DET report today that Cashin and Bird are to be offered new contracts, the club supposedly has an option to extend for another year anyway, which would strengthen their hand re any sale valuation.
Your mention of Rooney possibly looking to sign Bird or Sibs got me doing a little digging, apparently the following players at Brum are out of contract next year with 7 I think 30 or over, so maybe theres a deal to be done if Rooney does come calling for one of these in return?
Neil Etheridge, John Ruddy, Marc Roberts (with option), Kevin Long (with option), Nico Gordon, Marcel Oakley, Ivan Sunjic, Gary Gardner, Alfie Chang (with option), Keshi Anderson (with option), Scott Hogan, Lukas Jutkiewicz.
Seems Hull and a n other Champ club also interested in Blackett-Taylor so that may be the end of that!
Also talk of revisiting Marvin Johnson at Sheff Wed, again this seems like click bait, looking at players we were supposedly interested in last summer?
Also are wing backs, wide players what we need right now? I get it a pacey wide midfielder who can actually get past the defence would be useful, but if we are not looking to sign a defensive hard tackling midfielder, I'd be somewhat concerned.
Last edited by swaledale; 22-11-2023 at 04:42 PM.
DET report today that Cashin and Bird are to be offered new contracts, the club supposedly has an option to extend for another year anyway, which would strengthen their hand re any sale valuation.
Perusing the various tinternet sources and also chatting to people who know, it seems the targets are another pacey wide players to compliment Mendez- Laing and indeed be available if he is not fit because Derby miss him. This is where Blackett- Taylor and CJ Hamilton come in.
A good strong central midfielder is also being sought, thereafter it depends upon whether there are outgoings to replace.
Can’t see anyone on that Brum list who’s particularly exciting, Swale. Maybe Jutkiewicz a while ago, but he’s coming up to 35 now...anyway, now he’s being denied the ‘Freedom of the City’ after all maybe Wayne won’t bother.
Good news about Bird and Cashin I think, we’ve lost too many ‘bright young things’ since the Morris debacle...and although I can’t really think of anyone who’s gone on to ‘shine’ elsewhere it’s time to stop the exodus.
I don't really care about losing the youngsters, teams cashin in on their youngsters to make other purchases is how teams go up from these lower levels.
Not that our academy often produces top players anyway. Hendrick / Hughes the last?
My wish list? A midfielder who doesn't mind doing the dirty work, our midfield is too nice.
You’re probably right about Hendrick and Hughes, and you’re certainly right about our midfield, but if I could choose one of the academy youngsters to have back from recent times it would be Festy Ebosele. I know he’s hardly gone on to great things (yet) but I reckon his speed, strength and enthusiasm is what exactly what we’re short of at the moment.
Washington back from international duty needing an operation and out till at least March. With inevitable doubts over JJ and Waghorn’s fitness records the search for a striker has just become more urgent. Helpful that Fornah has started fulfilling our midfield needs in the last couple of games.
Definitely need something in the striker department.
We can look, doubt that other than a loan we'd get any quality. But I guess if we are top 6 in January and looking good, it might just tempt a striker from elsewhere to move clubs IF we can afford the fee!
JJ appears to be a sick note, unfortunately, and now Wash is out till March so we probably now need 2 extra ones up top on top of the one we already needed. Finding one decent striker is hard enough in a January window. Finding 3 will prove nigh on impossible. Might young Weston be the answer?
In MF we need a Seth/GT type with good legs.
We look OK at the back but we might need to replace Nyambe who must be on some SBC club's radar. Him being away at the African Cup of Nations for January might prove to be a blessing in disguise.
Out wide we need a 2nd NML type. Unfortunately both Barks and Sibs aren't consistent enough.