Lawrence in talks with Pompey (along with Kitson) as part of the proposed Wilson deal:
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...339181,00.html
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Lawrence in talks with Pompey (along with Kitson) as part of the proposed Wilson deal:
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...339181,00.html
Would be a bit of a step down for Lawrence, but then again he obviously hasn't got a future at Stoke. Pulis must rate Wilson very highly if he is willing to let two decent players go for him.
Lawrence is third choice wide right midfielder and Kitson is well down the strikers' pecking order at Stoke, so it's probably a matter of dropping salary as much as anything.
I'd say this is one of those rare cases where it may end up being a good deal for both sides. Wonder where Pulis sees Wilson playing.
Massive step down for Lawrence if he ends up at Pompey.
They haven't got the funds to challenge in the Championship and would probably find himself in a relegation battle. Can they even afford his wages?
Lawrence going there must rate as a strange one. I can't understand it from his perspective at all. Surely he could have got a loan deal somewhere better?
That should really open the door for McGeady now, possibly Fahey or maybe even Treacy too.
Doubt Trap would drop him based on his club situation. St. Ledger has played every match when fit since breaking through near the end of the last campaign despite playing in the Championship, for example, and the likes of Paul Green seem to be getting a shot despite the "lower level" of league.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingdom
And of course the most blatant example of Trap's disregard for a player's club situation is Glenn Whelan, who Trap played to the bewilderment of most people at the time. "A Stoke bench player? Why doesn't this Italian go to matches?!"
Whelan got into and stayed in the Stoke team on foot of performances for Ireland. I've been behind him all the way on here, even if I'm in a minority of about 6/7, he needed someone to take a shot on him, and when he was given the chance he grasped it.Quote:
Originally Posted by irishfan86
I think LL only has to continue playing well for Ireland to stay in contention. I think he's better than Portsmouth tbh, but glad to see Wilson stepping up.
Lawrence is injured at the moment so it'd be unusual for any club to buy him until that's cleared up. I think Portsmouth is a place he shouldn't want to go - but, then again, they can't be much worse than Celtic.
Newcastle supposedly want Greg Cunningham on loan. This would be good news!
I doubt it will happen. Cunningham doesn't count as one of the 25 man squad as he is a "homegrown" player. He wouldn't get ahead of Jose Enrique at Newcastle anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by gastric
I'm with Colbert. Would rather see him go to a Championship side and get a run of first team games guaranteed. I don't mind a lower Premiership side either but with Newcastle having Enrique there wouldn't be much point in that particular destination.
Being second-choice to Enrique is better at this stage than being sixth choice behind Kolarov, Bridge, Lescott, Zabaleta and Gareth Barry (although Mancini does seem to rate him long-term).
Sky Sports News saying that Anthony Stokes' move to Celtic is as about to be completed. Fee is £1.2 million.
Is it not a case of players under the age of 21 not counting?Quote:
Originally Posted by Colbert Report
Im delighed alround with that. Great move for Stokes to see if he can make to step up to a bigger club and from a Celtic point of view they are getting a proven SPL goalscorer with great potential to improve even moreQuote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
I personally would prefer if Stokes stayed at Hibs for another season. But hopefully this will prove to be a good move for him.
I think hes proved himself enough at Hibs level to be honest and he could do with the step up or risk going stale again. seen a bit of their game yesterday and he looked frustrated with the players around him at times
It's this. Homegrown players over 21 still have to be named in the squad - it's just you can't have more than 17 non-homegrown ones.Quote:
Originally Posted by Predator
Murphy and Stokes up front for Celtic???
The Guardian is reporting that Shay Given has decided to fight for his place at City despite interest from Fulham. That would likely mean Mark Schwarzer stays put at Fulham, and Arsenal rely on Manuel Almunia until January at the earliest.
Hoping your rival gets injured/kidnapped in Colombia/lost in the Bermuda triangle is always a battle.Quote:
Originally Posted by Colbert Report
Well at least it means he is less likely to be injured and thus available to play for us, which is good news?
No, I'd rather him play, even if it were in the Championship. The only way he'll play for Man City is if Hart gets injured. Unlikely but not impossible.
I've had enough of greedy footballers. Given isn't willing to leave because no one else is willing to match his wages.
City could have up to 70 games this season - there's no way Hart is going to play them all. If Given has decided to stay, it's because Mancini has guaranteed him action in certain competitions.
I would go so far as to say that Shay will get virtually all the cup games and Hart will get the Prem games. I'd say the only reason he was omitted from the Europa league initially was because Mancini didn't want to cup tie him and reduce his transfer value if a team in European competition came in for him.
Really? You think he'd play Shay in the Europa League knockout stages whilst Hart starts against the likes of Blackpool? I can't see it.Quote:
Originally Posted by irishfan86
Europa League is considered a B competition by most people. Okay, as you get further into the competition things become more serious, but there's no guarantee they'll get that far given the fact it will be the B squad that will play most of the early matches.
I realize Man City's B squad is very very good, but they don't play together regularly and none of them will be firing on all cylinders. Maybe I'm wrong but that's the way I'd see things going.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colbert Report
It does seem like Mancini intended to play Given in the game against Timisoara on Thursday but he may have decided against this as Given would then have been cup-tied for Europe.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...t-2299777.html
However, on Friday, after they had qualified for the group stages, Mancini again said that Shay might play some of the group games in the Europa league. Mancini has consistently said that he needs two top goalkeepers as City are involved in four competitions. Hopefully Shay has received some assurances about getting games and I am sure he is confident of winning his place back if he is given the chance to impress.
http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/eyqlkfaueyql/
I'm not a professional footballer but surely you could play goalkeepers 365 days a year without getting tired? Most of the time 'keepers are just picking their noses and checking out birds in the crowd.
class CR!
on topic, i'd be very disappointed in Given if he had a good option but didnt move.
In a way I can understand him staying, it doesn't look great walking away at the first sign of trouble; however, he is a goalkeeper and his chances are going to be limited. I can't see Mancini rotating either his keeper of his back 4 during the league, it's the one area of the pitch where you need a constant, so yes I imagine he will miss the likes of Blackpool and West Brom games. So between now and January, when the transfer window opens again, he will get EL games, and league cup games. 6 games in Europe, and then 3 games in the league cup. At his age, he needs games. Frankly that just isn't enough.
Realistically, Hart is not going to be dropped. He has started the season in great form, as he needs to be, justifying the City decision to pick him. I feel sorry for Shay, taking his performances into account last season, he definitely was hard done by being dropped for the new season, especially considering the effort he made to get fit again. That said City probably have made the correct decision in the long term for them.
As someone else said, if there was a decent move on offer for Shay and he's turned it down, well I'd be disappointed.
Sadly it looks like Shay is more concerned about the money he would lose by moving to Fulham or some other club who would not be able to match the wages he is on at the moment.
could be an interesting ruse to shoe-horn Wenger into making a move for him. Wenger wants another keeper -but evidently Shay is not his first choice. Shays staying in Manchester means Wenger doesn't get his preferred option Shwarzer... Soooooooo....
i think this is unfair. for years he was urged by Irish fans to leave newcastle to play at a bigger club where he might get champions lge action, challenge for titles etc. Now some are having a go at him for staying at such a club and turning down someone like fulham who are nothing more than the team given left behind at newcastle. he cant win with some of you.Quote:
Originally Posted by drummerboy
whats wrong with him wanting to stay and fight for his place rather than running the first time in his career he isnt getting first team football??
Hopefully the curse strikes again. Hart makes a howler for England, looses all confidence as a result - hey presto Given is back in.
Voodoo dolls at the ready.
Was just about to make a comment along those lines bholg. He's one screw up away from becoming a national joke. Such is the life of an England No. 1.
Besiktas apparently trying to sign Robbie on a season-long loan.
I think the English meeja was summed up by the Suns headline the other day on the announcement of Capellos squadQuote:
Originally Posted by irishfan86
"Jackass" with a picture of Capello with horse -ears.
Why did he deserve this treatment??! Because he had left superstars Jack Wilshere and (some other relatively young untested player) out of his squad.
I noticed Westwood was on the bench for Coventry at the weekend. Surely this can only be due to the fact that he is on his way out of the club???