Euro 2012 top five: I hope Hughes is watching Published on Friday, 15 June 2012 00:09 Written by Chris King The European Championships in Poland and Ukraine are yet to produce a dull game. Each has been exciting, unpredictable and captivating. One can only hope Queens Park Rangers manager Mark Hughes, instead of taking to the Spanish coast with his golf clubs, has been giving the tournament his undivided attention. A few players would have stood out to him, some realistic, others as far-fetched as they come. All of the following could probably do a job in the blue and white hoops. Alan Dzagoev is nothing short of Russiaâs prodigy, and he will without question be the poster boy of the 2018 World Cup. He has already scored three times at Euro 2012, and playing in the attacking midfield role, Dzagoev is everything that Adel Taarabt dreams of being when he goes to sleep at night. Currently playing for CSKA Moscow, the 21-year-old is unlikely to be tempted by a move to Loftus Road, unless he is particularly averse to Russian weather and has never heard of Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and so on. The second is Christian Eriksen, Danish winger and rising star who at only 20-years-old has made 25 appearances for the national team. Again, despite the diminished status of Dutch football, Eriksen will probably not want to leave giants Ajax, but a player of his ilk would go down very well in W12. Better than Shaun Wright-Phillips, at least. A player who impressed against the Republic of Ireland, Milan Mandžukić would do very well under Hughes. The winger has scored everywhere heâs played, including VFB Wolfsburg, his current club, and Croatian giants Dinamo Zagreb. Mandžukić would also allow Taarabt to yield his unnatural winger role, and move back into the centre where he is most dangerous. Robert Green has been mooted as a âgoodâ signing for the Râs due to his experience. He has made 12 appearances for England, and played nearly 450 times for Norwich City and West Ham United. However, at 32-years-old, Green is getting on a bit. So why not try Swedish âkeeper Andreas Isaksson? With 94 caps for the national side, and Premier League experience with champions Man City, Isaksson also has two years on Green. Furthermore, his 6ft 6ins frame should ensure a commanding presence on crosses, something the former Hammers goalkeeper has always been criticised for failing to achieve. Finally, we have Mats Hummels, the German defender who is the latest in a long line of Borussia Dortmund players to be linked with a move to Manchester United. Powerful, combative and already experienced at just 23-years-old, heâd be the perfect partner for Anton Ferdinand. Perhaps he can explain to the current Râs centre-back what international football feels like. For all the 27-year-oldâs appearances at youth level for England, he has never cracked the senior squad. Sign one or two of the above, and we might just do that. Still, in the absence of club football, a semi-realistic list such as the one above is the perfect antidote to the monotony and tediousness of the most exciting international tournament since the 2006 World Cup.
All of those players are so far out of our league it's untrue. Suggesting we sign a 23 year-old Dortmund centre-half is on a par with saying we should put in a bid for Gary Cahill or Laurent Koscielny. ****ing stupid article.
If Sparky can get close enough to these guys to have a persuasive chat about the club's "vision", then there's a tiny chance. But to an uneducated eye we're relegation fodder, London or not........
The only one that I see mentioned the might end up moving to us is Isiaksson. And that's only because I have no idea who he plays for. If it's a half decent European team, then we haven't a prayer - so Green it is. And if it's a half decent European team, then this must be wind up journalism / article. Sorry nines, but the writer can jog on!
Tournament football is not football ... That's very naive ... to sign a player for your/any club there is process and evaluation ... not a couple of views on a false stage. National teams apart from Spain bear no resemblance to week in week out football completely different game
Good article. We gottta be looking at close to this level if it really is onwards and upwards! Two not mentioned that have stood out for me are the Check right back Selasie (sp?) who I think someone said plays in the Check league, and the Russian keeper who I know nothing about but looks very soild.
Yeh, of course players doing well in these tournaments have got to be evalued on how they do week in week out in their League football, this is like a showcase where they can market themselves, but no more.
Are you sure you didn't lift this from an Arsenal site - they are semi-realistic for them if Wenger starts spending.
It's already be stated that Wenger has to shift some of his 'expensive' squad players before bringing in some of the names he's been linked with. If he's his usual parsimonious self others, including us, might just beat him to it...
oh dear...on the sauce last night nines? Would love to have these players at QPR, but not a single one of them will be gracing Loftus Road with their presence unless they are with the away team. Sorry, but head outta clouds springs to mind! Who the hell is this Chris King?
Lol, Dzagoev is rated at £14m even with 6 months on his contract. Those players are out of our league by a long way. This isnt football manager.
