Often Partisan

News Roundup

Birmingham City revealed yesterday that Neal Eardley will miss the remainder of the 2013/14 season after suffering injury to his medial cruciate and anterior cruciate ligaments. Eardley will require surgery on his knee to repair the damage and the resultant recovery period rules him out of the remainder of the campaign.

It’s a bitter blow for the 24-year-old Llandudno born right-back. Having signed for Blues in the summer on a Bosman free Eardley had just broken back into the Wales setup and was a fixture in the Blues team. However, with the signing of Paul Caddis Blues have moved swiftly to ensure that they have the required cover in the position.

Leeds United manager Brian McDermott confirmed yesterday that Leeds decided not to pursue the signing of Chris Burke due to the transfer fee demanded. Burke, who is out of contact at the end of the season was valued at £600,000 by Birmingham City and McDermott decided that wasn’t an effective usage of his resources at Elland Road – something that will no doubt please Blues fans no end.

The Daily Star reported yesterday that Leeds would pursue a loan deal for the Scottish winger but that doesn’t make sense to me at all; if Blues can afford to hold on to Chris Burke and turn down a low transfer bid then there would be absolutely no reason to loan him out to get his wages off the books and as such I cannot believe that story.

Manchester United have named Blues loan target Jesse Lingard in their Champions League Squad for the upcoming campaign. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder was suggested to be a player Clark was looking to bring in the upcoming loan window and it will be interesting to see if that still happens with this in mind.

I personally don’t think it will make much difference; if Manchester United and Blues are able to come to some sort of arrangement that is suitable to both parties then I think Lingard will come regardless – however, with Lingard being an “attacking midfielder/second striker” type I’m not sure where he will fit into the setup bearing in mind we already have Andy Shinnie, Wade Elliott and Scott Allan.

Former Blues player Jake Jervis has cancelled his contract with Turkish side Elazigspor after not being paid for a number of months. The striker signed for the Turks from Blues in January but injury restricted him to just three appearances.

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70 Responses to “News Roundup”

  • StaffsBlue says:

    Feel so sorry for Neal Eardley. He must be absolutely gutted. I hope he gets himself fit and raring to go for next season. Chin up mate and KRO.

    As for Leeds… small club, small mentality. I’m glad well told them to p1$$ orf.

    Any chance of Jervis resigning for nowt?

  • Richard Granfield says:

    If the stories are true, there seems a strange contradiction. On the one hand we can afford a fee of £150,000 for Caddis, and on the other hand we are willing to sell our greatest attacking threat for a modest £600.000!

    • almajir says:

      He isnt worth any more than that – due to his contract situation.

      • Richard Granfield says:

        You say that Burke isn’t worth more than £600k due to him being out of contract next summer.But what are the potential risks to the club if we continue to sell or best players? I venture to suggest that the greatest risk would be relegation, and selling Burke would make that prospect more rather than less likely.

    • chris says:

      it’s the same price we asked Forest for last year, the figure makes sense based on that, plus i think Blues have a year’s option on him.

  • The Francis Fake says:

    In addition to the board finding £150,000 for Caddis I am further encouraged that they put a price tag of £600,000 on Burke. This must further amplify that administration is not likely to happen in the near future. In saying that it was disgraceful how easily Redmond was snaffled up for a paltry £2M particularly when you compare how Blackpool have priced up Tom Ince. Dan do you think we may have been in worse financial trouble at the time Redmond was sold than now?

  • Gav_bcfc says:

    Morning Dan,
    Any idea when Murphy is due back from injury ?

  • Gav_bcfc says:

    Cheers lads.
    KRO

  • Evesham blue says:

    Harsh to say but I didn’t think Eardley looked that good prior to his injury. Caddis was always our first choice but we messed around with Swindon over pennies in the summer. Only got him now due to injury forcing our hand, and as Swindon are desperate to offload and Caddis always wanted to come here.

    The Curse of the Right Back strikes again. Must be the Gypsie having a pee down the right corner again?

    Quality strikers and not more midfielders are our problem Lee

  • skareggae72 says:

    I read the Burke loan deal story yesterday & it did make no sense whatsoever.

    Why turn down £600k then let him go on loan to save us paying his wages (technically this would cost us 600k as he would leave for nothing at the end of the season).

    The only way i can see this happening is if Clark persists with 352 & we do a loan swap deal & maybe take a couple of players on loan from Leeds who fit into Clark’s system better.

    I also wonder if there is a ‘personal issue’ between Clark & Burke.

    • chris says:

      thought we had a years option on Burke on top of this season?

      • chris says:

        just read on mail site that this year is his option year, so it seems he is out of contract next June, so hop[efully we will offer him another contract IF we stay up and we have kept him no doubt to help us do that.

        • StaffsBlue says:

          He’ll be 30, on his way to 31 by the end of this season. I think maybe we should cash in if someone comes up with £600k or a good swap deal that would suit us. As was mentioned earlier, he’s certainly not woth more than that.

  • Evesham blue says:

    Because Leeds were taking the pee? Probably offered us a cheese sandwich and a packet of crisps for him?

  • dave mann says:

    feel sorry for eardley but not exactly set the blues on fire but caddis is a more( much more)
    ideal replacement so good work from lee there. chris burke is worth more than 600,000 k
    but we wont get anymore than that cause of his contract but sorry staffs got to disagree
    with you on leeds utd, not on there mentality but saying there a small club, there supporters
    are second to us ( i would say that) they get great crowds even in league one and they are
    a premiership team in name and in what theyve won, i know thats history but leeds will
    always be a big club whatever league there in. KRO.

  • dave mann says:

    fair comment because its all about the here and now which ofcourse means that we are a small club
    also with small crowds, no money, owners with the mentality of bank robbers and fickle fans who
    carry on saying were a big club when were clearly not…..hates me to say it but thats the facts if
    your not a premiership team….true! KRO.
    ps.. i take back what i said about leeds… sarcasticly.

    • StaffsBlue says:

      We agree on most things dave, so I ain’t gonna argue over something so trivial…. Leeds. :0)

      • DoctorD says:

        I’d say Blues are a medium-to-large club — not big, not small, but not just medium.

        I’d say “club size” is measured by
        * current average attendance
        * overall size of fan base
        * number of trophies won ever
        * age of club
        * number of years spent in the top division

        • Pete says:

          I’d say “club size” is measured by
          * current average attendance
          * overall size of fan base
          * number of trophies won ever
          * age of club
          * number of years spent in the top division

          Crowd going down by the week.
          Supposedly great when we reach a final or a big team
          1 real trophy that mattered
          How does age make an impact- Notts County are the oldest league club, does that make them big?
          Hardly a great record for years in top flight.

          We have become a small/medium club- which is a disgrace considering our location and fickle deserting supporters.

  • StaffsBlue says:

    A lot of clubs have been big clubs, who have gone a tumble… but of course, the potential is there to be a big club again. As in Leeds, as in Sheffield Wednesday. Even Portsmouth were a big club once. The problem with a lot of them though, is the fans, who still have a big club mentality. Sometimes, you have to accept that, at the moment, you’re not a big club, your league status tells us that. Accept it, it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

  • dave mann says:

    like you staffs i will never ever be ashamed to support my club irelevant off what league
    were in or what crowds we get or if were a big club or not, were birmingham city and
    that will do for me weather it premiership or conference.KRO.

  • dave mann says:

    jesse lingard, dont know much about hin to be honest so cant cast an opinion, but if hes
    simmilar to shinne, elliot and allan i cant see the point as its an out and out striker we
    really need but it would be nice to nave a player from a trully massive club like man. u.
    dont you think?KRO.
    PS…. i meant have not nave.

    • StaffsBlue says:

      I’d rather have someone (a forward) with a bit of experience, who can possibly hit the ground running within a game or two. We have our own kids, why improve someone else’s?

  • mark says:

    It sad to see any professional player have a serious injury, wish eardley a speedy recovery……..kro

  • dave mann says:

    a striker with experience and an eye for goal is what we need but they aint comming for
    nothing and 5k a week so were after get on with what weve got by the looks off it. KRO.

  • jazzzy786 says:

    Cruciate ligament ouch he’s Eardley played a game for us.

  • dave mann says:

    so we were 20 th in july and now were 39th in september, 19 places in 2 months
    weve dropped in the big club league, at this rate were be 14th in league one by
    christmas and mid table in league two by end off season, but joking aside i think
    them statistics are pretty good when assesing the BIG clubs, pretty accurate to
    be fair cause i would have said about 20th myself if i was guessing.KRO.

  • Steve Aerobic says:

    I fail to see the significance in whether or not we are a big club, we are where we are today and we were where we were ten years ago, its irrelevant in my honest opinion. It obviously hurts to be feeding off the scraps of clubs like the Albion but the nature of the premier league dictates that they are the ones with the money and when the parachute payments run out you have to fend for yourself. It also irks me when people complain about the money that Zigic is on, it really isn’t his fault, the fault lies with the idiot that drew up his contract in the first place. whilst it would be a lovely gesture of him (or his agent) to forego their income it just isn’t going to happen. Its strange but I feel oddly liberated by our current position, playing youngsters, backs to the wall, manager trying different systems (even if they don’t always work). It would be a much greater fete if we can succeed against the odds rather than a wealthy foreign gentleman lumping billions into the club and buying every Tom Dick or Manuel that is on the market. Its obviously a worry to be in our present predicament but we are Blues and things never come easy. I have massive admiration for every single bluenose that attends matches now for these are the real supporters( I am not knocking anyone who is genuinely staying away because of their conscience regarding the owners, I would class staying away a greater sacrifice than attending because I love going to the games) and time will tell where our future lies. All we can do is support the team and the manager ( I don’t think any other manager would work under these conditions) and hope that from adversity comes success.

  • dave mann says:

    i think the ones that stay away steve are the ones that wouldt know how to enjoy the
    game experience and the pride off actually SUPPORTING your club anyway so ive no
    time for them, going to a match home or away is a great day out and ive had many off
    them over the years, if some so called ” fans” think a day out is going to the seaside
    then enjoy, but i will bet any off you i enjoy myself more than what you will no problem.
    win , lose or draw i wouldnt change it for anything, your right steve 100% those who
    stay away are making a great sacrifice if another day out is better than a day with
    your club and its magical supporters.KRO.

  • RichardM says:

    I was thinking, could we do any worse than make a move for Darius Vassell – the ex-Villa and Leicester man (and England for that matter) currently out of contract and looking for a club on a pay as you play basis? I know he was training with Blues pre-season. Given the current financial constraints he might be worth a punt – could certainly score goals at this level?

  • Steve Aerobic says:

    Dave, I personally think that everyone has the right to make their protest in the best way that they think fit, for you and I staying away is not an option. You will note from my previous comment that i said “genuinely” and if that is the case then it is indeed a massive sacrifice to make. I personally see no point in staying away anyway as the difference it will make, in my opinion, will be negligible and it could threaten jobs at the club and put off potential investors. The coming months will be interesting if not worrying times for us all.

    • StaffsBlue says:

      You have a very valid point there. If… and it’s a big if… there are potential buyers, who may just slip into St Andrews unheralded, what would they think sitting there on a Saturday afternoon? Good fans, good atmosphere, good experience? Worth buying? As GS would say…hmmmmmmmm?

  • Blue Steve says:

    There is another possibility with Chris Burke. He maybe released on loan if the purchasing club pay a loan fee. I hope this dosen’t happen though.

  • StaffsBlue says:

    I still have that sneaking feeling that Lee Clark will revert to 3-5-2 for the next game, now he has Caddis. I hope not, because with Caddis and Burke on one flank, and Hancox and Ferguson on the other… the service to the striker(s) should increase.

  • brumbie says:

    Calling Leeds a small club is disrespectful and incorrect. They have won many big trophies and have huge and loyal support if they are a small club what does that make us ?. The size of a club is judged by.
    1. Trophies won
    2 Average gates
    3 Seasons in top flight league
    4 Anual turnover
    Can anyone really say we have ever been a big club ?
    We should forget about making snide comments about other clubs being small and remember that we are not Real Madrid

    • StaffsBlue says:

      Nothing snide about it. I don’t class Leeds as a big club anymore. They might be again one day. As many clubs have found out, you can’t live on past glories.

      And I for one have never called us a big club…. and I’m really not that bothered. We are who we are.

  • Bobble says:

    Sorry for Eardley, must be horrible to lose a year. Dan, will you please pass on all the goodwill messages. This business of big clubs has set me thinking. Greater Lozells was home to the biggest club in the world in 1900 and their ground in the fifties, when I saw the Blues win there at 1/- entry, was the biggest sports arena in the UK outside of London and Glasgow. Again in the fifties, two of the biggest clubs were Wolves and Albion. Everton, Manchester City and Arsenal were the big teams in their cities and carried the tradition. Then came Busby, Nicholson and Shankly to shake up the order of things. In Europe, Real Madrid was created and funded by the fascist government to carry the flag for Spain. Subsequent eras include Clough at Derby and Nottingham, Ferguson at ManU and Wenger at Arsenal. When time ran out on Clough’s original players he found it hard to replace them and both Derby and Forest found that they were out of money paying big wages to ageing stars. Wenger built his team on talented Frenchmen languishing in Italian second teams and he has struggled to replace Henry, Vierra and others. Ferguson built on youth, Giggs, Neville and the best of the lot, Scholes, whom he has not replaced. The lack of a replacement for Scholes is Moyes poisoned chalice. The wealth of Arsenal and ManU appears solid, but the rest of the current premiership all look vulnerable to the spending of big money on underperforming/past their sell by date stars. Some clubs, like Portsmouth and Coventry, held on too long. Hopefully, the Blues are at the low end of their cycle. We have warm memories of the 2009/10 unbeatables and Wembley and the run to it. Lee C says that this recent heritage, the fans, the ground, the Birmingham location gives him scope to encourage players to sign on the dotted line. So I believe that we have something special and in Lee someone who recognises and uses it. Lee and his support staff work hard (all of the above have that characteristic), also there is sufficient evidence of Lee and the team being able to spot a good recruit, produce the best out of the individuals and play uptempo, Blues style football. On formation and tactics the jury appears to be out. Being an optimist who believes in hard worrk, I think that they will get there and we will have a football team to enjoy. Now, I have a suspicion that we disparate bunch of fans have a fault line, those that accept the historical cycle of success and its opposite and those that feel there should be a pool of profligate owners and we are entitled to one, because the blokes on tv say so. In terms of the money that I put in, from 1890 to 1990 the price of a ticket was the equivalent of two pints of beer, one pint for youngsters, £250k per annum is a decent wage for a talented player who works hard and with a shelf life of fifteen years. My £20 per match should be able to fund this level of remuneration and this realism is appearing among some British players. Lee and his staff appear to be tapping into this. By default, the owners appear to have stumbled upon the best management technique of appointing a good manager and staff and leaving them to get on with it. This contrasts with, say, the Wolves model of interfere and change. Just hope that i am proved right.

  • Dean BCFC says:

    I’m tired of this ‘big club ‘ rubbish

    For years we’ve been hopelessly supported , except for big games and Wembley

    We get what we deserve – Kumars, Sullivan , Yeung – it’s been no different

    I’ll keep my season ticket that I’ve had since 1972 – and salute all the similar genuine supporters on here – the rest I’ve no time for

    See this link if you think we’re big
    http://espnfc.com/stats/attendance/_/league/eng.2/english-league-championship?cc=5739

  • brumbie says:

    We are Birmingham City however big or small and thats all that matters. Most of us know what kind of club we are and will support it regardless. It does not matter that we will never see our club mixing it with the elite at the top end of the prem we will follow OUR club to the end of the road !

  • Dean BCFC says:

    Thanks for the aggreenent, I sometimes think I’m in another world

    Personally I hate the Prem and all the greed and media hype it brings with it . I also dislike the situation we’re in – but looking back I see why it’s happened

    Maybe some day the couch fans will get their wish and we’ll be a Man City or Chelsea with a rich but dodgy owner , but I somehow think I’ll walk away then – though don’t hold me to it

    KRO

  • bluenoseneil says:

    Do you know who I would love to loan in?

    Glenn Murray from Palace.

    His knee ligament damage means he won’t kick a ball until November but he will need game time to even get a sniff back in the First Team there and I don’t think he will get a look in now tbh.

    Grab him in November for 2-3 months and he will literally shit goals…

    Just a thought :p

  • StaffsBlue says:

    It’s good to know that Lee Clark isn’t prepared to let the grass grow under his feet.

    http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/birmingham-city-lee-clark-would-5845694

  • Steve Aerobic says:

    Can someone explain the relevance of who is and who isnt a big club? I fail to see the point of such a ridiculous debate…what bearing does it have on us in our presnt plight? If we are deemed to be a big club does someone give us some money or something?

  • johnS says:

    In my view the top six in the prem should be cast aside so they can throw millions making their teams compete with others with millions to form a super league .With them out of the way the grass routes sides on a budget might have half a chance of being competitive like the Blues were not so long ago when we beat arsenal in the cup against all odds ..The Blues will come good again just keep the faith and get this ownership mess behind us .


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