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

[tomd2103]

Craig Gardner is no longer at this club for a reason.  Deeply average.  Why do we want to go backwards?

Seen him play for Sunderland on TV a couple of times this season and hasn't exactly covered himself in glory.  Added to that the baggage he would bring with some sections of our support and I think he is one probably best left alone.   

[john e]

Craig Gardner is no longer at this club for a reason.  Deeply average.  Why do we want to go backwards?

Seen him play for Sunderland on TV a couple of times this season and hasn't exactly covered himself in glory.  Added to that the baggage he would bring with some sections of our support and I think he is one probably best left alone.   

he's still got that frightning stare though

[Grande Pablo]

Don't forget Gary Gardner is due back from fitness at some point, who arguably is a better prospect.

[KevinGage]

I'd say we'd be as well to prepare ourselves for Gary not coming back the same player as before. 

One ACL injury is bad enough (and was enough to finish a career not so long back).  Two is particularly heinous.

[Dante Lavelli]

I'd say we'd be as well to prepare ourselves for Gary not coming back the same player as before. 

One ACL injury is bad enough (and was enough to finish a career not so long back).  Two is particularly heinous.

I agree.

[Jarpie]

Gardner is very ordinary midfielder and I don't think he'd be improvement on any of our midfielders except that he has a mean long shot. We have enough squad players and his salary would probably be 40k+.

I'd be very surprised if it were.

I can't imagine it would have been much more than £20k at us or Blues and considering they'd just been relegated I don't think Sunderland would have had to offer a massive increase.

If we were to sign him, I'd expect we'd be looking at circa £25k per week.

Obviously there's a lot of supposition in there.

You might be right but I'd imagine he'd want payrise if bought from Sunderland.

[PaulTheVillan]

He's on £35k a week on Football Manager.

[Percy McCarthy]

FWIW my mate who knows him reckons he was on £23k a week after he signed his last contract at Villa. Probably about as reliable as Football Manager.

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

Lambert wants his own recruitments and has employed a coach with a fantastic knowledge base of young and hungry talent. Premiership players are on massive wages mostly unjustified. Lambert will have identified what he needs and i hope he has these players lined up for January ........

[Rigadon]

Lambert wants his own recruitments and has employed a coach with a fantastic knowledge base of young and hungry talent. Premiership players are on massive wages mostly unjustified. Lambert will have identified what he needs and i hope he has these players lined up for January ........

Agree. 

Wiki says:

"In the first Premier League season the average player wage was £75,000 per year,[119] but subsequently rose by an average 20 per cent per year for a decade,[120] £409,000 in 2000–01, £676,000 in 2003–04 season[121] rising to £1.1 million for the 2008–09 season".

So, 4 years on, average premier league players like Craig Gardner would be on more than the £22k a week they'd likely have been on in 2008.  I would've thought we could attract somebody better for less money and if you consider the bridges he burned when he moved to St Andrews,  I'd say no.

[Mazrim]

He's average and we can do better. His brother is easily a better player if he can stay fit.

[Percy McCarthy]

Is there anyone we can afford who is good enough to get into our team?

[ozzjim]

Is there anyone we can afford who is good enough to get into our team?

Judging by Lamberts use of money, almost certainly yes.

[Risso]

Is there anyone we can afford who is good enough to get into our team?

I'm still not convinced we've sorted the left back spot properly.

[Toronto Villa]

Is there anyone we can afford who is good enough to get into our team?

I'm still not convinced we've sorted the left back spot properly.

Yes to a point. Jury still out on Bennett but he needs to be given a chance. I'd like to see another CB and a nippy forward. What the squad needs is depth and variety but most of the current lot are earning the right to keep their places.