Dan Harding - do we really want him?

[rlb999]

I'm honestly not sure about this. Harding has done well for us, but I'd say he'd filled a spot well rather than setting the word alight. I've never been as impressed with him as I was with Charlie Mulgrew for instance.

I'd certainly take him during the window if the price was right, but I wouldn't push the boat out either on wages or fee. If that means we don't get him, we can either do something with Herd / Barrett, or pick up someone else.

What do others think?

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Harding is no superstar but he does a more than capable job and was probably our most consistent player in his time with us.

With Herd our only registered left back, and making good strides with the first team, he is still young.

I'd welcome Harding back with open arms.

 

[chapperzUK]

Harding is consistent and capable which is what I like about him. He is our only good freekick taker and he could possibly help Herd with his progress. I would love to see him sign but the fee and wages could be a problem. I will be looking out to see how Herd does against Chelsea.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Harding is consistent and capable which is what I like about him. He is our only good freekick taker and he could possibly help Herd with his progress. I would love to see him sign but the fee and wages could be a problem. I will be looking out to see how Herd does against Chelsea.

I think Stanislas might have something to say about that, and also Franno to some extent.

 

[Skyblue]

I'd rather stick with Herd and give him some experince as we seem to be going through a bit of a transition period and arn't likely to make the playoffs. Keep the money and put it towards a quility midfielder who can give our strikers that telling pass.

 

[chapperzUK]

I think Stanislas might have something to say about that, and also Franno to some extent.

I should have added who is left footed. Yes he is a good freekick taker but he will be here for 6 weeks and go back to West Ham and never come back. Francis is a good freekick taker but is not left footed.

I'd rather stick with Herd and give him some experince as we seem to be going through a bit of a transition period and arn't likely to make the playoffs. Keep the money and put it towards a quility midfielder who can give our strikers that telling pass.

Herd needs experience but is league 1 the place. I think that he would do great in league 2 but can we afford to let him go on loan when he is our only left back. For a quality midfielder why don't we sign Sawyer?

 

[Angell Delight]

We need Harding, there's no doubt about that. Failing that a decent alternative should be one of the first priorities this window.

If Harding really does want to join I hope he pushes Ipswich for a decision on his future asap, I'm sure if a deal can be reached (and I accept it's unlikely due to his wages) then I'm sure having the Chelsea game on Saturday may help slightly as Harding will want to play in that if he is to return.

Doubtful though.

 

[BoyWonder2]

Yes, we need to sign Harding. Simple as that really.

Herd was brilliant Vs Northampton, and did really well vs Luton, but they offered next to no threat against him to test him defensively, lets not forget that.

Harding has been a revelation since we have signed him on loan. He is the best left back in the division that I have seen and if we are serious about pushing for the play offs, which is what the talk coming out of the Club is, then we have to sign Harding.

He is much, much better defensively than Mulgrew or Hammell in my opinion, but doesn't offer as much going forwards which is probably why he doesn't appear to be as highly rated by some on here.

Give me a left back that defends first and foremost, and attacking threat is a bonus really.

Tilson and Martin, we need to offer Harding and Ipswich a suitable deal if we want to contiue progessing. Also, he will be able to offer his Championship experience to Herd to help with his progession.

 

[undercovershrimper]

cant see the fee being the issue, he's out of contract at the end of the season, and hes been out on loan for about the last year, £50k tops really, im pretty sure they dont want him at Portman Road, however his reported £9k per week wages is almost certainly going to be a problem.

Do we want him, we would be bloody stupid not to try!

 

[Andyhsufc]

I would love to see him back here HOWEVER i wouldnt blow the wage structure apart to sign him. At the end of the day, our highest paid players are on around 3k a week and those contracts were signed when we were in the Championship. Harding is going to have to take a hell of a wage cut to come here.

 

[chapperzUK]

cant see the fee being the issue, he's out of contract at the end of the season, and hes been out on loan for about the last year, £50k tops really, im pretty sure they dont want him at Portman Road, however his reported £9k per week wages is almost certainly going to be a problem.

Do we want him, we would be bloody stupid not to try!

Wages will be a problem but if he is ambitious then we should be able to agree a reasonable wage with him, we did with Freedman. We missed out on Mulgrew, which upset me, so I really hope we get him.

 

[undercovershrimper]

never saw what the big deal with mulgrew was. He could take a good corner whoopie fecking do, so can i dont make me a good left back. niether does 20 B&H a day but thats another matter!

 

[M@CC@ 16]

Personally thought Mulgrew was a cut above, and have heard he is making a real name for himself in Scotland.

But then again the standard of the SPL is about L2

 

[Angell Delight]

Wages will be a problem but if he is ambitious then we should be able to agree a reasonable wage with him, we did with Freedman. We missed out on Mulgrew, which upset me, so I really hope we get him.

Maybe a decent signing on fee would help in terms of the potential wage cut.

 

[choggy]

would love to see him join us but I think he'll do a Mulgrew and join somebody else who will offer him better wages. He's a good league 1 fullback but there are teams in this league with a lot more money to spend in wages than us and he'll go to the highest bidder.

He did a great job of putting himself in the shop window like any player would in his situation but listen to his interview, it was platitudes but nothing more than 'thanks for the memories'.

I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think we'll see him in a southend shirt again. That's the loan lottery for you.

 

[Irate Ian]

would love to see him join us but I think he'll do a Mulgrew and join somebody else who will offer him better wages. He's a good league 1 fullback but there are teams in this league with a lot more money to spend in wages than us and he'll go to the highest bidder.

He did a great job of putting himself in the shop window like any player would in his situation but listen to his interview, it was platitudes but nothing more than 'thanks for the memories'.

I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think we'll see him in a southend shirt again. That's the loan lottery for you.

He did a good job for us without setting the world alight, and if he can get anywhere near £9,000 per week elsewhere, good luck to him.

Herd may be our future, now and every prospect that we could bring along his development and that he could become one of our most valuable assets.

His long throw is also a useful weapon from which Revell and the front men will be keen to tap into ? No offside and get the ball in behind Chelsea and anything could happen for starters.