Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Blog: Albion transfer rumours
Tuesday 13th May 2008, 6:30AM BST.
So here we are getting ready for another assault on the Premiership, already the rumour mill has gone into over drive and as one of the promoted clubs we are being linked to player after player already, writes Albion blogger Jarrod Hill.
So let’s take a look at who we are being linked to and the likelihood of them becoming a baggies player.
Radoslaw Majewski
Facts: Polish international with 3 caps, currently plays for Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wielkopolski, aged just 21.
Type of Player: Although not known for scoring lots of goals, he is described as a technical midfield player with an ability to both defend and attack. Small in physique, but consistently appears high in the stats index for distance covered in games suggesting he has high fitness levels.
Likelihood: Probably spotted while scouting Slusarski as both hail from the same club side, he is the right age and the reports suggest the type of player Mowbray rates.
Mark Hudson
Facts: English, currently plays for Crystal Palace, aged 26.
Type of Player: physically dominant centre half, who is very good in the air, what Mowbray would probably describe as, a head on a stick.
Likelihood: Not sure he is the type of player Mowbray bases his football philosophy on, but with our defence conceding so many goals from set pieces, he may be seen as a useful addition. His availability will probably depend on Crystal Palaces success in the play offs.
Habib Beye
Facts: French Senegalese right back currently playing for Newcastle United, aged 31.
Type of Player: Very skilful for a defender, technically good with lots of experience of top flight football with clubs such as, PSG, and Marseille.
Likelihood: Tough one this, he is the type of player Mowbray likes but at 31 is possibly the wrong side of thirty to warrant big investment, his wages may prove to be a stumbling block although available on a free.
Lamine Diatta
Facts: French Senegalese central defender currently playing for Newcastle United, aged 33.
Type of Player: Physical player who likes to defend, very good in the air but not the quickest.
Likelihood: I see this one as a complete none starter, has not played well for Newcastle, aged 33, and not the archetypal Mowbray player.
Abdeslam Ouaddou
Facts: Moroccan central defender currently playing and captaining French Premiere League team Valenciennes FC. Previous clubs include Rennes, Nancy, and Fulham. Aged 29.
Type op Player: Passionate player who gives 100%, strong in the tackle, good man marker, and good distributor.
Likelihood: He has Premier League experience with Fulham but failed to adapt to the English game. He is being looked at by a number of English teams including Stoke and Middlesborough.
So there you have it, the season has been over for one week and already the transfer rumour mill has started. Get ready for a busy summer!!!!
Sponsored Links
Business Awards
Read the full story here
Full coverage of awards celebrating the region's best businesses.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
LIVE traffic updates
Road, rail and airport - latest
Our new, live traffic and travel updates service - check before you set out.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
expressandstar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
TM better get spending quick. Winning the championship on the lowest points total for many a year shows that there is a huge gap to bridge.
Baggies were 10 point short of a typical chamionship title total. Thisd seasons chamionship was not a very high standard no one team stood out a great deal above the others.
Quick return on the cards? Or will JP back his manager with proper funds?
Report abuse
On another theme, i see that Mowbray won Manager of the year last night for the Championship. I for one trust him to do a job in the transfer market.
Report abuse
Im keeping a log of all players we are linked with and im up to 9 already.
Habib Beye has just been voted player of the year at the Toon so that one is just crazy yet still not as funny as Sundays classic that Paul McShane was on his way back.
Crective journalism at its best surely???
Report abuse
there will be lots linked ,but forgetting individuals,a keeper ,2/3 defenders and a striker should see us ok now budget
keeper 3/4 million
defenders 3 x 3 million
striker 7 million
mmm thats 20 million would you spend it???
blues fans dont know they were born!!
sullivan/gold would be welcome at most clubs
however jp has done us proud keep it going baggies.
Report abuse
I thought the Championship was very competitive this Season and some of the football played was as good as the lower teams in the Premiership serve up. Because one Team didn’t run away with the Title doesn’t mean to say it was of a poor standard, one just needs to look at the amount of times our teams beat those from the Premiership. I believe there isn’t much to choose between the bottom of the Premiership and the top of the Championship and I for one enjoyed this Season. When a team runs away with the title it can be rather boring but this Season it went right to the last minute of the last game which made it both an exciting and enthralling. One could say Albion should have won it by more points and I think we would have done that if 1) a fit Clement had played all season 2) zonal marking was dispensed with earlier which improved our marking from set-piece.
Report abuse
Morning bomber – its fun to be linked with all these players, but we usually find out who we are buyingwhen they are unveiled at the ground.
I think the Polish lad is a possible jus from what we hear about him – but we are in danger of becoming a team of midgets – and we will also need power in the prem to stand up to some of the teams up there – even Arsenal players are mainly over 6 feet.
I would also like to send my congratulation to ToMo on his award – to be voted best manager by your peers is the highest award, and richly deserved.
I also have complete faith in the guy – we are in good hands.
Report abuse
No. 1 surely the fact that the albion won with not as many points as you would have expected from a team to have won the championship with shows that there was a better level of football rather than poor performances!
Report abuse
On this points total nonsense – was the premier league poor quality this season – cos Man Utd only won it on the last day – and until the last minute they were winning it on goal difference… or is more reasonable to say that there were just more quality teams fighting for the title.
We have nothing to apologise for the way we won the league – 100+ goals tells its own story.
Its only wolves fans who are trying to find a crumb of comfort who are saying it was a poor league – but next season will be even worse with 5 or 6 teams having parachute money, plus the money factor of QPR. Also there will be some fantastic managers in the championship next season like Copell etc…
I’m soooo pleased we did it this year.
Report abuse
I think everyday were going to be linked with someone different, some names will get us excited some will make us think “what the hell”, thats the rumour mill for ya.
Also add my congratulations to Tony Mowbray on collecting his well deserved Manager of the year award.
Champions of the Championship
FA Cup semi finalists
scored over 100 goals
Undefeated against Wolves…..AGAIN!!!
You guys wanna add some more, this is fun :)
Report abuse
Yes Tonywba i have a few for ya!!
1) Five players to reach double figures, Gera, Koren, Miller, Bednar, and Phillips.
2) The best midfield in the world woa oh woa woa.
Report abuse
why not get a couple of young midfield lads from arsenal like blues did surely they must have players which they want 2 send out on loan for the expereince !!! n cmon gera n phillips sign !!!
Report abuse
Hello there.
Polish lad is very, very possible. Our media say that both sides will sign the contract today in Grodzisk. The price for the player is circa 2.5 million EUR.
Report abuse
Ok if we are playing a little bit of fantasy football i will throw a couple of names at you.
Theo Walcott (on loan) Regular football would appeal to him, but i am not sure whether wenger would let him go.
Voronin (Liverpool) a proven striker caught up in the Liverpool rotation policy.
J Harper (Reading)A chance to raid the relegated teams for their best players, Harper has always impressed me and is the closest player in style to Greening i have seen.
I am only throwing some names in for fun, Happy Baggie is the one who can predict signings ie (Moore)yes HB i remember!!!
Report abuse
Cashman
I respect your views, however i cannot agree entirely with them.
Money is god in the modern game, but it`s a useless entity unless it is spent wisely.
Sunderland have been used as a benchmark,
especially by the pundits who continually quote
they have survived JUST, and they have spent
£40m.
Of that £40m, £9m was paid out to secure Dale
Gordon, would you want your club to pay that much for that player ?…i know i wouldn`t,
and i made the point yesterday that Liverpool
had slapped a £15m price tag on Peter Crouch,
farcical!
We have a number of players that were cheap, free, and unknown, and time will tell if they can “cut it” in the prem, i honestly think the majority can.
Your own Michael Kightly, i presume you believe
he could make the step up…….i think there is no doubt that he could, and you got him for loose change.
Lastly mate, the quality of last terms championship.
The fact no one team ran away with it, suggests
to me, rather than being poor, a move toward
parity, and a genuinely competitive league,
which the upper echelons of the premiership certainly is not.
Report abuse
to number 1, cashman. your comment is insane. what happens if you play arsenal, man utd, liverpool or chelsea? you give your all try and cause a shock and take whatever you can from them, teams have been going to old trafford for years now and sticking 11 men behind the ball. on a smaller scale thats what we’ve had all season, in the end our quality shone through and we got up as champions – whats your excuse???
Report abuse
It’s refreshing to see some genuine football debate on this board. The wolves board is just people ripping into the club and each other.
On the topic of the championship this year IMO it was competitive and there is no getting away from the fact that (in the words of worcesterbaggie) you won it in style. Every year they say the championship will be more competitive next year because of the teams coming down but who would have predicted the likes of Hull, Bristol and Stoke doing so well. I believe Birmingham have blown it and won’t be up to much next year (as it should be), Reading will probably lose their best players, Derby are just rubbish and QPR will take more than a Summer to build a promotion winning team. So all things being equal Wolves may well be joining you if we keep our best players and add to the squad intelligently.
But, hey, what do you care about the championship now.
Report abuse
Ok, fantasy football time – How about Kuszac, Wayne Bridge, Michael Kitely and Dean Ashton – should cost no more than about 16 million….
Report abuse
Cashman,
lowest points total to win the league, conversely the relegated clubs went down with the highest totals. So it depends how you tell the tail. I would respectfully suggest that the league has been very competitive and Has definately not lacked quality. certainly as far as the Albion are concerned. Koren, Teixeira, Miller all came for relatively small fees and I trust TM to unearth a few more. I predict survival next year and steady progression thereafter and this without any supewr rich benefactor. Well done JP and all the staff.
Report abuse
HB I like your shout outs, doubt whether Kites would cross the divide though, another issue is our wage structure, do we break the current one??
Or do we target players who fit in with the current one??
Regarding Ashton, i can remember when we signed Hulse from Crewe and a Crewe fan i know told me we had signed the wrong striker and should have signed Ashton, how true!!!
Re the wage structure i suppose its all about getting value for money, lets leave it to Mowbray and Peace.
Report abuse
happy_baggie, interesting take there mate, i’m up for ashton and kuszac, i like kites but is a bit injury prown.
here’s mine: kitson reading, de ridder and ridgewell blues, victor moses palce, and a couple of mowbray jems. what do you think?
Report abuse
mail
thanks for your contribution, its always good to hear both sides of the story however we at WBA tend to wait until they wear a baggies shirt before we believe we have signed people, it has back fired on us so many times.
Report abuse
QPR have just signed Ramage from Newcastle – I think thats an indication of intent.
As I’ve said before – I’m soooo glad we went up this season !!!!
I would also take a punt on Andy Johnson and Ridgewell.
Report abuse
20: Ridgewell IMO is very error prone, and De Ridder did’nt get much chance at Blues so not sure on that either
I would also add to the Fantasy Football
Lee Carsley (ball winner)
Lee Cattermole
Sami Hypia (wages dependant)
Riise (Waghes dependant)
Frazer Campbell (If Manure let him go)
Plymouth winger, names eludes me at the minute.
Report abuse
I’d still like to see Henchoz join us from Blackburn – I know he’s old but his experience at the top level would be valuable.
And the best signing we could make this summer…..
….
….
….
….
Gera.
Report abuse
Plymouth winger, if you are thinking David Norris, Ipswich bought him in January.
I fancy Sinclaire from Chelsea.
Also Rochembach has been released from Borough and lets face it we have had two gems already from them!!
Report abuse
To be honest I’m a bit like wolves chief scout – I don’t know that many players…
Halmosi could be a good call, and i like Campbell – but the liverpool lads probably aint ToMo type players (big egos / big wages).
I also think we only need a bit of depth to be added – I think we have the basis of a decent team already…
Report abuse
Another player I know ToMo rates is Mifsud – he faded away after xmas – but so did Cov… may be worth £2mill
Report abuse
tonywba, i agree but with the right guidence both could be good players.
how about loan moves for players like, walcott ambitious yes but who knows, sinclaire would be good ben sahar is quality, man citys daniel sturridge?
Report abuse
i was just thinking about the lads we got rid of last season and have any of them gone on to bigger and better things?
1. ellington – will be playing the wolves next season
2. koumas – shown signs of his ability in patches but another dog fight season
3. kamara – similar to koumas, struggled and lucky not to be playing the wolves next season
4. curtis davies – started bright – injury prone prima dona
5. McShane Sunderland are so poor a team all the millions wont save them this year
make up your own minds but i think we’re better of with the 20 odd million we got for them.
Report abuse
HB you said yesterday about signing small players and then you suggest Mifsud, hi ho,hi ho, its off to Old Trafford we go!!!
Report abuse
I watched the Blues game on Sunday, i was sorry they were relegated, when Steve Bruce left it took away my reason to dislike them, anyway i digress.
I was very impressed with Olivier Kapo, Seb Larsson, and the left back, whos name escapes me……..but do we need more midfielders at present ?
Koren, Greening, Morrison, Tex, Gera (maybe)
Brunt, Kim, Dorrans (evidently class) and more than a possibility of the Polish lad, also evidently class.
I`ll shut up ToMo knows best.
Report abuse
wbaforever
David Murphy?
Report abuse
id be surprised if lee carsley joined us, id be even more surprised if ToMo went in for him. I think it would be making the same mistakes as last time.
Report abuse
Bomber it was’nt Norris I was thinking of, H_B got it…..Halmosi.
I don’t personally think we’d have a cat in hells chance of getting Walcott, although just the thought excites.
28 B71 BAGGIE
“tonywba, i agree but with the right guidence both could be good players.
how about loan moves for players like, walcott ambitious yes but who knows, sinclaire would be good ben sahar is quality, man citys daniel sturridge?
Have you been playing FM08 or CM08 coz these are the starlets from that game? Daniel Sturridge…..potential wonderkid
Report abuse
Bomber – I’m only “suggesting” Mifsud is a TM type player. He described him as “delightful” before our cup game – Mifsud was then sent off in that game for violent conduct – I don’t know how TM described him after…
In fact, does anyo one think ToMo just has a height complex ?? Maybe he just likes being the biggest bloke in the room !!!
Report abuse
BoingBoing666
Cheers mate. I know what you mean. From our perspective it seems that Polish lad is 90 percent yours. I support Celtic Glasgow and know what is the difference between your media and our media. I think it’s only the question about the final price. I know you may think there are no good players in Poland, but I’m sure you can find some pearls in here, see Boruc case. Sold from Legia Warsaw for six hundred GBP, now woth ten million GBP. Majewski is very promising player, not a final material. Every club in Poland wish to have him in his squad, but it’s too late. The player wants to go out of Poland.Leo Beenhakeer called Majewski for Euro squad. I hope you agree that Don Leo is not a bad coach and must see something good in Majewski.
Finally, all the best to you in EPL. People in Poland will follow your team next season. Not too bad for you I think .
Report abuse
Sorry for mistakes, and my grammar. Boruc was sold from Legia to Celtic for six hundred thousand not for six hundred.
Report abuse
I’m sorry for my mistakes and grammar.
Boruc was sold from Legia to Celtic for six hundred thousand, not for six hundred GBP of course.
Report abuse
Other possibilities – Joe Ledley ??
Or how about raiding Celtic & Rangers for those ex-Hibs lads that TM had when he was there (Brown & Thompson ??)… they may fancy a crack at the prem…
Crikey – i DO know more players than the Wolves scout !!!
Report abuse
Brilliant, support too I Celtic Glasgow.
Report abuse
Mail, no need to apologise, your English is better than half the people who live here, innit!!
Report abuse
Talking of fantasy football, I see Hull are Lining up Christian Veiri if they go up.
Now I’m not suggesting we should go for that type of player – BUT – if you were a Hull fan you would be wetting your pants at the thought of it.
No one could belive it when they signed Ococha – so I wouldn’t put it past them !!
Wonder how he will link up with Windass….
Report abuse
tonywba, no mate i know of daniel sturrige because i used to work with his cousin and saw him play a couple of times, saha lokked very good in the euro qualifiers. just read an artical about walcott, seems mr wenger wants him to be challenging for a first team place next season so thats out the window, we’ll take adebayor though
Report abuse
Sorry Baggies but I’m afraid that there just isn’t the class out there to keep you up, and before you get on your high horses to slag me off, If we were there we’d have the same problem too, it’ll be a dog fight to stay up again, don’t expect anything more, who knows you may prove me wrong but the class gap between these two leagues is just widening more and more.
Report abuse
Malvern Wolf
Ha, I have been only one time to UK, three months ago to see Celtic against Barcelona. I know why people call that place paradise. Good stuff, worse result at that time.
I hope you will do well in the league. Smaller clubs have less money, but they have spirit. I’ll be happy to see you winning against Chelsky :) Why not?
Report abuse
I think the Championship was ultra competitive but the quality of football was poor, apart from the Baggies. Going up with just 83 points doesn’t mean a jot. We just have to finish top of the pile. Roll on the prem. In Mowbray we trust, and Peace to one and all.
Report abuse
ok now for being serious…forsell from blues,carson on loan from liverpool,hypia from liverpool and aj from everton if phillips leaves oh and frazer campell from utd,i believe tomas is on his way back… i dont think he is good enough too rash!!!
Report abuse
no.17 kightly- 7mil
bridge- 7 mil
ashton- 10 mil
kuszac- 5 mil
all the above players are currently with bigger clubs then the albion so you are talking fantasy football and you would be looking at around 30 mil for those 4 not the 8 mil that albion have to spend which includes wages!
Report abuse
Dont get carried away guys 5 million will be the max on one player i cant actually see that happening. Plus we are struggling to keep the players we got because of course the wages, can anyone actually tell me who the highest payed player at the albion, until we start paying top wages we aint getting real quality and if we do we wont keep them. Congrats to mowbray fantastic season.
Report abuse
Reading just recently what TM said about any incoming new player’s in the close season. He will try and find the bargins that will help keep Albion in the Premier League next season. There is one player,from his previous club I think and wou’t be surprised that he ends up at the ALBION. ROB JONES of HIBS a 6 8 tall centre half and club captain who TM bought from GRIMSBY to HIBS. At 29 very expericed in the SPL and UEFA Cup competition for Hibs and out of contract I would say ???
Report abuse
Laughing Wolf.
How! It all about pipe of Peace. Pipe of Peace bring heap big medicene, he sell old nags for plenty wampum and steal other tribes best ponies. We hear of mighty Wolf tribe that live in North yet they melt away like snow of winter on warm day. In Geronimick we trust.
Report abuse
34.TonyWBA, talking of fm08 how about Vincent Kompany, Andy Carroll, Craig Cathcart ?? lol
Report abuse
50. Rob Jones? Not a chance in hell. He makes Big Dave look as quick as Robert Earnshaw, and he has all the passing ability of a moose.
Apparently Alex Song is coming on loan from Arsenal… very, VERY good signing if it comes off IMO.
Report abuse
wba will stay in PREMIER LEAGUE WITH 39PTS
Report abuse
Following cashmans ‘logic’ and he wants to ‘follow’ statistics – having been the clear top scorers not just in the championship but in all English football for the last two seasons there is concern that Albion will do too well in the premiership and it won’t be competitive for the other teams so expect sales of some of our strikers and free scoring midfielders, otherwise its straight to the very top and staying there.
Report abuse