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Replacing King
Birmingham City striker Marlon King appears to be on his way out of St Andrews after Lee Clark confirmed that the London-born Jamaican international striker was close to agreeing a deal with a new club. King, who has scored 32 goals in his two seasons at Blues was made available for a free transfer in May as Birmingham City looked to cut costs.
Clark has also confirmed that until one or two players leave he cannot look to bring anyone else into the squad. It’s my hope that if King does go, then Clark will be given money to bring another player in as I think we will be short a body up front; Blues currently have four first team strikers apart from King in Matt Green, Lee Novak, Nikola Zigic and Peter Lovenkrands but Zigic has been really struggling with injury of later and Lovenkrands is also up for a free transfer. With the on-loan and injured Akwasi Asante and rookie Reece Hales being the only back up behind those four it seems to make sense to me if some of the wages saved on King’s departure is used for a new player.
Obviously, as King is leaving on a free there will be no transfer fee to collect and one would assume that there will only be a fraction of the wage paid to King made available for a new player – if any money is made available at all. This means that Blues will have to either scour the loan market for a player (we have one slot left in the matchday squad where you are allowed five maximum) or try to pick up a free transfer from somewhere. With Adam McGurk now having signed for Burton one avenue of interest to Clark has now been closed off and one would think he will have to go back through his scout reports to look for a new player.
I don’t watch enough football away from Blues to be able to say with any conviction that we need to go for a certain player. However, I do think that I can identify what kind of player we need as it seems quite obvious – as well as a striker we’re short a left-sided player so a player who can play wide on the left in a 4-3-3, who can drop back to midfield in a 4-5-1 would make more sense to me than a normal out-and-out striker as we aren’t playing a 4-4-2 this season. Peter Lovenkrands is a similar sort of player to that but having seen him in pre-season at Solihull I don’t think he is the player required even if he hadn’t been made available for a free.
It’s not going to be easy for Clark to bring in a player – if he goes looking for a Premier loan then I would expect that the Premier League club would want a loanee to get first team football which I don’t think Clark can guarantee; most free transfers of any worth have been snapped up so if we go down that route it’s going to be looking at what’s left which leaves the third alternative of trying to pick up a loanee from a lower club – like we did with Wes Thomas – and hoping for the best.
However, despite all that I will admit I’d be interested to see what Clark can do; I’ve been relatively impressed with the business he’s done so far in the transfer window and I suspect if he did bring in a player it would be someone of the right sort of age who has come in because they want to play at St Andrews and progress rather than a journeyman looking for a next steady paypacket. It’ll be intriguing to see what happens next.
Tags: Lee Clark, Marlon King, Peter Lovenkrands
78 Responses to “Replacing King”
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I saw it mentioned a week ago that we would have to reach a financial settlement to King to buy out his contract even though he is signing for another club. Do you know if there is any truth in this?
Not seen anything on that specifically, no.
What about that forward that scored the goals for Plymouth last night he sounded decent although I can’t spell his name
Well, I suspect Plymouth would want a transfer fee for Alessandra and as mentioned in the article, Birmingham City cannot afford to pay any transfer fee for any player at this moment in time… and that doesn’t even take into account the fact Plymouth only signed him two months ago themselves…
Oh maybe not then!
Comment edited – Steve – give me a link showing evidence of what you’re saying and I’ll publish it. Otherwise I can’t.
I hate to slag players after just a couple of games but we only have one fit striker in Green and he was injured on Saturday! Novak (so far) in my opinion is terrible.
I worry after Novak’s performance last night. Even putting the penalty to one side I thought he was poor. I note that we’re only two games in but I felt he looked sluggish and well off the pace. He also looked low on confidence and I’m not sure what he brings to the table. Green has pace and from Saturday’s performance is excellent with back to goal and bringing others into play. Ziggy has the aerial threat and the ability to set up play with his flicks and knock downs. Novak, to me at least, looks like a journeyman lower league striker.
As I stated above it is early doors but I can’t see this guy being prolific and I don’t personally believe that he is Championship calibre. Hopefully time will prove me wrong but if not that really only leaves Green and Ziggy and as a last resort Shabba so hopefully Clarky can bring someone else in as I think we’re going to need him.
You’re basing all this Novak negativity on 2 games? Give the poor f*cker a chance…
I know some of the negativity from so called fans about the players or manager never ceases to amaze me!
You are the bloke who sits in front of my mate who said that ‘the strikers look too static’ 30 seconds into last season, and I claim my £5.
he also makes a lot of assists as well scoring goals… with 2 games in it a little premature to give him stick imo Ali…… As for ziggy he out with a bad back, and does not really use his height effectively enough in this division ( my re-call one or two matches Leeds,, nearly forgot the arsen and against westham. I have said before he should be unplayable with that height…….
scott allan was head and shoulders above eveyone last night, 2 good goals
and a cracker from bartley got us out of trouble.
the marlon king situation is a bit baffeling to me, i know were in a spot of bother
financualy but surely is goals is worth us keeping him on because them goals
could make the playoffs and then his wages wouldnt be a problem, i cant see
anyone else who can do that.KRO.
Marlon wants to go mate. We can’t afford him, he doesn’t want to stay
For me Dave, Dan Burn was MOTM swallowed everything up and his distribution most of the time was neat and tidy. But I was very impressed with Scott Allan. He scored two cracking goals and, at times, it looked like the ball was attached to his boots. Took a fair bit of stick from the Plymouth defenders too. Biggest disappointment for me, was Chris Burke. He couldn’t seem to do a thing right all night. Still, it’s only one game.
Burn is a star in the making. I’ve really rated him from his two performances so far. He has a touch of the Terry Butchers about him I reckon.
At Fulham, they’re making comparisons with Hangeland. You can see why.
…. adding to the Terry Butcher comparison (although not as bad,) Burn took a hefty whack in the face in the first half and just carried on (after checking his teeth were still there.) I could hear the smack from where I was sitting.
I have to agree with the comments re Novak, he needs more game time and may gain confidence.
Shinnie and Green worked hard on Saturday along with the rest of the team but last night we were not closing down high enough or as quickly. We were sloppy along our own back line though their first goal was a 25 yard corker.
We need someone in the King mould but I feel with confidence the goals will come especially when we have Ziggy fit and utilise his height.
It is still early days and though there were mistakes against Plymouth we kept battling and attacking, just need to iron out some little things, but keep on with the tactics and formation LC is doing.
KRO
I agree with Chris, Lets give Novak a chance guys, I managed to see him on saturday but not last night.
I also think he looked a bit sluggish, but its still early. I dont think he will ever be prolific at this level but as he said himself he is more a player that does the hard work and lays on chances for people!.
Big game on sturday with Yeovil, They are going to be up for it and anybody who thinks it will be a walk in the park will get a rude awakening.
KRO
Novak is well short of confidence. For a striker to square the ball from the position he was in, like he did when Burke missed that more or less open goal is not someone who is going to score goals. It was then confirmed when he even missed the penalty, which wasn’t even a well taken penalty. A decent striker would never pass the ball when in that position. It is early though and your right we should give him a chance. Let’s keep getting behind the team and give them our support
I think he was given the penalty to try and buck up his confidence, unfortunately, it didn’t work. I can’t see any other reason why he would take the pen, when we have other players more suited to the job. Thing is, by leaving him out, it would maybe compound the problem.
That’s right Al — we can only afford to be in the market for people who want to progress at St Andrews not journeymen who want a steady pay packet. The only danger is we end up with a load of triers who give lots of effort but aren’t actually that good. It then is vitally important we have good coaching staff to get the most out of who we have. The quality of the back-room staff is almost as important and I’d like to know exactly how good Terry Mac and Fazakerley are. You rarely hear a peep from them.
Novak and Green work their nuts off and deserve to succeed.
Do think they need someone like Marlon alongside them to provide a bit of nous and a cutting edge though.
How sad that we cannot afford Marlon’s salary yet we waste money but the spadload on a useless waster like Pannu, who doesn’t even deserve minimum wage !!!!
Pannu is on £700k a year, which is £14k a week. I bet King was on more than that.
quotes were he on 17,000 in the papers………..
Doc you want to know how good Mac and Faz are, the answer is crap CRAP They are mates of Clark thats how they got the job.
Regarding last night, some of us have been saying for weeks where are the goals going to come from? well I still dont know, Novak will not score more than half a dozen at this level if he manages that even. Green to is a willing trier but at this level I dont think so.From the moment Novak placed that ball for the penalty he was going to miss he has no confidence at all. That leaves Zigic and hes injured or saying he is, as is Murphy Just how long is he going to be out? beggining to look like Steve Carr saga all over again.
We scored three ,two from a midfielder and one from a centre half ,none from a forward, the defence were awful ,Plymouth looked like they could score everytime they went forward.Suicide passes along our own 18 yard line. Allan looked like a real player but why use him to take corners? he should be on the edge of the box .
I know Im considered nagative but I saw nothing to be optimistic about nothing at all, Yeovil next up they won away again last night, we shall see
How do you know McDermott and Fazackerly are crap?
do you know their roles on the training pitch?
Is there a reason you’re excluding Steve Watson?
Dan – it did not take tony long to get on his negative bandwagon…….don’t worry though this be all season…..lol
Some people never change, so much negativity it disgusts me
I disagree about the defence, I thought they were excellent. The problem was that Plymouth were allowed to run through our midfield and get shots off. Imo, we’re still short of that imposing presence in centre-midfield, a la Papa Bouba Diop… or even Robbie Savage. Other than that, I thought we were ok. Novak doesn’t have the confidence to play up on his own yet I don’t think, but then our final ball didn’t help at times. If Burke had scored that sitter or Novak the pen, we’d have been home and dry long before the end.
if marlon king was not told he can leave on a free and was going to spearhead our
attack he wouldnt want to leave, he only wants out now because nes not wanted
and i find that very strange.,KRO.
No, that’s not true mate, sorry.
strange and sad.
The guy has done the business for us for 2 seasons, yes he is a tad injury prone and maybe not the type you’d invite to dinner but he is a top striker at this level and guarantees 15-20 goals.
He may be on 20-25k a week but that is the ‘going rate’ for a top striker.
Pannu however is a waste of 14k a week.
He doesn’t even turn up for work .. !
That’s not true either.
You might not like Pannu but I’m betting he does turn up for work here in HK and I’m also betting he does have to deal with emails and calls and that about Blues. Yes he’s on a wedge but let’s keep things sensible.
BBC promoting Tom Ross…!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23601507
The one thing I find with that is you could have pulled that from many a game review from last season.
I also felt listening to it last night that it was a game akin to many of the non plussed games we played last season. It certainly was not a performance akin to the one I watched on Saturday.
to early to make a judgerement on novak,claridge and the horse were poor in there first few games for blues.
Totally HS lets give him a chance before we hang him out to dry!!.
Dan we have had this before Terry Mac is a joker, a comedian Zak is his companion that comes from the sites of every club they have been at, regarding watson not heard anything bad about him.
And what are you basing this on? Rumour, gossip from other fans?
Unless you’re at wast hills every day mate you don’t know that for a fact and you cannot say you do.
Dan you say Daves point is not valid I agree with Dave, If you are told you are not wanted and will not play then obviously you want out.
We need his goals and quick , he should be with the squad training today and in the side saturday, he should never have been told he was not part of Clarks plans just how ridiculous was that?.
King wanted to leave before he was offered a free transfer. It’s nothing to do with him “not being wanted”
What’s it to do with then ?
Steve I think thats been ANSWERED MANY TIMES ALREADY. He WANTS TO GO FOR HIS OWN REASONS (AND DONT SAY ITS BECAUSE HE DOESNT LIKE cLARKE AS YOU DONT KNOW THAT). Also his wages are too high as we are not actually Man City in case you haven’t noticed and cant wait to get Zigic out the door either.
Excuse my strange Caps i type blind
lee said that he can only get more players in if we can ofload the likes of king,lovenkrands
mullins and ambrose, but it looks like kings the only one on the move so maybe we need just
a goalscorer but what are we going to get for nothing……..exactly… nothing.KRO.
didnt king say just before the end of the season that he cant wait to get back fit and
raering to go for blues next season, so something changed is mind.KRO.
I see Yeovil got a second 1-0 away win last night. Their defence looks pretty tight even without Dan Burn. We’ll do well to be able to open them up. Should be a good game.
Was not aware of that Dan didnt haer anything to that effect
No their was no hint of him wanting to go, and I don’t think he did want to go, so unless anyone can prove what they think then they should say nowt. IE be prepared to back up your claims.
Should of snapped up Simeon Jackson when we had the chance
looking forward to yeovil saturday staffs, should be a cracker because there have to
take the game to us and we can hit them on the counter, its sold out and were have
over 2000 there and the ground only holds 9500, theyve also got all there fans to use
those horrible clappers that fulham first used a few years ago. there bubble will burst
saturday afternoon after our 1-2 victory.KRO.
Do they still have that awful sloping pitch? It’s undone a fair few teams over the years.. including the mighty Arsenal.
Could be worse. It could be the horrific things, that I refuse to even name because I loathe them so much, used at the WC in South Africa.
I remember that day at Fulham. A gutless and thoroughly deserved 2-0 defeat and the obligatory ‘You’re not fit to wear the shirts’ chanting as relegation was all but delivered.
that was one of the worst performances i can remember at fulham totally useless.
i think the pitch has been straightened out over the years, not to sure though.
were silence those clappers with our continuous singing as we always do away from home.KRO.
Love all comments, but the English and the spelling is taro shush.
Would love Billy Sharp on loan (if we could afford the wages!)
Plymouth result was very good we are into the next round gosh the next round…………….holy smoke….
yesterday could been a banana skin just look at what happen to the dogs deary me can please all fans………….This is our second match narrow loss to Watford , and professionally put away Plymouth… should have won by hat full cannot be to greedy….. certainly got our money worth and win tops off good night yesterday………..kro My dream the vilers in home draw………….come on
with respect to Marlon thanks for memories good luck, try and stay out of trouble best wishes in your next stage of your career…….kro
Good one. Seconded.
Dan- you comments the money saved from possible departure of king…..Clark has been quoted in Birmingham mail that he maybe able to get in 1 or 2 players…………..from this departure……. it appears to be waiting game on Marlon part……
http://www.bcfc.com/news/article/20130807-blue-kid-on-the-block-george-mcgee-976228.aspx? a striker…………..
http://www.bcfc.com/news/article/20130807-for-the-record-976895.aspx?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook
And from the Mail.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/all-about/birmingham%20city%20fc
Looks like TR has got this wrong.
What an embarrassment!
TR is always an embarassment Art. I cringe with embarrasment everytime i hear him and does he know or say anything other than battling
Well looks like thats it ,no sale agreed or imminent whats poor old Tom gonna do now. Hes a good guy and a passionate blue but his credibility is shot to pieces. Cant help but feel sorry for him
He is a Journalist . they have thick skins , he will just ignore it.
What credibility ??????
Am sorry he will be leaving a good servant to the club but needs amust…..and the worst of this is that we can not afford to replace him,Even from the lower divisions……..With our strike force a little bit on the weak side i fear for us but i will always keep the faith……
This is assuming of course that the club is telling the truth by the club I mean Fat controller ( Pannu)
What possible reason would they need to lie about it for????
I am slightly dismayed with some of the comments from some so-called fans following two games.
Lee Novak, Matt Green and a few others are moving up in quality of football. They need to adjust to the tempo along with being a relatively new squad, need to gel; this is not going to happen in a 6-week pre–season. Watford kept the nucleus of last season’s squad but we held our own and on another day nicked a result, we did enough to deserve a draw.
Plymouth came as under dogs and had nothing to lose. We were sloppy along our back line and we did not harass high enough as we did against Watford. Cup games give the manager another game to try different combinations or formations, we won, in the next round and Lee Clark learnt a little more while the players gained experience.
LC and the teams first priority is Championship survival.
Lee Novak has the same average league goal scoring as Marlon King of 2.95.
I got the feeling that King was, in part, a disruption to the dressing room last season and was happy to just pick his swollen wage packet than give his all to the cause or support Lee Clark.
I have know inside knowledge, that is just my assumption and opinion from gossip, various newspaper/magazine articles and reading between the lines of certain player, manager interviews.
This, in my opinion, is why LC wants to use the players he has bought in.
As for King being a 15/20 prolific goal scorer, he has only scored 20 league goals once in a season, 2006 at Watford. His season average over the last 16 seasons is 9.3 goals per season, hardly prolific.
Get behind the LC, his backroom staff, the team and cut out the negativity, look down the road at Coventry or Wolves, then look at what LC is trying to do.
KRO
bang on the money with those comments Chris- seconded
seconded
Scott Allen was poor except for his goals last night and so was Bartley who was at fault for Plymouth second goal, Novak is terrible I think he looks a bit over weight and can’t run, however the best player on the pitch was Ferguson he didn’t put a foot wrong.
I think King should hurry up and go to let us get someone else in, so they can gel with the team to help us do well.
However its a bit hard for Clark with not alot of options, maybe Rooney.
I just hope blues get that right player up front that Plymouth forward looked good the other night thats what we need. funny name but i think you no who i mean.
I just hope blues get that right player up front that Plymouth forward looked good the other night thats what we need. funny name but i think you no who i mean.