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Unhappy Bunnies
Having told us a little while back we’d definitely have to sell him, James Nursey reported in the Mirror on Monday night that there were clubs interested in Liam Ridgewell. Predictably, this has caused a bit of discussion here and there and I thought I’d talk about it today.
I will admit that for a long time Liam Ridgewell had been one of my favourite players. Not so much for his skill, but for the way he picked himself up from being a bit of a bombscare centre half to becoming a half-decent full back who scored a few goals for us. I liked the whole rebirth from “agent” Ridgewell, from being derided by some as a Villa reject to develop into a player who had the happy knack of popping up when needed in the box to put the ball in the net.
However, it’s been evident for a while that Liam isn’t a happy bunny. Prior to the summer transfer window there was a lot of speculation about Ridgewell moving on, with lots of news stories in the newspaper that he was going to go – talk of WBA making bids, of Ridgewell anxiously waiting to see if he could talk to Newcastle United, and of a board who were determined that he was one player that they weren’t going to sell. As it transpired, Blues held firm and Ridgewell went nowhere – but yet here we are, halfway through October and the stories have started up again.
I’m a believer that a club shouldn’t hold on to an unhappy player; I think it can cause problems in the dressing room and that it can transpire to poor performances on the pitch. Yes, these guys are on a lot of money and yes, they have signed contracts that they will play for us and thus they should be professional about playing for the team that is paying for them but we are dealing with human beings here and emotions aren’t as easily over-ruled as that. I know that Ridgewell is rated by Chris Hughton and that the gaffer wanted to keep Liam but I think the time may have come to let go.
I don’t believe for one second that Southampton have already professed an interest in Ridgewell; I think Liam’s agent is once again trying to earn his commission by getting interest in Ridgewell in the papers and the easiest way to do that is to call a friendly journo and to tell them that he’s had enquiries about his player from a suitable team. This is the way football works after all. However, I do believe that there are probably teams interested and with reports of money worries on the horizon I think it might be an idea to sort out the sale of Ridgewell before the vultures start circling.
No doubt there are going to be more disappointed fans talking of the club being stripped further of it’s best players but in the current climate it’s the way it’s going to be. I’d rather that if we did sell players it was the ones that didn’t really want to be at Blues anyway. One thing is for sure though – I suspect in the next ten weeks we’re going to hear a lot about Liam’s move whether it will happen or not.
Tags: Liam Ridgewell
26 Responses to “Unhappy Bunnies”
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The guy has been poor so far this season. His passing awful, trying to get away with premier league diving tricks, the guy is still a vile in my eyes so seeing him go would be no great loss. Im sure we could get 3-4 million for him or a smaller fee and a couple of premier fringe players.
Changing the subject I was happy to see Zig run onto the pitch when wood scored his goal on sunday. Its shows he is a team player and the fact he walked straight off the pitch after the final whiatle shows the guy wants to play. I hold my hands up as I knocked him for being injured for so long. The european tour starts again for me tomorrow. KRO SOTV
I’d be disappointed if Ridgewell left, I’m a fan. However, more immediately, I haven’t really been very impressed with his performances as of late, and yes, I think you can tell he isn’t happy. I really do think Murphy deserves his chance, and who knows, dropping Ridge for a few games might kick him into gear, if only to impress potential suitors.
I almost agree with you, although Ridgewell has always continued to scare me every time he on his own with a half decent attacker, I think his performances did improve when he got used to, the left back position and he did score some valuable goals but this year it looks like he just doesn’t care which is a shame, as he would do a very good job covering left back and centre half this year if he put his mind to it.
So I say if he wants to go let him go and get a proper left back. (for Free or on loan)
First comment for me on your fantastic refreshing blog.
I agree, it’s time to let the guy go. He has started this season poorly and now we use ridge as a full back, he is easily replaced. I think losing a centre half has more impact on the balance of the side and it’s not as if Liam is getting a look in there with Pablo, Curtis and Caldwell the 3 players vying for that position. We have Murphy who will do a job for the rest of the season (assuming ridge moves on in Jan) but obviously we’ll need some cover or competition for Murphy’s position. I actually reckon Murphy is as good as Ridge. He’s certainly quicker and just looks more like a full back than Liam ever has done despite his relative success for us in that position. If he wants to go, let him…for the right price.
It’s all well and good suggesting that Ridgewell wouldn’t be missed, but if Nursey is right, however unlikely that may be, Ridgewell along with Zigic and Beausejour are to be sold to ease the financial situation. This could well mean that none of the money will be reinvested.
Ridgewell is better than no one at all.
Murphy with Mitch Hancox as back up isn’t that bad
Ditto the above. If there’s one of the Carling Cup Winners I would be happy to see go, it would be him. Of those that are left he appears to be lacking drive and motivation, essential attitudes if we are to reach the play-offs.
Having said that, why is it always Nursey that seizes on these anti-Blues stories? Is he a closet gooner or something?
Nursey is a Norwich fan from what I’ve been told.
I also think it’s Nursey reporting cos that’s who Liam’s agent called…
I agree Ridewell has not been at the same level of performance as he was earlier in his career at Blues, but has anybody given thought to the reasons for the apparent loss of real interest in playing,,,,,,to my way of thinking his form started to suffer with the disclosure of his domestic problems,,,,,,,two cancelled weddings ,a house put up for sale and rumours of bed hopping by his partner will tend to take your mind off less important matters like footbal,,,,,,,,,so a desire to get away from an area and make a fresh start is understandable,,,,while i do not want him to go if he left I could fully understand it,,,,,,to some it may be nothing but others will be affected deeply by these events for a long time
Absolutely bang on mate !
football is the last thing on your mind when your love life is in ruins, it must be hell having to go through the motions when all you want to do is curl up and die .
Im sure moving is the best for liam mentally and wish him well to a fresh start in his life .
For those of you who”ve never felt the rejection and betrayal im sorry to be off topic…for those who have -you know how it feels
Nursey has been trying to get Ridgewell sold for months and is a lap dog for his agent. The way it works is a dsigrace. Neither Nursey nor his agent care anything about Blues. One wants a phoney story, so he links Ridgewell and others to a load of clubs, the other wants a cut of any deal. Keep Ridgewell. He is contracted and we would be weaker as a squad without him
Something is obviously affecting Liam,although i actually think he is more effective since Mcliesh went. under Mcliesh ,Liam appeared to be under instructions to reach the halfway line then either pass to barry ferguson or back to the goalkeeper.His personal life should remain personal,leave the lad alone and let him play his football,but if he wants to leave then let him go.
I acknowledge that Liam Ridgewell hasn’t performed as well this season, but he had a more than decent game on Sunday. Where he is superior to Murphy is being able to assist the centre-backs in defending corners; on Sunday it was he who shadowed Mills for example. He also, in the 2nd half came across to tidy up a very dangerous situation by nodding the ball away from their striker. At his best he was better than most left-backs in the Premiership & I will be extremely disappointed if he were sold. As for getting someone in on loan to then cover for Murphy, has it been forgotten that even the free signing of Parnaby was vetoed – presumably for financial reasons.
I think that my namesake, old blue nose, mistakes prewars comments,?. It is a fact about Ridgewells problems, and whilst I agree that they are personal to him, They have undoubtedly led to his wish for ” pastures new “. and WHO can blame the lad,??.
I think his problem is one of motivation caused by playing at a level he considers, probably correctly, to be below him. So the club should tell him that he’ll be allowed to move on if we don’t go up. This should give him the motivational “carrott” he needs. Then it’s down to him to pull his finger out, play himself back into form and demonstrate he’s worth a place at a Prem club.
He should also be given the “stick” of being told in no uncertain terms that if he doesn’t start to perform to somewhere near his potential, he’ll be on the bench come Xmas. I’ve not been a fan of Murphy’s, but this season he seems to be getting better each time I see him and, whilst I still think Ridge is worth his place, it’s getting closer and closer….
Ridgewell is a liability,gets the odd goal but is at fault for many that we concede,offers very little going forward,often loses posessesion and puts us under pressure,we’d be lucky to get anythin more than a million for him,all this talk of clubs queing up to sign him,just like arsenal,liverpool,chelsea were after dann and johnson and they end up going to wolves and blackburn,relegation fodder,supposedly on the cheap but nobody else would take a chance on them,losing zigic and beasajour would be far greater loss
I believe Murph is a better left back than Ridge and Ridge should be consigned to the bench, always diving and trying to con the ref and linesman it makes me cringe somtimes at how obvious he is.
More concerning for me is why are we even considering selling players again, I thought we had resolved our financial debt with our summer business. When will Pannu and his Chinese cronies come out and be honest with us at present it feels like all give and no return, come on you Blues board fess up we deserve that
Murphy’s better going forward [although Ridge is better for set-pieces in the opposing box] and better defending against a pacy attacker; however Ridge is better as a far-post defender and he’s more wily than Murphy.
It strikes me that Ridge is quite a confident lad and feels he’s better than Championship level… I’m not so sure that he is, but, in any event, I don’t think we should keep unhappy bunnies.
Speaking of which, is Stevie Carr another unhappy bunny? He always gives his best on the pitch and i am a big fan of his, but something is not right with him just now.
Ridgewell’s looking pretty average right now but way better than during the pre-season friendly at Oxford when he appeared to have forgotten how to play at all. That said I’d rather have him at left back than Murphy who’s not bad going forward but is positionally weak and sometimes unaware.
Just a brief comment about Ridgewell. Sometimes journalists and observers miss the whole thing when they analyse a player. They just look at the performance of the matches. What if something really personal has struck that person? Since football players are in a way celebrities, Liam must be quite affected by the thing that his marriage, and also his friend Ashley Young’s marriage, just broke down days before they should change rings with their brides-to-be. Something has perhaps happened there, which has affected Liam’s form this season. What it is, I don’t know, since I don’t read British gossip papers or magazines and have no intention to do it.
My thoughts exactly Swedish Bluenose but it seems very few take this into account when discussing Liams form and displays, before his personal problems started his form was a revelation at l/b,,,, you dont play at your best when you have other things on your mind, the same as when you are ill,,,you dont feel up to the mark and dont perform at your best
a legend in his own mind.
get rid, we have seen the players c/h brings to the squad and although some are on loan its the type of player he has brought in,
theres better full backs in this and lower divisions than ridgewell,( hes another money grabber who would of been of at the first oportunity but newcastle were not gonna pay his going rate). murphy deseves a start, hes much more commited.
crocket
(editors note, I’ve altered your name slightly as you’d put your entire email address in – protect you from spam)
ridgewell is vastly overated….murphy for me, is a better choice, and we will see that if he goes….
now, at brugge on thursday, in the 23rd minute, the brugge fans will start aplauding….its in respect of one of their fave players who died in a car crash, and who wore the number 23 shirt….
one of their surporters have contacted bcfc and has asked bcfc to pass on this info to our fans, and for them to join in………..just thought id pass the message on here……
KRO…….
An observation but not mean’t to be a criticism – Carr, Ridgewell, Fahey, Zigic, all seem to be have had below par performances due to One reason or another. Zigic, although on his way back from injury looked lost at Forest and never put in an ounce of effort. Ridgewell – transfer request and private life, Fahey – doesn’t look like the player that played in the promotion team. Carr – even before his injury misplaced passes like we’ve never seen. They are taking time to settle in to a new team and maybe relegation affected them more than we realise although not as much as has affected us.
I can still see their faces when they came out to the remaining fans for an encore after we got battered by Fulham on the last prem home game.
Beausejour will be crucial to the Blues and I think Murphy just needs a chance. Ridgewell needs to take a look at himself and while playing in this league he will never be worth £3m.
Still, Hughton says he has a great dressing room so I will take that every day.
tell him he can leave in jan but only if his performances encourage a good fee and that without that good fee he will have to stay
end of
If ridgewell another player who thinks he bigger than the club bye bye, I am sure most blues fans would rather he go….CH got players who want to play in a blue shirt whether murphy or Hancox are any better give them their chance……….KRO