The Weiss is right?
We've already been credited with an interest in one young talent loaned to Bolton last season, and now, according to the Mirror, the other. Yesterday the paper has claimed that we're in pursuit of Man City midfielder Vladimir Weiss, which would make sense given our stated policy of getting in loanees and our need for some creativity behind the strikers - and also given his likely lack of opportunities in City's first team. I caught the first half of Slovakia's game against New Zealand yesterday, and he showed some liveliness and skill on the ball.
A rather more high-profile playmaker, Juan Roman Riquelme, is the subject of a story in the Sun, in which his agent Barry McIntosh suggests there are five Premier League clubs interested in the out-of-contract former Barcelona man but that West Ham are in pole position - and not really for footballing reasons: "For a foreign player of Riquelme's magnitude, the lure of London is always going to be a deciding factor." We've supposedly sounded Riquelme out in the past, and it would be nice to think we're one of those to have expressed an interest - but, being at the opposite end of the country from London and with his wage demands no doubt being in excess of the Jabba-imposed cap, I suspect we're unlikely to see the man beaten to a place in the Argentina squad by Spidermag any time soon.
In other news, the club has announced that the anniversary of Sir Bobby Robson's death will be marked with a St James' Park friendly against (fittingly) another of his former clubs, PSV Eindhoven. Other than Danny Simpson, one player who may well not feature is the aforementioned Spidermag, Chris Hughton announcing that our sole World Cup representative is to be given time off to recover from the exertions of the tournament - and from the trauma of being hung out to dry at right back...
A rather more high-profile playmaker, Juan Roman Riquelme, is the subject of a story in the Sun, in which his agent Barry McIntosh suggests there are five Premier League clubs interested in the out-of-contract former Barcelona man but that West Ham are in pole position - and not really for footballing reasons: "For a foreign player of Riquelme's magnitude, the lure of London is always going to be a deciding factor." We've supposedly sounded Riquelme out in the past, and it would be nice to think we're one of those to have expressed an interest - but, being at the opposite end of the country from London and with his wage demands no doubt being in excess of the Jabba-imposed cap, I suspect we're unlikely to see the man beaten to a place in the Argentina squad by Spidermag any time soon.
In other news, the club has announced that the anniversary of Sir Bobby Robson's death will be marked with a St James' Park friendly against (fittingly) another of his former clubs, PSV Eindhoven. Other than Danny Simpson, one player who may well not feature is the aforementioned Spidermag, Chris Hughton announcing that our sole World Cup representative is to be given time off to recover from the exertions of the tournament - and from the trauma of being hung out to dry at right back...
posted by Ben at 9:38 pm
4 Comments:
Weiss is one of the most exciting prospects to come through our Academy (City) for years, he showed glipes of his ability in the game you mentioned above. If you were to actually play him on a regular basis, something Bolton didn't, he'd be an excellent addition to your current team.
Do you think you'll keep hold of him, then? I'm guessing he must be well down the pecking order, with more big-money, big-name signings to come this summer.
I really hope so, Mancini seems keen to keep the youth players in the loop unlike Hughes was.
The fact that SWP has been so poor this second half of the season, leading the purchase of Johnson shows the still room for Vlad to challenge for a winger spot. Weiss has the advantage of being comfortable on either side, something that Mancini will keep in mind as he prefers to play wingers on the opposite flank to the natural flank.
I'd stay well clear of Riquelme if I were Newcastle, far to slow these days and won't enjoy the physical attention that he'll get in the Prem.
I'd be a bit more sceptical - you're in search of quick-fire gratification and that'll mean buying and then selecting the readymade article. Weiss is one of those who might find his chances become even more limited. Not good for the long-term health of the football club, but (as us Newcastle fans are only too aware) short-term imperatives always seem to carry more weight in football.
Just to make clear, though, I don't think we'd stand much of a chance of pinching him permanently! If he really is as good as is being suggested, then we'd be bound to be gazumped.
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