Rangers Cuellar bid accepted

[Clark W Griswold]

Glasgow. They don't do them battered mars bars in Barcelona.

[Bottom Right 89]

Just read he's gonna snub rangers and join espanyol

This would be a better move for him, would be a shame for a top rate defender to go back playing non legue. Can't believe he didn't get more games last season, must have made him sick watching some of our defensive implosions. Let's hope Dunne and Collins agree with McLeish's tactics and get back to where they were season before last.

All the best Carlos.

[Clampy]

Just read he's gonna snub rangers and join espanyol

I'd still keep him personally, but if he's off then Espanyol would be better for him and if the club could throw in a pre-season freindly as part of the deal over there next season, then even better.

[Villafirst]

So Cuellar has 1 year left & he's never been a first team regular. £2m is probably about right, isnt it?

Ridiculously low fee in this crazy money age!

[Claret trim]

Personally, whenever I saw him play I thought Carlos was on the verge of dropping a bollock - nothwithstanding his general bravely and commitment to the cause. I think we bought him for 8 million and, assuming a 4-year contract, we have sold him at his "book value" - i.e., his original value written down for the 75% of his contract that has elapsed. That sounds about right for a player of his age, so no arguments on that front.

That does not alleviate the concerns I have about the general direction the club is heading in. If Doug were still in charge, we would be more than disparaging.

I suppose the only thing to do is to cross our collective fingers and hope that we bring triumph out of adversity, as sometimes happens in football.

Because the alternatives don't bear thinking of.

[luke25]

Its probably been mentioned already but somethings been running through my mind regarding Carlos, a large number of us seem to rate him as our best centre back, but why have 4 different managers not reguarly played him and why if he's available for just 2m are more clubs not snapping our hands off? Its a strange one.

[TimTheVillain]

Need another 10 players dont we?

GK-replace Friedel
defender -replace cuellar
right back -replace walker
left back - need cover for Warnock
midfielder - replace Coker
left winger - replace Downing
right winger - replace Young
striker - replace Carew
+ 2 extra players we needed last season.

Or we sign a GK and a left winger and see how it goes with the squad we've got.

Have a first 11 and bring the youth in as and when?

This, more or less..........

[Villa'Zawg]

He made 85 appearances in his 2 seasons under O'Neill.

Mainly because MON fell out with Luke young

Just the 63 appearances for Luke Young during the same 2 seasons.

Or 18 league and cup appearances in MON's last season, i.e. the season of the fall out. It's worth mentioning that it was also the season his brother died so missed about 3 months. No selective use of stats here.

There was no selective use of stats in my posts. Your own post highlights that Luke Young missed only 10 or 11 PL games in total after he returned following the death of his brother. I think that further demonstrates that the claim that Cuellar was an almost ever present in the team "Mainly because MON fell out with Luke young" is wrong, which was the point I was making.

[KevinGage]

You're obviously counting sub appearances, I take it?  And the times when he only got a game out of position on the left owing either to injury (Warnock) or dodgy form (Shorey).

How many games did he start during that period - in his regular position?

[Villa'Zawg]

You're obviously counting sub appearances, I take it?  And the times when he only got a game out of position on the left owing either to injury (Warnock) or dodgy form (Shorey).

How many games did he start during that period - in his regular position?

He made 18 starts and 2 sub appearances. If I remember correctly, the only time he played in his preferred position was when he was torn a new arsehole by Malouda in the game where we conceded 18% of our total goals conceded for the season.

Whichever way you look at it, it isn't correct to say that Cuellar played mainly because Luke had a falling out with O'Neill.

[woody4866]

If this is true, £2m for a player of his quality is ridiculous. McCleish's first mistake.

Well if it is his 1st its the 1st of many methinks
how in fooks name are we going to replace him for £2M?? - Don`t tell me - we play the kids FFS

[Karl Bridges]

He's only got 12 months left on his contract, hasn't played a massive amount for us and is currently recovering from an operation. How much do people think he is worth?

[Rigadon]

He's only got 12 months left on his contract, hasn't played a massive amount for us and is currently recovering from an operation. How much do people think he is worth?

Exactly, Karl.  Somewhat mystifying that people think an injured, reserve centre half with a year left on his contract would be worth a great deal more than a couple of million quid. 

I'm interested to know why 3 (if you count Kev Mac) successive managers didn't play him regularly at centre-half?  'O Neill liked him as a covering right back and Houllier used him as a stand in for a largely misfiring Collins and Dunne.  I remember watching the oft cited Wolves game and I can't remember a Mcgrath/Laursen-like performance.  Rather he was solid and reliable.

[hilts_coolerking]

Rather he was solid and reliable.

Which is exactly what you want from a back-up centre half.  It makes financial sense to sell but in football terms it depends on who he is replaced by.

[Legion]

Quite happy with solid and reliable. Good characteristics of a centre-half.