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

[JUAN PABLO]

Adi Akinbiyi even scored against us once.

Didnt he push Schmeichel  in the net first ?

[Louzie0]

All SWP does is run up and down the wing. Never has a fucking clue what to do with the ball.

I've seen him do more.  If we bought him, I'd be pleased.  Sorry VZ but he's ok.

[Toronto Villa]

I happen to think players like SWP are exactly the types of player we're no longer likely to go after. Goalkeepers aside, I expect us to to be after players with growth potential, not those who are at the tale end of their careers looking for one last big payout. SWP would be fine for the 12 to 18 months, but he'd be heavy baggage in the last 2 or 3 years of his contract as his career sees a natural decline. I can see us getting this type of player as a loan, but not permanent. I think we'll be very selective in who we bring in, and N'Zogbia at 25 is exactly the type of player we'd be looking to sign. A very good player with a lot of upside for the majority of his contract.

[Louzie0]

So let's go for SWP right now because he can do a job.

[richardhubbard]

SWP got 36 England caps so he must be shit

[TheSandman]

Phil Neville and Emile Heskey have nearly twice that, each.  Gordon Cowans and Brian Little had 11 combined. England caps do not a good player make.

Every time he plays for England a lot of people on here comment on how poor he was.

[Ger Regan]

SWP got 36 England caps so he must be shit

What's he done in the last 5 years to warrant us signing him?

[ozzjim]

Aye but Sandman, I spent 4 years lamenting various England managers for player Stuart shit boy Downing, claiming he was complete turd. I voted for him as player of the season last season. I think Wright Phillips is a cracking player, and given the right conditions to succeed for the level we are at would be a super signing. Him, NZogbia and Bent would scare the shit out of a lot of defences, and get a lot of goals.

[Greg N'Ash]

He'd still be at chelsea or in citeh's 1st team if he was good enough. He's a sidwell - another guy who would supposedly find his feet as soon as he started playing with worse players(!)- if you can't benefit from playing in teams worth 100+m, you highly unlikely to do it in a squad like ours

[paul_e]

SWP is a typical product of the english youth system.  Has 1-2 tricks and is very quick so at 14-15 he looked like a wonderkid and was fast tracked into the first team by 18-19.  He then had a couple of years looking like a good player until defenders figured out his tricks, after that the lack of coaching to teach him how to be a better player kicks in and his career goes backwards.

He'll still have the odd game where the tricks all work and he looks world class but the reality is there's not enough coached technique there for him to ever make it at the top level.  His crossing is incredibly inconsistent, he has no eye for a short pass and his shooting is hit and hope.

If we want to develop a side from the youth and reserves the only value he would bring is as a showcase of why relying on a couple of tricks is the worst thing a youngster can possibly do.

The one truly world class player to come out of England in the last 15-20 years is Beckham and he did it by hard work on the training pitch, perfecting his technique to make the best of the talent he had.  Unless you're on the level of Messi (who is apparently a great trainer anyway and when you watch him works his bollocks off for the team) you need that commitment to improving.  That's why Gabby has England caps and Luke Moore is playing lower league football.

SWP is just the latest in a long list of players whose career is technically over by 24 but that keeps getting contracts on the back of 'maybe getting back to that level'.  How many players has that actually happened for?

[Dante Lavelli]

There have been rumours in the papers that Adam Johnson is available on loan.
I think that could be an excellent deal. By the time the loan is over he's likely to be so far down the list at City that he could available to buy.

[ozzjim]

If that is true Dante, we should be in like a shot. He is brilliant and would really benefit from a season with Bent for England chances next summer.

[Mazrim]

He runs like Larry Grayson but he's a good player. It would be a good move.

[KRS]

Adam Johnson would be a perfect signing. Zoggy and Johnson down the wings would be far more danagerous than Ash and Downing.

[eamonn]

Johnson is who we should have bought instead of Downing in the first place. And then we could have sold him to ManCiteh this summer for even more than the £20m we stung the Scousers for Stewie the wimp.