Monday, 2 July 2007
12 gone - Eastwood next in?
Blackheath Addick led me to a list of players released from Premiership clubs. 65 players in total and including Robbie Fowler, Boudewijn Zenden, Chris Powell and Shaun Newton. Full list here.
Jimmy-Floyd Haselbaink and Talal El Karkouri were obviously big wage earners and although it remains to be seen if JFH can get further fat and happy some place else it, rumours are that El Khak, who played 39 times last season, will pick up a nice payday in Qatar.
With Benty's big move, Hreidarsson activating a 'I'm too good to go down clause' and Kishishev and Hughes moving to other Championship clubs, that is 12 players released so far, with only Matt Holland and Walker being offered new contracts.
¶ 18:27 
Being realistic and taking wages into account, perhaps the three goalkeepers Magnus Hedman, Richard Wright and John Filan could be of interest unless Pards is really prepared to go without any goalkeeping experience at all in our squad.
We led the list with 8 players being shown the door. These were no surprise following weeks of speculation in the press, presumably fuelled by the players' agents.
Jimmy-Floyd Haselbaink and Talal El Karkouri were obviously big wage earners and although it remains to be seen if JFH can get further fat and happy some place else it, rumours are that El Khak, who played 39 times last season, will pick up a nice payday in Qatar.The list also includes Thomas Myhre, who unless I dreamt this actually signed a pre-contract agreement for his first ever club Viking back in January. The others were all young players that in the eyes of Pards, Parky, Robson and Kinsella were obviously not ready to step up. So Nathan Ashton, Rurik Gislason (reportedly Hibernian are interested), Alistair John, Myles Weston (being chased by Steve 'Rambo' Thompson at Notts County) and a certain Kevin Lisbie were all denied new contracts.
19-year old striker James Walker was though, and talks progress between him and the club, although with news that we have entered the race to sign Southend's Freddy Eastwood tonight, perhaps playing the role of 6th-string striker would not appeal to the youngster, who had good loan spells at both Leyton Orient and Notts County last season.
With Benty's big move, Hreidarsson activating a 'I'm too good to go down clause' and Kishishev and Hughes moving to other Championship clubs, that is 12 players released so far, with only Matt Holland and Walker being offered new contracts.
