Zak Whitbread to Norwich: 5-16-2012 released by Norwich

The story has been in the papers for a few weeks (Mirror 5/17) but after todays loss Millwall supporters have said that they have confirmed Zak has played his last game for Millwall and will join Rangers pending a medical:

Good move for Zak if it goes through!

(mods: I couldn't find the Whitbread thread to post this in.)

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

Weir is old, but as a Celtic fan I'm secretly hoping this is being done as a replacement for Bougherra. Would be a big step up, though... Rangers are in CL next year.

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Wow this is great news. Hopefully he can work hard and earn a starting spot at Rangers.

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Why the hell would he go to Rangers? What have they won lately?


Seriously, if this is indeed true, this is huge. Congrats to him! He's been fantastic for Millwall this season and had a stellar career with them. Today was probably his last match representing the Lions. Zak will end up somewhere. I just hope it's Rangers.

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Huge move for him

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We will miss him...

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Congrats to Zak if true!

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Is he capable of playing left back, or is he strictly central defense from here on out?

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From what I've been reading of him over the last few months he is strictly a center back - a very good one, at least at the Championship level. I wonder if he'll get a call up for the Gold Cup.

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It's certainly a possibility to get a look this summer especially if he moves to Rangers. I have a sneaky feeling Bob has been monitoring him. Bob recently made a trip to Europe to scout some Scandinavian based players and I wonder if he popped into the UK to see Mo and others.

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i know someone who better be at the Gold Cup in July....

Shame about today, but congratulations to Zak for quite the upward move.

Now for YA fans own selfish purposes we have to hope Bougherra does get snapped up by Birmingham

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

There has also been a rumor circulating that Sunderland will make a move for Zak after the ownership change. The new owner, like Zak hails from Texas, so maybe there is some very faint reason to think this rumor might be valid.

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Not that players don't change their minds frequently, but...

Bougherra: "I will say it again, 100% I will stay next season. When you see the fans behind you and know they like you, you can't move. It's impossible."

http://www.clubcall.com/rangers/defender-staying-put-ibrox-905320.html

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

This would be a great move for Zak. It would be fantastic to see two Americans starting in the Group stages of the Champions league.

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http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport...e_focus_on_falkirk_for_scottish_cup_final.php

Rangers are now denying the reports Whitbread is to sign with them.

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Obviously the article is slanted towards Rangers not losing focus for the cup final so that could be attributed to the denial. They don't need anything to distract them especially transfer rumors and potential signings.

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Congrats to Zak for making the League 1 Team of the Season.

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To those who have watched Zak play a fair amount (ahem... bshredder)... is he Prem quality, in your opinion? What are his weaknesses?

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His strength is in the air -- so when teams play the long ball they play right into his hands -- in that respect he is prem quality.

in terms of his weakness I would say his positioning leaves a little to be desired as he gets caught out of space sometimes on crosses. Also he can struggle against a pacey technical player as he did last wknd verse Scunthorpe. Still overall in spite of his weaknesses I think he's premiership quality

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he played left back for us during the U-20 tourney that featured Eddie Johnson and Convey.

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At least when we hear that this YA is one of the best at his level, there is some real support for it.

You mean like Vidic did last night?

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I noticed the same thing. In the air he is awesome! He wins it seems like every ball. He does seem to struggle with more technical/pacey players though in terms of his positioning. He reminds me of a less-girthy version of Onyewu (the Gooch of 3 years ago), a good defender but with learning to do still. I think in time it will come, but because he has been in League 1 for the past few years, he hasn't been exposed to a more technical style of football.

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Yep, displaced Heath Pearce as LB on that team if I'm not mistaken.

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The playoff matches against Leeds, I thought he pretty much owned Jermaine Beckford. He's pacey, and Prem quality apparently.

Not totally disagreeing with you as I have not seen enough of him to know for sure, but Beckford had little to no success up the middle against Milwall.

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For one Jermaine Beckford is known for his penchant for disappearing in the big matches. I watched both legs of the semis and I've said before even though it pains me to say it I thought Zak was clearly a class above and the best player on the pitch. To some extent Leeds played into hands though, as I seem to remember Zak clearing long ball after long ball away from danger.

Full disclosure, I didn't get to watch the playoff final but from what I gathered from match reports he was at fault for one goal when a Scunny winger ran past him. Read a lot of Millwall fans saying they wished he would have taken the yellow as he was beat from step one.

That said I'm a big fan of Zak's, reckon he has to be in the mix at centrehalf. I rate him over Califf and Demerit (but maybe not Jay when he's fit and on form) right now anyway.