Shay Given

[supertom]

Possibly at this stage of the window, Givens thinking may have changed. Surprisingly our door hasn't been banged down. Donny wouldn't have been a good move for him. He can do better. I think at this stage it's better for him to be a number two for a club like Liverpool without dropping wages, than being 3rd (if that) choice for us. He's probably desperate for a move. Better to stay in a Premier League match day squad than be a reserve.

He's a top pro so I hope he gets the move and gets his chance in the starting 11 at some point (not that I'm wishing a broken leg on Mignolet or anything!)

[TheSandman]

I love the way the players in the "bomb squad" are condemned by some people to be a bunch of festering wasters with attitude problems.

Given has generally been seen as the epitome of the "good pro".

It's like we have to invent reasons for them being some sort of cancer on the club that must be removed, rather than just a bunch of players the manager doesn't want anymore.

I agree 100%. And it only gets worse when they don't move away, as people frantically come up with reasons to blame them for not leaving. Some people seem to think that other clubs are beating down our door to sign them and the only reason they are still here is because they refuse to leave. Other clubs will know what we know and many will steer clear of them for the same reasons that we want rid. Look at Darren Bent, the most salable of the 'bomb squad', a man so in demand we could only get an acceptable deal by loaning him out. In Given's case, I've heard only good things about his conduct in the last season where he was sat on the bench, and the fact that he might take this move suggests that he's had no other offers from PL clubs.

The desire to demonise these players as folk devils does my nut in. In fact I think the 'bomb squad' moral panic is the only thing that regularly comes up on here which irritates me than the pointless Milner clamouring.

[olaftab]

I have no problem with any of the so called "bomb squad" other than Ireland. What a waste of talent that man has been. Yes he has lot of money but....

[john e]

I love the way the players in the "bomb squad" are condemned by some people to be a bunch of festering wasters with attitude problems.

Given has generally been seen as the epitome of the "good pro".

It's like we have to invent reasons for them being some sort of cancer on the club that must be removed, rather than just a bunch of players the manager doesn't want anymore.

I agree 100%. And it only gets worse when they don't move away, as people frantically come up with reasons to blame them for not leaving. Some people seem to think that other clubs are beating down our door to sign them and the only reason they are still here is because they refuse to leave. Other clubs will know what we know and many will steer clear of them for the same reasons that we want rid. Look at Darren Bent, the most salable of the 'bomb squad', a man so in demand we could only get an acceptable deal by loaning him out. In Given's case, I've heard only good things about his conduct in the last season where he was sat on the bench, and the fact that he might take this move suggests that he's had no other offers from PL clubs.

The desire to demonise these players as folk devils does my nut in. In fact I think the 'bomb squad' moral panic is the only thing that regularly comes up on here which irritates me than the pointless Milner clamouring.

Like I have said before, you watch how quickly they get themselves sorted out when their contracts expire
Dunne would be sitting on his fat arse if he was still under contract, and people would be saying no one will buy him as he is to old and hasn't kicked a ball in a year,
 but whoaaa, he got himself a new club pretty quick when no one was paying him anymore

If they want to sit around under contract that's their choice, but if they wanted to play football, all of them, yes all of them could have found a new club, but it would have hit them where it hurts most

Yes I know, most of us would do the same, but that's not the same as arguing no one wants them, as Dunne proved very sharpish

[OCD]

I remember Sir Bobby Robson doing an interview where he talked about thoroughly researching a potential signing's personality. He said that a player could be the most gifted in the world but if their research flagged anything negative in their personality he would pull the plug on any deal. It's a shame some of our past managers haven't been so thorough in their research of potential signings.

[PeterWithesShin]

Most of the bomb squad have left. Bannan is the only one to turn down a move and still be here, and as it was the chicken farmers after him I don't blame him. Hutton went on loan last season to play. Which leaves Ireland, who I think we all agree is a bit of a wrong 'un.

[TheSandman]

Like I have said before, you watch how quickly they get themselves sorted out when their contracts expire
Dunne would be sitting on his fat arse if he was still under contract, and people would be saying no one will buy him as he is to old and hasn't kicked a ball in a year,
 but whoaaa, he got himself a new club pretty quick when no one was paying him anymore

If they want to sit around under contract that's their choice, but if they wanted to play football, all of them, yes all of them could have found a new club, but it would have hit them where it hurts most

Yes I know, most of us would do the same, but that's not the same as arguing no one wants them, as Dunne proved very sharpish

Dunne has a high stock in the game, surprisingly. Some people on here still quite rate him as a player in spite of everything so it is not too difficult to imagine that people at football clubs might feel that way. At the end of the day, Dunne was an international centre half with a few years left in him available for nothing. In contrast, Given is 37 years old goal keeper with three years left on his £50,000 per year contract. Bannan is a convicted drink driver who from the way some people on here go on about him you'd think couldn't even kick a ball straight. Hutton was poor for us and was last seen getting relegated from the Spanish First Division. And as for Ireland, well the less said about him the better. It says it all that Given to Liverpool aside, the only bites we've had have been from perennial crisis club Blackburn and the Spanish second division (which going by the teams who regularly get shellaced 6-0 by Barca or Real that actually manage to stay in their top flight can't be up to much).

I still maintain that we'll see the back of them all bar Ireland by the close of the window.

[Dave]

I remember Sir Bobby Robson doing an interview where he talked about thoroughly researching a potential signing's personality. He said that a player could be the most gifted in the world but if their research flagged anything negative in their personality he would pull the plug on any deal.

How the fuck did Lee Bowyer get through Robson's rigorous personality test then?

[saunders_heroes]

I remember Sir Bobby Robson doing an interview where he talked about thoroughly researching a potential signing's personality. He said that a player could be the most gifted in the world but if their research flagged anything negative in their personality he would pull the plug on any deal.

How the fuck did Lee Bowyer get through Robson's rigorous personality test then?

Yeah, what a load of bollocks.

[danno]

Bobby Robson wasn't in control of transfers at Newcastle.
(e.g) Gary Speed was sold behind his back.

The interview may have been about his Ipswich days?

[OCD]

No manager gets every signing right.

I think there was a reference to him bringing Ronaldo to Barcelona from PSV so it may have been around then.

[eamonn]

Didn't Craig Bellendamy's antics cause ol'Bobby no end of hassle an'all ?

[rob_bridge]

No manager gets every signing right.

I think there was a reference to him bringing Ronaldo to Barcelona from PSV so it may have been around then.

IIRC Bobby was instrumental in bringing Romario to PSV. In turn Romario advised Ronaldo to go to PSV whe he had left as a good intro to Euro football. Then Bobby turned up at Barca after a spell in Portugal and Ronaldo was signed for Barcelona.

No manager gets every signing right. At Villa we seem to have got too many wrong over the years though. Not in the last year mind. Pound for pound.

[villasjf]

I hope he passes his medical and goes just to get his wages off the payroll, just hope they dont check his arse for splinters but having said that its been ages since he saw the bench.

[olaftab]

Bobby Robson wasn't in control of transfers at Newcastle.
(e.g) Gary Speed was sold behind his back.

The interview may have been about his Ipswich days?

Sir Bobby also managed a few clubs around Europe like Barca, PSV, Sporting and Porto in his day. So may be he was talking about transfer selection methods at one of those clubs.