Summer 2008 Ins and Outs Part 2

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11681_4083700,00.html

Fulham have signed Julian Gray on season long loan from Coventry.

At least he's left footed...I guess.

[edit] Oh, yeah- Smertin's gone as well.

 

Per the club website, the Collins John deal is a season-long loan.

 

Don I e-mailed Roy and he explained the Julian Gray situation as follows:

Dear Barry,

Thank you for your inquiry regarding the signing of Julian Gray. I have recently begun reading the FulhamUSA messageboard and was stunned into the realization that I had inadvertently purged the squad of all it left-footed midfielders. After an exhaustive search of the players currently available on the transfer market it was discovered that Julian Gray was the single left-footed midfielder available to Fulham before the closing of the transfer window and was signed forthwith. This signing will hopefully alleviate any concerns over the lack of left-footed wingers on the Fulham squad.

Sincerely,
R.H.

 

Truly Don I don't get loaning out Bouazza and signing Gray either but then again I know nothing about Julian Gray. After the end of last season I am just trusting that Roy has both a plan and an eye for talent. This trusting assumption allows me the flexablity to poke a little fun at those who have watched the game longer than I. Sometimes its nice to be naive. :wink: My biggest concern this week is the midweek lineup that I have to come up with for Katie's rec team.

 

That's CLASSIC! FUSA ROOLZ!

 

I guess that, if Gera was going to start over Bouazza or Cook anyway, its best to give those two some playing time. Even so, I probably would have kept Cook at least, as he's older and not really a prospect.

Interesting that Zakuani is on a month-long loan. I still like him, potentially as a slightly smaller version of Ian Pearce.

 

So 37 players have come and gone since Murphy's header heard 'round the world.

Unbelievable.

And what's odder is that there were more from Cookie than LS. 11 of Cookie's players left, whereas only 7 from LS.

So did Cookie leave more dead weight? Or LS?

 

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 70,00.html

If AJ doesn't come back soon or if one of our other strikers goes down, I think Robbie Fowler would make an interesting stand-in.

The problem is, I think if one of our cb's or forwards goes down before January, we might be in trouble. Anyone think we'll make a move for a free agent?

 

Keep in mind Cookie had several seasons at the club with a smaller budget than LS.

 

From Roy's actual interview on the offal:

Wow, maybe Roy really did read Don's posts! :shock:

 

On a serious note I do like Roy's thinking about trimming the squad size to give the younger players like Brown and Milsom a chance to train with the senior squad.

 

Doesn't sound like Roy has completely given up on E.J. just yet. Unfortunately, that isn't something I can say for most of the USMNT fans that I know...

Overall, I like the lean and mean approach Roy has taken to the squad. There seeemed to be a lot of deadweight on the roster that needed shedding...