January Transfer Thread: Speculation, Lies, Absolute Cr*p and Bosman Rumours

[Aston Villa]

One theory I always had (probably way off), was that the American signings were more to do with owner rather then manager. I mean is it coincidence that we get an American owner then end up with four American players?

If there was any truth in that, they did it in a particularly low key way.

One of them had already had a long, successful career in this country prior to joining, one was a kid playing university football, one was a rookie goalkeeper and one was taken on loan and then sent back.

I think the most astonishing thing in all that is that Martin The Blessed Saviour actually signed a player who'd never played in the UK before. Staggering.

Kinda adds weight to my theory. I very much doubt that MON decided to scout the States for a back-up GK or had his eye on College Football for Lichaj. I don't mean that the signings were made above the managers heads but perhaps certain links have been made with those involved in the US football scene due to Randy's influence? I admit that the Friedal signing is the exception here as he was a typical MON signing.

[pauliewalnuts]

If I remember correctly, we spotted Guzan on a pre-season tour to the US.

[PeterWithesShin]

Didn't we try and sign Guzan earlier and have to wait another transfer window before he was granted a work permit? Or am I imagining that?

[Dante Lavelli]

I wouldn't mind us going down the "buy american" route.   

Whilst I am certainly not arguing that Randy should choose the players but the club could have prioritised the US for scouting and building relationships with the franchises.  It'd arguably make us more marketable for sponsorship and earned us a few fans too.

[Aston Villa]

You could argue that Randy is attemping to increase our reputation in the States with the regular pre-season tours there. 

[KevinGage]

One theory I always had (probably way off), was that the American signings were more to do with owner rather then manager. I mean is it coincidence that we get an American owner then end up with four American players?

If there was any truth in that, they did it in a particularly low key way.

One of them had already had a long, successful career in this country prior to joining, one was a kid playing university football, one was a rookie goalkeeper and one was taken on loan and then sent back.

I think the most astonishing thing in all that is that Martin The Blessed Saviour actually signed a player who'd never played in the UK before. Staggering.

Kinda adds weight to my theory.

Not really.  Salifou?

 MON -being the control freak that he is- taking player recommendations from RL? 

I really don't see that at all.

The price Guzan eventually signed for probably had more to do with it.

[Aston Villa]

The same Salifou who MON never bothered to play?

[eamonn]

Salifou and Guzan were the only two players without experience in the UK that O'Neill signed though, weren't they?
Plus Carew but that was thanks to Houllier offering him as a swap with Baros (Ged's finest achievement at Villa?). And Carew was the archetypal big British number nine. O'Neill must have been delighted, Baros being the foreign fancy-dan anathema that presumably puts him off buying players beyond Dover to this very day.

[KevinGage]

The same Salifou who MON never bothered to play?

He signed him though. 

Whether he played him or not is immaterial. 

For the fees and initial wages involved, both deals were about as risk free as it's possible to be in modern football.

I can buy that far more than the idea of RL as some sort of US 'soccer' scout.

[Mister E]

I was disappointed Bradley wasn't more of a hit than he ended up being.

I agree - as with Makoun, we didn't give these guys enough time to adapt. We're seeing with Holman particularly that it's taking time to get the pace and style of the EPL but I'm convinced that Bradley would have 'got there' and would now be an accomplished holding midfielder with the traits that would endear him to PL (and he probably would have made last season a little more comfortable, too).

[PeterWithesShin]

Supposedly we are keeping an eye on Wissam Ben Yedder.

[curiousorange]

Supposedly we are keeping an eye on Wissam Ben Yedder.

Sounds like something a Boggies fan would say if someone put a header over the bar.

[Malandro]

I hope Aaron Hunt (Werder Bremen) caught Lambert's eye in the pre-season friendly because I've seen him a number of times since and he looks very good.
Looks perfect for the p.league

[Salsa Party Animal]

It would be interesting to see if Lambert would keep Michael Bradley if he got the option to choose or not. We will never know. I want a Martin Laursen type in Midfield General role with the skills for footballing midfielder.

[danlanza]

It would be interesting to see if Lambert would keep Michael Bradley if he got the option to choose or not. We will never know. I want a Martin Laursen type in Midfield General role with the skills for footballing midfielder.

Spot on that Salsa.