If the below is true I say give him a date to sign for us and if he can't decide forget him and go elsewhere. Mersey dash? QPR and Crystal Palace are after Caulker but he's hoping Liverpool come in Steven Caulker has held talks with Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace, but is still considering his transfer options. The Cardiff captain and centre-half was given permission to speak to both Premier League clubs after they met his £8million release clause at the relegated Bluebirds. Caulker has had meetings with both the newly-promoted Hoops' manager Harry Redknapp and his counterpart at the south Londoners, Tony Pulis. Redknapp is dangling the possibility of a partnership with vastly-experienced former England centre-back Rio Ferdinand, who is also a QPR target. But ambitious Tottenham old boy Caulker is waiting to see if Liverpool come in for him as he played for Brendan Rodgers on loan at Swansea during his Spurs days. Southampton are also monitoring the 22-year-od, who has one full England cap, as Liverpool want Saints defender Dejan Lovren.
We've been here before. Players like this don't tend to come to us unless we offer a stupidly long contract and silly, silly money. Hopefully, our days of doing that are over. Move on to the next target Harry.
Can't be held to ransom again. Fully agree that once final offer made we should give deadline and move on if not concluded. Every other club does deals and then announces so why is it we are always in talks for so long. Would love to think we have enough experience in the market to now do deals on our terms and not be railroaded again by greedy players or agents. Time will tell.
Don't blame him if prefers Liverpool over us or Palace however should give him a deadline to make up his mind & then move on.
Good post, welcome to our board Hoopingham. He'd only be going to Liverpool to sit on the bench in any case.
He'd do it if there was an extra 5k a week in it for him. Just look at what happened to Scott Sinclair.
A shame- but it did always seem a bit too good to be true. There are plenty of quality CBs out there, I'm sure we'll find one. Our first friendly is 12 day away though, and the players are back in for fitness testing tomorrow + Friday (pre season proper starts Monday). From now onwards, every day we don't sign players, is a day less they have to "gel" with the rest of the squad. Burnley were promoted april 21st, us may 24th. I know we've had a month less for recruitment...but a month ago burnley had already strengthened. We're actually weaker, having lost Morrison and Kranjcar.
I agree, we need to strengthen asap & by not getting in players early enough could mean dropping early season points which could prove costly come the end of the season.
Exactly. The bigger clubs are killing the young talent, but the young talent don't help themselves by chasing the pound note. Good points Grifter, Harry's such a great manager you'd think he would be able to do his business on the QT. But no, he doesn't. Sean Dyche gets his business done on the QT and gets more (arguably) pound for pound out of his players. I prefer the Burnley model of football business compared to ours.
Actually I tell a lie... Burnley only made their first signings a fortnight ago. Maybe we're not that far off track afterall! Additions so far: Burnley: Steven Reid, matt taylor, marvin sordell, matt gilks Leicester: marc albrighton, matthew upson, jack barmby, ben hamer As long as it's not at our expense, I hope Burnley stay up this season. Good little club run the right way! It'll be interesting to see how well the 'Vings' partnership fares Vs PL defences too.
Laschelles it is then? Or chuck a carrot at 'Concrete Ron' Vlaar? Disappointing that Caulker would rather sit on his 'arris tho, the sway of filthy lucre it seems is the be all and end all.
I think it's safe to say that no one on here would be happy with any of those eight signings. I'd rather wait and be patient than pick up crap like that.
If he does head to Liverpool, I'd like us to try and go for Sebastian Coates, their Uruguayan center back.
Would anyone want any of the burnley or leicester signings. I personally wouldnt. No real quality in there at all
Well, let's hope he doesn't come as you have clearly made up your minds he's the 'wrong sort'. Ever considered the possibility that he rates himself, is prepared to work hard and reckons he could get in the Liverpool starting IX? After their performance at Palace a couple of months ago their central defence doesn't seem so hot to me. They let 50 league goals in last year, its why they didn't win the league. And having just been relegated perhaps he doesn't fancy jumping straight back in to a dogfight with us or Palace. Personally I think Liverpool would be more likely to go for a higher profile CB than Caulker, but we'll see. I think a more relevant question to why someone wouldn't join us is why would they? Among the possible answers: - lack of stronger alternative interest in the Premiership - desire for first team football - money - TF and PB's persuasive powers - a lifelong desire to play for Harry Redknapp, and learn at the feet of WALLY DOWNES
