News round up

The big news this weekend is that former Newcastle boss Chris Hughton has been interviewed for the vacant manager job at St Andrews.  Hughton is the first person to be interviewed although it is unknown at this moment how many others will be contacted in the next few days.  Looking at our poll it appears that he would be a popular choice.  The other main story concerns the club’s insistence on pursuing their compensation claims from Alex McLeish’s move to Aston Villa.  That looks like one argument that will drag on for a while.

On the player front most of the news is predictably about those leaving rather than joining.  There are unconfirmed reports that Stoke City have made a £12m bid for Scott Dann but this is short of the club’s £15m valuation.  Dann has also been linked with Liverpool and Arsenal and there are also rumours of Villa putting in a £20m combined bid for him and Ben Foster.  Other stories today link Liam Ridgewell with a move to West Brom and Roger Johnson interesting Wolves.  Seb Larsson’s move to Sunderland should be completed this week.

The only story I cound find concerning a player arriving is in the Sunday Mercury and concerns a move for Morgano Gomis’ freind from Dundee United Prince Buaben.  I’ll admit to knowing very little about him but at 23 he is at least in the age range of players we should be looking at.  I expect there won’t be a lot of activity until the new manager starts so hopefully that will be sorted out this week.

Still a while to go until the season starts so expect many more comings and goings over the next month.

 

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6 Comments on News round up

  1. The legal system in this country will ensure that any compensation claim that is disputed will ramble on for some time. I’m very glad to see that the board is going about acquiring a new manager as quickly as possible and, at the same time trying to pursue a just amount of compensation. Whether compensation is pursued directly against the ex-manager or our dear near neighbours (who obviously had nothing at all to do with his resignation). Any club with integrity would be offering compensation – come back Deadly Doug, all is forgiven.

  2. I think a couple of weeks of transition are in store. I would shout Chris Houghton as boss, and would make him a wise choice given our current position. Our most urgent requirement is stability. Stability within the club, and stability with the fans. The current board need to convince the fans in some way that they have the best interests and values of the club at heart, now i know this may sound idealist, but the only people who matter are us fans, who pay the money and wear our colours. We dont expect miracles, but we do expect commitment, wether it be player, ‘management’ (scotch let-down), board and us…. the real fans,,,who will ‘always’ be there . I for one will at Derby in a few weeks and every game after. Reading last game? sounds like an omen to me! Keep right on!!!

  3. Just a quick word in praise of Peter Pannu. l hope he looks at this blog because l think he is a top man . lnstead of paying compensation to the gingerone to get rid of him , he has managed to unload him to those who deserve him.Also we will hopefully get compensated for his departure and get a manager who will play attractive football. That’s not a bad treble. l would’nt want to play him at poker.
    Also the villian Gabby thinks that Mcleish’s tactics will work at rathole park because they have better forwards. l wonder if he will be saying this in six months time when he has been ran ragged on his own up front as Cameron Jerome has done all year. We shall see.
    Keep the faith

  4. I agree with HonestBlue – on the business side of all this Pannu is doing quite well. If we must sell people like Dann, i hope Pannu achieves equally impressive results. But he has to sort out the manager first, and he seems to be doing well there: if we come out of this with Chris Houghton in place of Eck and for a zero cost or better still a material financial gain on that “swap”, i for one will be v pleased with that outcome.

  5. I’m calming down a bit now after last weeks shocking behaviour by by messers McLeish and Lerner – scumbags! I for one am glad to see the back of Alex McLeish – came with a great reputation, has done well in cups (apart from losing to Huddersfield when he had been at the club for 3 months), but has delivered little in league football. Defensive play with narrow victories saw us promoted in a poor Championship and a fluked 9th position in season 10/11 – the only time in the history of the premier league that a team finished in the top ten with a negative goal difference. We all knew that if he didn’t change things we would be in trouble – he didn’t and we were relegated. If he is so good why did he let that happen? We need a manager that can galvanise what is left at the club, work with the board to convince them to invest, bring a balance of good attack, solid defence and a productive midfield – sounds easy but I know it’s not. My vote currently goes for Chris Hughton – I think he is hungry to show what he can do. As for the Vile fans, if any of you are reading this, I like a punt – I’m also into statistics. Next year I will be betting on Vile to draw or lose games – I am going to fill my boots! KRO.

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