Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Dean Smith plots Walsall double deal
Tuesday 5th July 2011, 9:00AM BST.
Walsall boss Dean Smith today remained tight-lipped over his top midfield target – as the Saddlers were again linked with Adam Chambers.
The manager revealed he is closing in on two new signings and is in talks over Marco Gbarssin and Marc Laird.
Smith has also been linked with a swoop for Leyton Orient midfielder Chambers – who he worked with at Brisbane Road – as he looks to plug the midfield gap.
But when asked about Chambers, Smith said: “I can’t discuss it at the moment.”
Former Albion trainee Chambers is available on a free transfer, despite being offered a new contract by the O’s after making enough appearances to trigger an extension.
But he has yet to sign and a move back to the Midlands is tempting the 30-year-old, who was born in Sandwell and made 70 appearances for Albion.
Ex-loanees Gbarssin and Laird are also on the radar but Smith insisted he is first pursuing another target, believed to be Chambers.
He said: “Marco is still on the radar and I’ve been in dialogue with him. I’ve got a first choice player who I am moving for in centre-midfield at the moment.
“Marc is one that’s under consideration as well, I have been in dialogue with his agent.”
Smith also ruled out any return for Richards and Julian Gray, after the pair missed the deadline to agree new deals.
He said: “I was very close to agreeing with both of them and they had a month to accept their offer and they didn’t.
“They came back to me after the month had ceased and I told them the offer had expired. Not giving me an answer gave me the chance to look elsewhere.
“If I can get other bodies in for less money I will.”
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Better quality for less money ?
I hope you’ve got it right Deano – Its fine setting deadlines as we did for Richards and Gray, two very good players both with experience and goalscoring ability, but some flexibility is needed also.
Is it not the case that the players we are chasing now have done exactly the same to their own clubs and refused to resign until they checked out all offers ??
If we had sufficient quality players queueing up to join us prior to now and could have had a settled team before the season started then we would have been justified in turning away Richards and Gray. As it is the preseason friendlies are starting and we hardly have a team, needing 3-4 players by Dean’s admission.
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Its good to have a Manager that won’t be messed around. Gray did the same last season and then didn’t turn up for half the season. That could happen again. With Richards, he was the pick of a poor midfield last season, but as we improved towards the end, he didn’t really shine.
I’m happy to trust Smith’s judgement on this one.
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deano is right if they cant sign up when they have to goodbye i say.Richards was ok in a poor midfield at the start of the season and poor in a ok midfield at the end of the season,and gray only signed up last season cause no one else wanted him,dont know why he expects anybody would want him now,didnt exactly pull up any trees for us
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I wouldn’t bother with Gbrassin, he wasn’t as dynamic as he promised to be last season but definately a good idea to try and sign Laird. we won’t miss Richards or Gray.
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I’m with Kev. Gray had all the potential to be a really good player, but good players don’t go missing most of the time. That’s why he never really made it and it’s now too late for him…anywhere.
As for Richards, you always new that you were going to get full committment from first to last whistle and overall had a good season. However, more of a squad player than a first choice due to his constant failing to deliver the right ball at the right time.
As I posted before, Graham Alexander is the player I’d be after as the perfect leader in the center of the park, and whilst were at it, why haven’t we got Julian Bennet back??
Easy to be a manager sat here isn’t it!!!!
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Well done Deano. Richards and Grey knew the score and chose to mess about. I think he is sending the right kind of message to assembling a squad with the right attitude, who WANT to sign and play for our football club!
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Gbarssin i thought was an old school holding midfielder. I would have him at Walsall in a heartbeat. Makelele style, he can sit and allow all the other midfield trio push forward.
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