.20110611. Blues to sell Johnson Birmingham stopper told he can leave St Andrews Last Updated: June 11, 2011 7:44pm ....Roger Johnson's agent has confirmed his client has been told he can leave Birmingham City as the club count the cost of relegation. The talented 28-year-old has been informed the club are ready to listen to offers for him as Alex McLeish starts to plot an immediate return to the Premier League. Birmingham's board accept they will have to cut the cloth accordingly now they are a Championship outfit, with a number of their top players likely to depart. Johnson's central defensive partner Scott Dann has been strongly linked with Liverpool, who could well fancy the pair of them having seemingly lost out to Manchester United in their pursuit of Phil Jones. A no-nonsense centre-half who has an excellent injury record, Johnson will not be short of admirers and it is expected Arsenal and Tottenham could both enquire as to his services. His agent, Paul Smith, is convinced it will be a case of when, not if, his player moves on from St Andrews. "Without breaching any confidences I've had a call from Birmingham to declare that they would have to let him go," he told Talk Sport. "And at 28-years-old and having played every game in the Premier League for two seasons running he is in demand for sure. It's just a matter of who he goes to I think. "The player is one of those who gives his all and having met the manager it was pretty obvious that he knew the player needed to stay at that level and they need to raise funds. "I think it is [a financial decision]. For them to declare it they are obviously weighing up who it will be better to let go and strategically how they're going to plan to get back. "They felt that they would have to trade him to get others in." .
I really like this lad Syd and if we could get him and O Shea for £8m - £10m between them, I'd be very confident going into next season about our defence.
O'Shea should be looking around for regular first team footie, but he may turn his nose up at us, in which case the curse of Nugent be upon him. Johnson knows he's going to get first team action and he'll get it at a decent club. We'll have stiff competition for his signature and I suspect our chances are low(ish).
Now hey. Wait a minute. I DO THE DEPRESSING STUFF RIGHT? Lol I don't see why not mate. Instead of going in with piddling little bids, lets be bold and make both lads offers they find attractive and hope Quinny can weave some of that Gaelic charm on them. O Shea may well feel comfortable coming to us with an Irish folk hero as Chairman. Johnson would be a terrific buy too. He is the epitome of a good defender IMO. Strong, bit of pace and doesn't take risks.
they have no chance of getting £!4m for Johnson form anyone IMO. £5m or £6m maybe but thats what we should be going in at now not pissing about again as we did with Adam Johnson.
I did read on another board tonight that several clubs including Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs were looking at him. If thats true, we aint got a hope in hell! I'm at the stage I get to most seasons, just way too early. The stage where I get right p***ed off about footballers not wanting to come to the North East. I live in Durham, have lived in geordie land and Sunderland. Add to that some gorgeous spots in the coast, this is a really good place to live. Durham for example is a place comparable to any in England. Its beautiful! Thing is as soon as any team from Birmingham, North West or London compete for players we're after, we've got no chance and that that really gets on my t*ts!
Hailing form the Greatest County in England - Durham - I am biased I know but County Durham is a beautiful part of a very beautiful region and Durham City is just a stunning place to spend time in. However, you'd think we ate our own young and lived in Antarctica the way these ****ers go on.
You would be better off with Scott Dann! Quality defender and better than Johnson. Put that £20million to good use.
Spot on Cest! I'm not trying to sound bitter, and I'm not saying other places are over hyped, but what I am saying is, that the whole of the North East is under hyped. Besides if you've got the cash of these fellas, i.e can hire helicopters, or jets or even first class on a train gets them to London in 3 hours. It's not the end of the goddam world up here. Their ignorance just irritates me beyond belief.
Lads are you aware that Wolves had a confirmed 6.5 million bid rejected last week for Roger Johnson...well documented it was..might give some indication at what price they want to flog him for
Cest I would give my left nut to live in Co Durham, all my family are originally from that neck of the woods, still got family there including me granny (annfield plain) Such a beautiful place to live, gods country.
