Rumour: James Harper (talks with Wolves confirmed)

[Hogmeister Royal]

I've never wanted us to spend big for the sake of it. I am just of the belief that if we could have spent a bit of the transfer money/ TV money we'd received during last season, we might have been able to avoid relegation. The chairman has always made it clear he doesn't want to spend big - inc on wages. I'm still at a loss why we would only offer £750k for a player it appears was valued by his club at £1.8 million.

Anyway, it's a new season - new team, new manager. Let's see what happens in the next few months.

...just to be pedantic - I don't think spending extra money last season would have helped much to avoid the relegation that happened in 2007-08.

[Agent Balti]

I'm still at a loss why we would only offer £750k for a player it appears was valued by his club at £1.8 million.

Because most times you buy a player, you're buying out their contract 'worth' not necessarily the player value.

A player on a 3 year contract is worth a lot more than a player with less than a year left. It's why contracts (partly) exist, to inflate the price - hence the price for Doyle and SHunt being what they were.

£1.8m was pie in the sky and Watford know it. £750k for a 29 year old player is still very generous, in my view, as he'll be worth half that in January and zip next June.

Ummm, "pie in the sky"??? Sheffield United have already offered £1.8m for him! Seems a dead cert now that Shunt (and his wages) has gone that we'll now offer them that (or damn close to it) and he'll be here shortly.

Sheff Utd didn't even have £1.8m to spend. Well known fact. If we spend a penny over £750k the club are crazy in the coconut.

[Hogmeister Royal]

Because most times you buy a player, you're buying out their contract 'worth' not necessarily the player value.

A player on a 3 year contract is worth a lot more than a player with less than a year left. It's why contracts (partly) exist, to inflate the price - hence the price for Doyle and SHunt being what they were.

£1.8m was pie in the sky and Watford know it. £750k for a 29 year old player is still very generous, in my view, as he'll be worth half that in January and zip next June.

Ummm, "pie in the sky"??? Sheffield United have already offered £1.8m for him! Seems a dead cert now that Shunt (and his wages) has gone that we'll now offer them that (or damn close to it) and he'll be here shortly.

Sheff Utd didn't even have £1.8m to spend. Well known fact. If we spend a penny over £750k the club are crazy in the coconut.

Yeah right, "well known fact" - you sound like Benitez!

The real facts are that the clubs agreed a fee of £1.8m, the move foundered due to Smith's personal terms, and possibly because he didn't want to move up North and knew we'd be in for him sooner or later. See for example:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ ... -21560462/

It's old news, this was weeks ago - pay attention!

[Woodcote Royal]

We bid 750k because a 29 year old Championship striker is rarely worth more than £1m even without him being out of contract within the year.

I trust this club not to pay anywhere near Watford's asking price.

[Alan Partridge]

We bid 750k because a 29 year old Championship striker is rarely worth more than £1m even without him being out of contract within the year.

I trust this club not to pay anywhere near Watford's asking price.

I agree with this. Smith isn't an out and out striker anymore. He tends to play wide or just off the forward which Rodgers hinted at last week with his 'link striker' quote.

He had an excellent season last year, think his numbers were swelled by penalties as well but personally speaking he's a year or two too old for me. That was his best season in his career goal wise having never managed to do better than 11 before and if we need a proven goalscorer then a 29 year old 1 season wonder is hardly the answer. Where would he even play in this team? On the flank? This link role would mean one of the midfielders missing out, who?

If Rodgers is buying a striker I'd sooner he spent the £1.8million or whatever he's got on someone with pace, who could play as an out and out striker and ideally someone whose got either a more consistant record of goalscoring or someone young. I've mentioned it to a few gr8 m8s but if we can't afford Beckford then the lad at Gillingham Simion Jackson should be worth a look. His goals got Gillingham promoted last year, he's still young, he's quick and he's already got 4 in two games at the start of this season. With someone like that you don't just get the present but if he does well you get a saleable asset like Doyle.

[Royal Rother]

We bid 750k because a 29 year old Championship striker is rarely worth more than £1m even without him being out of contract within the year.

I trust this club not to pay anywhere near Watford's asking price.

Undisclosed fee so we'll never know.

[Agent Balti]

See for example:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ ... -21560462/

It's old news, this was weeks ago - pay attention!

Yep, I trust the Daily Mirror implicitly too. Smith didn't want to go, pure and simple. If you read further around the forum (not that you or I would) but it was news weeks ago that Sheffield didn't have the money...so you pay attention - so there!

[winchester_royal]

We bid 750k because a 29 year old Championship striker is rarely worth more than £1m even without him being out of contract within the year.

I trust this club not to pay anywhere near Watford's asking price.

I agree with this. Smith isn't an out and out striker anymore. He tends to play wide or just off the forward which Rodgers hinted at last week with his 'link striker' quote.

He had an excellent season last year, think his numbers were swelled by penalties as well but personally speaking he's a year or two too old for me. That was his best season in his career goal wise having never managed to do better than 11 before and if we need a proven goalscorer then a 29 year old 1 season wonder is hardly the answer. Where would he even play in this team? On the flank? This link role would mean one of the midfielders missing out, who?

If Rodgers is buying a striker I'd sooner he spent the £1.8million or whatever he's got on someone with pace, who could play as an out and out striker and ideally someone whose got either a more consistant record of goalscoring or someone young. I've mentioned it to a few gr8 m8s but if we can't afford Beckford then the lad at Gillingham Simion Jackson should be worth a look. His goals got Gillingham promoted last year, he's still young, he's quick and he's already got 4 in two games at the start of this season. With someone like that you don't just get the present but if he does well you get a saleable asset like Doyle.

Jackson wouldn't bring the experience that we clearly lack though. For me there is no need to bring in any more youngsters. Smith wouyld bring that little bit of class and guile in the final third that we need at the moment. If we can get him and A.N. Other then we'll be in a very strong position to make a serious challenge this year.

[Alan Partridge]

To be honest I think the only person that matters, Mr Rodgers shares your view rather than mine.

I don't think it's a lack of experience we lack up top we just don't have a real natural goalscorer who has the game or out and out pace to play on his own. I'd say Noel Hunt is possibly the closest one we have who could do it, even his all round game isn't that great. What he is though is good in the air, a hard worker, brave and can chip in goals. Not sure he has the fitness to play there for a sustained period of time. I really liked what I saw from Bignall on tuesday but I still think he's well down the pecking order for a regular first team place, maybe an impact sub.

If Rodgers goes with Smith then I'll fully support that decision and await eagerly where he intends to fit him in, I heavily doubt it's as the leading man up front though, more likely in place of HRK.

[winchester_royal]

He won't play the lead role up front. That much is pretty clear. But I'm happy for Long/Bignall/Church/Mooney to get a chance in that role.

As for Noel, I really don't see where he fits into this 4-3-3 formation. He isn't a winger, but I'm not sure he can play the lead role either, so it won't suprise me if he finds himself on the bench for much of the season.

[Mr Angry]

SSN have just reported that the Harper deal might be on again; they are quoting BR as saying it might be resurrected.

[Bacon Double Cheese]

Anyway back to James Harper. SSN says the deal could be back on for him to move to Wolves.

Or to put it another way ^^ What he said.

[Royalee]

Excellent!

[tee peg]

Chronicle on line say its Harpers call if he wants to go.A price has been agreed.

[brendywendy]

sniff

bye ol' eyebrows

you ledge

[wolsey]

Excellent!

So...a player, one of the best players ever to have represented RFC (Yes Royalee, we did exist before 1998) with a fantastic attitude is deemed worthy of a place in a Premier League Team Squad, is best got rid of at any cost.

You really are a clueless oxf*rd

[Royalee]

Excellent!

So...a player, one of the best players ever to have represented RFC (Yes Royalee, we did exist before 1998) with a fantastic attitude is deemed worthy of a place in a Premier League Team Squad, is best got rid of at any cost.

You really are a clueless oxf*rd

He's not one of the best players ever to have represented us and isn't even one of the best 16 players currently at the club, HTH. Davies, Tabb, Matejovsky and Karacan are all better than him and Gunnarsson's also better in the holding role, get rid of him and use the fee and wages (no doubt he'll be one of our top earners) to bring in someone we actually need, like a striker.

[sandman]

Excellent!

So...a player, one of the best players ever to have represented RFC (Yes Royalee, we did exist before 1998) with a fantastic attitude is deemed worthy of a place in a Premier League Team Squad, is best got rid of at any cost.

You really are a clueless oxf*rd

He's not one of the best players ever to have represented us and isn't even one of the best 16 players currently at the club, HTH. Davies, Tabb, Matejovsky and Karacan are all better than him and Gunnarsson's also better in the holding role, get rid of him and use the fee and wages (no doubt he'll be one of our top earners) to bring in someone we actually need, like a striker.

Every player in that great Championship winning team is a legend at this club and rightly so. Harper was a key member of that team so have a bit of respect.

[KC Royal]

We bid 750k because a 29 year old Championship striker is rarely worth more than £1m even without him being out of contract within the year.

I trust this club not to pay anywhere near Watford's asking price.

I agree with this. Smith isn't an out and out striker anymore. He tends to play wide or just off the forward which Rodgers hinted at last week with his 'link striker' quote.

He had an excellent season last year, think his numbers were swelled by penalties as well but personally speaking he's a year or two too old for me. That was his best season in his career goal wise having never managed to do better than 11 before and if we need a proven goalscorer then a 29 year old 1 season wonder is hardly the answer. Where would he even play in this team? On the flank? This link role would mean one of the midfielders missing out, who?

If Rodgers is buying a striker I'd sooner he spent the £1.8million or whatever he's got on someone with pace, who could play as an out and out striker and ideally someone whose got either a more consistant record of goalscoring or someone young. I've mentioned it to a few gr8 m8s but if we can't afford Beckford then the lad at Gillingham Simion Jackson should be worth a look. His goals got Gillingham promoted last year, he's still young, he's quick and he's already got 4 in two games at the start of this season. With someone like that you don't just get the present but if he does well you get a saleable asset like Doyle.

Tbh i hadnt really considered Jackson as a possibility, but he really would be a good signing, even if we would have to pay a 7 figure sum. And perhaps more significantly he would adapt well to a 4-3-3/4-5-1 as thats the formation Gillingham have played for some time. I'm surprised no-one has yet made a serious offer for him. The only club i know of that are interested is Charlton, and that was simply because they refused to do a deal with Gillingham for Chris Dickson unless they got Jackson in exchange.

[Isaac Hunt]

He's not one of the best players ever to have represented us and isn't even one of the best 16 players currently at the club, HTH. Davies, Tabb, Matejovsky and Karacan are all better than him and Gunnarsson's also better in the holding role, get rid of him and use the fee and wages (no doubt he'll be one of our top earners) to bring in someone we actually need, like a striker.

I'm not Harps' greatest fan, but he has to rate as one of our best ever players.

I can't see any Premier League sides making bids for Davies, Tabb, Matejovsky and Karacan right now, can you? Perhaps none of the Premier League managers/scouts know that they're all better than Harper.