Thursday 30 January 2014

Enjoying the ride?

I said this could be a pivotal week in the future of the club and it is certainly shaping up like that. I was determined not to post again until tomorrow night or even Saturday morning once the dust has settled but I can't help myself….

Emotions in my household were running pretty high last night over what looked like our best players being flogged off and replaced my lesser ones. On top of the contract hiatus and us in the relegation places, it was looking like very much like a perfect storm with League 1 beckoning strongly. Chris Powell's job was looking untenable as of 5pm yesterday as Kermorgant looked to be making a forced exit to Bournemouth. I was moved as far as to change the mood picture (on the right)!

News today that we have signed Iranian international Reza Ghoochannejhad from SL on a two-and-a-half year contract. That certainly feels better than a straightforward loan, although we have to hope he genuinely offers us something. That was followed by a strong rumour that 20 year-old Polish striking hot-shot, Piotr Parzyszek, is on his way for a medical tomorrow on a permanent deal. This guy is 6ft 3ins and has a 1:2 goal ratio for De Graffschapp (the Super Peasants!) in his first season with the Dutch second tier side. He has attracted interest from across Europe, Benfica, West Ham and Aston Villa having been linked. A fee of c £600,000 is being mooted too, so signs that Roland might not be acting simply to recoup some of his investment. 

Confirmation too that Dale Stephens has left for Brighton & Hove Albion for £750,000. That would seem like a decent fee although Poker Face Jiminez will be choked he has gone for half what Villa reputedly offered at the start of last season.

Probably the best news of the day is that Rhoys Wiggins has signed a new four and half year deal spurning interest from Bournemouth and Reading. The quote from him today says it all - "hopefully now other players will get contracts and we can all concentrate on keeping the club up." I'm surprised they included that on the Official Site but perhaps the log-jam has been properly broken with the window closing and the freeing up of some cash.

There is also a chance that Yann Kermorgant may yet decide to stay with us. He was back at Sparrows Lane having been down to see Bournemouth. I am hoping he has an offer that is attractive enough to stay and decides to commit to the cause. He is far from Premier League class but he has done a great job, often on his own, for us and if we can pair him with another quality striker (Parzyszek or Ghoochannejhad maybe) he could yet play his part is a genuine promotion push.

Tomorrow promises to be equally interesting….

4 comments:

  1. What a difference a day makes.
    24 little hours.

    PH

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ghoochannejhad - That's gonna cost a few bob to put on shirts!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Pete - I'm guessing most people will simply shorten his name to Jihad what with us all being so familiar with Holy War.

    ReplyDelete

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