The reason that the current team has such a dismal record recently is down to a complete lack of pace throughout the team.Apart from Triore(at times) and SWP(but it usually leads into blind alleys) we don't have anyone with any pace at all.In the PL that is crucial, and, however much we hope that MH will improve fitness levels, you can't add pace when it isn't there.Bear in mind that the average age for the Newcastle game was over 31, and although that's not old(at least compared to me!),once players get into their thirties, they inevitably slow down. There is also the lack of basic skill(Bothroyd! Gabbidon!Hill!) but pace is an essential part of a winning team.Just look at Swansea yesterday-Sinclair Dyer,Allen,Graham and of course Routledge(oh how e miss him!) and Williams at the back. So I sincerely hope that when we buy, we buy some PACY YOUNG players!
Its Warnocks legacy, we have an ageing squad with nearly everyone turning or are over 30. He wasnt building for the future because he was retiring and he would have left us in a right state with more old players on the books. 30+ Paddy Kenny 30+ Bradley Orr 30+ Clint Hill 30+ Shaun Derry 30+ Fitz Hall 30+ Daniel Gabbidon Young Adel Taarabt 30+ Kieron Dyer turning 30 DJ Campbell turning 30 Jay Bothroyd young Alejandro Faurlin young Jamie Mackie young Armand Traore 30+ Akos Buzsaky Young Matthew Connolly turning 30 Joey Barton 30+ Luke Young 30+ Rob Hulse 30+ Tommy Smith 30+ Heidar Helguson 30+ Radek Cerny turning 30 Shaun Wright-Phillips fairly young Anton Ferdinand Thats an oap squad, in 3 years time we will only have 3 players there, Faurlin, Traore and Ferdinand. Who knows what Taarabt will do. we need more signings like Traore and less like SWP.
to be fair Bothroyd does play well. He holds it up pretty well. However according to your argument, we have no pacey player to work off. I agree, we need pace! Henrique!
His contract was up after next season and it was well known he was going to retire but it was in some of the reports that he was going to retire this summer as either he will keep us up and finally achieve his last ambition or he would be sacked and retire. Looking at the above ageing squad is why Johnson and Zamora fill me with dread, another 2 old guys on massive wages who cant score and who we wont be able to move on, we are like a retirement home for players on bloated wages.
I heard he thought of retiring after Seff Utd went down, but had read he loved London, QPR and managing a PL Club, and that he wanted another season or two in the PL. He had said he knew and accepted he would lose his job if we got relegated after having had funds made available to him to bring in PL quality players.
IF we had the money, if TF would give Hughes more money, we can bring some in, I'm sure. Personally, I would love to have Gio. Seen him play quite well for Mexico, he's got skill, keeps the ball at his feet, got pace, and he's not afraid to run directly at the goal. And he's only 22.
So is Usain Bolt....and he can probably trap a ball better than Agyemang. I wouldnt buy anyone 28 or over now, with 15 out of contract in the summer, its a fantastic chance to rebuild the whole squad.
