http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/04/0...-is-the-perfect-summer-signing-for-leicester/ Just picked this link up off the SCFC2 Guestbook - a very interesting question being asked by a Leicester fan. Why don't they go after Gylfi for next year? They have Champions League football. They'll have a lot of money and need to build a squad capable of performing in Europe and Domestically. He is better than what they have and won't likely be phased out like he was by Eriksen at Tottenham. He exhibits the correct attitude and pressing game that they already play - can press like Okazaki and links midfield and attack better than Drinkwater. The thought of his ability linking up with Mahrez and feeding balls through to Vardy is, from a neutral perspective, mouthwatering. With my Swans hat on, it's a worrying concept - the thought of Gylfi leaving. But realistically, if someone like Leicester did come in for him, what could we do to stop him? He'd generate around £20 million for us most likely. It's a very real concept that Gylfi might get his head turned, especially if he has a good Euros for Iceland. It's unlikely he'll go to a top team with a multitude of options in his position (once bitten, twice shy), and this is why Leicester stands out - they don't have a comparable Gylfi in their team right now. It pains me to say it, but unless we can start showing some real statements of intent in and around our club before the season is over, we face losing some of our best players who may feel disillusioned with where our club is going next season. We need to know who's going to be in charge next season, and if not public, players like Gylfi need to be kept up to date with which players and coaches we're actively trying to sign. It's all very well keeping your cards close to your chest, but if you concentrate too much on your hand, the ones on the table are the ones that get away.
The big if is, the vultures will swoop on Leicester in the summer and you can see Vardi and Mahrez all going. So they will have to rebuild to an extent their two main men. While Champions League will be a big pull, once bitten twice shy for Gylfi. But you never know!!
It's true - however, playing Devil's advocate, you have to feel that with Leicester's team spirit and togetherness that Vardy and Mahrez would be keen to have a crack at Europe with the group of lads that got them there - the seem grounded enough to display that sort of loyalty. Kind of like how we never really had our big players poached off us when we got to the Premiership - our squad was such a unit that nobody wanted to leave. Lots of ifs and buts, and that's why this thread is nothing more than a discussion, not speculation. I was so confident we'd keep Gylfi from a biased point-of-view, I'd completely forgotten that other teams could be interested in him and got a little surprised by this Leicester fan's interest to be honest!
To be fair, as much as I admire him... I don't see him fitting in here. We're all about pace, hard work and pressing. I don't think he fits those attributes.
Fair comment - and one I like to hear from our perspective. But he certainly ticks two of three - hard work and pressing. He's not the quickest, but would definitely provide Mahrez and Vardy with more chances from open play. To be honest, and I don't blame you for not watching us (as I don't watch Leicester - well...apart from this season ), but it does show you don't really know the player when you say that he isn't hardworking and good at pressing. Gylfi is probably the best in our team at it and is constantly running his guts off game after game trying the win the ball back in the opposition half - a leader by example.
I agree with that assessment BK. As you point out unless the players are told something behind the scenes that things are in the pipeline that will make the team a better one come August I can see us losing our better players and I wouldn't blame them one bit. For instance, if we're keeping Guidolin I can see a lot of players wanting out. Who wants to play in a team that only starts playing when behind? Just my opinion.
Sailing close to the relegation line has a tendency to get players nervous and checking out the grass on the other side of the fence . Since we have come up , this was the only relegation scare IMO . Players who get inquires from interested teams at times like this generally pay more attention to the inquiry. I think there is a good chance Siggy will go , along with Williams and Ayew , maybe others for various reasons ,(Gomis )maybe not . I think we are going to need as big a rebuild as we've seen . I'm not sure if I want the guy that spent 15 million on Allen to lead the transfer charge either . Whoever gets the rebuild , they best have expierence .......
I'm not saying that he isn't. He's definitely no slouch but if you look at him vs Okazaki (the position he'd take if Sigurdsson joined us) then it's chalk and cheese. For the money he'd cost, he wouldn't fit in as much as he would at another side. Might West Ham see him as a Payet replacement?
100% correct. Williams and Morgan would be an ideal and formidable pairing for any Premier League side. Not to stoke the fire (as I want him to stay), but an opportunity to finally have a shot at Champions League football at 30+? It's a bloody tempting proposition, no matter how loyal he is to the Swans. Get your point RE Okazaki. He is the player that would likely sit out for Siggy. Personally, I think Siggy would make you more dangerous around the box and instantly better with the ball without actually losing too much, if any, doggedness and determination. I like the sort of goals that Okazaki scores - real poacher's goals - but Siggy would bring a class to your attacking midfield that you won't have seen before. I guess in your terms think of a better, more prolific version of Andy King. Perhaps there's comparable out there on the continent without the Premiership Premium Price that seems to get added onto all half-decent PL players. My guess would be that the price tag to anyone would be £20m and he'd probably leave for £17m or more if he was actually interested in moving.
Siggy and Okazaki are equally great , Okazaki is an inspirational player for a team , much like Siggy .Okazaki is a smarter player IMO and never stops running toward opportunity .Siggy is a better scorer . If Leicester had Siggy , I'm not sure how much Okazaki would be sitting frankly , I'd actually trade Siggy for Okazaki , straight across .Not sure anyone else would though .I'm a bit biased, I' m a huge Okazaki admirer , my kinda player .
Can't see this happening. Unfortunately Leicester's squad will be decimated in the summer (I'd love to be wrong) by the big teams all over Europe and I see them battling to make mid table. However, to say that Gylfi is not hard working and doesn't press is just plain silly. He works his balls off week in week out. Start the bidding at £25 million
Whereas a Rodgers/De Boer-Berkamp set up would be enough to keep the likes of Gylfi and Ash etc. Might be enough to keep Ayew too.
In this particular situation (i.e. giving a sense of peace and readiness ahead of next season), Rodgers would be the leading candidate. Rodgers knows the main spine of the team well already, and regarding Siggy, it was Rodgers who signed Siggy on loan for us initially using his contacts from Reading. I feel that most of our stalwart players would be satisfied with Rodgers re-appointment, there would probably be an element of apprehension with anyone else. Not saying that's me 100% in the Rodgers camp, but just a different perspective/analysis to the other angles that we've already spoken about.
Agree. Given the mess of the last 2-3 years, on and off the field with the sackings, dressing room disharmony etc, Rodgers is the safe bet for me 'heal' the club both on and off the field and restore the team to a brand and style of play we now expect. We've got very, very lucky this year in staying up (another point or two will do it) and we cannot have another season like this, that's why Rodgers ticks all the boxes for me. De Boer and Berkamp would also be great signings, but I'd say I'm 60/40 in Rodgers camp mainly because we know what style of play etc he will return us too.
I think Swansea's description of working your balls off is a bit different to ours. He sticks out in your team, I agree. But I just think that Okazaki's work rate is a thousand times that of Sigurdsson. Who knows though, we might start to put our foot on the ball a little more in games in which case Sigurdsson would be ideal. I just don't see us going for him. We're looking at Ahmed Musa and Hakim Ziyech who would cost less and fit better.
Leicester will get raped of their star players by the big clubs and even the manager is not safe at the end of the season.....
That's cool. You see what you see at the end of the day. It probably helps Siggy that people look at him and assume he's a lazy, languid type of player - they don't realise how quick and aggressive he is and maybe that's why he consistently gets his foot into tackles. From my experience - and don't forget, we've been implementing a high-energy, high-pressing game for 10 years now (although it's been on hold for 2 years sadly) - we know what high pressing looks like, and the sit-back and counter attack game we've seen from Leicester for much of this season is a much different type of workrate to the high-pressing game. Not knocking your style, it works and it ripped us a new one at the Liberty - we just haven't ever had the players to play that way. It would be interesting to see distance covered and number of sprints by Okazaki and Sigurdsson this season, I think you'd be shocked. The more we converse the more I realise you're right, Siggy wouldn't fit in at Leicester - unless, as you say, you wanted to put your foot on the ball more. He certainly wouldn't suit a team that sits back in it's own half and then attacks with the pace that you guys do - heck, we've tried sitting back for most of this season and made Siggy look a passenger at times. A different kind of workrate is needed for your system, and Okazaki is definitely your man for that job. In that system, Siggy is more likely competing with Kante or Drinkwater, and he wouldn't even want to compete for those positions as it really isn't what he's best at. My mind is at rest. Siggy is staying
