on the Weeds board http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/262854-Released-players-revealed If this link does not work....> PHP: Players available on a free, good enough for Leeds? This is not every player released by a club, but potentially only those we may look at signing, will try and keep it updated and remove no hopers or not wanteds: READING Jobi McAnuff (Capt) MID Kaspars Gorkss DEF Stuart Taylor GK SWANSEA Leroy Lita FWD David Ngog FWD SOUTHAMPTON Guly do Prado MID Jonathan Forte FWD Lee Barnard FWD WBA Stephen Reid MID Zoltan Gera MID Diego Lugano DEF Liam Ridgewell DEF BRIGHTON Tomasz Kuzsczak GK BIRMINGHAM Peter Lovenkrands FWD Hayden Mullins MID Nicola Zigic FWD Chris Burke MID POSH Tommy Rowe MID Bobby Olejnik GK (Transfer Listed) Fans Player of the Year BOLTON Chris Eagles MID Zat Knight DEF I would add that Stephen Dawson (former Leyton Orient) and Jin O'Brien are free agents at Barnsley but the Tykes have offered them new contracts. AllHell
Lee Barnard might be worth a punt but still quite unproven at Championship level. Jonathan Forte would be a total Chris Powell signing. It's really hard to judge any of these players above; ideally you'd want better but we might have to scrape the bosman barrells!
I reckon most of these would want more than RD is willing to pay despite being a fairly unexciting collection. We are going to have to be a lot cleverer than signing well-known names if we are to survive at this level. CP (or whoever) signed Wiggins, Morrison, Hamer, Stephens, Kermorgant and Wilson for modest sums but also made some mistakes (Evina, Green and others). The new regime is going to have to do at least as well at talent-spotting. Getting involved in auctions for players past their best (long past in some cases) is not the way forward. (Nor is fielding a first-team of u21s, much as Billy would like it). I would like to see us signing the best players from (unpromoted) Div One teams aged between 21 and 24. Young enough to improve a level, but with enough track record to know they are not injury prone or youthful flash-in-the-pans like Sankofa, Azeez, and a thousand others. Half should make it, half won't but could hopefully be unloaded without our dropping too much cash. I have no faith in the alleged European network. To have shipped in six flops out of six suggests they don't have a clue what is required in the Championship.
JR has said he wants the job, and he must be the front-runner. This being the case he must have his own targets in mind. He doesn't seem to have any trust in F.E.S.N. and he's got hardly any experience of English football, so I wonder who he has in mind? Roland has learned the hard way that F.E.S.N. is useless, and Phil Chapple &co weren't much better with Tudgay, Sordell and Obika. So he'd be as well to give JR the job and trust his judgement. I've got no idea how any of this list are playing these days.
So many of you have posted this that I have to accept it is true. But in that case, why did not RD appoint him straight after we won 3-0 away after our status was already secure? JR may never be as popular again. If they are haggling over his salary or terms, or his budget for players, or if RD is hanging on to get someone he thinks is better (or, more likely, cheaper and more submissive), or JR is hoping for a better job elsewhere, that is not the best start. My hunch is that he will not be appointed. I would prefer an English manager, not for xenophobic reasons but because I would like someone who is familiar with possible targets and what is required for the Championship. But I fear RD will appoint a Continental, maybe one inferior to JR. What would stop him being appointed straight away so he can get on with things?
No idea. And I've no idea how RD works. Just seems common sense that he brought in JR to do a job and he succeeded in it so he would keep him here. In reality nothing would surprise me. As far as getting an English manager is concerned, wouldn't it cost too much to get a decent one?
Rolly wants to appoint a first team coach.... NOT.... a manager so that rules out any decent British managers, we will probably have shared use of a pool Director of Football to deal with transfers, player negotiations etc and the first team coach will do just that! Coach the first team.
That makes perfect sense, AllHell. In which case the delay will be down to waiting until the Belgian season ends so that the Director can be appointed? And any first-team coach appointed would need his endorsement first? That scenerio would explain things. In which case, God help Charlton! Indecent ones cost even more. Ask Newcastle!
I don't claim to be a footballing/scouting expert other than watching us for nearly 40 years, but I have identified 3 players who would make us a lot, lot better if added to our home grown nucleus next season. Have a look at this team, Vol signings asterisked, and tell me that it could not be top half Championship/mounting a play off challenge... Pope Solly Morrison Ridgewell* Wiggins Jackson Poyet Cousins Harriott Waghorn* Garner* That is a bloody decent side on paper. Two of my three signings are available on freebies & would cost wages. Both have cut the mustard at Championship level. They are not punts like Reza and PP. The other (JG) is absolute class and depends on Preston not going up, but if £700k can be found for the only Pole who comes here and doesn't work - find the cash for Garner !!!
Don't like Waghorn, don't like Jackson wide right. Vol have you seen Garner more than once in the play offs?
I'd love to sign Ridgewell just so that it could wind my housemate up (they both played in the same school team and my mate "claims" he is the better footballer...) Didn't we have Waghorn on loan back back before we were relegated from the champ? Not sure he is the out an out forward we're looking for, but definitely better then what we have!
@ dick /sid Just seen Garner in the play offs, but looks a qualily player to me. Did you see his goal in the first leg (watch it on You Tube)...can you imagine any of our strikers scoring a goal like that ? You have either got it or you ain't. Garner is worth a punt IMO. Agree about JJ on the right but not the No.1 concern on limited rebuilding resources. Martin Waghorn looks a much improved player this season.
I saw him in the play offs but I have not seen enough of him to form a more rounded opinion. Waghorn, I am afraid, doesn't do it for me. He has become a bit of a journeyman.
Reza scored a goal like that against Leeds. I've heard bad things about Garner's attitude, but he does seem to be a decent player. Could be worth a gamble. Agree about Waghorn too, he's come on a lot since he was last with us.
Waghorn signed permantly for Wigan I remember reading, I do rate Garner highly even before he was at Preston, Scunthorpe I believe and thought we should had gone for him then
