Sanchez's Early Targets...

Fulham boss Lawrie Sanchez will be given a £10m war chest to sign Leeds' David Healy, QPR's Lee Cook and Aston Villa's Steve Davis. (Daily Mail)

Not big on David Healy, because he seems to lack the quality for the premier league even though he has scored a fair share for Northern Ireland. Lee Cook is a local kid from Hammersmith and the fans could easily get behind him. Steven Davis is young as well and again he is from Northern Ireland. He shows the maturity to captain his nation at such a young age so he would be a safe gamble.

Sanchez is sticking to the players he is familiar with and those would be popular signings. Looks as if he aims to please.

With about 10m quid available or that Fayed has been reported to put forward to target these three it could be money well spent. Just have a nagging suspicion that Healy might not pan out.

 

I think all three of those players compete with energy and aggression to spare. I remember Sanchez's teams at Wycombe being extremely physical with a level of commitment allowing them to do well in the Cup. I would expect to see that at Fulham.

I'm more than willing to give him a chance based on what he's been able to do with Norn' Iron'. To leave that nation with a fighting chance on the world stage is quite an accomplishment considering they went about 1200 minutes without scoring a goal before he arrived! But his record at Wycombe on the league level was not as impressive.

Perhaps his performance at Northern Ireland was an indicator of his evolution as a manager, someone who learned his lessons at Wycombe and improved from the experience.

 

RE: Re: Sanchez

Regardless of these targets, Fulham needs to get some defenders in and get them in soon. I know transfers are just starting and that there is a long way to go before the window closes, but WE NEED DEFENDERS!!!

 

Re: RE: Re: Sanchez

The only one that I have seen Fulham mentioned to be in for is Sami Hyppia. Would that be a welcomed move by most Cottagers?

 

Can't blame Hyppia for trying to get what would be certainly his last big payday as a player. However, would he view this as an opportunity to be the leader/organizer we need in the back? Or would it be about playing out the string and cashing in?? TofC, you follow the Reds alot more than any of us do, what kind of team player is he?

Even w/MAF's proclamation about spending the cake, I can't see the team paying Hyppia the rumored $40k per week.

 

The thing is, we could pay those wages if we wanted to...our highest paid players make 40K a week...there are other reasons involved or we don't want to spend that money on a 30 something CB on his way down.

 

Hyppia, in my opinion, would be the ideal player for Fulham. He has been through a lot this year in terms of being displaced from the position he held for over five straight seasons in the back line by Agger, constant rotation issues and the possibility of being out of contract. He never complained once, made the most of ever chance and supported the club thoughout.

Hyppia also is a former captain of Liverpool. He knows how to lead a side by example and it will be a very sad day to see him leave Liverpool, but I can think of no better place for him to go than Fulham. Strong defender, good in the air, great tackler and an intelligent footballer.

 

I think age is the issue at work here. Hyypia could last as long as an Adams or a Parlour or a Sheringham. But that is a risky and difficult intangible to rely upon if you are a club that barely missed the drop. The older a potential player, the more risky the investment becomes.

Two years ago, this would've been a worthwhile risk to take. He'll be 34 in October. How much is left in the tank?

 

If the wages were closer to realistic for him and Fulham right now, maybe, but sounds like he would rather be at Liverpool from reports.

 

Yeah, that is what I have been reading as of today. Should play a vital part in Liverpool's defense for the coming seasons, but he would proabably be better suited for another team that could use his services more frequently.

 

Being a fan of Liverpool, he may think it is better to contribute as a role player for his club than to go anywhere else at this point in his career.

It may not be a matter of money, but a matter of where the comfort zone resides for Hyypia. Such issues kept a quality defender like McDermott at Grimsby for over 750 matches. He could've done the business at a Championship level (And did in the 1990s.), but stayed on in large part because of the cost of living in that part of England!

If that is Hyypia's choice, then more power to him.

 

He is a dedicated player that is for sure, but like everyone who is a competitor you want to be on the field. I doubt if he stays with Liverpool it would simply be to warm the bench. He has a lot to offer a club and if he feels his services would go to waste then he would have the brass to move on.