Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Albion agree deal for Haber
Thursday 7th January 2010, 12:00PM GMT.
Albion are set to swoop for Canadian striker Marcus Haber as new signing Gabriel Tamas was cleared to make his debut against Nottingham Forest.
The Baggies have agreed a deal with Vancouver Whitecaps to sign Haber for an undisclosed fee, after the youngster impressed in a recent trial. The 20-year-old was due to land in England today to discuss personal terms and undergo a medical ahead of the completion of his move.
Haber is not expected to figure immediately in Roberto Di Matteo’s first team, but the Baggies are keen to develop him in their professional ranks.
The 6ft 3in tall forward had a four-day training spell with Di Matteo’s squad in November after a successful first season in Canada, scoring eight goals during the United Soccer Leagues First Division campaign and winning the division’s Rookie of the Year as well, as the Whitecaps’ Newcomer of the Year and Fan Favourite.
Haber previously spent two seasons with the under-19s and reserve teams of Dutch Eredivisie club FC Groningen , before representing Canada at under-17s and under-20s levels.
The Vancouver-born marksman was also a member of the under-23 squad in qualifying for the Beijing Olympics.
Another new player at the Hawthorns, Romania central defender Tamas, is free to make his debut in tomorrow’s Championship clash with Forest after receiving both his work permit and international clearance.
The Baggies had feared the on-loan Auxerre defender’s debut would be delayed by red tape, but legal secretary Darren Eales visited the UK Border Agency in Sheffield to speed up the process.
He said: “Getting a work permit and international clearance for Gabriel has taken a little longer than usual. This was due to the fact his arrival coincided with the festive holiday period and that we were dealing with two clubs, as he had been on loan at Dinamo Bucharest.”
But gone from the club is Albion youngster Reuben Reid, who has completed his three-month loan move to Peterborough. The deal includes a recall clause after the first 28 days.
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Just what we need a guy playing in USA’s version of the championship (eqivalent to our conference if that) and scoring 8 goals. Not a canadian international either when there international team are poor, where are the quality signings? If we lose to Forest and Newcastle we are in trouble.
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That’s a bit doom and gloom if you don’t mind me saying Shropshire.
You’ve seen the finance report recently – so with what are we going to use to bring in these so called quality signings?
And tell me, who exactly are these quality signings anyway? Names?
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Takk.
This is Laughing Wolf not the real Shropshire Baggie.
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You’ve got to love his persistency haven’t ya Bully?! :-)
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Ned.
I haven’t got my dictionary. Can persistency also mean sheer stupidity? Perhaps that’s a little unfair though, he did remember to change his name back when he posted on the Wolves site shortly after. Well done Shadrag.
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Good news that we’re still looking to the future. I know these type of signings are not very exciting at the moment but neither was Graham Dorrans when we signed him.
Also good that Tamas has clearance for tomorrow night. Anyone (no not you Laughing Wolf in any of your guises) have any inside info on whether the game is likely to be on.
On the subject of Tamas. A lot has been said about his playboy reputation and I must admit that it’s a concern that he might affect what seems a very solid dressing room. The thing that gives me more confidence is RDM. He seems to have a quiet confidence and unflappability, he handled the Roman Bednar situation very well. I suppose Forest fans must have had the same feeling when Cloughie signed Kenny Burns, who would have made Tamas look like Mother Teresa and look how that turned out.
Anyone else any thoughts on the new E&S website? It seems a bit brash after the comfy old one but I’m getting used to it now. One thing that I miss is the posts being numbered. When you come back to a story, especially the heavily commented on ones, it makes it difficult to find where you’ve previously read to. How about it E&S, can we have our numbers back?
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He had a trial at Leeds and they didn’t deem him to be good enough, if only they signed him we could of signed Beckford! I do find out financial situation frustrating as it makes no sense that we are 7mil in debt with all the sales etc, I think the board have been lining their pockets too much.
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The 7 million in debt comes from normal running costs. Jeremy Peace keeps our finances to a 3 year rolling plan, taking parachute and transfer payments into consideration. You may find that 7 million debt is covered by Greening, Robbo and Valero sales which aren’t officially completed as they are on loan.
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Dear Laughing Dingle:Letter 1,Let us know in twelve months time how you think Mr.Haber is comming along.You give yourself away like the rest of the gripers on your board.I agree with T~R~B~H REGARDING POST NUUMBERING.
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Albion in recent years have a twin track approach with young players – not unlike Man Utd. There are those like Dorrans and Wood who are first team bound material and others like Worral and probably Haber, who will be developed and sold on for a profit.
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Baggiebob.
Hope young Marcus reads this, it will really make him feel a million dollars. Not all players come through as seventeen year olds, some are later developers. Did you recognise Dorrans first team potential on the day he signed for us?
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Shropshire baggie! relax man, he’s not being thrown in at the deep end. We’ll nurture him, and if he makes the grade then great, if not we’ll sell him for a few bob. I bet you said the same about Dorrans. This guy is raw but the talent is there, saw him in Toronto and twice on the tellyvisal. I think we’ll be ok this season, I don’t look at the next two games as make or break, as we could win them both and then lose and draw a couple to struggling sides. I think we know this league and we are better prepared than most. Forest apart from the start have yet to hit a troubled spell. Newcastle are the only team I know that can funk a 10 point lead, unless you want to count the time our neighbours hit the self destruct button that granted our access to the promise land. Also I have no doubt the baggies are being run from top to bottom better than most teams including the premiership. Our training facilities are world class. This is why we can recruit such promising talent.
Enjoy the Forest game, I know I will
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Bully
I am not keen on this new set up at all.
Tomorrows game, weather permitting. I have more confidence about the Toon game than this one, just a nagging feeling.
I had this e-mail from Laughing Wolf this morning.
Dear Wbaforever.
I decided to take your advice and seek professional help.
It transpires that i am suffering from a rare condition…..IMBECILE PDS
Inferior Multi Baggie Ego Cretinous Irrational Lunacy Extreme Personality Disorder Sydrome.
I have been told to try and at least halve my Baggie aliases, but it could be expensive.
He gave me a bill for two grand…….so i gave him a fiver and told him to ask the other blokes for the rest.
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Forever.
I feel the same as you about tomorrow night but you should take heart that I’m probably the World’s worse forecaster.
On the Shadrag thing. I’ve just stopped laughing and thinking you are a comic genius when I realised that you might not be joking and it might be true. In that case I’m very sorry for this poor unfortunate. Is there a charity we can donate to for this condition.
PS Where is Sir Terry? Haven’t seen him yet on the new site, is it too posh for him?
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seen a few clips on you tube and he looks promising got bags of pace likes to beat a player, good in the air, and can finish. a long way off the finished article but a great prospect lets hope he will shine like dorrans and wood etc good luck marcus
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He actually started his career as a CB so could be quite an interesting addition. We do not know the reasons behind his trials not working out at other clubs so don’t presume he’s not good enough. Don’t forget when Dorrans arrived he was “one for the future” – look at him now.
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Tamas should be able to slot straight into the team and if reports are accurate the club have signed a great player.
Haber looks very exciting but it seems he may be one for the future – but if he impresses in training I’m sure he will get his chance.
Signing Dorrens up has been the best bit of business but I hope we can bring leon best in now as I think that will see us ok for this season (particularly with Miller getting fit and Mozza coming along).
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What reports are these Happy?? The ones from his parents?
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TRBH
Drove past the ground this morning and there was diggers clearing snow from the car park. The foot paths are still covered round the ground but i am guessing they would clear and grit them tomorrow. The tv money from the game does place maybe a little more pressure on the club to get the game on, but lets face it its not down to the clubs anymore, its down to the ref and the police.
My blog for tomorrow will be about as useful as LW using an alias if the game is off!!!
As for Haber, get a grip some of you for gods sake, he is 20 yrs old and if our scouting system that found Dorrans, Jara, Olsson, Koren, and Mulumbu think he is worth a few quid then im not going to argue with them and will reserve judgement until he has played.
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Thanks Jarrod. Perhaps more telling, I read that it’s down to the Police and the dreaded Safety Committee. We all know that these committees are all about backside covering. Anything on the telly tomorrow night?
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Did anyone hear the report from the recent Celtic / Rangers game ??
Apparently celtic had most of the possession and created lots of chances but couldn’t put the ball away.
They were then vunerable to Rangers set pieces and lost 2 points because they couldn’t defend the high ball…… sounds like ToMo ain’t lost his touch !!!
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Relevance to WBA and Marcus Haber please?
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Come on 1989 – Surely you remember Tomo – used to be our manager before this other bloke…. played nice football but couldn’t get the team to defend….. I thought it was worth a mention.
Sorry its not about Haber but if you visit these pages regularly you will note that we sometimes go off track…. try to keep up.
You will also note that I commented on the new players further up.
Have we got a new moderator ???
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if we have got a new mod i hope he aint a dingle like last un,it is posh ay it aye boing boing
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Happy.
Perhaps Middlesborough will come in for him at the end of the season. Although his innate sense of decency and loyalty will keep him at Celtic.
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I know nothing about this kid, so im gonna have to show faith in our scouting system, which is coming up with some crackers at the moment.
Ive read that he is fast and Knows how to use his pace to beat players,which is strange for such a tall bloke.
Im happy we are investing the future as i think we dont need much to get us out of this division.
Did anyone see the snowman in Carsons car, that was brill.
Dingles should worry about their own team and stop trying to cause trouble on Baggies pages.
WERE GOING UP, AND THE WOLVES ARE COMING DOWN.
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” Dingles should worry about their own team ”
Then finishes the comment with “WOLVES ARE COMING DOWN”
Double standards me thinks.
p.s. TRBH – even I am worried where Terry is
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Haber must have something about him for Jeremy
Peace to pay any kind of transfer fee,
Albion have paid big for players in the past
and its just not worked out so I havnt got
any gripes with our chairman trying to sign
some cheaper players like Mulumbu,Dorrans,and
Koren.
I really hope Tamas gets a place in the starting 11 for Forest game if not then it
seems a bit of a watse of time for
Darren Eales to be travelling all that way
for nothing.
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Laughing Wolf.
I know this is you as it’s much too positive to be DLB.
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I sort of like this new E&S set up but its not quite working.
The idea of replying directly to a post rather than referring to it later seems a good idea but its making it hard to find the newer comments that have been posted.
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Happy.
I thought that but I think once we get used to scrolling through for new white reply boxes we’ll be fine. I’d still like the numbers back though, especially for the topics that really take off.
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I think that the numbers would help because when there are times that a few people have commented on the same thing, it’d be nice to number them, as opposed to repying like this for each and every one of them.
It’s not a bad revamp, but because we’re all still getting used to it, I think that’s why we’re preferring the old format.
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Well Haber sounds like McDonald and Reuben Reid before him. This is JP’s safety net signing – surely nowhere near Prem but will be good enough in the Champs next season should the worst come to pass. Still it’s not huge money if it doesn’t work then no one really loses out and if it comes off then fine.
Bit strange when JP wanted a smaller squad in August we don’t seem to have reduced by the number he wanted and we’re taking this lad under our wings.
However fair point on Dorrans – no one knew who he was now we have to lock him up with a new contract to stop him going for already more than 10 times we paid for him.
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AMS.
I would agree if you’d said ‘Haber sounds like McDonald, Reid, Wood and Dorrans before him.’ McDonald gave the club a profit, Reid is still learning. It’s not an exact science.
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The Real Bully Hoo
Its actually the real DorransLovesBrom,
Iam always pretty positive on a night before
a game but I just hope its not called off.
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Just got back from ground east stand car park clear,tv setting up, me think its full steam ahead so get ya thermols out ready, aye boing boing
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thanks for all your concern but im fine thanks n never far away,i got good feeling bout tonite,forest away record going to come to an end aye boing boing
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A.M.S,Worry about YOUR owner and scouting staff Dingle owing to the tripe brought into your club{low hill City}and passed off as premiership players.
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terry baggie: wolves r staying up the mccarthy way!!!
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were after steven hunt and youve signed….some gezzer from canada ur having a laugh!! oh 2 0 to notts forest by the way,stay up the mccarthyway oh yes
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