Football Banter Archive March 10 2013

10 Mar 2013 23:12:13
Phil parkinson to leave city at end of season. He has refused contract on offer. City will not break bank to keep him due to league position and he has over spent on both this and last seasons budget with no challenge for promotion. Cup run saved his job.

10 Mar 2013 15:49:16
Derby County will sign Martyn Waghorn as a free agent in the summer after his contract expires at Leicester City.

They will also sign Chris Martin from Norwich. Norwich will activate the extra year on his contract and then Derby will pay a small fee. Wage demands by Martin will be higher than the normal for the squad, which is already low. However Derby are looking to offload Theo Robinson, Nathan Tyson and Connor Doyle and give Mason Bennett a more influential role. The emergence of Jamie Ward as a striker this year has also reduced the need for Tyson and Robinson.

This will leave Derby with a satisfactory budget to make additions in the left back and centre back position.

Aiden White and Stephen Crainey are number 1 targets however White will demand a high wage and there will be a large bid required to prise him away from Leeds. Crainey depends on whether Blackpool activate the extra year option on his contract, this is likely unless Blackpool have a replacement lined up.

At centre back Captain Shaun Barker is unlikely to return until November. Derby will look to Mark Obrien to fill the gap, Obrien has never completed a full pre-season and has showed great promise as a 20 year old. However pressure from fans will mean that Derby will sign a centre back. Lingering in the minds of many fans is the still "outrageous" sale of last seasons captain and ever present Jason Shackell. Depending on how much has already been spent by the club their targets will change.

Finally derby will make the usual lower league small fee additions that Nigel Clough has been successful in recruiting during his reign.


Also Derby will receive bids for Will Hughes, John Brayford, Mason Bennett and Jeff Hendrick. Unless the bids are too good to turn down none will leave. Contracts for John Brayford, Jamie Ward and Craig Bryson are high on the agenda too.

10 Mar 2013 15:37:20
when/if watford go up they will need to strengthn in the back 3 place first, then move to buy anthan chalobah which would be a hard but expensive move.