Why the Net has the advantage in the ‘Undies world’
- Shopping blogger Emma Iannarilli
Trialist Balde to join Wolves on tour
Saturday 4th July 2009, 11:55AM BST.
Former Celtic defender Bobo Balde will join Wolves on their tour of Australia on trial as a free agent.
The centre-half will join fellow new-boys Roland Zubar and Nenad Milijas on a plane to the squad’s training base in Perth on Wednesday.
Balde had the opportunity to join Mick McCarthy’s side last season with the Bhoys ready to release the Guinea international, but his £28,000 a week wages at Parkhead proved to be a stumbling block.
Now his contract with the Scottish giants has expired, the 33-year-old must find a new club.
Fellow Premier League new-boys Birmingham and Burnley have been linked with the player this season, but the player has opted to get a good pre-season under his belt with Wolves.
He will need it – his last competitive appearance came back in May 2008.
Sponsored Links
Business Awards
Book a Business Awards table
Join our celebrations of the region's best in business on Thursday March 22 - book your table now
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases
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
Are we just trying to sign players for the sake of it?
Where are the Premier League experienced players?
Report abuse
This is a daft signing…. What with Zubar signing, if Balde signs too we will be 2 defenders down come the african nations cup in January!!
Report abuse
Don’t want to be negative about anything at the club at this time, but i can’t be having this one. Hope the trial isn’t succesfull. Big lump who will get roasted in the prem. Lack of competitive action would be a major worry to. You can’t go over a year without playing at the age of 33 and just pick up where you left off.
Let the blues or burnley have him and stick to the young and hungry policy (with a couple of older, more experienced heads who are still at the top of their game – dunne, nolan etc)
Mick must be serious though if he’s taking him all the way to oz, and he wouldn’t want to give him the benifit of our continually lauded fitness regime and game time to then let a rival sign him. :/
Report abuse
so he is having a trial with us,
which will also make him fit and ready for birm if they offer a contract
we need one more mid field centre
one more experienced striker
then were done !!
bring on the prem
Report abuse
Theses are dizzying times for a Wolves supporter so many players arriving. I’m now thinking we are in for a very good season in the premier, not just surviving. It shows S Morgan means business, every thing at the club is rearing to go the 3ms have gone an excellent job in getting us there and now making sure we stay there. Just hope the negative few in the supporters get fully behind everything and cheer the team on wards and upwards. C’mon you Wolves.
Report abuse
Total and utter waste of time, don’t go there Mick!
Report abuse
Not too sure about this one. While Balde would’ve been a great signing last year to help get us promoted i don’t think he’s got the quality to help keep us up! I’d much rather push the boat out to get Dunne if possible. Anyway it’s only a trial and not a signing and if we weren’t looking at all options i’d be the first to criticise!
Report abuse
Roz Wolves – Maybe you are a bit confused…Zubar is French – France is in Europe – Why will he be playing in the African Nations Cup ??
Report abuse
I’m not convinced about Balde but it looks like Collins is leaving, what with him being out of the Australia trip squad, so swapping Collins for Balde sounds OK to me. What do others think? An improvement on Collins?
Report abuse
WHERE ARE THE PREMIER LEAGUE EXPERIENCED PLAYERS!
Report abuse
half of u lot talk nonsence
for starters i just seen somebody say by signing zubar we will be down a central defender by the time the african nations in january comes along.
zubar is french?
french are european.
not african.
if balde signs
then yeh fair enuf he will be in the african cup of nations but not zubar.
and mcarthey aint signing players for the sake of it.
alot of injuries happen in the premier league and he is making sure he has got plenty of back up for when the premier league season starts.
all the players hes signed are hot prospects or in my opinion am very skilled at what they do. we got a bargain with surman!
halford has really impressed me with his loan spells at sheffield united and charlton. sunderland are daft fir letting him go.
Report abuse
What are we doing? This guys is rubbish. Was shown up many a time in the SPL he will bring nothing to the party! Don’t like his attitude either. Stopped at Celtic for the money and tried to use wolves last year as a step to alert other clubs. Don’t do it Mick we need premier players not slow clumsy 33 year old fringe SPL player.
Report abuse
What the heck are you talking about no 2? Zubar is from Guadeloupe, that’s in the Americas not Africa!!! You are really zero in geography…
Report abuse
No2
Zubar French U21? African Nations? Av I missed summit?
Report abuse
Will everyone note that Zubar is FRENCH and unless the shape of the world has changed in the last 24 hours France is in Europe!!!!!
Report abuse
(roz wolves) zubar is french under 21 international we wont be playing in african nations cup some people dont know much about football do they
Report abuse
I would definitely not even entertain a guy who has sponged 28 grand a week from Celtic and not kicked a ball. He is too old and wants a fat pay cheque before he retires. It is good that he is on the pre season though as he should get seen for what he is…..forget this guy and just try and get Mancienne back at least on a years loan….all in all though I can never remember Wolves getting this many new players in close season roll on August
Report abuse
I want to make one thing CRYSTAL clear…
RONALD ZUBAR WAS BORN IS GUADALUOPE (SP) WHICH IS A PRINCIPALITY OF FRANCE. HE WILL BE GOING NO WHERE IN JANUARY AS FRANCE ARE NOT IN THE ACoN!
Balde would bring in experience, but, the fitness thing worries me.
Very pleased with our six acquisitions so far. Hopefully line up like this:
Hennessey
Foley
Mancienne
Zubar
Elokobi
Kights
Nolan
Milijas
Jarvis
Doyle
SEB
I wouldn’t dismiss Richard Dunne, he’s been there, done it, got the t-shirt and the Pen that came on special offer. Mancienne would go brilliantly alongside him too :D .
If the Nolan deal gets done, that would be a KILLER signing, and would spell the completion of our midfield, which would make me Tres happy!
Bring on the Hammers.
My prediction is 14th in the league if we complete our buisness soon :D
UTW!!
Report abuse
OOOPPS ! – Think someones cocked up here and tried to book BoBo the Clown to entertain the boys on the way to OZ !!
Report abuse
Worth having a look at him, am sure Mick is probably better to judge the player than we are. 2, Roz – Zubar is French, has played for their U21′s!!
Report abuse
Number 2 – Zubar is not african he is from Guadeloupe which is in the carribean
Report abuse
No 2, Zubar will not be missing as he is a french U21 international. Bring on Mancienne for the surprise signing then PREM HERE WE COME!!!!!
Report abuse
We seem to be doing very well on signing predominately British players. Yeh right!! Was that just an out and out lie or did someone speak before they had gotten their mouth and brain syncronised? I think Mick had better take some language courses at night school.
Report abuse
No2, Zubar would not be missing in january as he was a U21 french international, Hoping Mancienne is the surprise signing and then bring on the PREM!!!!
Report abuse
Right age & the right speed ……………. for the bluenoses, why would we want an overweight past it hasbeen – thought that was Big Eck’s job signing them
Report abuse
Held us to ransom a couple of seasons back … not for me
Report abuse
@ Roz Wolves…
Zubar is french
Elokobi has no caps- not called up by anyone.
Balde is 33- no guarantees he’ll be called up again.
I think that there will be plenty of defenders available in january
Report abuse
No 2 Zubar is FRENCH not AFRICAN!! No African nations cup for him.
Report abuse
Yes better we waste a few grand on a “trial” oome holiday in Aus than potentially a whole lot more in Premiership level wages if he’s not going to be up to it.Have to trust MM to be able to judge on that I suppose but presumably if history anything to go by he wont come cheap so he’d better be good and MM better be sure!!
Report abuse
I’d rather leave this joker, and whatever quids we were going to throw him lob them into the salary for Mancienne. Or someone surprising – but experienced. 33 years old, hasn’t played for a year, little reputation, little history, no knowledge…… don’t think so. I think he’s one of those looking for a last pay day, and we said we wouldn’t go there!
Report abuse
Nothing negative to say up to this unexplainable story, cannot see why we are looking at this althoughas a free agent no transfer fee and only wages, did he not require more than we will ever pay and should not be in the running for a place in the team.
Report abuse
Most of the signings are quality and young, this guy does not fit the bill. He would not come last season but would like to come now we are a prem club, now ok it’s in reverse this time but who does that remind you of with the initials HC !
Report abuse
Never liked Mad Mick, but he said give him 3 years
and he has took us up, so let’s get behind him and
what’s more let’s make some noise at the golden
temple.
Report abuse
Listen very carefully Roz Wolves No2, Zubar is not African he is French and unless France has become part of the African Continent overnight he will not be playing in the African Nations Cup!!!!
Report abuse
rather go for sol campbell
Report abuse
ZUBAR IS FRENCH! that means he is NOT eligible to play in the African Nations cup. As FRANCE is in Europe! I thought I had better make the last point clear. Not ALL Black players are necessarily eligible for the African Nations cup.
Of Balde shows himself to be up for it and plays really well in pre-season he might be worth offering a contract
Report abuse
2. Roz Wolves
Zubar is French. He’s no more likely to play in the African Nations Cup than Milijas is.
Report abuse
Roz-Wolves — Zubar isn’t an African — he’s from the Carribean — French Territory of Guadaloupe — and he’s a French U21 international already.
And, although he’s played also as a full international for Guadalouope, he can still be picked for France as Guadaloupe isn’t part of the international football organisation.
So he won’t be picked for the African Nations Cup.
I’m excited about the new players — and some we arefamilair with will be on their way out of the door — such as Neil Collins who isn’t on the Australian trip.
Report abuse