Often Partisan

Gossip Folks – The Transfer Rumour Mill Experiment (Winter 2013 edition) Week 4

There are less than ninety-six hours to go in this transfer window now and as of yet it’s all talk, no deals for Blues in the main.

This week has seen much talk about Blues players having to go but as yet there still remains just one concrete bid on the table for any of Blues “big hitters” in the £300,000 bid from Forest that was rejected. I’ve updated the spreadsheet here with new rumours but most of what has come out this week have been rehashed stories as the newspapers look for anything to fill column inches.

Having turned down a bid of £6million in the summer for Jack Butland it appears his price is dropping as the window progresses with £3.5million mooted last week now down to £3million today. Unfortunately, it’s common knowledge that Blues are up the creek financially and it appears that other teams are prepared to pay hardball and wait Blues out as they know that there could be a cut price bargain to be had come deadline day.

It’s not just players who could be leaving either as rumours have surfaced that Lee Clark may be wanted by Blackpool to fill their vacant manager’s position. The bookies have slashed their odds on it happening and there have been apparent tweets from Alan Nixon (which I cannot confirm as his account is protected) confirming his story. I have to say I can’t see it happening at the moment – although I remain open-minded and I’m not going to rule it out purely because football is that bizarre.

The one piece of good news is that Paul Robinson is now signed up until the end of the season – which whilst probably isn’t great for Mitch Hancox means Blues have cover for the defence (central defence and loathe as I am to say it, right back as well as left back).

The transfer window closes at 2300 GMT Thursday January 31 and I will be looking to run a transfer window roundup article on Friday. For those who are interested the loan window runs from February 7 to March 22.

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56 Responses to “Gossip Folks – The Transfer Rumour Mill Experiment (Winter 2013 edition) Week 4”

  • richard says:

    “less than seventy-two hours to go” you mean less than 96 hours to go ?

  • Dazzy Nicks says:

    While everyone has been concentrating on which players will be leaving, it’s a valid point that Clarke is effectively available for transfer too. I think there are decent replacements out there, Adkins is the obvious candidate who springs to mind, while I’ve always liked Peter Taylor, and Curbishly keeps saying he wants back in but never takes up offers. Maybe Blues till the end of the season to show he’s still got it. Whatever happens, an interesting week ahead!…

  • GoôdyBlueShoes says:

    But land to Chelsea then

  • Euston 9.18 says:

    Any truth about the “Exclusive” in the Sunday People.

    Zigic wages go up to 70 grand a week next season.

    • almajir says:

      No idea. I always take that stuff with a pinch of salt

    • Alex T says:

      Would further explain why he doesnt want to go any where else……

      I for one dont blame him one little bit! If it were me, choosing between doing the right thing for my employer or providing for my family…… it wouldnt even be close!

      • Agent McLeish says:

        You can only blame the director (PP) or the club lawer (mmm PP again?) that agreed the contract i.e. no relegation clause.

      • Brummieswan says:

        Do you really think you can’t support your family on less than £70k a week? I don’t get that in 3 years of work! Duh!

        • Spud says:

          Is there really any need for stupid responses like that? It’s irrelevant the amount he’s on, the guys point is that it’s not down to Zigic to be taking a cut, none of us would take a cut to help our employers out.
          If it takes 3 years to earn that, I’d suggest a new career path….. Duh!

  • James Black says:

    If there are no sales, is it inevitable we will go into administration??? Without knowing too much about the situation, i suspect it wont happen. But its far more likely if people keep staying away and causing a general bad atmosphere at St Andrews. I’m hoping that the victory against Burnley is a launchpad to a run of victories. Everyone been talking that its just a matter of time and we go down. I really cannot understand why and i believe the team is coming together, and in our adversity, we will become stronger. The best way of making us a saleable asset and getting us back on the rise, is to fill St Andrews, get behind the team, which in turn makes potential buyers see us as a club worth buying into. If i was a billionaire, i doubt i would buy a club whose fans are so negative. We as fans are part of the package, and although i understand the frustrations, i think its gone too far. Things were never as bad as some believe, but that’s not saying they are good either. But negativity makes a bad situation worse. I hope that the hate and bile against board and manager ends but maybe some get too much pleasure from it to be able to stop. My argument has always been what good can any of it do. Then theirs talk of protests at the forest game on the back of a victory, which wont achieve a thing and again pour negativity all over us again. Only one real thing to do. Get down there and scream your heads off and get behind the Blues.

    • Tom says:

      Great comment. Well said!

    • Evesham blue says:

      So the 5 nil mauling to Barnsley was not negative at all? The owners, the manager,the home defeats weren’t negative either?How much of the negativity has been propagated by the media as well? Reading stories that our best players will be sold for cut down prices?

      The big A word. How long have we been listening to that for? I am not a negative person but there hasn’t been a great deal to cheer. We have not strung back to back wins together all season. Last week was our first win in how long? What makes you think we can do that now? I know enough about Blues that they never do things the simple way. I know that they will usually kick you in the proverbials if you get your hopes up.

      Potentially our goal scores last week may not be in the team when the McJudas Turns up. Burke could be in red as well.

      Roll on Thursday. We know what we have then.

    • Agent McLeish says:

      At the risk of getting shot down by ‘manager haters’ I think that LC is doing a pretty good job in terrible circumstances.

      • Fieldy says:

        I’m almost with you on this one!!

        The only thing I can criticise him for, is some of team selections. For example – Playing Morrison and Redmond up front, when he had 3 fit strikers in King, Zigic and Lovenkrands.

        Other than that – He’s really doing the best of a bad job in a really awful situation. Most decent managers wouldn’t touch us barge pole, for the ultimate fear of committing career suicide..!!

    • Mjt says:

      Surely you can understand why people don’t go to the matches and are negative, there has not been an awful lot to be positive about recently. I agree with your positive outlook on things but you can’t polish a turd!

  • James Black says:

    This is what im waiting to hear. And when it happens, if it happens, then remember what i said now. Butland sold for 3 million. Then the very same commenters that was screaming that letting him go means certain relegation and that we are selling off our assets will start saying hey the bloody idiots shoulda took 6 million when it was on the table. Thats the kind of pointlessness going down lately. Cant win whatever happens when that’s the nature of some comments. Watch and see, i bet they do say it.

    • Evesham blue says:

      True. Doubtful we would have got 6 million for him upfront anyway. What blues need is 3 million upfront not 6 million later when when he has so many caps for England.

      It could be possible to get 3 million upfront for him put in a sell on clause and loan him back to us for the rest of the season for instance?

      What is more worrying to me is selling players we can’t replace like selling our top goal scorer or Davies for instance.

  • tamuffblue says:

    Fill the ground – smiley faces in Hong Kong – empty ground just order another round of drinks in Hong Kong – it matters not to them !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it is not our club any more and the only decision is in Hong Kong not Acocks Green – and its Football as a whole that stinks kro 1875

    • James Black says:

      Or Tamuff you could say fill the ground and we stay stronger and less need to sell. I guess how you read it reflects on each individuals mentality. For some a 50% pay rise should of been 55%. Its how people choose to look at it. I know how i prefer to look at it.

    • James Black says:

      I agree with you Tamuff on that football is eating itself in general. High wages is the single most destroyer in football. It got out of hand years ago and especially when TV money became the mainstay. It never comes back to the fans, it goes in the players pockets. All that extra cash floating about, but do you know any club that reduced the prices to watch. Not begrudging them a decent bung, they are professionals with a skill most of us could never possess. But when it gets to the point that probably 70% of the income or maybe more goes into there pockets, i often wonder why nobody gets mad at them.

      • Bluenosesol says:

        Sick to death of listening to Radio 5 Live. All the pundits are ex pros and all insist that to have a good team you must pay high wages. No one with the guts to buck the trend and admit that it isnt the individual financial plights of clubs that is causing the demise of football, its the greedy little b*****s who are creaming the game and bleeding it to death.

        As for the Blues, if we win against McJudas on Saturday, we could go 11 points clear of the drop zone if the results go for us, so dont forget to take a mate who hasnt been down for some time and roar th team on KRO!

        • RichardM says:

          Agreed. Did anyone hear Jason Roberts defending this point to a caller ranting about players wages – Roberts ludicrous arguement was “you can’t blame the players, everyone, everywhere in any job would move for higher wages”. True Jason, the only difference is football is not like any other job or industry – i.e. there are no agents pushing our CVs in front of other potential employees, or newspapers speculating about our futures. Football is just a bubble now, with pundits (who are al ex-pros themselves) defending the obscene gravy-train.

          • Blueboy88 says:

            Interesting that you note all the ex-pro’s now being pundits .

            On the recent death of test match specials Christopher Martin-Jenkins ,
            Jonathon Agnew (ex-pro) wrote

            “With modern media now preferring the views and experiences of former Test match cricketers, Christopher’s authority and respect was not gained from a high-profile playing career, but a deep-rooted love of the game linked to a strong protective instinct which helped him earn the most coveted position of president of the MCC .

            And maybe money has now overtaken that deep-rooted love of most sports , gone are those halcyon days , when journalists & players worked for sensible salaries , & counted themselves blessed , they were filling their working life doing something they loved..

  • Dave says:

    If I was a billionaire the only thing i would be looking at would be the detailed accounts of BIH. I’d be well aware of how well supported the club was and its potential in terms of growth. I’d also be aware that attendances were down due to the way that the current owners have misbehaved and alienated long standing fans who currently see no transparency in the financial dealings. I was a billionaire I’d be asking for understanding from fans towards people who either don’t have the financial resources to attend or are cautious of spending money when they have no clarity as to how the money is being spent. If I was a billionaire I’d point out the old philosophy of divide and conquer, which Mr Pannu has been using quite successfully amongst the fans to create smoke and mirrors. If I was a billionaire I’d say that things will get worse before they get better. But, then, sadly, I’m not a billionaire. KRO

  • James Black says:

    I bet Mclleish was dead worried about having to face that bile on his return to St Andrews. But on the other hand his more likely to be thinking, “hey no worries”, as nobody be there and those that are will be too busy venting bile at the board.

  • Tom says:

    why did we not just let him go for 6 million now we are going to get half and have to sell more players so we dont go in adminstation.. let Clark go

    • Pete says:

      Because of the financial planning of Pannu. I mean he rejected it knowing that after 4 months of not being able to get rid of anyone and not buy anyone we would be stuck unless we sold the club that had not got their accounts even done. Great business person. I cannto believe some people think he has done a decent job in keeping us going. If I sell my house brick by brickfor a fraction of the value until there is nothing left how can I have done a good job???

    • James Black says:

      Tom you little joker you hahahaha

  • Oldbluenose says:

    Lad’s;, I am waiting with bated breath for Friday morning to come, !!.

    What will we be left with, ?. The only good thing may be that whats left will pull together and fight to keep us up, ????????.

  • Paulo says:

    I think we might one or two go, come Thursday, Butland is the obvious one, but there could be other surprises. Really though, whoever goes will leave a big hole in our squad, as it is that thin at the moment. It isn’t fair what has happened to us, but that’s what we have got to take this time ..seeing players go, because the owners can’t afford to sustain the overall wage bill. Now the vultures will be circling, and I do hope we win games, get points and stay up if I’m honest. However, if the club can’t afford to pay the wage bill, we could be heading downwards because of that instead.
    I don’t think we have anything to lose at all right now, but everything to gain. So if the lads on the pitch do the business, then I’m happy. If they go for it and we still get the ‘A’ and ‘R’ words, the we would have gone out fighting, and I cant ask more than that.
    My argument is with the owners and PP ..not the team.

    If LC goes, I wish him well, but I wont miss him. However, the damage has been done already, and the writing is on the wall if all we are going to do is play so inconsistently. LC didn’t stand a chance with PP, but he did have a chance on the pitch (as it were), so it was a catch 22 all along. Right now, I’m not really bothered, I’ll go down there to support the team, other than that, I just want it over with and want closure on this mess. Everything else will happen anyway.

  • Think of the children says:

    LC is terrible – who cares if he goes? What “ilk” is he? A pretty lame ilk.

  • Wingman Blue says:

    To those saying “why didn’t we sell Butland for £6m in the summer, when he may go for half that now?” – Well, we’ve had the use of him for half a season; and, where do you think the extra £3m would have gone?

  • Cornish Bluenose says:

    I feel for the players and staff at Blues, even though the players are very well paid at our club, this is not the case in the lower divisions. I think we need a dose of reality and readjustment to find our level, and then build from there. Look at Oldham and the way their team played last night, their centre forward was playing in non-league three years ago. Fantastic commitment from a range of players of different ages, and the manager it still threatened with loosing his job..!
    I want to see the team playing for the fans, the long suffering supporters and their team mates..whoever is left by Friday. I’m glad we have Paul Robinson and Colin Doyle we will need these guys as the mainstay of the team. Give Doyle a chance and let others leave the club if they choose to jump ship. We will then know who wants to play for Blues, and let’s give them our full backing to stay in this division whatever their ages or background. Let Butland play for Chelsea reserves if that is his idea of progressing. At the moment Ian Holloway is making the most sense, read what he said in his column about Wilfred Zaha and his move to MU.
    Football is under attack from greedy agents and players, as well as foreign ownership with no local loyalties or responsibilities to the fanbase . We need local ownership at a realistic level otherwise we will be in the same place in 5 years time with owners who are just stripping the club bare.

  • Tony says:

    If Clark leaves give the job to Stevie Carr, let him start earning his keep after two seasons its about time he did

  • Bromsgrove Blue says:

    Like I’ve said before – try working for a company with no direction, no leadership, no financial structure and see how well you do. I’m not going to defend of Lee Clark’s team selections. BUT – he is trying to keep the team afloat whilst the ship is sinking. Yes – it’s early in his managerial career and he will make mistakes – if he was the finished product he wouldn’t be with the Blues trying so hard. Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit and criticism is the lowest form of support. Let’s get behind Clark and the team, get through the rest of the season. KRO.

    • Pete says:

      See your point – BUT he has been managing for nearly 5 years now. Also, some mistakes are fairly obvious ones that we all can work out will not be a good move. Not easy for him at the moment, but I wish people would stop thinking he has it hard- if it were nt for this situation and if we could have afforded to he would have been sacked.

  • Tony says:

    He played two dwarfs up front when he had three recognised strikers available to me thats unforgivable.

  • DoctorD says:

    I wonder if Clark will secretly be glad if and when the “big names” get sold as he can then play his team and wield more authority. Dunno. Just an idea.

  • James Black says:

    Even Ferguson occasionally gets the tactics wrong, especially in his younger days. Ok the guy hasn’t always got it right. Well then he seems man enough to learn from it as we all should be. Give him a break.

    • Pete says:

      Has he said he thinks he was wrong about anything this season then? Do you feel that he knows his best side still- considering his most settled side is at the moment because there were no alternatives. Is it me or are the same two centre halves who were outstanding last year a shaddow of themselves and look like they have rarely met and is Chris Burke the same player as last? Surely we can blame Pannu for many things- but not the like for like performances of players from one manager to this…?

  • clubclassblue says:

    I will be glad when the transfer window finally closes and we know what we have for the rest of the season. Hopefully the focus from all parties can be restoring some pride, giving backing to the team and management and getting to a safe league position, at least 10 points clear of relegation.
    It would be great to start with a good gate on saturday, more positive vocal support and three points.
    If anyone deserves any flack lets save it until after the final whistle has sounded.


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