FFC Summer 2009 Transfer Thread

Today's round-up of transfer new from our man White Noise:

An end of day round-up of today's stories including Clint's agent admits he is fielding interest from across Europe, Boro set out their terms for Tuncay sale, Fulham linked (at last!) with Joe Ledley, Fulham could have a free run at Newcastle winger Jonas Gutierrez, Doyle makes 'blunder' signing for Wolves, Fulham linked with move for Reading's Stephen Hunt, Luis Garcia offered to Fulham, Fulham competing with Stoke for Benjani Mwaruwari, Everton readying �4 million bid for Dempsey, Fulham willing to meet Peter Crouch wage demands, Sturridge arrival makes Franco Di Santo loan deal more likely, Albion Chairman plays down Jonthan Greening to Fulham rumours, and Julian Gray goes on trial at Sheffield Utd -

http://friendsoffulham.websitetoolbox.c ... id=3556046

 

It is what it is - english players are overpriced. Teams are willing to pay more for english players and pay them higher wages in order to fill the stands. The fans will buy more tickets if there is an english player on the team even though there may be a better foreign option at a better value! I as a fan prefer a team filled with whoever gives the best value and performance regardless of nationality. In the NBA and other sports markets there is no salary difference between players of different nationalities. I bet there are more than a few english players who suck and earn a better wage than Dempsey.

 

Jermaine Jenas has to be top of that list. Last year's Michael Owen model too.

Also, this is how stupid, irrational feelings can blind us towards obvious facts. I can't stand Benjani. Why? Has he engaged in staging dogfights? Assisted Bernie Madoff? Punched the Queen? Stole my birthday cake? No to all of the above. In the road game @ Man City that STARTED THE GREAT ESCAPE, he scored the goal against our torn up defense that made it two-nil. And seeing his Blues Brothers "you, you, you" goal celebration as we sped towards certain relegation (or maybe not), I decided that Benjani is a person that would mark my shit list forevermore.

 

The Sunday Round-up from White Noise once again:

An end of day round-up of Fulham stories including Mark Viduka considers Fulham offer, Fulham up Jonathan Greening bid to �2.2 million, Megson to bid �3 million for Zat, Tuncay has offers and wants to stay in England, former target Aruna Dindane not sure he is leaving Lens, Hull City are keen on Fulham flop Bobby Zamora, Fulham in the mix for Peter Crouch, Fulham favourites to land Gutierrez, former Fulham target Isma�l Bangoura signs for Rennes, Marc-Antoine Fortune still being linked with Fulham, and Joe Ledley could be on his way -

http://friendsoffulham.websitetoolbox.c ... id=3556726

 

That's partially the England premium, but also partially that Bent was 23 and Henry was 29.

 

White Noise at it again:

An early round-up of today's Fulham stories including Brede Hangeland turns down new £30k a week contract offer, Fulham in talks to sign Polish striker Pawel Brozek last night, No contract discussions with Schwarzer who could leave after next season, Collins John to Sheffield Wednesday, Fulham and Blackburn to fight it out for Lens striker Aruna Dindane and Steve Bruce still hopes to beat Fulham to the signature of Portsmouth's £14m England striker Peter Crouch -

http://friendsoffulham.websitetoolbox.c ... id=3558285

 

It looks like Hull City are after another Cottager. This time it's rumored to be Bobby Zamora for 2 Mill. I realize it's only listed in some rumor mongering fish wraps at this time. So it's taken lightly, but I think we could get a little more for him, even after the poor job of finishing last season. They claim that Hull have an agreement to take him for 2 mill, if and when we get another striker in....

 

Claude at Craven Cottage Newsround has a solid analysis as to who Brozek actually is. Great that he's been a big scorer in a low-scoring league, but whether he can do it on a higher level is a serious question given that it was the Polish League.

 

How could we resist having a striker that everyone can call "Bro"??

Or even in deference to one of our founders, "Our Polish Bro"?

 

"Who wants an orange whip? Orange whip? Orange whip? Three orange whips..."

I believe enduring, semi-inexplicable, hate towards a player is a healthy thing, in whatever the sport.

However, simply hum "I need you, you, you! I need you, you, you..." when you envision Benjani scoring for FFC and it may help your symptoms. If not, f#@$ it and roll with it!

 

White Noise's round-up:

An early round-up of Fulham stories including Hull have £2 million deal agreed for Zamora, Hodgson offers £500,000 for MK Dons defender and Captain Dean Lewington, Tuncay wants 3 more years in England, Pawel Brozek deal being hammered out, Marc-Antoine Fortune joining Celtic today, Martin O'Neill is set to bid £9m for Hangeland and offer the player £45,000 a week as a replacement for Martin Laursen after he turned down a £30,000 4 year deal at Fulham, Danny Murphy looks forward to a mini-Cup Final against Gold Coast United on Wednesday and Gold Coast United's Jason Culina says Murf is talking crap and Jo will be back at Goodison Park for a second season on loan -

http://friendsoffulham.websitetoolbox.c ... id=3559900

Bobby off to Hull????? Looks quite serious now with Hull saying the deal will only come off if FFC can find another striker. I guess now is the time to decide if he is just a bad striker or 'plays a roll'.

This Brede talk is baffling now as I can't see us being so short sighted and it now sounds like it's all agent talk.

As for Pawel Brozek, he just sounds tough. I want to sign him.

 

DEan Lewington is Ray's son - is he not?

 

He is indeed.

 

Looks like Fulham is going to have to pay Hangeland more than they want to to keep him.

Fulham also must not be able to afford (per speculation, I know) some of the players they are being linked to cause none have been signed or some have been signed by other clubs. And because we are looking at guys like Brozek. Maybe it just needs time to play out though.

 

I think he'll still be around on Sept. 1 as well, but you never know.

 

We're taking another look at Kagisho Dikgacoi. He's flying to Australia tomorrow for a trial.

I posted my thoughts at http://cravencottageus.blogspot.com/200 ... ulham.html but briefly, since I follow Bafana Bafana a bit, I think he would be a nice fit in a back up role. He can play central or defensive midfielder & I believe Roy could mold him into a decent premiership player.

 

Hmm...Roy said last January that we had him on trial, decided he wasn't good enough, and that was it. It seemed that his agent was making up the rumors the whole time, though it wouldn't surprise me if we told him something like, "We're not going to offer you a contract now, but we'll give you another trial next year."