Often Partisan

Gossip Folks – Summer 2013 Edition – Pt II

It’s been a busy first week of the transfer window for Birmingham City with Nathan Redmond departing for Norwich City in a £3.2million deal whilst Kyle Bartley and Dan Burn arrived on season long loan deals and Matt Green joined on a Bosman.

You can find an updated version of my spreadsheet here, as I have continued to track stories of players signing for and departing Blues.

With Redmond having departed, I think the chief story of the summer has happened on the outgoings front. I think the big question now is if the four players who have been listed for free transfer – Marlon King, Peter Lovenkrands, Hayden Mullins and Darren Ambrose – will leave the club in the next five weeks. I’m not sure whether there is anything in King and Lovenkrands being left out of pre-season training in Ireland and as yet I’ve not seen even a sniff of a rumour of their departures.

Two players who have not been included on the incoming front are Mark Little, formerly of Peterborough United and Julian Gray, formerly of Nea Salamina Famagusta (and of course once a Blues player). As far as I am aware both players are currently using the facilities at Wast Hills to help them get fit and neither are being considered as signings – however, should there be reports of that changing I will of course update the spreadsheet.

I have a suspicion though that we will see a fair few trialists at St Andrews as Lee Clark continues to look at raw talent to bulk out his squad at first team and development squad level. At this point last year I can remember Blues having five or six trialists at the club looking to win contracts (none of whom did so) and it wouldn’t surprise me to see a similar figure this season.

As always, if you see a story I have missed please let me know and I will add it in to the spreadsheet. I’m intending to release another update next Monday.

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78 Responses to “Gossip Folks – Summer 2013 Edition – Pt II”

  • mark says:

    I am like any blues fan great sadness to see Nathan go………
    As I mentioned before Clark has moved swiftly to get burns and Bartley……….fantastic
    if Marlon and shabba move on we are all aware this is generally to do with finances………..
    Having Darren back well he got a lot to prove, but fans should give him a clean slate hopefully he got clean bill a health. He’s needs to demonstrate why we paid decent money for him ……….. Clark mentioned why he was keeping Ambrose and Mullins as they both give him more options in playing positions…………….

  • mark says:

    http://www.bcfc.com/news/article/20130707-captains-log-day-one-899840.aspx? great to see robbo getting stuck to his job role………………..

  • mark says:

    blues fly out to Ireland, and face shamrock on Monday at 8pm……..kro

    Dan- staffsblue noted MK Dons fixtures what date is this taking place??

  • mark says:

    olly lee had a good game, with all the fuss regarding Clark and olly father when we first bought him to blues. Hope he proves many fans wrong………….he got a brother 18 who plays for westham maybe we should ask Robert if he worth a punt…………….

    • StaffsBlue says:

      I’ve been saying this since last season. We don’t know enough about him. Just because he came from Barnet, doesn’t make him crap. He captained the developement squad last season, then scores a cracker on Saturday. So he can’t be that bad.

      • bcfc1975 says:

        olly definately not Cr*p imo if he turns out to be half as good as his father then it was the right reasons for blues. He wants to keep improving his game, he see himself as play-maker. All good imo

  • Bearwoodblue says:

    Does anyone know if that lad Courtney Cameron is coming back for a further trial? I heard he had played well as a left winger when here previously at the end of last season. From the reports he seemed like a decent bet for the development squad with some potential to develop further.

  • mark says:

    it be interesting tonight against shamrock whether Clark plays all 21 players??

  • eddie says:

    I used to really rate Julian Gray,

    wonder how he’s developed

  • mark says:

    tonight affair with shamrock is not going to be a walk over imo

    • StaffsBlue says:

      Tbh, I’m surprised they haven’t signed Fahey.

      • mark says:

        Did fahey not make some comments that he not been fit for over three years who would sign him??

        • StaffsBlue says:

          He was training with Shamrock last season… and he reckons he’s fit now. Surely worth a punt back in Ireland.

          • mark says:

            I can only think this comes down to player wage demands??? shamrock is the top team in ireland.
            I believe this will be a good work out tonight win or lose imo… would nice to keep the run going mind you. Cannot beat a winning mentality……………

          • StaffsBlue says:

            Not sure if I heard correctly, but I thought I heard Lee Clark say that Shamrock were halfway through the season. I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong. If it’s true, they will be a stern test.

  • mark says:

    burns and bartley will get a run out tonight, and so will green hopefully he get on the score sheet it will do his confident world of good.

  • dave mann says:

    shamrock will be a tough test and they are in there league season. went to alfreton saturday,
    great day 500 blues fans and about 250 alfreton fans, had 2 ends of the ground.
    olly lee stand out player looked good, also shinnie looks quality. we didnt have 2 halves we
    had 4 quaters it was that hot KRO.

  • dave mann says:

    yes he played well got plenty of pace but i was just shocked by how good olly lee looked
    took is goal well and passed to our players which was a raerity last season.KRO,

    • mark says:

      could he be other gem !! having a 5 man midfield I truly think we pass better, and attack better……
      yes his goal was cracker……… whats great Dave is about the lad he wants to keep learning, as do all the players, and I find this very refreshing………hopefully days are gone of the moaning,and refusing to do the training.. Imo once the fans realize what all these players are about, that they have the hunger and desire we should see many more fans willing to have a punt in watching our team hopefully…….kro

  • mark says:

    http://www.bcfc.com/news/article/20130705-capital-one-cup-ticket-offer-896788.aspx? we are really pushing the boat out now. buy one get one free………..great news by bcfc lets make some noise down the stans………..kro

  • Richard Granfield says:

    Central midfield will be very competitive this season. If we play 3-5-2 then we can perm any 3 from Reilly, Elliott, Arthur, Lee, Shinnie, Burke, Adeyemi and Ambrose.
    Ravel may not be a priority and obtaining a starting left wing-back (Ferguson comes to mind) will be.
    Hancox and Murphy are yet to prove that they can operate in the wing-back position.

  • mark says:

    http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/birmingham-city-fc-pre-season-training-4881849? from the pictures it look wicked……………lol queen victoria stay in Chinese room bless her………..

  • mark says:

    Paul (VOR) if you are there i am in envy of you mate………………….

  • dave mann says:

    3-5-2 is certainly the way that lee wants to go and that sounds fine by me, but it could be
    difficult to find a place for burke in a central 3 with eardley and murphy as wing backs.
    randolph, eardley, bartley, robinson, burn, murphy, riley, adeyemi, shinnie, asante, green.
    if you think that that team as no burke, hancox, packwood,lee, novak, zigic and others
    who are still with us that dont look a bad squad for me and we did knock the ball around
    nicely with 5 in midfield.kro,

    • Richard Granfield says:

      Burke played in a central midfield role at Alfreton and did well. Burke has the advantage of being able to drift out wide from a central position and deliver a telling cross and has a powerful shot in either foot and scores goals.

    • StaffsBlue says:

      It’s certainly looking very good. Left midfield (Ferguson) and possibly a covering right back is maybe all that’s needed now I think. Not sure if Higgins is up to that level yet.

  • dave mann says:

    i agree richard i would play burke every time and he did ok saturday, but lets see what lee does.
    i just think it stiffles him thats all! KRO.

    • Richard Granfield says:

      Dave…Lee in a recent interview said that his best position was as a holding midfielder i.e playing deep and picking up short passes from the back 3 and spraying the ball to the strikers.
      Burke and indeed Shinnie are attacking midfielders so definitely won’t stifle Lee if all 3 start against Watford.

  • Tony says:

    I cant see the point in playing Burke ( probably the best wideman in the division season before last )in a central midfield role, goals come from the wing down to the byeline then get in across.

    • Richard Granfield says:

      Tony……You are absolutely right about Burke, but Clark looks like he is going to play 3-5-2, which means we will not be playing with wide midfielders (wingers). We would need to play 4-4-2 for that. Are Burke’s defensive skills good enough for him to play wing-back? I don’t believe so, quite apart from losing his attacking qualities by playing him there.

  • JohnBond says:

    Courtney Cameron played with my mate when they were kids at Northampton Town he looked good when he was younger.. Think he will make a move to Rotherham permenant that’s where he was last season on loan

  • Zenzero says:

    3-5-2 destroyed us every time last year, maybe that’s why Clark is testing it out.

  • dave mann says:

    it was mentioned on many fronts saturday including my son that the ferguson loan is as good as
    sorted so hopefully thats true! also again i agree with tony that one of the best wide men in the
    league is better out wide than a midfield 3, but were see and to be fair staffs higgins didnt look
    to bad on the left against alfreton but ofcourse if ferguson comes not a problem.kro.

  • Francis 4 Bolton 0 says:

    Great start on Saturday – back to real business instead of ‘Court Carson’
    Shamrock will be a stern test as they are Ireland’s top team and have lots of Euro experience. Just the sort of warm up we need. Bit puzzled about how we can manage to afford a trip though? Any ideas?

  • the timms says:

    nooooooooo not julian grey!!!!!

  • Pete says:

    I do not take the slightest bit of interest in pre-season matches. They mean nothing, show nothing and prove nothing. I am hoping however, it does allow Clark a chance to actually get to know his squad this time around. I feel that is where he was sorely lacking last season, in trying to fit and in some cases buy square pegs for round holes. If he does 3-5-2 I would be feeling that the Burke debate aside we have a much better look to us.

    Randolph
    Eardley R/WB
    Murphy L/WB
    Burn L/CB
    Spector C/B
    Bartley R/CB
    Adeyemi CM
    Burke R/CM
    Shinnie L/CM
    Novak CF
    Green CF

    With Subs of Doyle, Robinson, Lee, Hancox, Reilly, Ambrose or Zigic looks good on paper, but lets jsut hope they can do something on grass!

  • dave mann says:

    good looking side but i think robinson as captain will be c/b and id love to see asante start at c/f but
    its all down to opinions and were wait and see.KRO.

    • StaffsBlue says:

      I was thinking that at first… that I couldn’t see Robinson, as captain, being left out of the first game. But reading the comment again, I think Pete was referring to tonight’s match, not the start of the season, as I first thought.

      • Pete says:

        No I am not. I am saying what side I would play. I think Robinson will have a lot of uses, but I would not have him in my best XI, and therefore captain or not he ould not be in the side. I appreciate that it probably wont happen based on Clarks call as captain, but there you have it. An opinion about playing matters!

        As for who I would have as captain in that side it is without a doubt Murphy….. Or Spector… Or Burke….

  • StaffsBlue says:

    Looks a good side Pete. Only thing I would disagree with, is playing Burke inside. He’s a decent wide man in a 4-4-2, but I don’t see him as a central midfielder at all. Can’t remember the match off the top of my head, but he played in there last season and was woeful (not saying everyone else wasn’t that day either.) I just remember thinking at the time, he ain’t no CM.

    • Pete says:

      Think you hit the nail on the head. In a 4-4-2 he cannot play centre mid and he also can’t play as an out and out centre mid. BUT in a 3 man midfield I think he would be superb on the right side.

  • Richard Granfield says:

    A bit of trivia and predictions re. which shirt numbers the players will wear:-

    Randolph number 1
    Doyle 13
    Eardley 2
    Bartley 5
    Robinson 4
    Burn 6
    Murphy 3
    Burke 7
    Lee 20
    Zigic 19
    Green 9
    Shinnie 10
    Elliott 15
    Asante 21

    Those are my predictions waiting for the official news.

  • Tony says:

    Has no 8 been retired?.

  • StaffsBlue says:

    Blues winning 4-0 at Shamrock Rovers. (Novak, Zigic, Reilly and Green (just seconds into his debut)

  • mark says:

    fantastic win by blues, better than i thought originally. maybe blues win 2-1 but to win 4-0 brilliant……..
    that lad green put his head were it hurts, shows me that Clark got these lads at the races… I really do hope the lad all right……………lovely to see the strikers on target all three………..kro

  • mark says:

    bloody hell Doyle could have made it 5-0……………

  • StaffsBlue says:

    Blimey… Charlie Austin’s failed a medical at Hull. :-O


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