Who would you take a punt on?

[southend4ever]

I've just dug out a list of players that according to the PFA website are out of contract.

In your opinion which of the following would be realistic and which would you like to see playing for Southend. All things considered, presuming a reasonable wage, whether it just be on a month by month contract or until the end of the season. The list is a group of players that certainly once upon a time in their career I would have liked them here and others that would never have been realistic but then they got old....

Ricardo Gardner - Bolton - LB/LM - unlikely to drop to league 2 - but 34 years old - has he got the legs anymore?
Bryan Hughes - Accrington Stanley - CM - short of options in midfield cool and composed - 36
Mikael Forssel - Leeds - CF - surely not? 32 - still think he can play above this level.
David Connolly - Southampton - CF - 35 - cool and composed - no doubt thinks he is better than L2? high wage.
Darius Vassell - Leicester - CF - 32 - class act - too much wage
Gary Borrowdale - QPR - LB - 27
Salif Diao - Stoke - CM - 35 - dreaming?
Robert Kozluk - Bradford - RB/LB - 35 = past it?

 

[shrimpled]

None of the above.

Sammy Clingan is without a club, and whilst he would have been on fair whack at most of the clubs he has played for, being paid for some money is better than being paid no money and giving someone who is still reasonably young and in their prime the chance to play regularly to win themself a contract at a higher level is surely a carrot worth dangling.

And he's a centre mid, and we need one of them ;)

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

What he said ....... none of the above. I'd rather bring back Leon Clarke if he has upset Sir Christopher Powell-my-lord.

 

[Lord Football]

Leon Clarke, the man with an attitude worse than Bilel? No thanks.

 

[rlb999]

None of the above.

Why look for players who have played at a higher level and are after their final meal ticket before retiring?
We should be scouring the non leagues for the next Nicky Bailey (if we're all agreed a kicker in midfield is what we need).

 

[Jam_Man]

Leon Clarke, the man with an attitude worse than Bilel? No thanks.

No thanks + 1.

Bloke is an idiot and falls out with every club he goes to.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

No thanks + 1.

Bloke is an idiot and falls out with every club he goes to.

I don't disagree ...... but I would still prefer him to those on the list at the start of the article ........ and you never know, one day Clarke may wake up, wonder what town he is in and who he is playing for and think about changing his approach .......

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I'd prefer to take a punt on a young non-league player on his way up than a player on his way down.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

I'd prefer to take a punt on a young non-league player on his way up than a player on his way down.

Can't disagree with that ...... except that the practicalities can be that they take time to settle in (it took Fred 7 seconds but I think he was exceptional) and I am not sure that the club currently has the resources to facilitate this.

 

[Tampa Blue]

I'd go for Jason Taylor at Rotherham

 

[Silencer]

Peter Gilbert :winking:




(I jest)

 

[buffalowolf]

whats wrong with the man voted Australias greatest player, hes only 33 ,living in England and looking for a club, can play midfield or left side and is still brilliant and most of all wants to one more time play in the World Cup finals for Australia but needs a club to be able to achieve this, Ex Liverpool, Leeds, Melbourne victory and some turkish club .Maybe he would play on a month by month contract,the name HARRY KEWELL.:winking::omg:

 

[FarmdogSUFC]

whats wrong with the man voted Australias greatest player, hes only 33 ,living in England and looking for a club, can play midfield or left side and is still brilliant and most of all wants to one more time play in the World Cup finals for Australia but needs a club to be able to achieve this, Ex Liverpool, Leeds, Melbourne victory and some turkish club .Maybe he would play on a month by month contract,the name HARRY KEWELL.:winking::omg:

We can all dream I spose

 

[KiwiRob]

Tampa Blue, Jason Taylor is on a one-year deal at Rotherham. Is that the player that Paul Sturrock wants on loan or is he chasing Mark Bradley?

 

[Tyga]

whats wrong with the man voted Australias greatest player, hes only 33 ,living in England and looking for a club, can play midfield or left side and is still brilliant and most of all wants to one more time play in the World Cup finals for Australia but needs a club to be able to achieve this, Ex Liverpool, Leeds, Melbourne victory and some turkish club .Maybe he would play on a month by month contract,the name HARRY KEWELL.:winking::omg:

I know this was a tongue-in-cheek suggestion, but...

I think Harry has well and truly priced himself out of the market for Championship/Premiership clubs...even the Middle East who throw money at has-beens all the time. He still thinks he should command a massive salary which is why he is without a club. As a Melbourne Victory fan he was great on-field last season but he also seemed to polarise the squad as he demanded special treatment from the coaching staff. In the end he decided to return to the UK as his wife's mother is ill but then ended up shopping himself all over Europe and the Middle East when the expected offer from an English club never materialised.

I'd say that he'd be fairly desperate to find a club with the World Cup coming up and him not being considered for national duty as he has no club at the moment. Even so, Harry is after one last big pay cheque and that seems to be overriding any desire to find a club, play football and get his name back in the national team mix.

 

[rararblue]

Akos Buzsaky, once his 1 month deal at Portsmouth is up - let Portsmouth get him fit and then offer him a deal to the end of next season, that should do it.

 

[londonblue]

I'd go for Jason Taylor at Rotherham

Tampa Blue, Jason Taylor is on a one-year deal at Rotherham. Is that the player that Paul Sturrock wants on loan or is he chasing Mark Bradley?

So would I Tampa.

 

[blueveined]

Chris Phillips ‏@CJPhillips1982 Blues' move for a midfielder has been delayed after he suffered a slight injury.

 

[dan_mays]

David Connoly definitely would take a punt he still has goal in the closet
Borrowdale as we need a left back
Diao to toughen us up in the middle

 

[Bolton Shrimper]

Akos Buzsaky, once his 1 month deal at Portsmouth is up - let Portsmouth get him fit and then offer him a deal to the end of next season, that should do it.

Was'nt Buzsaky at Plymouth several years ago ? And if so did he play under Luggy. There may be a connection or I might be totally wrong. Either way, not a bad IMO.