"We are hearing that Hull City playmaker Robert Koren is attracting the interest of a number of foreign clubs. Koren is out of contract at the end of the season and is yet to be offered a new deal at the KC Stadium. Italian side Chievo are thought to have expressed an interest in Koren and are considering offering the Slovenian a pre-contract deal to join them in the summer." Does the captain deserve a new deal? For me he's not good enough and shouldn't be offered a deal.
He's reached that age where what he offers compared to what wages he'd likely want mean he's not an attractive prospect to the club. Also, he's one of the few players not having a good season so far. I'd imagine the club would have little interest in prolonging his stay.
Koren has been great for us, but the way we are developing I don't think he will be offered a new contract for next season if we stay up. I think if he can get a new contract for next season then he should take it, but it would be nice to get something for him if we can.
I think it was calling out for Quinn to come on when Bruce put koren on! So Bruce still thinks he's got it!
Two of my shirts will now have left - Cairney and Koren - if he goes! In the same window! And I had such a good run of picking long-term players...
I agree with you Lewis. RoKo has been great for us and made a big contribution to our success, but he is definitely past his best IMO and if there is interest it would be a good time to get something for him. All the best to him if it happens.
I think we needed Quinn on for Meyler and Koren on for Boyd to plug the gap between the midfield and our strikers. So I thought it was the right call, personally.
Would be a shame he was massive in our promotion season and was a good signing by Pearson, but i agree the way the team is progressing we should maybe let him go.
Depends if he is happy to be a bench warmer rather than a starter next season. If so I'd keep him for the cup games etc.
He's been poor the majority of the time he's spent on the pitch for a year now. He was at his best in 11/12 under Pearson and Barmby. The only thing he offers nowadays is the ability to get on the end of crosses, which I think he does better than our strikers, hence his two goals against Fulham. He's useful as an emergency striker for that reason but with Jelavic and Long hopefully coming in I don't think we'll even need him for that any more. I can't even describe in words how bad Koren is at controlling a ball that doesn't come straight to him. If it's off the floor, slightly to either side of him or moving a bit too quick for his mind to track, he buggers it up pretty much every time. He's one of these who can still pass reasonably well if given enough time and as a result he might be alright playing in Italy but he can't cope with PL or Championship football any more. You can see he's lost a second of mental speed.
From what Brucey says about him he should still have another season or two left in him, I wouldn't let him go until we've got a replacement - he offers us something's different in midfield, quicker tempo pass & move, makes dangerous runs, supports the striker, offers goal threat from range and in the box - but if he wants to go elsewhere to play more in his final years I wouldn't particularly mind too much.
Just think Quinn would have turned terry & Cahill around more! But that's why Bruce gets the big money I suppose?