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Johnson to Wolves?
Roll up, roll up. Everything must go sale at Birmingham City; get your players here.
It would appear from the Express and Star that the messageboard rumours of Roger Johnson’s imminent departure from the club is looking likely; a figure of £7million has been mooted as the agreed fee and RJ is apparently talking personal terms with our Black Country rivals.
Is this the start of the “firesale” that Peter Pannu said we wouldn’t have? £7mil seems a little cheap for Roger Johnson bearing in mind Blues were apparently demanding double that a while back, and no doubt it will annoy those supporters who think that Blues should be holding out for more cash. However, I don’t think it’s quite the time yet to get the pitchforks and flaming torches to demand the board’s collective heads.
The problem Blues face is that time is slowly running out. Everyone has a fair idea of the financial plight Blues are in; it’s not Portsmouth territory but Blues do need to sell some players to balance the books. As such, there is only so long Blues can hold out in the battle of bluffs before they have to say “deal”. I think Roger is the kind of character who wouldn’t have accepted playing in the second tier at all, and agree with suggestions I’ve seen that he would be a “bad egg” in the dressing room had he not got the move back to the Premiership that he feels his talents deserve.
The big question is if this will spark a rush of players leaving. Until it happens, we won’t know for sure but I don’t think it will. In fact, I think if Blues get the right money, in the right installments (ie as much up front as possible), they will limit player sales to strictly what is needed. It makes sense to sell on the players who are on the biggest contracts (ie Gardner who was on £25k in the Championship), or who are most likely to be unhappy about being in the second flight first. I’m hoping that now Chris Hughton has had a week to talk to his squad he’s got a fair idea of who wants to be part of the fight for Blues next season and who doesn’t, and will advise the board accordingly on who should stay and who will go.
For the record, as much as I think Johnson is a technically good and brave player, I’m not disappointed in him leaving for this amount. I think it’s testament to the fact he’s not quite as good as some people in that past may have thought in that it’s Wolves who are the buying club; no disrespect to our canine friends but they’re not the most glamorous of Premiership teams. I’ve continually said it’s time for Blues to move on, and if that means losing some of the players who got us relegated, so be it. The new season is upon us, and I have no doubt that there will be new players to step forward and become the new heroes for us to cheer for. Thanks for the memories Roger, and good luck for the future.
Tags: Roger Johnson
11 Responses to “Johnson to Wolves?”
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I’m disappointed about the fee, it’s lower than I would have liked but RJ never quite looked the same player once Dann got his injury. Lots of mistakes towards the end of the season.
Despite what Pannu says £7m suggests it’s a “firesale” price. Blokes here “in the know” where I work in Wolverhampton are convinced Wolves are offering Ebanks-Blake plus cah as part of the deal.
I tinkl severn million is about right ,he’s coming up to 30 12 months left on his contract and he would be free to speak to other clubs in january
Just a technical point, he would be free to speak to clubs in other leagues in January. He would only be able to speak to those in the English league system once the 11/12 season had finished; and even then we had a two year option we could take up.
A superb post again Almajir! i wish i was as good as you with the written word, but then again i dont need to i got you babe. If what Macca is saying its 7 mill plus eubanks that would be a cracking deal, if just 7 mill then that a bit low. But i was very deprressed this morning when four and half was being bandied about so i dont feel its a fire sale. Kro
I would have liked more, but who wouldnt. My current feeling is that its a bit irrelavent anyway as all surplus cash has a feeling of vanishing about it. Its all smoke and mirrors at Stans now.
There are much bigger problems here than the squabbling of an extra million or 2.
We are being pillaged and there is nothing we can do about it.
A month ago, I would have said I had a great feeling about this season. Now I feel slightly sick when I think about it. Just like when you get to the top of a rollercoaster ready for the drop. Here we go!!!
KRO.
Dann and Foster are going to be the biggest sale I’d think.
£14 mill in so far, plus £16 mill parachute and that (on paper) is a collosal step to the rumoured £40 million balck hole.
One or two more sales and Chris might get some crumbs to be able to pay a fee.
A team without RJ, Scott, Ben and Barry is a Blues team I can live with.
The “big” dressing room voices that spouted the McLeish mantra will be gone, and Chris Hughton will install his own “big” voices in his own dressing room.
£7 million is pretty good imo.
I have always been surprised at scott Dann’s rating by the media, as paul merson said on Sky
he had him at walsall and sent him on loan to redditch and they sent him back
Excellent article Almajir! I think I am OK with this sale. Whilst brave and a good defender his passing is woeful. He always seemed to think he was better than he was to and I would guess not particularly liked in the dressing room. I hope we make some quick decisions regarding sales. If these guys want to go and we need the cash let them go and for a decent price ASAP. Chris may then have some cash to get some young hungry players who want to play for Birmingham City. My only worry is that the massive turnover in players is going to present us with 7 new players to bed into next season starting 11. They will need to gel very quickly if we are to challenge in the top 6. I am not sure we have enough quality either. Time will tell….
I’m with the majority – this good business. Yeah he’s a good defender when its tin hat time, but he can’tpass water and some of the mistakes that crept in post wembley were into trevor matthewson territory. If he was that good ( Johnson not matthewson) he not be off to wolves……
We gotta accept most of last seasons expensive gambles didn’t pay off and now theyve gotta be paid for. What we must remember is that its not in the owners interest to asset strip. That would leave us in the black but with no real prospect of promotion the value of the club diminishes significantly. Expect to see 2 or 3 big fees coming in but also 3 or 4 moderate purchases.
I wonder if wolves fancy Jerome……..
Not too worried about Johnson leaving, Scottie Dann is the one I really want to keep but I know that may be beyond us. Johnson didn’t seem the same without SD alongside him.
C’mon Curtis Davies – Now’s the time to step up to the plate. KRO!!!!