Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Chris Wood wanted back at Brighton
Tuesday 21st June 2011, 10:30AM BST.
Albion striker Chris Wood is targeting a place in the Baggies’ Premier League squad as ‘loan club’ Brighton wait in the wings to hire him again.
The teenage forward won rave reviews from Brighton manager Gus Poyet for his role in the south coast club’s barnstorming promotion to the Championship and is ready to offer the 19-year-old another run next season.
But the bustling young New Zealand international is geared up for a major push during pre-season, training to convince head coach Roy Hodgson that he is worth a place at Albion.
Wood said: “I hopefully want to push my way into the West Brom side during the pre-season.
“I want to show a bit to the new manager. I spoke to him when I went back a couple of weeks before the end of the season and he said he wants to see what I can do.
“It’s good to see that he’s interested and I hope he likes what he sees.”
To read our stories in full, log in to the premium 24 website.
Sponsored Links
UK Sport
Latest Blog — Microsoft Comes to the University of Wolverhampton
Last week Microsoft visited the University of Wolverhampton to give students the chance to develop their own phone apps that could be published on the Windows Phone Marketplace.
Technology blog
Business Awards
Read the full story here
Full coverage of awards celebrating the region's best businesses.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
LIVE traffic updates
Road, rail and airport - latest
Our new, live traffic and travel updates service - check before you set out.
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
I think this kids going to be a class act, he’s unbelievably strong, good in the air, holds the ball up superbly and proved at Brighton that his finishing is improving. Honestly think he could do a job for us in the Prem and wouldn’t mind seeing him doing the carthorse stuff like MAF. Should we choose to go 442 on occasions, he could be the perfect foil for Odemwingie…
Report abuse
Fully agree Mi’ Lord…this kid needs to stay & prove himself this year. He has shown enough at international level that he has the strength and quality to perorm at a high level. I would love to see him alongside Saint Pete.
Report abuse
Our world cup international is coming good, and leads the young guns in the race for recognition. Do your stuff son. All the best.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
Report abuse
Good Luck Chris,
I hope you get the chance and have a great season in the prem !
I feel sorry for RH having to pick the team !!
potentially 5 good strikers ?
might have to play a 4-2-5 !
might work ith stoke they seem to by-pass the midfield anyway HHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOFFFFF !!
Report abuse
In the roumer page it says “midfielder Derek Boateng has arrived in England to finalise a move to The Hawthorns”. Wonder if this is true?
Report abuse
5. He’d be a good signing if so! Plenty of skill and pace, similiar to that of Tchoyi.
Not sure the admins will let me post this link but here is one of his goals for you…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pKXYmZQxfE
Report abuse
oh good lord! try this one actually!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe2dS6qi1i8
Report abuse
Hi guys, Brighton fan here!
Sorry folks but I have to put a dampner on this… Poyet seemed to like playing Wood but the consensus amongst our Albion fans was that he couldn’t hold the ball up (very weak on the ball), could barely finish and most certainly couln’t head the ball. He’s over 6 ft and seems to jump 5’5″!! Absolutely no way he’ll be doing a job for you in the Prem and will almost certainly move on somewhere, not to us I hope! Our ex-striker Glen Murray was light years better at doing all of those things and even him i couldn’t see in the Prem. I guess Wood has time on his side but having seen 35 games last season home and away I can promise you he wasn’t well thought of by the Brighton fans.
Good luck to you guys next season! See you in the EPL in 2012/13!??
Report abuse
The jury’s still out for me. Strong, but not sure how good technically. He’s behind the likes of Bednar and Miller in the pecking order, who both have very good Championship goalscoring records, so maybe let the kid have a year in the Championship to develop and get some game time.
Report abuse
5. – he signed for Dnipro last night. According to the papers we (and the Villa) weren’t prepared to meet his wage demands. We move on…..
8. Interesting point you raise as a mate of mine who is a Brighton fans says similar. It’s a tricky one as Chris is still very young and needs game time in order to learn and improve – which at the Albion will be massively restricted next season I’m sure. However, training day in day out with RH and the 1st team can only benefit his development. One for Woy to decide what is best.
Report abuse
8
You’re entitled to your views but I don’t think we’re talking about the same player here because whenever he’s played for us he’s done the business. To say he’s weak on the ball is laughable! I remember the goal he scored against Doncaster (I think) where he held three defenders off as he brought the ball down then volleyed it into the top corner. His control was also fantastic and he always seemed to get into shooting opportunities. He’s never going to be a natural goal scorer but he works his socks off and allows others to get into space.
Pablo my friend, I fear you may actually be a Dingle your comments are so far off. Just ask the Italian defence who came up against him in the World Cup, I think you’ll find he took them apart!
Report abuse
Beevower
Boateng is still a Getafe player. He turned Dnipro down apparently and he’s actually in England now to hold talks with us and a couple of other teams.
Report abuse
12. from the source I read:
Ghana midfielder Derek Boateng has finally joined Ukrainian side Dnipro from Spanish outfit Getafe, MTNFootball.com has exclusively revealed.
The 28-year-old, who was reluctant to move to Ukraine, was transferred for US$8.5m. Boateng agreed a three-year contract, sources close to the deal have told MTNFootball.com.
“The deal for Boateng was sealed on Monday night after he finally agreed on his personal terms,” a source close to the deal told MTNFootball.com.
Dnipro slapped in the offer for the Ghanaian last week but he was unhappy over his salary offered by Dnipro and a move to Ukraine.
Boateng even travelled to England at the weekend with West Brom or Aston Villa said to be interested in him but the Premier League clubs were unable to meet Getafe’s demands.
But on Monday night an agreement was reached over his personal terms which paved the way for him to join the ambitious Ukrainian club.
Report abuse
13
I’ve read that as well but there’s nothing come out from Dnipro or Getafe and no other news source is saying anything. Considering he was England yesterday I think it would be highly unlikely that he would have been able to get to Ukraine and thrash out a deal within a couple of hours. Seems like the African news source may have jumped the gun a bit or been fed misleading news.
Report abuse
He probably will end up joining Dnipro because Getafe are quoting in the region of £7 million and there’s no way we would pay anything like that, especially for another midfielder when we already have so many. Shame really because he’s a fantastic player and can play as a holding or attacking midfielder.
Report abuse
13. fair comment as doesn’t actually say he has signed – just confirms personal terms have been agreed. Looks like I have jumped the gun a little here – however should the source be correct then I’m sure JP and co will already have moved on.
Report abuse
15,16
$8.5 Million equates to around £5.25 million
Report abuse
Do me a favour chaps , Wood is at best a second rater ( looks overweight for a teenager as well)
Brighton are welcome to him
Experience is what we need now in all areas
starting from the Goalkeeper upwards
Boing Boing !!
Report abuse
Yep, DB has gone to Ukraine, balls to him.
If he wishes to spend his career in second rate leagues then ‘big fish, little pond’ springs to mind, what a waste of talent. Greece, Israel, Ukraine.
Guess you’ll miss out on the Baggies revolution Del Boy!!
So long.
Report abuse
18
I suppose we should just get rid of all of our promising youngsters eh? Flog Thorne, Berahino and Hurst who have all been playing regularly for the England U17 and U19 teams at the first opportunity.
Correct me if I’m wrong but there aren’t many 18 year old strikers who have played at the World Cup and there definitely aren’t many strikers of any age that could trouble the Italian defence the way Wood did at the World Cup.
I agree we need experience now but don’t go selling our youngsters down the river when they are still learning. Hopefully he’ll get sent out on loan for the first half of the season so we can then judge his progress but to say he’s second rate at only 19 is just daft.
Report abuse
BoingBoing666
Have you seen another story other than the one that Beevower quoted?
WBAForever
News sources have been quoting anything from £5-7 million but even at £5 million I doubt we would enter a bid as we have a new policy of paying lower fees but higher wages.
Report abuse
Pablo
Cheers for the insight and good luck next year. I read the other day that Poyet won’t leave unless it’s for a top, top club i.e. someone high up in the Prem, so it sounds like you’re onto a good thing!!
Beevower
I read that Boateng’s not signed but he’s been spotted in about 3 continents in the last 3/4 days and there’s a suspicion he has a very busy agent.
In all honesty, this bloke’s a defensive midfielder. Unless RH sees Mulumbu as more box-to-box and doesn’t regard PS a first-teamer, then I can’t see where he’d fit in. The prices quoted are certainly a big chunk of our budget unless he’ll immeasurably improve what we have. I’d be inclined to focus on another forward and perhaps another centre-back.
I also read Gera’s got the all-clear so should perhaps be done by the weekend. Could be wrong though.
Report abuse
11. I can assure you I’m not a Dingle mate! As i say I watched Brighton 35 times last season and Wood was involved in a lot of those games, probably most. I can also assure you my views on him are typical of all the Brighton season ticket holders. I didn’t watch him in the world cup so can’t vouch for his performance against the italians! Maybe he’s just too good for league one and needs a better class of opposition!!?!
As i say, he won’t break into your first team anytime soon, unless you’re relegated again! (which I hope you’re not!!)
All the best baggies.
Report abuse
according to a bright spark on the wolves site, odemwingie ‘won’t score 15 next season as he’ll be a marked man’…so, presuming that premier league defenders only start marking centre-forwards in their second season, may i suggest we put chris straight into the first 11 and send odemwingie to brighton?
Report abuse
Pablo, so you were trawling the Internet and you knew there would be a story on Chris Wood? That’s a relief for you, fancy being a fan of a club that signs 2nd rate injury crocks for 5m, I’d rather be a Brighton fan too!
Boing Boing!!
Report abuse
LMS.
Pablo seems like a genuine Brighton fan but you have to consider that he might be the Sussex version of Max. This isn’t an insult Pablo as we all love Max dearly but he sees our players through a very unrosy set of spectacles.
Is the lad good enough? Hopefully yes but probably not for another two years at this level so perhaps another spell learning his craft under Gus Poyet might be a good idea. No booing please Pablo.
Report abuse
I wish I was as second rate as Chris Wood. He isn’t Premier League yet. The Italians were shocking against New Zealand so not really the game to rate him on but we should definitely be working with him ‘cos based on what he’s shown before turning 20 he’s gotta be one for the future. How many of us got a game for the Albion let alone being paid to play? I think an even amount of loan time and working with RH and the first team will see him develop into a lad that get’s the goals and accolades within a few years. I also bet before his career ends some of you will write ‘we should have got him in an England shirt’.
Report abuse
Re Boateng.
We don’t very often get involved in auctions and the wages and fees being bandied about here don’t make me think we’ll change in this instance. If for no other reason than most PL clubs have more money than us. We’ll just carry on going the softly softly route.
I’ve said it before but I’d be asking Reading how much they want for Caracan.
Report abuse
LMS
I think for the right player we might, and we are due a windfall on Valero.
Baggijono
There is not a pre/during/after season where they dont tell everyone whats going to happen, it usually ends with them conquering allcomers.
Do you spot the flaw in this ?
Report abuse
Shropshirebaggie – I maybe wrong here but I think Pablo is genuine. This article link pulls through under the Brighton pages on newsnow so he wouldn’t have needed to ‘trawl’ the internet to find the article.
His opinion falls into line with my mate who is a Brighton season ticket holder so maybe we have to accept that the verdict is still out on Chris and in a positive way he has everything still to prove to RH if he wants to be involved in the first team this season. Fingers crossed he does.
Report abuse
Good to see on another thread that Stephen Reid is raring to go. I always feel a bit guilty about how much I underrated him as a player before he joined us.
Report abuse
Guys… As my moniker suggests I now live in the south and watch Meridian Tonight, which covers the Brighton area, and the sports team often praised Chris and the goals I saw were bleeding great. I’m not saying that he was solely responsible for the team getting promoted, but he did gather a lot of praise from the pundits and the manager. I’m not sure whether he’s ready yet for the pl and maybe another year with Brighton will further his footballing education no end.
Report abuse
24 BJ.
I hope you realise you’re doubting fans of a club with three consecutive PL seasons under their belt.
Hang on I’ll just check that.
Yes they did stay up in the last few minutes of the last game despite losing it.
Report abuse
LordsMyShepherd
Yeah, I looked at his wikipedia and it says he plays for Dnipro now. His loss.
Report abuse
Beevower, I agree that the jury is out on Wood and he’s often left me feeling underwhelmed. I’m just suspicious whenever I see a poster on the e&s that says they are not local and he does seem overly negative on the boy.
Boing Boing!!
Report abuse
33 TRBH-
talking about fans ‘on the dark side’,I love the way they blow hot and cold.
Near the end of last season,I looked at one of the wolves threads after they’d lost yet another game,and a number of wulfs were having a go at Jamie O’hara,saying that after scoring against us,his form had gone downhill,that he needed to pick his game up,and start contributing more.
So now that they’ve splashed out 5 mil. for him,everyone over there’s gone wild with excitement,saying what a top class player he is,and gushing with praise.
So one week he’s an underachiever,the next week a world class player.
I guess if he starts next season well,he’ll be a fantastic signing,if he starts badly,he’ll be a waste of money.
It depends how the wind blows around the mol. at the time.
Report abuse
24 Baggijono
It’ll be totally different at Juventus. 15 even with penalties is difficult in Serie A .
33 TRBH I know it’s difficult to comprehend for Baggy Trousers, but, it is possible to stop up in the Premiership for three seasons. Stoke have done it too.
Don’t panic just ‘cos that other Brum side have gone down, if you really try hard, maybe, just maybe you can do it too !
Report abuse
25.Ohara second rate?that’s funny that free kick I struck at the poorthorns was 1st class mate.Remember?ha ha get in there
Report abuse
25. O’hara second rate?That’s funny because that free kick I struck at the poorthorns was first class mate.Remember?ha ha get in there the 4 points helped keep me at this great club.cheers
Report abuse
25. O’hara second rate?That’s funny because that free kick I struck at the poorthorns was first class mate.Remember?ha ha get in there the 4 points off you lot helped keep me at this great club.cheers
Report abuse
30, thanks for the support! Of course I’m genuine. And yes it’s through newsnow that I find articles like this. It was also easy to comment as one doesn’t have to be a member to post.
Anyway time will tell on wood but i don’t know any Brighton fans who are all that keen to resign him. Don’t see him being a starter for us next season but useful as back up, though that isn’t really the point is it, as he would want regular starts, and you’d want that as well if he’s to develop.
I have a good mate who’s a baggies fan so got a soft spot for you lot, being a Brighton plotter that wouldn’t surprise you eh?! Cheers!
Report abuse
i hear our acadamey has some really good players, so as long as they come through and blood em young , ( yes in the prem) it will only be a good thing for the albion, as woods, for christ sake get him back here, hes been to brighton for a while, so why not let him experience the first team and see if hes improved, after all he played the world cup, and he was decent for us in the cc league!!!!
Report abuse
Shay given 80,000 a week , your havin a lafffffffff, stick with what we got, another year under his belt, hes may be learnt some lessons, carson.
Report abuse
(23)
Pablo,
Be honest, You’re running him down because you’d love him back at your place next season, or, you would love your club to buy him outright, on the cheap. Now we’re getting somewhere.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
P.S. Well hard cheese.
Report abuse
Pablo, misread you so apologies!
In doing so though, got a bite from a dingle (38,39,40), seems I’m not too bad at this fishing lark, must take it up as a hobby!!
11th place Jamie my friend, 11th place!
Boing Boing!!
Report abuse
saw this lad play here in New Zealand and you have a good one for the future, IF you can hang on to him. Never thought i would go on the tesco’s site,but class player even if he’s daft enough to play for you stripey lot
UTW!!
Report abuse
37 lord mol.
Didn’t you mean to say ‘wolves have shown that it’s possible to hang on by your fingertips each season?’
It’s funny that you compare yourself with Stoke,because they’ve done much better than you,as they stare down at you from mid-table.
Oh,come to think of it,the Baggies do the same thing!!
Wouldn’t you like to be like us and Stoke?
It’s very nice up here…………
Report abuse
lord molineux
2 of his goals came from penalties you plank! anyway, good luck playing catch-up with your bitter staffordshire rivals
Report abuse
I’ve said this before, I’ll say it again. Derek Kevan looked like the worst centre forward we’d bought in his first match. Never got near what was going on around him, Seem to remember he got two shots in though and er, TWO GOALS! As his game improved with better players and better training, he became an England International. The Tank in full flight, defenders bouncing off him like debris, was a sight to behold. Chris Wood shows many of the same attributes. Let him develop. THEN we’ll see.
Report abuse
37 Lord Moulinex.
There’s an old saying ‘it’s better to live a year as a lion than a lifetime as a jackal.’ As long as you’re happy bouncing along the bottom of the PL that’s all that matters really isn’t it?
PS. If he did go to Juventus it would only be for a very large amount of money and with our track record that would be more than enough to buy us a team to get into the top half of the table.
Report abuse
Lord Custard
How are you getting on trying to hold onto your talismans Doyle and Fletcher? Oh I forgot, Europes big guns don’t tend to watch relegation candidates so they won’t have seen their mercurial talents.
38, 39, 40
Heard you the first time lad. Nice one for saying thanks though, it seems your fans have no grace and haven’t acknowledged our gift to the Black Country. A word of advice though, you better make a good start or those fans of yours will soon be booing and throwing banners up left, right and centre. Fickle lot they are.
Report abuse
49 Cyril.
I think you could add Lee Hughes to that. Written off by Alan Buckley as not good enough when fans were calling for him to be signed from Kiddy but eventually he gave in. Hughesy got better from playing with better players.
Report abuse
Wbaforever
I think the Valero money will have been factored into last year’s budget mate, the minute the deal was agreed it becomes a debtor on our balance sheet and no doubt JP considered that before discussing last summer’s expenditure with RDM. The only difference it will make going through this year is when we come to put together this year’s tax return.
Jamie O’Hara
So good you had to write it three times. If only dear Jamie could’ve done it three times at The Hawthorns, then again that would’ve involved Wolves having three shots.
Bored Molineux
Funny you should compare teams who’ve been in the Prem one year to those who’ve been here three, because if Kevin Doyle’s still at Wolves next year for his third season, he might get to score his 15th goal for the club, something Odemwingie managed in 9 months…….
Report abuse
‘Wolves will delay a left-back signing as they concentrate their efforts on strengthening other areas of the team’.
This could mean another 12 months for Stephen Ward and George Elokobi. Fingers crossed…..
Report abuse
Last season: Kevin Doyle 5 goals in 26 league appearances, less than one in five. Chris Wood 8 goals in 29 appearances, one every three and a half games.
Yes at a lower level, but the kid is still only 19.
I nearly forgot to add Wood has scored an international goal more recently than Doyle.
If the Brighton fan’s view is true how come when he was only 18 years old and with lots to learn did he manage to score that many being ‘so poor’. He didn’t even appear in 17 games. If his work rate is so poor how come he worked so hard in international games for New Zealand, were Brighton using him correctly?
In my opinion if we loan him it should be to a team that will play him all season – someone local like Walsall would be a good deal all round, he would get loads of goals.
Report abuse
38, 39, 40.
This explains why it took so long for your deal to go through.
‘How do you spell that again?’
‘J-A-M-I-E O-H-A-R-A.’
‘Oh yeah.’
‘Try using the sharp end of the pen Jamie.’
‘OUCH.’
‘He’s poked himself in the eye.’
‘Danielle, come and kiss it better.’
‘I never had these problems with Teddy Sheringham, Armand Triore, Gerard Picque, Ryan Babbel, Marcus Bent or Jermaine Dafoe.’
‘But you told me I was the first.’
‘No I said you were no Geoff Hurst.’
‘Why am I signing for these anyway?’
‘You know we promised Archie a cowboy outfit.’
Report abuse
I’m a Baggie living in NZ and have seen Chris a few times internationally aswell as for the Albion. I’d be really surprised if he ‘made it’ with us. Nice kid, will score goals at League One standard, but he’s at best an average Championship striker I feel. He’s had 18 months of promise and although he’s slightly improved, he hasn’t made the strides we’d have hoped for.
Report abuse
I’m guessing that now the Wolves have signed the Swansea keeper that the free signings jibes will probably stop.
Report abuse
(41)
Pablo,
Chris Wood gave you a leg up to the Championship. Not bad for a teenager on the rise. Also a world cup international. It appears, you need to carry on thinking small-time like (37) Lord Custard. Wolves have never finished as high as eleventh place, but that doesn’t stop him being a pea-brain by telling us wolves are a better team/club. Never mind,you’ll confuse him when they go down. He wont know which ALBION to moan about. So say thanks to Chris Wood for giving you the chance to play them, as I don’t think he’ll be with you next season as he needs to carry on his advancement.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
Report abuse
Another midfielder in George Boetang? Who will we drop or allow to leave? We seem to have plenty of midfielders who did really well in the EPL for us last season. Plus we had a few out injured or knocking at the door from the academy. I think our current crop can only get better. I’d concentrate on defence and I’m not sold on McCaully, he looked slow and off the pace in that recent home nations tournament. What about the wonder kid we bought from Rotheram? And the PIG? I think we stick with SC, better the devil you know. But I’m no Woy!
Report abuse
Warren
I take on board what you say RE: Valero.
However, do we know if a fee has been agreed ?
I ask because i dont honestly know. I do know JP was after his outlay, but Valero`s stock has risen considerably in the past nine months.
If all we get is our initial £4.7 mill, then Villareal will have got him on the cheap, and for the first time JP will have gotten…..err..screwed.
Report abuse
Joke-up,
Big news from the Custard-Bowl: Big signings in, one with a dickie-back, who never wanted to leave his former club. Swansea cast off keeper. also the advance contract of a 38yr old defender. Hope they all play against us this term.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
Report abuse
kwibwai – were are you? Auckland by any chance?
Im from walsall and like to watch Neil Emblem at Waitakere United so I can at least watch quality even if he is not prem any more.
UTW!
Report abuse
39 Jamie ‘poorthorns’(great disguise)-
you say you are now happy with this ”great club” because Spurs didn’t want you,so you’re grateful someone did,however bad they are.
If Spurs had said ‘stay with us’,you’d have said that THEY were a great club.
Sadly,Harry’s got great experience as a Manager,and he could see that you just wasn’t good enough.
I’m sure you’ll be very happy alongside similar players.
Report abuse
wbaforever
I agree with you on his price, I’m pretty certain the figure was in the region of £6m and it was a fixed deal, don’t quote me on that though.
I suppose at the time we were probably keen to get him off the wage bill and wouldn’t have been able to predict his dramatic rise to prominence but he looks as though he’ll become a very good player.
Lost My Shepherd
Wonder kid from Rotherham? Reuben Reid??!! Or do you mean Rochdale and Craig Dawson??
TRBH
Excellent.
Report abuse
60.LostMySheep. Bah sir, I’ll set Alan Shearer on you and he went to Specsavers.
56TRBH. You call me Cyril Miller? Now there’s a funny thing. You missed your calling with that script mate.
I rarely listen to Radio5Live but I have heard some right cr** on there whenever I have bothered. Mulumbu has just signed a big deal here with us. If he goes it will be for BIG, bucks. The close season is hard on the media as well as newspapers. What you don’t know, make it up!
Report abuse
Cyril.
That was the very much toned down version. The original fell foul of the Lord Chamberlain’s blue pencil.
Report abuse
52TRBH. I intended replying on this one. Alan Buckley was a good goal scorer for Walsall, not in the big boys League though with Blues.
It probably narked him as HE thought he was great. I saw him at Supporters Club meetings back then expounding his views on players. He was quite sharp, somewhat barbed in comment about Bob Taylor, praised Andy Hunt though. Lee was like Steve Bull. Tremendous goal sense, needed the supply from around him usually to get his goals, although capable of snatching something from nothing like a terrier. Ron Saunders didn’t rate Steve. Alan Buckley didn’t rate Lee. Shows how wrong even a professional can be.
Report abuse