Summer transfer rumours, speculation and out-and-out b*ll*cks.

[luke25]

I really hope the Green rumours are'nt true, off the top of my head without thinking to hard i can remember atleast 4 major cocks ups this season.

[Mellin]

Carsonesque.

I'd much rather Al-Habsi.

[itbrvilla]

Carsonesque.

I'd much rather Al-Habsi.

agree. He's been very good

[JJ-AV]

Bothroyd is a shout as competition for Gabby.

[TheSandman]

More like a replacement for Heskey/Carew on a free.

Would not say no.

If we get Moyes in as manager I can see him signing him.

[The Situation]

Well if were going to sign a striker I would prefer Sturridge.

[Greg N'Ash]

i'd probably go for a target man to replace Ivanhoe/Carew. Wouldn't mind back-up for bent either. If we lost him for 6 months to an injury, we'd have a big problem

[KidPoker]

Daily Mail reporting that Friedel is off to Liverpool for definite.

Brad Friedel will re-join Liverpool after rejecting offers from West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa to remain in the Midlands.

The veteran keeper has agreed a two-year deal with Kenny Dalglish to be Pepe Reina's understudy.

Villa offered Friedel, 40, a deal on less money but with a greater bonus for appearances.

[brontebilly]

Bothroyd is a shout as competition for Gabby.

A bad shout at that. He isnt a young up and coming striker. He is nearly 30 with a patchy scoring record.

If we can get Gabby back into the form of 2 seasons ago, we will have a cracking number 2 striker capable of playing up top by himself in Bent's absence. I'm willing to write off this season for him and give him next season to show us what he is capable of. His resale value for one would be pathetic now whereas last summer he would have been a 15m striker. Houllier was right actually for a change, he needs to lose some weight, his legs are like tree trunks at the moment. He needs a proper pre season to get his conditioning back to the required level for a fleet of foot centre forward.

Id be happy to go with Bent, Gabby and the Fonz next season. The Fonz might actually suit Bent more as a partner. We need to take what we can get for Heskey and get him off the wage bill.

Out of the English trio of keepers available - Robinson, Green and Foster. Id go for Robinson. Just think Westwood would be perfect for us though and keep the couple of million saved on him for strengthening in other areas like defence.

Bham have a good few that should see EPL football next season - Foster, Johnson, Dann, Gardner, Ferguson. Gardner had a good season with them, has improved as a player. In hindsight, buying Sidwell for 5m and selling Gardner for 3m wasnt great business. Though to be fair I think Gardner was in need of the move at the time. I think Dann is the pick of the centre backs. Depends what we decide to do with our trio, Dunne, Cuellar and Collins I suppose. Ferguson wouldnt be a bad holding midfielder on the cheap, his legs havent gone as much as Petrov but we should be looking for someone better really.

[Dante Lavelli]

someone posted a link to Keep Right on On one of the other threads and there was a person claiming to be ITK saying that Houllier wants Gardner and Foster.  Can't see the gardner bit to be honest, but hope the Foster link is true.

[KidPoker]

Never heard about Gardner. I've seen the quote and it does not mention him, only Foster.

[TheSandman]

'I'm delighted to come home to my boyhood club. It was horrible playing at Blues. I remember being there in '94 when we beat them on our way to the league cup final which I also attended. Why are you asking me why I said I supported Birmingham upon signing for them? I never did. You imagined it'

[The Left Side]

If Brad is off then thanks for the memories and now let us get someone in quick, robinson or foster for me.

[Dante Lavelli]

Never heard about Gardner. I've seen the quote and it does not mention him, only Foster.

This is the quote I was referring to.  I'd file it under bullshit.

"I think he wants to stay but what happens if a decent club comes calling? We'll see his resolve then.

I also hear a rumour that Houllier is interested and that he might actually go back.

Also interested in Foster"

[Caiphus]

Bothroyd is a shout as competition for Gabby.

A bad shout at that. He isnt a young up and coming striker. He is nearly 30 with a patchy scoring record.

If we can get Gabby back into the form of 2 seasons ago, we will have a cracking number 2 striker capable of playing up top by himself in Bent's absence. I'm willing to write off this season for him and give him next season to show us what he is capable of. His resale value for one would be pathetic now whereas last summer he would have been a 15m striker. Houllier was right actually for a change, he needs to lose some weight, his legs are like tree trunks at the moment. He needs a proper pre season to get his conditioning back to the required level for a fleet of foot centre forward.

Id be happy to go with Bent, Gabby and the Fonz next season. The Fonz might actually suit Bent more as a partner. We need to take what we can get for Heskey and get him off the wage bill.

Out of the English trio of keepers available - Robinson, Green and Foster. Id go for Robinson. Just think Westwood would be perfect for us though and keep the couple of million saved on him for strengthening in other areas like defence.

Bham have a good few that should see EPL football next season - Foster, Johnson, Dann, Gardner, Ferguson. Gardner had a good season with them, has improved as a player. In hindsight, buying Sidwell for 5m and selling Gardner for 3m wasnt great business. Though to be fair I think Gardner was in need of the move at the time. I think Dann is the pick of the centre backs. Depends what we decide to do with our trio, Dunne, Cuellar and Collins I suppose. Ferguson wouldnt be a bad holding midfielder on the cheap, his legs havent gone as much as Petrov but we should be looking for someone better really.

Gabby just needs to have more shots on goal, over his career he scores 1 in 5 shots on goal, this season it was 1 in 6.  He just didn't get in enough positions to shoot this year, or have the confidence to shoot when he was.

Bent over his career has scored 1 in 4.5 shots on goal, gabby working with him over a pre season to get a better feel for movement and positioning is only gonna help him.