As you are probably aware Scott Loach is at Portman Road tonight undergoing his medical. I understand that some of you don't rate him after he was left out of your first team for part of last season. What can we expect from him? What are his strengths and weaknesses and on balance do you think he will make a good addition?
Its a done deal, there is no way that he will go to Blackburn He has always said that he wants to play for Ipswich one day!
Well, whoever signs him, I hope they don't have too many boo-boys to ruin his confidence. Superb shot stopper but is prone to making howlers - such as this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXwOIXehrqg - and is not known for being able to command his area. Communication with his defence has been a problem too, possibly as they have lacked confidence in him. Good luck if you do sign him. Any idea how much for?
Pros "One of the best shot stoppers" Cons " One of the worst communicators/organizers" Maybe he'll be better at speaking Bernard Matthews than Eastenders...
I'm still holding out hope that Almunia will go to Blackburn. If he becomes our number one then we have no choice but to back him, but there are better options out there within his salary range.
I think he was very good until last season and showed potential ! Bad last season but some Watford fans didn't help his confidence, I could see him coming back and becoming a great keeper and wish him all the best (apart from when he plays Watford that is) !!
I see this as a happy ending for everyone. Loach gets to sign for his boyhood club in the same division we're in, having played more games than he could realistically have hoped for at his age. We get a transfer fee and will undoubtedly sign a slightly older player, which I think is important. If you're good enough you're old enough, but a young keeper needs a competitive number two to help take the pressure off of him, a luxury Loach never really had. I would put some of the blame for Loach's dip in form on managers expecting too much, too soon and not having a viable replacement if he needed time out of the spotlight. Malky Mackay was particularly culpable. In Malky's defence though, the more vicious criticism got, the harder it became to temporarily bring in Lee, Bond or Gilmartin without it looking as though he agreed with the abuse.
There's no way it's a flat £150k fee. However many mistakes he has made, he is still an established Championship keeper, who featured in four campaigns where the team was expected to get relegated but survived comfortably. More likely you have learned from your previous dealings with us, Priskin in particular, and insisted on a very add-on heavy deal.
i feel sorry for Loach, and i hope he does well. I hope he gets proper coaching now, and that he doesn't get driven into the ground by club and fans. Our fans treated him badly, many would say with good reason, but there's no real excuse for the abuse he got. Still, none of us will be unhappy if we get an experienced keeper who gives confidence to the defense...a good shot stopper yes, but he has a way to go before he fulfils his obvious potential...
If SL going to Ipswich is true, and there is no reason to disbelieve the news as it has run so far, it is a good move for him as I hope he will benefit from new goalkeeping coaches who might instill the confience in him that his more recent performances for Watford may have lacked. The main thrust of this post is about what is left behind. Watford's main goalkeepers are now Jonathan Bond and Jack Bonham, and whosoever is in the academy. Are either of them up to regular match Championship standard? I know we have been linked with Carlo Cudicini and Manuel Almunia but these are rumours. Brendon Rodgers took JMcA and waited a while before he cherry-picked DG (OK he tried to get TS), MM pilaged the backroom and took DC, but to allow the sale of the clubs major (if a little error prone) goalkeeper with no obvious back-up or replacement in sight - even stoping the Tom Heaton deal - is perhaps a little frivolous. Perhaps there is a goalkeeper waiting to be announced but i am worried for the team. Also if figures rumoured/reported are true this is looking like an incredibly bad piece of business from the Hornets. The just deserts for letting ITFC ahve Tamas Priskin and Nathan Ellington.
Sounds like you might be right, reports now coming out that the fee was below 200k, for such a young keeper you have a steal there.
Incident at home to Cardiff on Boxing Day is a prime example - the other person involved was Mariappa and look where he's gone. The visitors for our first home league game of the season are Ipswich.
All of you who say he needs some good coaching, well Alec Chamberlain is staying at Watford to be the goalkeeping coach !
