that a nice little community has gathered and the recent ‘knees up’ at The Vine is testament to that. Sadly I live in Northampton so, whilst I’m a season ticket holder and can get trains there and back on a Saturday, trying to convince the missus to pick me up at midnight 60 miles from home was a bit of a non starter!! Anyway, back to my idea. You submit regular blogs, which are often hotly debated (and also regularly berated!) Why not have a fans blog feature? All the fans who contribute evidently have their own thoughts, so why not have a fans blog in addition to your own? Maybe every week, or other week. I think that could really generate some points for discussion - and no doubt some humour!
Thomas Sorensen just been on Danish tv saying he will miss out on the Danish national team if he dosent find a club soon. I`ll say go and get him. Danish Baggie
lets go for anybody english
after all they have had a longer summer holiday
than most.
boing boing
keeper,tomas WILL sign on a loan from man utd deal done wether this is good or bad who knows,we need a defender with experience and kp will sign his agent has hinted and there has been no news from albion,tm will sign good players for now nad the future hope the club match his ambitions and he can speak russian if he has to !!ps as its the 13th will we resisgn john hartson??
good blog jarrod ,,i hope we are still looking for a couple of desent loan signings aswell,,a couple of the arsenal lads might do us…come on mow go find afew gems,,,PLAYIN IN EUROPE THE MOWBRAY WAY,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,OOOOOOOOOH YES.
Jarrod, I too have kept a butchers and looked at at players that could do a job but I came across a little problem of “How much money do we have?”. If we get a very rich person then the scope spreads, if we get a tight wad then I’m sure there are not many players playing at Euro 2008 that we could actually go and buy without taking a fair chunk from the money available.
Anyway I too thought that Turkish goalkeeper was very good, also i thought Ollic for Croatia was very good last night and deserved his fortuatus goal, although I’m sure they maybe a few times with him him mind and also a very big fee.
Buy hey ho we shall keep our eyes open.
above should say “few teams” and it also looks like a got a couple of stutters in there, my apologies.
I like the look of the Polish number 8. Hard working left winger.
As has happened twice already either their international managers or agents will come out and say dont play for them. Keep them away from hoefkens and robinson aswell hoefkens said “a poverty stricken unattractive industrial area” deary me!
HEY WORCESTER HOW YA DUIN MY MATE,soon be monday and the prem fixtures soon be out,i cant wait,i hope we sitting next to each other agen next season in the prem aye boing boing up the MOWBURY WAY
That’s quality, 1. Terry Baggie! You enjoying watching Kaka in the Euro’s are you!?
Have there been any statements or rumours from the Albion camp about your transfer budget for this season? I think £20mil is realistic when you are getting £42mil to start with! Anything less and I think it will show a lack of ambition.
With £20mil at your disposal I would suggest 4 quality players, that’s if £20 mil is on offer?!?!?!?
17 tel ,we will mate as we are the best supporters in the brummie,looks like we will be on the tele loads this year done it,the goodlooking ones always at the front,ME AND TEL….ROCKING THE BRUMMIE,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,OOOOOOOOH YES.
16
Repetative, crass, and tedious.
Should we expect anything different from you.
18 NATHON,,you wonna kaka,best put ya nappy on…boingboing…PLAYIN IN EUROPE THE MOWBRAY WAY,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,OOOOOOOOOOH YES.
HEY TEL,,hows about the vile at home first match,,nice easy 3 points for starters,,oooooooooooh yes..
16 LW.
Surprised you can spare the time from your investment portfolios’ to keep regurgitating the same old stuff on here.
PS Is that what Kightly’s agent told him, he never seems to come within a mile of Robinson?
Danish media are saying that the deadline for ALby’s contract offer is today. If he doesn’t sign today, he will take one of the foreign offers.
A couple of other sites say that Mowbray has about £12m to spend minus the £3.5m spent on Moore. It doesn’t leave us much to spend, especially if we sign that Thompson for £4m.
Nathan, Respect. You speak with authority about lack of ambition being a wolves fan. Hope our board read your wise words.
Just off the subject a minute, on the official website JP has issued a statement with a deadline of July 31st for potential buyers but also more importantly, he wants someone with “deep pockets” sounds good to me, Terry I think he is slowly getting round to asking you to invest….maybe Worcester will join you in your consortium.
Terry n Worcester’s Barmy Army!!!!
11 - sorry Mark, it could just be me, but I haven’t got a clue what you’re talking about there, apart from the re-signing of Fatty Hartson.
I like the look of the Turkish left winger, and the Romanian holding midfielder (the Dutch holding midfielder was better, but I think he’d cost a few more shiny pennies).
Does anyone remember when we had Cosmin Contra on loan? I couldn’t believe it when I saw him still playing international football for Romania.
Nedball
Yes I remember Contra did’nt really get much of a squeeze for us, but looked quite handy and got forward a but for Romania the other night was quite surprised.
Laughingwolf…working in the City I can conclude that this is the description of some of the economic experts and richer people, which would includes Professional Footballers of the area, since the large Companies closed down the area never recovered, the Black Country is a ‘poverty stricken unattractive industrial area’ but that includes Wolverhamption, Dudley and West Bromwich from business reports in LONDON. I can say that its a case of kettle and pot !! The area is reknown for its skilled labour both in W’ton and West Brom but the area as a whole is classed as the same area and in need of industrial investment. The term they use for the area is known as the Black Country, perhaps this is a term that you have not come across before.
wbabomber
not football related but have a good time at Download, I would say id see you there but im pretty miffed at the line up this year…
Ive just been on the Albion site, and JP has basically answered all questions i had at this moment…
Investors of any size have another month to get their money out, and thats it so no dragged out takeovers like down the road at St Andrews.
We will be looking at offers of all sizes, from big upwards.
And most importantly it will have no bearing on this transfer window/signings, although it doesnt mention how much is available
this for me is just the news i wanted to hear!
If Peace has put a deadline on a takeover it must mean that there is somebody waiting in the wings to takeover. Otherwise, it would be a fairly pointless exercise to put the club up for sale.
18,nafen,where did i mention euros in my post aye aye aye boing boing up the MOWBURY WAY IN THE NET YOU GO
20,worcester well im in same seat so shud be ok,hope you wear your shorts agen,think i mite get a new hat,say hi to your wonderful lady for me aye boing boing
Tony - I’ve got it in my head he got sent off while he was with us for handballing a shot that was going in….am I right?
Poor lad had Des Little in front of him in the pecking order….a tough ask for anyone to get in the team aint it that?! lol!
Different subject - well done JP for obviously reading these message boards and answering a lot of peoples questions in that last statement.
36,nedball,thats right mate he did,i think it was agenst liverpool,bit silly really as he was the only wearing gloves,he was playing really well up untill then,
After watching Czech Rebublic I cant believe
Roman Bednar can`t get in that team,if they play
1 up front,then thats when BEDNAR is at his best,
he`s got to be better than MILAN `CHEATING BAROS.
And the only player who has impressed me is that
DAVID VILLA from Spain.
Nedball, you’d got one on me then, I could’nt answer that one, but thanks to the ONE & ONLY TERRY, he’s cleared that little one up for you.
21, Yes…but true.
if its true what sky sports news has been saying our new owner should be in place in 2 weeks
28 tomas kuszak is coming on loan,philips will sign for us and my only worry is if an investor is found will he want his own manager…i hope not!! that is what i was trying to say sorry!!
33 Does JP want to sell?Or is he just protecting himself?If the rumor is true that very little is invested in the team we loose our first few games who will we all be blaming?JP will be able to say no one else wants to invest in the club!
Sandwell massive
No one is trying to deny it mate,
but when someone posts the same thing over and over and over and over, etc……….Boredom sets in.
37, 39, 42 - all true gentlemen. Thanks for that.
Mark, I’d love it if Kuszack came back for a season long loan - that bloke made the best save I have ever seen with my own eyes up at Wigan. Bring back Tommy K!!
39, they dont call me talk sport terry for nuffin aye boing boing up the MOWBURY WAY
Bomber.
Getting back to subject of blog. Realistically, we’re looking in the bargain basement at these championships. In the Swiss game I was impressed by the forward Behrami(not sure of spelling) and the balding left back(not going to attempt his name.) In very difficult conditions both looked good and I was impressed with their spirit as much as anything. No doubt someone will tell me they’re 37 or play for Barcelona but surely these type of players could do us a good job and wouldn’t break the bank.
Anyone who invests in our club would realise that Tony Mowbray is absolutely essential to our wellbeing. JP has already said how much he admires him as a man, as a manager and as a leader of men. I for one am a true disciple. This guy is the best we’ve had yet and I’ve seen ‘em all since 1944.
On a LIGHTER note, no one I’ve met yet MATCHES Terry-George Clooney-Baggy for looks and personality. How MGM missed him I’ll never understand. But his lovely girl friend now whispers “Oooh, Cyril” to him while he makes love. He’s admitted it, right here on these pages. Worcester, don’t forget Danish Baggy when you arrange the next Wine at the Vine do. And ask for the same lovely, leggy, blonde E&S reporter.
I doubt we’ll see any of the players in Euro 2008 coming to the Hawthorns but whoever eventually comes in judging by Tony Mowbray’s ability to recognise the likes of Koren and Teixeira, any imports will be well worth watching.
48,cyril, yes she blummin does she wakes me up shouting your name,can you come n take her off my hands please,aye boing boing
hey cyril with me n my missus bit like beauty n the beast but dont get telling her i called her a beast will you,anytime you fancy going for a drink just say plenty nice little pubs round by us,maybe some of the lads would come too,aye boing boing
Contra was exelent when at Albion, cant belive he went. He now plays in La Liga for Getafe ( Michael Laudrup was manager ) and reached the domestic cup final and the uefa cup semis where Contra scored in both legs against Bayern Munic. Great player. Danish Baggie. Ps. Cyril Randle, thanks for remembering me.
I doubt if TM will buy anyone from Euro 2008 as they’ll cost too much.The Polish GK Boruc plays for Celtic so is unlikely to come here and anyway he didn’t inspire me with confidence in the friedly I watched. The Hungary L Winger (mate of Gera) looks good and we had an interest in him before.Forget his name but he crosses as good as Brunt and is quicker.
Fotogenic, I was thinking more along the lines of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, but who am I to argue with you? Danish, you said you wanted to come over and meet us all. How could we forget such Baggies devotion mate? (PS: Don’t forget I asked you to bring some beautiful Danish blondes too).