Albion snap up Craig Dawson
Tuesday 31st August 2010, 11:29AM BST.
Albion were today finalising the £600,000 signing of young Rochdale defender Craig Dawson after wrapping up the capture of Austria international Paul Scharner.
The Baggies confirmed the free-transfer arrival of Scharner last night in an eye-catching move that was expected to complete their summer transfer business.
But 20-year-old Dawson was on the brink of a switch to The Hawthorns this afternoon, although he will be loaned back immediately to League One Dale.
Baggies scout Bobby Hope watched Dawson in action for Dale in their Carling Cup defeat at Birmingham last week, as the Baggies checked out the defender.
Dawson has become one of the hottest prospects in the lower leagues since joining Keith Hill’s side from non-league Radcliffe Borough just over a year ago.
The 6ft 2in tall stopper has played 45 times for Dale, scoring 10 goals.
The Baggies were keeping tabs on the transfer market today as the clock ticked down to the 6pm deadline in case any long-term targets become available unexpectedly.
But the club were not actively pursuing any senior targets, having filled the final obvious vacancy in their squad with the signing of Scharner.
The versatile 30-year-old has been signed primarily to provide competition in central midfield positions.
He has joined the Baggies on a two-year deal, although reports from his homeland suggest he has agreed a ‘get-out’ clause allowing him to leave next summer to one of seven specified clubs.
Meanwhile, the Baggies were preparing for possible inquiries for their own players with Gianni Zuiverloon and Abdoulaye Meite potentially available for the right price.
Luke Moore is surplus to requirements but Albion have yet to receive an inquiry about the high-earning striker.
And forwards Chris Wood and Simon Cox are both targets for Championship clubs eying potential loan moves, but they are unlikely to be allowed out of The Hawthorns yet with Ishmael Miller and Roman Bednar injured.
The window re-opens for loans next week.
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Anyone who followed League 2 last season will know what a tremendous prospect this lad is. He has a bright future.
This is a shrewd move by the baggies and a sensible move to send him back to the Dale on loan to keep gaining experience as he is not ready just yet for the big time.
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Scharner’s a great signing but Rueben Reid springs to mind with Dawson. But if he turns out to be any good, another good signing. Transfer window had been a successful one I think.
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Not surprised about no interest in luke moore he would struggle to get in the kidderminster team.
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As usual young talent spotting by our scouts could well pay off in the future.
Excellent signing with Sharner though! I had heard on the rumour mill Sidwell could be coming to us but maybe we don’t need him now?
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I really hope we offload Moore…
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Good to see this sort of signing for the future now that the current squad is up to fettle.
I’ll be sorry if we let Zoovy go as he looks to have the makings of a good footballer.
Interesting to see Marcus Bent at the Wolves. I can only imagine what some of their posters would have said on here if we’d signed him. ‘Lack of ambition, cheap option, past it etc.’
The best thing about our squad now is the amount of players, Reid, Scharner, Jara, Cech etc that can play in more than one position. In the past injuries and suspensions have caused us major problems but it shouldn’t happen this season.
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JP and DA have been sensational this transfer window. They’ve done everything they said they were going to do and then some.
Meanwhile, whilst everyone else is scrambling as the clock ticks down and making panic buys, we’ve done our major business and can focus on the kids for tomorrow i.e. Dawson.
As a squad we now have competition and internationals in practically every position. This is as strong a squad as we’ve seen at the Hawthorns since the late 70′s/early 80′s under Big Ron.
I know that the proof is in results on the pitch, but I think the lads behind the scenes have given us every opportunity to succeed this season and beyond.
Well done JP, DA, RDM and everyone behind the scenes. A first class effort.
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this young lad has the makings of a really great player! well done to jeremy peace and the board who dont get the praise they deserve.its going to be an exciting season.
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NYBaggie and Tipton-Albion
I couldn’t agree more, an excellent job done by the board and the scouting network, who were both being mercilessly ripped to shreds by some supoosed Baggies on here only a matter of weeks ago.
Nick the Greek had the decency to admit he was wrong and praise them, maybe it’s too optimistic to expect any of the other knockers to follow suit…..????
I’ll be interested to read Streetly’s take on the transfer window as he was reasonable enough to say he’d reserve judgement until 1 September.
TRBH
You’re right about the Wolves posters if we’d signed Marcus Bent. More worrying, can you imagine what our moany-brigade would’ve made of it?
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9, Warren,
Thank you, Warren and with another two hours to go, I will comment after 6.00pm as anything can happen and if anybody offers anything if only a few quid for Luke Moore, I will be alot happier.
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The backcloth tells us that transfer activity is way down, both in terms of volume, as well as value.
Moreover, the much expected “offloading” from the bigger clubs to fit the “25 pool rule” has just not happened.
Despite these facts, this has been one of the best-managed transfer windows I can recall.
We’ve acquired some good players that seem to fit the positions we felt needed strengthening, and, they are already in the bag without panic.
We also have time for a little flutter into the future.
“Chapeaux” to JP & his team.
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Warren.
Good point re:- our moaners but I wouldn’t hold your breath waiting on that one. I’m sure Streetly will come on now and say he’ll reserve judgement until he’s seen how we play. I suppose it’s like being an agnostic football fan.
Over to you Streetly.
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I’ve never doubted JP and have repeatedly backed him on here and I’m glad he’s proved me right and also his doubters wrong.
He is the best chairman we’ve had in ages and like RDM is a pragmatic man.
This is our season and will hopefully be established at long last.
The futures bright, the futures Blue and white!
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Totally agree surely cant be many moaners about our tranfer forays though some were
hoping for Drogba. We have given ourselves
every chance of survival this time the problem is keeping everyone happy In the past
big money signings havent come off Barnett and
Moore didnt suceed though I still think if
Moore had netted some of the many near misses
he could have been a sucess. Blues sucess last
season due to signing proven Premier players
feel we have the right mix I hate the transfer
restrictions after today nothing to get excited about still picking up points against
top half sides will suffice.
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12, Bully Hoo
Oh dear, Oh dear Bully Hoo,just because I have criticised our chairman in the past on these pages, I have made no comment whatsoever regards the transfer window and at least Warren has the decency to remember this but if you want to label me as a moaner after missing around 20 home matches since 1967 then GOD has spoken and as you are sure what I am going to say next keep reading as i might surprise you !!!!
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Thanks to all the ALBION staff for giving us a fighting chance of staying up. Brilliant job.
Well laughingwolf, Grease, Gerty,And anyone
else from the darkside. What do you think of your new striker?. Teriffic Mick You can drop
Doyler now as Bent will score as many as him
only for a cheaper outlay.
~~~~BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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15 Streetly.
Sorry. That was meant tongue in cheek. We’ve agreed to differ in the past without falling out. Hope I haven’t offended you, it wasn’t meant to.
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Warren.
After what I said and have a look at what 1954 Baggie says at 14. ‘surely there can’t be many moaners about our transfer dealings.’
Well 1954, have a look at the Transfer Blog. The ever dependable Woodman Baggie while saying he’s happy with what we have brought in, goes on to criticise JP for not paying high enough wages to attract the likes of Wolson and Beattie. He adds that the rest of us are naive for thinking otherwise.
See what we’re up against Streetly.
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We sign a guy from Roachdale for 600k when the money could go towards a GOALSCORER. Scharner has signed for the season after being released by Wigan and already has a release clause to leave for FREE if another club of HIS CHOICE comes in for him, what a joke!
We seem to have the same problem as two seasons ago, playing little touches in our own half but we have no end product. I think Fortune is a good honest player but will never be a premiership striker, he couldnt even do it in Scotland. I am not entirely sure why the club paid out for him after he rejected us for Celtic in the first place along with Steven Reid.
Long, hard season to come but we have a chance as Westham, Blackpool and Bolton will struggle but Stoke have made a few new signings and will get their inevitable 6 points from us again.
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WoodmanBaggie.
Thanks for showing a little chink in your armour and I’m sure your heart is in the right place.
I think you’ll find the reason for not signing Wilson or Beattie was the difference in valuation,wages were never discussed.
Fortune was purchased as a lone front man to hold the ball up,which he did very well on his second debut and not as a striker.
As for,where has the money gone? it’s not only gone on transfer fee’s but money is banked and set aside to cover wages for the duration of the signed contracts and improved terms on existing.I’m not saying all the money has been spoken for but in this day and age you need to keep a little money in the kitty.
Anyway I’m sure you’re excited for the forthcoming season and will give your total support to the team while keeping more negative comments to these pages.
Adeu Amigo
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TRBH, Kev
I was in a good mood this morning, but Woodman Baggie’s post has left me reaching for the bottle.
Apparently we’re naive for thinking the £70m we get for reaching the Prem PLUS £10m add-ons shouldn’t all be spent on transfer fees? Really……????
Woodman, read the stats. Our turnover for our last Prem season was £47m, the wage bill was £31m. We then spent £23m on transfers.
This time around, we’ll have a similar turnover (not £80m as you suggest), and we’ve spent circa £10m on transfers. JP said that we’ll be spending more on wages.
If that means Ibanez, Scharner, Fortune, Odemwingie, Tchoyi and Shorey are all earning £25k-30k a week, then our wage bill is likely to be a good few million higher than it was last time over the season.
Also we haven’t sold anybody, so we’ll still be paying the likes of Moore about £20k a week, or £1m for the year.
We spent on fees last time, it didn’t work. People ask for ambition and big-league experience this time and we get it. If we don’t stay up, it won’t be through the want of trying. Lets give them a bit of credit.
P.S. JP’s share acquisition loan is secured on his own personal assets.
Smiling (through gritted teeth) Baggie
Amy suggestions on who we could get for 600k that scores 20-goals a season in the Premiership?
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20 Smiling Baggie.
Yes Drogba or Torres would have got more goals than Fortune. But he cost an alleged £2.5mill. Wolves spent £7 mill each on two strikers that both have a poorer PL scoring ratio than Fortune.
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I see the transfer window closing time has been stretched for a London club again. I’m sure the same thing would have been allowed for one of our clubs. NOT.
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End of window and I like the balance of our squad.Every position covered with guys like Jara,Scharner,Reid,Cech and Tchoyi flexible in where they can play.We never had this in previous squads when in the premier and the other thing is we have the likes of Tamas, Olson,Tchoyi,Reid,Scharner and Fortune who are big strong players and should stand up to the likes of Stoke.Obviously Odenwingie & Tchoyi will be a gamble as they are new to the Premier and also its a big step for Dorrans & Mulumbu who still have not a great deal of games under their belt in their careers but please give them time.The old problem is as we know how we are going to play, where in midfield is there a player that will get us 15-20 goals per season ? If only we could take 35 years off Bomber Browns age and we would be ok.On the whole I am alot more confident for our prospects than I have ever been,we will obviously be fighting relegation but we certainly have a fighting chance.Now hear this I think Peace & Ashworth have done well in the transfer window and the standard of signings have been of a higher quality than ever before with a blend of youth and experience with some big physical players thrown in as well which we certainly lacked under Mowbray.Well done to Peace,Ashworth & Di Matteo,we are in with a chance.
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19SmilingBaggie is Loffin’ Fowl trying to stir it. Silly, silly silly.
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I never thought I’d say this, but we agree Streetly, and I thought that was quite an accurate and balanced assessment. Fair play to you.
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