Often Partisan

Witamy Kuszczak!

Birmingham City have today completed the signing of 33-year-old Polish goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak following the end of his short-term contract at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Kuszczak has signed a two year deal with a further year’s option.

The Pole has previously played for West Bromwich Albion, Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion. Blues fans may remember him from his Brighton days after Kuszczak was embarrassed by a late Zigic equaliser.

That being said, I think that Kuszczak is a solid signing for Blues; a player with a lot of experience at this level and higher who is capable enough – although he can drop the odd ricket. With Legzdins as competition for the #1 slot, it could be that Blues have set things up for Townsend to go out on loan this year and impress with the aim being that in a couple of years he could push for the number 1 slot if he works hard enough.

Rowett has said that there are two more signings that are relatively close. I hope that one is Robert Tesche from Forest; that seems to have gone very quiet and I’m quietly optimistic that that is a good sign. With Kiernan having gone north of the border I hope Blues have found another centre-back who could come in to the club; as much as I think other fans are hoping for Fabbrini I think he’s a lower priority – a “nice to have” rather than a must have.

One thing is for certain; things are starting to take shape now and with a bit of luck come the end of the Blues training camp abroad the squad will be almost finalised for the season ahead.

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80 Responses to “Witamy Kuszczak!”

  • John Ramsay says:

    A decent signing for me and he’s got experience. Not too worried about mistakes, all goalies make them. Randolph wasn’t immune from them.

  • Big Al says:

    Slight correction Dan – that header was during Clark’s reign so I doubt it won us the game. I worry about a keeper released from his last 2 clubs.

  • Jdf says:

    A better keeper than Randolph ….good buy

  • Kro says:

    Tesche would be a good signing but I think Fabrini would be just has important he is a clever crafty player that can win decisions in games and we don’t have that kind of player in our team. Though hope I’m wrong but I don’t think we will get either Gary Rowett is having to settle for third & fourth choice player every player we want other teams with a bit of money are going for them so we have no chance unfortunately. The new goalkeeper is the same Rowett saying he wants young Hungry players and we have to settle for another player in his mid thirties hope he works out though it does make you wonder why nobody else wants him if he’s supposed to be half decent.

    • Blue Lizard says:

      Blues are like a little bird picking up the crumbs from under the Table….I am not excited about any of our signings so far but I realise why it’s like it is….I will believe money coming into the club when it’s a reality and not just a promise…but now? we are weaker than we finished last season and still carry some dead wood(eardley etc)

    • Shirley Blue says:

      Fabbrini is great to watch but Tesche is more effective. He would score more goals than Febbrini over a season, can see a pass and get stuck in when necessary. Tesche was our best player in the great finish to last season. IMO he is the best midfielder we have had since being relegated. Would be fantastic if we could get both but if its one it has to be Tesche.

  • andy says:

    Wolves did want to keep Kuszczak so they didn’t release him, he chose to move on and Birmingham is his choice.

  • rhees says:

    I like this signing caperple signing imho

  • rhees says:

    Here’s to a few more signings

  • ian ambrose says:

    I wanting to bring Tesche and Fabrini both good player and skill clever on pitch with team work Hope so sign of both bring back at blues Also blues fans bring on here cos important stronger team 2015/16

  • Dave Mann says:

    I hope so but they had better improve massively if we’re to have any chance next season but Rowett as said there’s 2or3 nearly sorted so let’s hope that’s the two we all want ( Tesche & Fabbrini ) and a centre half but if you don’t mind I will not get two excited at this moment in time . Kro

  • BhamCityJulian says:

    We have are strengthened both goalkeeper positions. I can’t imagine a ex Manure goalkeeper that flaps at crosses and is flawed at the near post.

  • Walker says:

    Here we go again with the dark clouds of doom which now seems to follow some blues fans. So the signing of an ex premier, champions league player doesn’t excite because he’s 33. Good lord! So a keeper who picks up an award fr Brighton and is wanted by wolves is crap.

    He played 13 games for wolves and kept 6 clean sheets I think.

    Moan moan moan. Get yourself shown to vile park and cheer on gabby of you don’t like rowetts work.

    Kro

    • KRO says:

      Nobody is criticising Gary Rowett he is doing a great job he can only bring in the player he’s allowed to it’s all down to the owners of the club they are the only reason we have to put up with this shambles our club is in I feel sorry for Gary Rowett hope I’m wrong but like I said I think he will only put up with this for so long he’s a very ambitious manager and he will want success eventually but he’s never going to get that with our current owners they will just drag him down.

    • paule says:

      If supporters go down & pay to watch Blues then they are entitled to a opinion & if we wish to moan about the signings again it our prerogative, this isn’t a moan about Rowett but Bihl & e&y so if you don’t like others having a opinion that you don’t agree with go to Vile park yourself you might enjoy it!!

      • Steve-0 says:

        Some opinions though are based on stupidity. Any savvy bluenose should know the league of player we’re going to be attracting. He’s coming in on a two year deal not 5, but 2.

        Honestly if fans ran the club we’d be more skint than with businessmen.

  • Raymondo says:

    Seems like a good signing. Does anyone know how much he cost us. I have’nt heard any transfer fees mentioned for any of our latest aquisitions so far this time around.

  • Hillfield Blues says:

    At 33 he’s not that old for a keeper and anyone with his CV has to be taken seriously,a good signing for me.
    The beauty of Fabrini is that he’s a clever player who finds space very well and makes himself some time a bit like Mark Ward used to back in the day and it’s always the sign of a good player. I’d like to bet Dimmy would like him signed if he’s staying because he fed off him very well towards the end of last season

  • steve says:

    a good signing i reckon.better than i was expecting.

  • Retired&Weary says:

    Are some people going to moan about every signing? IMO he’s as good as any keeper in the division. The main thing is that we now have a decent manager, who will get the best out of what is available, unlike the previous management.

  • Richard Granfield says:

    Welcome Tomasz to Blues. Of all the goalkeepers we have been linked with he has the best CV.
    Poland is noted for the calibre of goalkeepers it has produced and Tomasz is as good as any of them.
    At 33 he is in his prime and considering no fee was involved GR has done well.

  • StaffsBlue says:

    Although not spectacular, our signings so far are solid enough. But I do think we need at least one ‘marquee’ signing. If Tesche was to sign, I think fans would give Rowett some leeway with the other signings. He promised that fans would be “pleasantly surprised,” but that certainly hasn’t happened with the first 4 players in… so, shouldn’t we be optimistic?

  • Tony says:

    Still not spent any money though, yoiu get what you pay for.

    • almajir says:

      Yup, cos players play for free, signing on fees don’t exist etc.

      Also, remind me how much of a transfer fee we paid for Clayton Donaldson last season? He wasn’t too shabby was he? People need to wind their neck in about transfer fees, they’re not the sole barometer of how good a player is.

    • Bluepenguin1976 says:

      Hmmm Tony football doesn’t always work that way!! We finished tenth last year and spent sod all…Fulham spent 10 million on Ross McCormack and nearly went down! Personsally i think hes as good as any keeper in the championship.

  • Jazzzy786 says:

    Dan I heard that you went to Poland to wrap up this deal for us

  • Hartyblue says:

    I don’t understand the fans judging signings before they have played!
    I don’t think kuszczack is more experienced and imo a better keeper than Randolph!
    Rowett hasn’t got one wrong yet and I will forgive any manager one or two poor signings!
    Let’s just be optimistic instead of pessimistic!
    We’re not the riches club in the league but if we are wise and turn St Andrews into the force of old we can have an enjoyable season and if success follows then all the better!

  • WombourneBlue says:

    Lets give the New Boy’s a chance and support the team we have.

  • Jimbob says:

    Some fans make me laugh, we sign a proven goalkeeper at his prime age of 33 for nowt and some so called fans want to bang on about a mistake he made against us a few years back and how he is not a good enough replacement for ran- to keep the branch warm-dolph.
    If caddie had not got THAT goal against Bolton in the last min I am sure a few fingers would have been directly point to Mr Randolph as Bolton’s second goal was a howler! In GR we trust!

    • Jimbob says:

      Bench not branch! Dam

    • paule says:

      Jacob could you tell me why they become so called fans because you don’t agree with their opinions? I don’t rate Kuzak but will support him & hope I’m wrong, why does that make me a so called fan or a Vile supporter . The problem is we were told there was money available so expectations were slightly higher!! Sorry if you believe every supporter should agree with your opinions but some people do have their own.

      • Jimbob says:

        My point was that some fans will always put a negative on a positive, if we had singed Peter cech for £13mill there would be some fans saying that we shouldn’t have spent that much money on a goalkeeper. I would be surprised if Randolph plays more than 5 league games this year!

        • raymondo says:

          Considering the restraints that GR has to work under he has done wonders here. If he were to leave under the present regime I wouldn’t blame him, but he’s still here miraculously under this rubbish chinese company. Thank you GR you must truly love BCFC. Please stay until we’re rid of them.

      • Richard Granfield says:

        Paule…..You without doubt win the prize for the most pessimistic poster on this site. Even before a ball is kicked you have made your judgement on our new players. Are you a negative person generally or just about Blues?

  • KC says:

    Replacements for Dyer ,Randolph and Doyle so far. The big challenge is to have the creativity in the team that Tesche, Fabbrini, and Gray provided in the final run in, or similar. If we stay with the same system Donaldson would also be very difficult to replace if he goes. These are GR’s biggest challenges of which I am sure he is well aware.

  • ian ambrose says:

    Where Tesche and Fabbrini now ? ? ? ?….Good luck to Gary Rowett 2015/16 :)

  • Hillfield Blues says:

    You would think that after 3-4 years of being skint and having to sell our best players to make ends meet that there would be a feeling of optimism amongst every bluenose but apparently not it seems.For those that are not happy about the new keeper who do you think we should have signed….Iker Casillas ffs!

  • Dan Hickman says:

    Two ex united keepers were signed today, Amos and Kuszczak, I reckon we got the better end of the stick there. If Maghoma can keep Gray honest and on his toes then he will be worth his wages before he has kicked a ball. Hope the Tesche iron is still in the fire, if he signs and donaldson stays then I would be looking forward to next season with a lot of optimism, on and off the pitch.

    • StaffsBlue says:

      I’m hoping that the old saying, ‘no news is good news’ applies where Tesche is concerned. No one has actually come out and said that a deal is a no go and we move on. So there’s still hope.

  • Gary says:

    Re Fabbrini I wouldn’t mind him but think we already have a creative attacking midfielder…Reece Brown – just got to back him and play him

  • macca salop blue says:

    Kuszczak jest bardzo dobry bramkarz.

  • Archie says:

    With where we are at this moment in time this is a truly inspired signing………….. i’d rate him above Randy for sure. 33 is nothing for a GK either, got a good 5 years left in him!

  • BhamCityJulian says:

    Without being disrespectful to the other players this is the first time for years that we’ve signed a player with a pedigree. This surely shows that we can pay the appropriate salary for that level of player and that the play himself is willing to join us

  • Knobby says:

    Great No. 1 for the Blues. 20 clean sheets this season?

  • Vicarpoof says:

    Greg Halford released by Nottingham Forest… Central defender… 6ft 4… Worth a shot!

  • Mitchell says:

    Just watched blues back in training. Only one player not smiling..guess who?

  • Adam True Blue says:

    I personally think that signing T Kuszczak is a very shrewd move for what could be a top quality keeper for us, I see people moaning that we should be spending money and would probably have been happier if Kuszczak had cost us half a mil, but he was free, we have not had to increase our debt in gaining a valuable asset to our team, and I for one think GR has done a good job so far in his choice of players as well as his man management and team tactics. Kro

  • Cronin says:

    I think the need for a centre half may not be as great should David Edgar have given up the ghost of wanting to be a midfielder, was relatively reliable the first few months, and then only went out on loan as a result of asking to play in midfield.

  • Mark H says:

    I still can’t believe some fans opinions of our signings. Either they are no good, because they are free, or too old! The same fans who praise Demari Gray, will be slagging him off when he moves on for more wages. How dare he better himself!

  • Dave Mann says:

    Kuszczak , Caddis, Grounds, Morrison, Spector , Davis, Gleeson,Cotterill, Maghoma, Gray, Donsldson……that’s my 11 as it stands now , I hope it’s different come August 8th !!! Kro

  • Mitchell says:

    Where do you think that team will sit realistically in the table? Bit of fun.
    My personal view is 13th.

    • StaffsBlue says:

      That’s more or less as I would have lined them up Dave. As for where we’ll finish, Mitchell, with the players we’ve brought in so far, I’d say the same as last season.. 10th-12th. If we bring in a couple of better quality players (e.g. Tesche) then I’ll go Top 10.

  • Mitchell says:

    Out of the first 4 games, the tricky one for me is the Reading game. Get 3 points here will be an achievement. They have signed a fair number splashing the cash, so a much different opposition to last season. Burnley, Derby and Brentford good early testers. All important but to me Reading the vital one.

  • Dave Mann says:

    It’s a tough start Mitchell and a first win in the first game since 2008 will put us in good spirits and 6-1 like last season will be ok I suppose!! .. Burnley away and looking forward to that then the Friday night live game with Derby will be tough also .. Ide take 8 points now to be honest from those first 4 games and as staffs said I would think mid table as it stands but a slim chance of playoffs IF we get Tesche & Fabbrini and an competent centre half … We’re top at the moment so what’s the panic !!! Kro

    • StaffsBlue says:

      Even if we had to go with what we have now, I still think we’d be ok. We probably wouldn’t have a spectacular season, but we’d hold our own no problem. But, a couple of quality players could give us that oomph to push on into the top 10. Fingers crossed we manage to get them.

  • GR probably has probably watched florent cuveleir of Sheffield united , but I think blues coaches could work wonders with him , only 22,…kro

  • dablu says:

    buffon is 37 and still a top keeper, for all those that refer to kuszczaks age.. Tomasz is a very good shot stopper. and for where bcfc are right now, an excellent singing.. ive read comments suggesting we are weaker that last season even including up to this signing.. that is nonsense as you cannot ever include loan players, so if you took out dyer, Kiernan, fabbrini and tesche id say we are arnt.. the players who left didn’t really play (green, gunning – injured so were absent) zigic we didn’t loose his goals. i think we need tesche or if we cant get him a similar player, cb- id still love kyle bartley back, fabbrini would be nice but ravel Morrison would be nicer for me, someone like james Vaughan uptop too.. the futures bright, its not orange, its royal blue lol.. disclaimer: the players ive mentioned as who id like are my personal preferences, lol who I believe could win us the league (yeah, I said it lol, straight from the land of make believe maybe)


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