http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11701/8212946/ Chairman Peter Coates says he is ready to finance a deal for a new left-back if Stoke City struggle to cope with Marc Wilson's absence. Wilson is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after fracturing his left fibula during the second half of Saturday's stalemate against Sunderland. Tony Pulis will have to plug the gap but has previously admitted that he is lacking cover after failing to sign Goran Popov from Dynamo Kiev in August. Coates insists he will give Pulis his backing when the transfer window reopens if he feels another option is needed. "I don't think you get value for money in the January window myself," Coates told The Sentinel. "But if we need a left-back and haven't managed that situation as well as we can, then we will have to do something about it in January. "It's something we will have to assess at the time, but it's something we can look at if we have to, whether it be a loan or something more permanent." Coates has sympathy for Wilson, who only recently signed a new deal at the Britannia Stadium. He said: "We are very pleased about the contract, because I think everybody has seen what a good player he is. "He has got two good feet, good ability and is also a good age at just 25. "I suppose we have been rather fortunate up to now in avoiding long-term injuries."
Well hey HO, Didn't we ALL say on here we needed a full back in the summer? Come on Mr Coates do keep up.
Steve, Ness maybe? and P.S. have you voted on that thread yet mate. You are allowed to vote for 2 of those nominated...
Ok Mr Coates, we will have Leighton Baines if we must but not Cashley Ole the rest of the team would be kicking him.
Thought this was a telling statement myself when I read it. A significant amount of fans have expressed concern for a long time in the lack of natural full backs within the squad in general - it's now hit us! I commented on th Wilson thread that for me this is another own goal for TP.
Smithers, A completly unnecessary situation you would have thought he would have learned from the right back debacle last year. P*ss poor Pulis!!!
I'd be tempted to blame Tony Scoles, he's ****ed up a few times, he nearly lost Micheal Owen, and its probably down to him we ended up losing out on Popov, and made ourselves look silly trying to sign Lukaku (when Chelsea had only got him in that very same window). Ness got put at LB the few times he played, so he might be an option. Don't really know anything about Edu, except for my mate (Stoke/Celtic fan, so he might just not like him being ex-rangers) says he's not much different from out old mate Salif Diao. If things are too bad, we should be entitled to an Emergency loan, don't know who we'd want/ be in for though.
