West Brom linked with move for Japan keeper
Saturday 26th March 2011, 11:29AM GMT.
West Bromwich Albion have today been linked with a move for Japan’s World Cup keeper Eiji Kawashima.
The 28-year-old, who plays for Belgian club Lierse, helped his country make the last 16 in South Africa, conceding just two goals in four games.
He also impressed during the pre-World Cup friendly against England when he saved Frank Lampard’s penalty but was eventually beaten by two own goals.
Lierse technical director Herman Helleputte said: “West Brom asked if we’ll discuss a move for Kawashima.
“We said he can go if they make us a good offer.”
Meanwhile, West brom kingpin Jonas Olsson today saluted the triumphant return of Aboudlaye Meite.
Meite is back at the heart of the team’s struggle for Premier League safety after being given a new lease of life by Roy Hodgson.
“I was surprised when he came back. He hadn’t played for so many months and it’s a big credit to him the way he returned,” said Olsson.
“And finally we’re seeing he’s a good footballer. He’s out for so many months yet comes back in and does so well despite not having much of a chance.”
UK Sport
Latest Blog — Same again for West Brom
What a strange two weeks it has been since our last game. I haven’t looked over my neighbour’s fence with as much interest since Pamela Anderson moved in next door and regularly used her trampoline, writes Albion blogger Jarrod Hill.
Albion Blog
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
Do we realy need another keeper ? Carson and Myhill are good enough for me
Report abuse
Get real. If we manage to stay if the premier league this season then the position of goalkeeper is the 1st position we need to improve on. Neither Carson or Myhill are premiership quality. Neither are consistent and neither are match winners.
Report abuse
I feel for Luke Daniels who has shown in his loan spells at Shrewsbury and Tranmere that he is a very good young keeper. I think he needs to move this coming summer because its obvious he’s never going to be given a chance at albion
Report abuse
2 ‘baggieboy1975′?-
When you say ‘get real’,how about starting with yourself?
Or are you going to tell me you’re not one of those very sad wolves fans who spend all their time on the Albion site pretending to be someone else?
The official facts say that wolves fans are the third highest in the country for pretending to be from other clubs.These are the facts,my friend.
And changing from ’1973 Baggie’ to ‘baggie 1975′ is a stroke of genius.You truly have reached the height of wolves fans’ creative mental potential.
Report abuse
2 Couldn’t agree more, but be careful criticising Frank on here. You run the risk of upsetting the MAP and also his fan club.
Report abuse
more to the point…… can he speak / understand black country spake ???
Report abuse
5 – I have already confessed to being a member of the MAP – its a mutual appreciation of The Albion where we actually LIKE the club and its players… and we prefer it to the MOG – that Moaning old gits – and definately better than the DDID – thats Dopey Dingles In Disguise (No 2 please take note).
Report abuse
7 Happy.
I think the time has come for us to stop trying to defend the indefensible. It’s time to face the fact that as members of the MAS we take a long hard look at ourselves in the mirror and accept that we’ve been arrogant in presuming that our method of support is the right way.
Could it be that blaming players whenever we lose is the right way regardless of the circumstnces.
Perhaps it is better just to give in and call them names.
Maybe it does help them get their game together if we boo when they are announced on the team sheet.
Wouldn’t you be feeling quite proud of your part in Meite’s return if you had been one of the people that goaded him into it by calling him a clown and a donkey on here?
I know we didn’t officially form the MAS, it was used as a term of abuse but we should be ashamed of ourselves for bullying the poor souls that come on here exercising their right to slag off and name call anyone at the club they feel has become a victim or a scapegoat. After all they are well paid for it and if everything works out and we stay up we can do an about turn and run on the pitch patting our heroes on the back but if we go down we were right all along.
It’s a no lose situation and must be the way forward.
Come on you Baggie Boys/Useless B——-s *.
* Delete as applicable.
Report abuse
If he is an amazing keeper who comes with an almost infallible record then great sign him up and give him the shirt. But if I’m going to be honest, I still rate Scott and Boaz. I think both are a centre half away from full confidence between the sticks and it is my humble opinion that clean sheets will start to appear.
Whilst I’m not saying that I’m not open to the suggestion of a better keeper coming in I’m not sure Belgium premier and the type of fixtures Japan play year on year would be a good indicator of how a keeper would fare in the prem.
Oh and the Dingle at no.2 Both Carson and Myhill were matchwinners at previous clubs. At Albion we can be patient.
Boing Boing
Report abuse
i dont mind carson or myhill but this guy is better so bring him in. Its all about improving on what weve got
Report abuse
TRBH – Yes perhaps the revers psychology of booing them first will make them try to win our approval – a bit like kicking a dog so that it comes to crave attention – you may be onto something here, so Smethwick and all the othe MOGs – please accept my apologies.
Lets give it a go – “Ooooh that Roy Hodgson – what a load of rubbish”….. Nah sorry, I can’t do it with feeling.
Looks like I will have to remain a fully paid up member of MAS !!!
Report abuse
Am I being cynical thinking: “ch-ching!”?
A Japanese player always helps publicise the Club in the Far East…….
Report abuse
Testing.
Report abuse
12.SuperMaths. Yup mate, you are being somewhat cynical although I do empathise with your view. Bryan Robson is doing a grand job for Man.U. as a coach/promoter. If we get a good goalkeeper and some Far East interest it’s a win-win. How would you feel if a mega-bucks buyer appeared too? I’ve got mixed feelings about that in this money-mad society. If every club in the Prem has a millionaire backer, someone still has to finish bottom. That’s unless they induce the FA into ‘no relegation’ clauses.
Report abuse
14 Cyril-
wouldn’t it be great if the rules were changed so that we had a ‘handicap’ type system to make things fairer?
Basically,the final league position would include an amount of points added or deducted,depending on how you performed within the club’s resources.
So for example,Blackpool have spent £500,000 on their squad,but Man. City paid out £400 million on theirs.
Theoretically,One SHOULD finish bottom of the league,and the other SHOULD win the title.
If things finish differently,they should either be rewarded or penalised.
Maybe then,clubs would think twice about spending obscene amounts of money to ‘guarantee’ success.
But the chances of such a ‘fair and sensible’ system being used are pretty remote.I won’t hold my breath.
Report abuse