Hob Nob Anyone?

Bodin never really had a chance being old, past his prime and a long serving ex Pigtown player.

Sutekh wrote:This site says Fenerbahce are close to signing Blackett

http://sportwitness.co.uk/director-talk ... aid-close/

Meanwhile Reading are set to offer Blackett a new 2.5 year deal

Big decision for Tyler this month then.

There's so much agent nonsense about at this time of year but the first criteria for me is whether Tyler wants to stay here and, unless he's playing blinders just to get a way, I would be surprised if this is not the case. With his CV, playing well and out of contract in the summer, it would be a major surprise if he wasn't attracting attention as an almost free transfer.

Compared to the days when right footed midfielder Andy Hughes stood in (quite successfully in my view) for Shorey, having 3 left backs plus Gunter represents riches beyond belief compared to what we've been used to but Blackett is deservedly his new manager's first choice and that makes it's absolutely right that the club should offer him the incentive to commit long term.

If he accepts, the really tough decision will have to be taken in the summer. Oh how times have changed!

If we can keep him, we should. Decent LB, improving, decent CB
but has lapses, yes, but still maturing IMO

Can play LB, CB, LWB, stand in at LW

(But actually, and not a wind up, I wonder if he could play CF?)

I'm sure he could play it. He'd be utterly useless at it, but he could still give it a go

Woodcote Royal wrote:

Sutekh wrote:This site says Fenerbahce are close to signing Blackett

http://sportwitness.co.uk/director-talk ... aid-close/

Meanwhile Reading are set to offer Blackett a new 2.5 year deal

Big decision for Tyler this month then.

There's so much agent nonsense about at this time of year but the first criteria for me is whether Tyler wants to stay here and, unless he's playing blinders just to get a way, I would be surprised if this is not the case. With his CV, playing well and out of contract in the summer, it would be a major surprise if he wasn't attracting attention as an almost free transfer.

Compared to the days when right footed midfielder Andy Hughes stood in (quite successfully in my view) for Shorey, having 3 left backs plus Gunter represents riches beyond belief compared to what we've been used to but Blackett is deservedly his new manager's first choice and that makes it's absolutely right that the club should offer him the incentive to commit long term.

If he accepts, the really tough decision will have to be taken in the summer. Oh how times have changed!

Is he actually the manager's first choice or is he there because of Obita's ongoing injury problems?
We will know in the next few weeks.

He got in because of Obita's injury problems. He played very well, indeed better than Obita, and is now first choice. Would be a loss.

I haven't been his biggest fan due to some wayward performances - however his improvement has been impressive. We should be keeping him as he's become a real asset to the team.

Victor Meldrew wrote:

Woodcote Royal wrote:

Sutekh wrote:This site says Fenerbahce are close to signing Blackett

http://sportwitness.co.uk/director-talk ... aid-close/

Meanwhile Reading are set to offer Blackett a new 2.5 year deal

Big decision for Tyler this month then.

There's so much agent nonsense about at this time of year but the first criteria for me is whether Tyler wants to stay here and, unless he's playing blinders just to get a way, I would be surprised if this is not the case. With his CV, playing well and out of contract in the summer, it would be a major surprise if he wasn't attracting attention as an almost free transfer.

Compared to the days when right footed midfielder Andy Hughes stood in (quite successfully in my view) for Shorey, having 3 left backs plus Gunter represents riches beyond belief compared to what we've been used to but Blackett is deservedly his new manager's first choice and that makes it's absolutely right that the club should offer him the incentive to commit long term.

If he accepts, the really tough decision will have to be taken in the summer. Oh how times have changed!

Is he actually the manager's first choice or is he there because of Obita's ongoing injury problems?
We will know in the next few weeks.

He's the best left back we've had this season and if there's more to come from Obita it's going to take months not weeks.

Yesterday's paper had him going to Trabonzspor and not Fernebache.

Uh oh. Our wage packet did not apparently match his offers from elsewhere and he has told the club to up their offer.

Bad timing this.

At least that tells me he wants to stay.

With three decent left backs, plus a couple of RBs who can do a job, he doesn't have much of a negotiating hand.

Especially as we're still recovering from over spending and have deadwood to shift.

Snowflake Royal wrote:With three decent left backs, plus a couple of RBs who can do a job, he doesn't have much of a negotiating hand.

Especially as we're still recovering from over spending and have deadwood to shift.

Bit more of a negotiating hand than this time a month ago though

He can point to the improvement in defensive records since he's been back into the squad and his versatility could also play in his favour

URZZZZ wrote:

Snowflake Royal wrote:With three decent left backs, plus a couple of RBs who can do a job, he doesn't have much of a negotiating hand.

Especially as we're still recovering from over spending and have deadwood to shift.

Bit more of a negotiating hand than this time a month ago though

He can point to the improvement in defensive records since he's been back into the squad and his versatility could also play in his favour

True, not a big factor though IMO.

The Turkish league is not really the place to progress as a footballer though, if we do indeed keep improving he could find himself back in the Premier League which will easily trump anything a Turkish club can offer him.

I don't think Reading need to match the wages offered.

Snowflake Royal wrote:With three decent left backs, plus a couple of RBs who can do a job, he doesn't have much of a negotiating hand.

Especially as we're still recovering from over spending and have deadwood to shift.

By 3 decent LBs, do you mean Richards who has struggled of late and Obita who is coming back from 2 years out injured and also out of contract in the summer?

And by 2 right backs who can cover, I presume you are including Gunter who is also out of contract in the summer and has been repeatedly criticised by certain posters on here as not being good enough for the past 3+ years?

Suddenly that wealth of options is looking a lot thinner going forward and it's currently Blackett's shirt to lose so he's hardly in the "deadwood" category.

I wouldnt be too worried if it was up to Obita and Richards to look after the LB position for the rest of the season tbh

But would happily have Blackett stay as well

I'm thinking more that we could enter July with Yiadom, Richards and Howe as our only full back options.

not the end of the world if that's the case though. Would just either need to keep Obita or find another LB. Richards was pretty strong at the start of the season

player in upping his game when his contract is approaching expiry shocker. He's been mediocre for 3 years and expects us to bend over and offer him a decent contract now? no thanks, bin him. He will only go back to the blackett of old if he renews