Often Partisan

Maghoma Signs

Birmingham City completed their first major signing of the summer with the capture of Jacques Maghoma on a Bosman free transfer from Sheffield Wednesday. The 27-year-old has two caps for DR Congo and played just 36 times for the Owls last season, scoring once.

It’s an interesting capture for Blues; Maghoma spent last season on the left wing for Sheffield Wednesday but is predominately right-footed, adding to the shortage of left footed attacking players in the squad. He played under Rowett at Burton and was named player of the season for the Brewers in 2012/13, also making the PFA League Two team of the year.

I’ll be honest, I can’t say I’ve seen much of Maghoma play so I’m not going to proffer an opinion of whether he is a good or a bad signing. However, it does strike me that he is very much a Gary Rowett signing; someone that the manager knows, who has gradually improved over the last few years and who has shown leadership qualities at Sheffield Wednesday, taking the armband when Loovens wasn’t in the team.

It’s good news however in that it sets the ball rolling; the first major squad addition through the door and the first glimpse of how the squad could shape up next season. I’ve heard rumour that a second signing isn’t too far behind now and I get the impression that after a long wait and a false start in Rob Kiernan things are starting to move with respect to the squad.

Tags:

66 Responses to “Maghoma Signs”

  • Mike smith says:

    Good signing in my opinion. He proved influential last season for Wednesday. However, this signing does pose the question on dimmys future, maybe this is a replacement with knowledge of dimmy moving on? I really hope not and hate to speculate but worth thinking about

  • jim hatton says:

    Decent signing I think mate,seen him play once at sheff wed away this year stood out on a very poor pitch(performances by both teams weren’t great due to conditions) but nevertheless happy with this one.Interesting names being banded about for us in the media Stevie mallan being one a young attacking midfielder from st Mirren,hopefully now that one has got over the line the next few will follow quite quickly.

  • KC says:

    As some new signings start to come in , and GR looking at a smaller squad I assume there is still some work to be done in the other direction with contracted players like Eardley, Edgar, Duffy, Novac and possibly Thomas going to allow some of the youngsters like Adams,Brown,Arthur ( if he stays ), Johstone and the lad from West Brom and even Hancox a chance on the bench..

  • rhees says:

    The last couple of days have been possertive thanks Dan for the updates kro

  • rhees says:

    Not enough credit is being given to panos I think our fortunes have turned a lot since he’s been at the helm
    Thankyou panos

  • Dave Mann says:

    Adam legzdins just signed now so there’s one of our goalie sorted .. Times are moving now! Kro

  • Steve says:

    Adam legzdins, lets hope he his just back up, for a proper goalkeeper.

  • KRO says:

    I don’t get why fans are saying the new goalkeeper is going to be second choice is he a bit dodgy.

    • MA24 says:

      You should have seen him in goal for Derby a couple of seasons ago – he was not that good. I share the same sentiment in that I hope he is our back up which will allow Townsend to go back out on loan.

    • Ali Duncan says:

      Saw him at Orient a few times last season. Had a crisis of confidence after a couple of shocking howlers. O’s fans were booing him at the end. Fully expect him just to be backup.

  • Steve says:

    I would have chosen Doyle over him every time, never a first choice keeper.

    We are becoming Burton Blues

  • Tom says:

    Blues have signed Adam Legzdins I see him play last season for Leyton Orient I thought he was very poor should have kept Doyle

  • oldburyblue says:

    I remember that Adam was very highly rated as he came through the youth teams at Blues and I think it was with a certain amount of regret that he had to be released. Hard decisions have to be made all the time, particularly with goalkeepers. At the time we had Doyle and Legzdins of a similar age with International players both in front and behind them. 1 had to go and it happened to be Adam. I am happy to have him back.

  • Blue Steve says:

    I’m sorry but if the plan is for Adam to be number 1 then I am worried. We have a grand tradition of having international class keepers and with only 13 appearances for Leyton Orient last season he’s not really exciting me to be honest.

  • I don’t like to knit pick , yes I do no I don’t, but if we the fans scratch our heads at signings then so are quality players we intend to sign , to attract quality players we really must sign the best players first,as mourino says what makes a top manager is hundreds of little things … .your still tops Gary…kro

  • This is no reflection on maghoma mind you kro

  • Texas Pete says:

    The new keeper could be a shrewd signing. The history of who is Adam….? says to me that the opportunity has not opened up for him. Till now. I want to welcome back another local boy and anticipate he will prove himself to all. We need at least two more signings and I hope they are a strong midfield and even stronger defender. A big star up front poacher of 20 goals would be good also, but that is dreaming.

  • Mitchell says:

    I understand we are after Alfie Mawson of Wycombe. He being a centr back. Can anyone tell me what is wrong with Edgar? He has always performed and looked solid and has another year of contract. He plus Spector, Morrison, Grounds, and Robbo if needed give us decent cover. What I get from GR is the better the devil you know’ approach to new players. Perhaps the budget is for lower league newcomers and I can accept that. Next signing will be interesting as we all await Tesche. Should this go ahead then we are in a decent place with a stable squad capable of survival for another season. Where we got carried away at the end of last season was the thought of going up another level.

    • Hillfield Blues says:

      Never understood what happened with Edgar. Looked a good centre back to me too.

      • waycoolblue says:

        Edgar don’t want to play centre back he recons he is a defensive midfielder and ask to leave if he ant going to be played there. So its Edgars choice.

    • BhamCityJulian says:

      Mitchell, to me Edgar looked poor. Maybe it was to go with his apparent with to be in midfield

    • Nickywicky says:

      based on a whole seasons results. if rowett had been in charge for the season blues could have scraped into the playoffs. Nobody was getting carried away they were just going on the results based o9n a whole season.

    • almajir says:

      Mawson is going to Barnsley.

      Edgar doesn’t want to play centre half, and his attitude has annoyed the management. Myself, I’ll be surprised if he plays for us again

  • Richard Granfield says:

    I anticipate another goalkeeper arriving with Townsend going out on loan hopefully to a League 1 club to further his development.

  • paule says:

    Sorry to say but if you buy lower league players or players who have been released by teams in our league that haven’t set the division alight its going to be a struggle & its going to be a season of getting enough points to stay up, last season we punched above our weight with decent loan players & a decent goalkeeper. I will believe we have money to spend when we buy a decent quality player because even with the 2 we have just signed our wage bill is a lot lower than last season with the players that have left. After having my little moan i will still be there to support whoever puts on the shirts this season Kro

    • Hillfield Blues says:

      If the receivers tell us that the majority of the money borrowed will be spent on BCFC and then our chairman tells us that they are now committed to strengthening the team,surely you should be a bit more optimistic than that?

      • paule says:

        Sorry Hillfied blues but the signings we’ve made up to now don’t fill me with optimism!!!
        I hear what you say about money being promised to strengthen the team but how many times have i heard that before being a blues fan,

  • Owl says:

    He has never captained SWFC, really not sure where you have got that from. Aside from the factual inaccuracies of this article, I think Maghoma is an ok signing for you, but don’t get too excited. Hugely inconsistent and also a often very selfish on the ball. But reuniting with Rowett May bring out the best of him, however the majority of our fans (including myself) are happy he won’t be at Hillsborough next year.

    • almajir says:

      Owl – I was using that wonderful source wikipedia

      Maghoma was then made captain twice against Bolton Wanderers and whenever their captain Glenn Loovens was absent.

    • paule says:

      Owl if he’s a good signing for us why didn’t you keep him or do you think you are any better than us? I think you might need a reality check because you are a average championship side who have done jack s**t for years. Do you spend much of your time on other teams sites or are you a secret Bluenose?

      • Blue Lizard says:

        You cant blame Maghoma for wanting to better himself……

      • Owl says:

        Did say he would be an ok signing for you because of the Rowett connection, nothing to do with our respective teams’ ambitions/past (lack of) glories etc. He was never going to work at Hillsborough, simple as that really. He was pretty terrible for us, I’d have said he’d be terrible for you if you hadn’t got a manager who has got the best out of him before.
        Also, this article popped up on my Newsnow thread as it mentions Swfc, and I wanted to see your reaction on signing Maghoma, and thought I’d leave a little note telling you what you were getting. Nothing more sinister than that, so pop your toys back in the pram bud.

  • andy says:

    I have to agree about Edgar, looked a very good centre back when he played there for Blues. I wonder if words have been exchanged between Edgar and the manager? For me Edgar should play that centre back role.

    • waycoolblue says:

      Edgar don’t want to play centre back he recons he is a defensive midfielder and ask to leave if he ant going to be played there. So its Edgars choice.

  • BhamCityJulian says:

    Gary has already demonstrated that he can improve players so why not Maghoma and Ledgzins

  • andy says:

    We have no choice but to back the signings Gary Rowett makes, if he had a transfer kitty of say, 10-15 million, then I am sure there would be different types of players signed, under the present circumstances, we cannot moan or question the signings made.

  • mark says:

    wow this should rock the season tickets lol…. obviously looking to stabilize ourselves in the championship sweet

  • mark says:

    lets hope he scores more than his one obviously we dont want too many bench warmers…

  • Raymondo says:

    What we don’t know is how much or how little GR has to spend. I think this will decide who he can have rather than who he really wants.

  • Brumbie says:

    The quality of our signings shows where we are at as a football club..

  • bluenoseneil says:

    I think the signings so far reflect Rowett’s ability to find players he’s worked with before and bring them in to improve themselves and the fortunes of Blues.
    It’s utterly unfair – and I have said this before so it is starting to sound boring – to judge ANY player before a ball is kicked and I would expect anyone coming in to want to put in a shift and work for the progression of this club.
    Jacques Maghoma and Adam Legzdins both fit this and have points to prove. Whether they prove them or not remains to be seen but I would have these two here over a mercenary player ANY day of the week.
    Can we all just see what happens before the bloody doom-mongering is rolled out again please?
    KRO

  • BhamCityJulian says:

    We are in a much better position than last year and the season hasn’t even started yet: no Clark; a successful initial season from Gary, a CE/MD with BCFC’s football interests at heart and investors promising money for the team.

  • kevin Challinor says:

    I’m a Sheffield Wednesday fan and he was awful last season. Hes not a good signing in my opinion. Lost thee ball way to often

    • Jazzzy786 says:

      Under Lee Clark I thought Andy Shinnie was absolutely s&&t and should never wear the shirt again. Under Gary Rowett he was a player completely transformed. Cpuld he do the same with Maghoma. Under GR previously Maghoma scored 18 goals for Burton. Just maybe GR may bring the best out of him.

  • paulieboy says:

    Spot on Brumbie, shame but as the song goes “were on the road to nowhere”
    This is going to be a long process until we can afford to get quality players in who are capable of taking us bank t the PL. KRO

  • StaffsBlue says:

    Kobi Arthur has signed a new 2 year deal.

  • StaffsBlue says:

    Rowett on Maghoma: “He’s got the potential to play anywhere in the three behind the main striker and on his day he is a very, very talented player. I believe I can get more out of Jacques, I know what makes him tick, and I’m sure he can add to what is quite an exciting frontline of players we have at the Club.”

    Rowett continued: “I think Jacques will fit into that counter-attacking style.

    So 4-2-3-1 again this season it seems.

    • mark says:

      hi staffs not over confident on players bought in by GR, playing for a burton team! if he scored two it will seem to have had a good season…It another watering down of players, but i would be the First if its a masterstroke…… but i will stayed chilled until the season starts………………

      • StaffsBlue says:

        We recruited from League 1 last season and it didn’t turn out too bad in the end did it? Rowett knows these players, so we have to trust that he knows more than we do. Right?

  • mark says:

    Daniel you say it might be a replacement for Dyer well what did he do???/ let me tell you jack sh@t so really confident on this player nottttttttttt.

    • StaffsBlue says:

      mark.. go to you tube, type in Jacques Maghoma (compilation) and take a look for yourself. As far as I’m aware, we don’t have another player like him, someone who is always busy, looking for openings, passes, etc. We have players who do it in spurts, but this guy never seems to stop moving. I like the look of him.

      • paule says:

        So why aren’t Sheffield Wednesday signing him up then? You only see the best of him on a video compilation! his best times were at Burton Albion a couple of divisions below us, signing him doesn’t excite me but I’m hoping Rowett gets the best out of him.

        • StaffsBlue says:

          I’ve no idea why Wednesday never signed him. You’d have to ask them. You’ll have to trust the manager to know what he’s doing. He’s coached the guy before, so he knows far more about him than we do.

          At the end of the day, the manager will stand or fall by his signings, so, either way, let him get on with it.

          • mark says:

            Hi staffs, please dont take it the wrong way, and i am not anti- manager like some people, but i am worried that GR could be found out this season. Whether this player is his golden egg does not fill me with over confident really. 1-32 ratio is very worrying indeed. With Donaldson possibly on his way even more worrying. Staffs any player can run round like a headless chicken we had a few them lol Unfortunately we are not burton… player manager combination well he got dyer in?? It was a near perfect start for GR and you cannot ask for more than that but i am wondering whether the jury will be out for him this season……………like you and rest of the motley crew we all have blues best interest at heart………….kro


Leave a Reply

Personalised Gifts for a Bluenose
Haircuts and League Cups
Open Tax Services
Corporate Solutions UK
PJ Planning
Rodal Heating

Archives