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Turner Unlikely; Striker and Winger to Come In
What is it with ex-Blues players and known Blues fans being linked with transfers to the club? Yesterday it was the turn of Cardiff centre-back and known Blues fan Ben Turner to be linked to a move to St Andrew’s by various sources.
The 28-year-old defender joined Cardiff from Coventry in 2011 but has endured a torrid time with injuries in the past two years, making just 12 league appearances in two seasons, spending a month on loan back at Coventry in November only to see that spell cut short by an ankle knock.
Turner could have been at Blues in 2011; Blues were interested but couldn’t get the deal over the line due to the Scott Dann to Blackburn Rovers move dragging on too long and they were beaten to the punch by the Bluebirds, ending up signing Pablo Ibanez on transfer deadline day instead.
Although one can understand why people would like to see a fan of the club come into the team – particularly in a forthcoming season when we have two derby games against the mob from across the expressway – I cannot fathom why people are so obsessed with naming these kinds of players as transfer targets. From my own enquiries I don’t think Turner is anywhere near the top of our target list and as such I strongly doubt we’ll sign him.
Gary Rowett did however say yesterday some words that give me real hope for the transfer window this summer. He acknowledged in an interview with the Birmingham Mail that Blues needed to ensure they brought in someone to compete with Clayton Donaldson up front, saying:
“There is absolutely no doubt in the summer we will try to bring another striker in.
“As we know that’s a difficult position to get another player.
“We will try to, just as we tried to when he brought Brock in, Vaughany and Kyle Lafferty. It’s not necessarily that we haven’t wanted to do that.
“It’s getting someone else who can have the same impact on the team, whether that’s off the bench, starting some games or playing together.
I like Donaldson a lot but I think it can be easy for a player to become complacent when there is no real competition for their place and that’s never a good thing. With the Bradford-born striker also playing regularly for Jamaica it’s essential we have cover for him if and when he returns from international duty injured as he did last autumn.
Rowett also confirmed Blues are looking for a wide player, adding:
“That search will go on in the summer as will that search for another wide player who can add goals.
“I could show you a list of 20 players and the key is working down that list and getting one as high up as possible.
“We know which types we want and which we think will make a difference.”
This is heartening too, because I do think Blues are a little bit short of true left-footed wide players and I’d like to see Blues have more options wide by bringing one in, allowing a mix-and-match approach to keep opposition teams guessing on who is going to provide the goal threat. Unlike the commenters on this site yesterday, I very much doubt that player will be Sebastian Larsson.
Tags: Ben Turner, Clayton Donaldson, Gary Rowett
44 Responses to “Turner Unlikely; Striker and Winger to Come In”
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Seb Larsson? Really? Could the fabled one really make a return? Oh, be still my beating heart!
/irony
it ain’t rocket science really you don’t score enough goals, or your defense is poor you not going to win many matches….. the last 8 games is all the prove you need…. when GR is getting these players in he needs to look at their mental strength coping with big occasions, their desire, their passion for the club and fans. What it means to play for BCFC. Otherwise we will continue with journeyman and cannot be arsed players or worse football mercenary . Absolutely nothing wrong if the players are long life blue fans, if they think highly of our club they would be the first on the door step, do see any??? pockets first…..not glory…kro reality….let me kiss my badge my arse.
You come across slightly arrogant sometimes mate. We all have names who we’d sigh if we could and not everyone will agree. Like I’m not overly convinced Turner would be good signing either. Don’t go down the Tom Ross route where you’re right and everyone else is wrong. We’re all fans and have the right to our own opinions. Doesn’t mean we should be butchered for it. KRO!!!
Mate, this is Dan’s blog and he can say what he likes on it. Tom Ross is a broadcaster and has a duty to be less partisan.
Good and very true comment on Tom Ross Papa..
Adam – Dan just said that he doubted Larsoon is coming back.
If the ‘winger’ Rowett alludes to isn’t a natural left-footer, then why bother? We already have 2 or 3 right-footed wingers, another one won’t make much difference. I would think that decent left-footed wingers who score goals are at a premium in this country. Maybe a jaunt across the Channel for that one?
The manager said that he’s looking at bringing in around 4 new players. If a winger and a striker are two of them and with the ‘possibility’ of trying for Tesche, that would only leave one spot for a defender. Imo, that’s nowhere near enough. Personally, I feel we need 6 or 7 new bodies in to have a chance of mounting a serious challenge, or I fear we’ll most likely tread water in mid-table.
Seb would be on big wages also somwencouldnt afford him anyway!!
I’d rather we left the old boys – Gardener, Larsson, etc – in the past. We need to build a new team, not an old one.
They would team up with Robbo well though. Kro
This is true. I can imagine the bingo sessions on the coach on away trips. :)
Danny Graham is linked with us but he is 30 years old now. I would like to see us go for Tom Bradshaw. Or Zach Clough from Bolton since they have been relegated. CB Turner is a good shout on a free but we could get Ryan Shotton permanently why not he looked to get better at CB as the season whet on. left winger is a hard one I cant think of any that are within our price range. I think Dan is right Sebastian Larsson is a but over the top as he is on 47k wage .
I like Zach clough at Bolton too good for league 1 think he is left footed would cost a bit though
Love too see Gardener, Larson back bot are quality players, better than anything we have now.
I agree . KRO
Sorry lads, I respect your opinions, but I see no advantage to going backwards.
More so Gardner than Larson because because we need a player more of his ilk than Larson .. All down to opinions ofcourse . KRO
Of course it’s all speculation on our part Dave, the only opinion that matters is the manager’s. But for me, if we’re going to play the anti-possession game again next season, we need young, pacy players who can hit on the break. In no way could you put the likes of Larsson in that category. But, if I had to have Gardener instead of Tesche maybe, I suppose I wouldn’t be too disappointed.
Has James Vaughan actually signed his Deal with us? Did he have to wait until his loan finished before he could do so? Can he say well actually I haven’t played enough and sign elsewhere on a free instead?
AFAIK he has.
Yeah that’s fair enough . KRO
Armstrong ,…..Bradshaw….Clough…strikers ……..Maddison ….hourihane.. Left foot winger strikers …….Tesche …..spearing ..midfield playmakers………….Suk young Yun ……Henry …left wing back …….shotton….Egan .centrebacks……… there you go .daggers out
Some excellent names there william. I’m wondering how many of them we could afford?
Sometimes a manager has to be assertive for his own sake …KRO
William….Lets try and keep it real.It doesn’t matter how assertive GR is,if he’s got no money to spend then he’s pi$$ing in the wind.Fact.Some good players though!
Please get Seb larsson back blues!
Half of these players are first division , perhaps we are aiming to high ,
New Chinese consortium taking over Vile by the weekend and want Roberto di Matteo as the new head coach ……….wish we were taken over by the weekend and had a European cup winning leader picking the team for next season … Ah well still six points coming our way so who cares !! KRO
This Chinese takeover business is a walk in the park isn’t it.And such easy,straight foreward people to deal with.
Some of them are yes obviously !! KRO
Cant believe the latest news that Robinson has been offered a new contract as Player/Coach for next season!! Hope this is a belated April Fools joke…. PLEASE! He was pedestrian at the best of times last season
More positive about names been branded around at the moment thankfully
I think the Turner rumour is because he’s a big, left footed central defender a position most of us are desperate to see filled. However, his injury record isn’t very good and I think it’s too big a risk to sign him. I also agree with others when they question is four players enough to push on. If we sign a winger and a striker that only leaves two other possible signings when most would agree we need a left back, left central defender and a central midfielder. Time for Mr Rowett to pull a few rabbits out of hats, at least two of them being left footers!
Most players worth any salt should be able to play both footed but that’s from someone who’s both left and right handed ( or footed) in even ability so maybe Ime being a bit harsh …. But I don’t think so !! KRO
Same here. There’s no earthly reason why a player can’t learn to play with both feet.. except laziness of course. You see so many players today who rarely improve season after season.
I hope Carson Yeung and Peter Pannu are part of the consortium to take over at B6.
1 for the physio ,
2 for the bench
3 as the Dons no 2
In a winter of discontent
A left footed player required on the left wing. We just let go of one in Hancox who I think would’ve done a great job there.
He’s not good enough .. Deal with it !!! KRO
Vile deal sorted , vile owner sorted , vile manager sorted .. I am trully embarrassed . KRO
It’s our owners who should be truly embarrassed, not you.
At least our fans have never turned on the club or players.. unlike them lot over there. Let’s see what happens if they fail to go up next season.
I wouldn’t mind Gardner, not because he played for us before, but because he is better than what we have there at the moment
Does anyone else think that the viles new owner was potentially looking at us when he was thinking about buying a club in the midlands?
No
………NO !!! KRO