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Hancox, Deaman and Diop
In amongst the takeover news that broke yesterday Blues also announced new contracts for two youngsters – Mitch Hancox and Jack Deaman. Both had previously only been on contracts until Christmas and the renewal of their deals sees them now stay with the club until the end of the 2012/3 season. There was also confirmation that Papa Bouba Diop has agreed terms with the club and will sign subject to visa clearance.
Whilst it’s not the quite the fillip of signing a couple of marquee players I think that this news gives something to be happy about. One of the real concerns about Blues over the last few years has been the dearth of homegrown talent the club has produced and whilst they’re not long-term deals they represent that the club have recognised how hard Mitch and Jack have worked over the last few months and how much they have come on as footballers.
I’m very happy for Mitch in particular; I’ve watched him play a fair bit over the last couple of years and I have to confess he’s a player I really want to see make it in a Blues shirt. A local lad (he went to Lyndon School), Mitch has been with the club since he was eight and comes from a staunch bluenose background. As a player he reminds me somewhat of Martin Grainger because of his tenacity and his aggression but I think Mitch is also a more cultured player. This season has seen him play on the left flank and in central midfield as well as his normal left back berth for the reserves, and in every game he’s given his all. Whilst the manner of his introduction to first team football wasn’t great due to how bad Curtis Davies looked I was chuffed to see the young full back get his bow and I think it’s a credit to Lee Clark that he had no qualms about bringing him on.
Jack Deaman has also come on leaps and bounds this year. He’s a big strapping lad and whilst he looks the archetypal rugged centre half he’s got a cultured right foot too; indeed, for a centre half he takes a mean corner and puts a fair few wingers to shame with the accuracy of his set pieces. I’ve seen him play as a holding midfielder and right back as well as what I suspect would be a more natural centre half position and I think that with the progress he’s making he could well be a backup centre half for Blues in the second half of the season. He’s come on some way since I saw him make his debut for Blues reserves as a trialist against Worcester City in the 2011/12 pre-season and the former Wrexham lad could become the next Academy player to make the step up to the first team.
Blues have also confirmed that they have agreed terms on a one month deal with Senegalese defensive midfielder Papa Bouba Diop and the 34-year-old will sign subject to visa clearance next week. I will confess to being somewhat underwhelmed with Blues signing Diop but there is no denying we’re missing a ballwinner in midfield and with Clark having seemingly decided that Diop’s compatriot Morgaro Gomis isn’t up to it it will be interesting to see how Diop fits in. Diop can also cover the centre-half position giving Blues a bit more defensive cover which could be important if Davies doesn’t make it back for the Leicester game.
Tags: Jack Deaman, Lee Clark, Mitchell Hancox, Morgaro Gomis, Papa Bouba Diop
13 Responses to “Hancox, Deaman and Diop”
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“like Grainger but more cultured”. That last bit ain’t too hard, to be fair.
Diops an odd signing. Legend at Fulham alongside leek lark, but that was years ago – smacks of desparation and a wee bit of jobs for the boys from Clark. And an admission Mullins ain’t up to it. That said, he has quality and strength – he could be everything ndaw nearly was…
What’s with all this one month signing stuff? Not exactly long-term planning is it, unless we’ll have new buyers by mid-November and they start signing their own new stars. I suspect PP is sanctioning all these quick-fire deals coz he knows it will be all change anyway fairly soon.
Short term commitment to a player as cover whilst injuries heal?
what chance have any of us got unless we bring the youth through when the big guns have got players sitting on the bench worth more than clubs scary keep it up blues
while i am happy for mitch and deaman personally i am more interested in this takeover business what i dont understand is if its so hush hush as to the identity of the mystery bidders why has pannu made a statement at all? surely he would know that the journo bloodhounds will be digging to find out who they are and wont be happy untill they are revealed . or is this more of an announcement to calm the fans down over our poor form? maybe im just sceptical
kro
BIH is a publicly floated company and as such, take overs bids, appointments of directors and secretaries etc should be stated to the HKSE (hong kong stock exchange) so that investors are aware. If the club was owned by a limited company they could tell who ever what ever they fancied. There are confidentiality rules though for plcs. The purchase could be a big turn off for investors in a plc that want to buy BIH etc.
The newspapers probably already know the identity. You cant exactly hide it unless negotiations are taking place abroad. And if that is the case………well who knows, I wouldnt want a similar fiasco to the last time.
On the field and in the dug out, seems like LC might have lost the plot. Diop is a fairly decent player but at age 34, what incentive does he have except to come here and pick up his wages every month.
When you take loan signings, it should be young hungry players looking to get noticed. Apparently he is another old mate of LC……………………………… I totally despair now and i was one of the ones who kept saying to myself, he needs at least 20 games to stamp his own identity on the team. He is certainly doing that by lining the pockets of his mates
Desperation and nothing less. The lad knows that the only chance he’s got of keeping his job when the takeover happens is by winning every game from now until it happens.
Can’t see that happening whoever he signs, and how someone can get a work permit for one month defeats me as well.
Does Diop play internationally anymore? I thought you needed x caps in the last x many games for your country or is this just a champ man rule?
The sad part of all this is it highlights how far we have descended as a club.
All we can offer 2no bright young things & an old gnarled pro is a combined contract length of
13 months between the three of them.
Nothing long-term about that…really is the end of the road for BIHL..
1 month contract fellas. Hardly a hig risk strstegy. He must have impressed on his trial as we dont sign people unless they can do a job.
Diop may well get stick in which lets face it – our midfield has been powder puff.
Hopefully, Morrison will sort his attitude out at the last chance saloon and will come good.
“we dont sign people unless they can do a job”
hahaha evesham blue again
What’s happened to Gomis?
Ravel is missing, but we all knew he was trouble years before he came here, so that’s no surprise, but is Gomis a badboy too?