Beat me to it bidders. I have mixed views on this, obviously he's still a class keeper but considering that Stockdale is probably good enough to be no.1 for at least half the premier league teams, I only wonder how patient he will be with us. I know he signed a new deal last summer but regardless I can't imagine he wants to get loaned out to the championship again. Or from another perspective, if Stockdale manages to keep his place will Schwarzer in turn be happy to sit on the bench?
Also in two minds. Stockdale won't want to wait around on our bench while Mark has his hands full on the pitch, and with the Euro's coming up his place will be at stake. Mark is almost too good to let go though.
This is great, Stockers will be cool with this. Their roles will be different next season. Schwarzer to take cup games and Europe games until the quarter finals. Stockers for the Prem games.
Schwarzer makes it clear he wants to play at the next WC, so chances are he'll want to be playing. I want to think he'll be part of a rotation system, but whatever happens keeping Stocky should be paramount.
Agree with mixed feelings about Stockdale's position. At least we won't lose MS on a free in the summer - could he be doing the loyal thing and making sure the club get some payout, as VDS did? Doubt it really. His focus is obviously on being selected for the World Cup. Short term, I guess the 'half full' view is we at least have two pair of safe hands.
Yeah my first thoughts were regarding Stockdale's future. He said last year if he's not playing he will have to assess his options. Maybe next year we can loan him out to a Premiership team. I can't see the board or manager being naive enough to offer Mark a new contract if it meant losing Stockdale.
I"m happy about this. The first goal against Blackburn fell squarely on Stockdale's narrow shoulders, so I think the lad still has a few things to learn.
Id still start Schwarzer even when he returns and the season after - I think hes a better keeper thats all. Stockdale good yes, still learning and I think he'd be foolish given Schwarzer's age and injuries along the way - to demand to leave.
Agreed with DR, I thought Stockdale was at fault for at least one (perhaps two or even all three) Blackburn goals. Jol has said that when Schwarzer is fit he will return as first choice. Reading Schwarzer's comments about this, he doesn't sound like he's staying to share the number 1 spot - he wants to play. I'm not so sure that Stockdale is going to be happy about this, so we'll have to see. As for Van der Saar's loyalty, my recollection is that he refused to sign a new contract unless it had a release clause if a big club came in with a bid of (I think) £2m. Rather than making sure we got some money, he was making sure he could leave if he had a better offer. I'm not criticising him for it, but I don't think it quite falls into the 'good old Edwin' category either.
Stockdale is a great keeper when it comes to reflexes and saves but he needs to develop in predicting the game and managing his area better. Can think of at least 2-3 goals (1 against Arsenal, 1-2 against Blackburn) that could have been avoided. Schwarzer is a great keeper and has definitely one more year of playing time. Stockdale needs to stay and learn from him. Loaning him out will not help his development. My experience is that patience pays-off.
FFC agree with you, very agile,great stopper,in my opinion he does not command his area, positioning is something he has got to learn. As Peter Shilton once said,if you can position yourself correctly,saves are made to look much easier.
He could have for nothing. Let's compromise and call it a contract between two parties who respected one another.
That sounds fair! I've got nothing against Van der Saar, my point is that I don't think loyalty to Fulham was his primary motive in that contract - when he signed it, Man Utd hadn't come in for him and he (quite reasonably) wanted to keep his options open for another crack at a top club.
