Some close season stuff!

[Bispham Seasider]

It's summer time but the rumour mill has gone into overdrive.

Wes hoolahan is expected to sign for Norwich City very soon if not tomorrow.

Kaspars Gorkss - all sorts of rumours about clubs being after him including Rangers, QPR and Norwich.

Stephen Crainey - latest was that Burnley were preparing a bid for him.

The trouble is that they have release clauses in their contracts where if a club offers us £250,000 for them then the release clause comes in, meaning we lose them. Great.

Also today one of the local TV channels Granada TV on their daily local news show reported that Leicester City are about to make an official approach for Simon Grayson. Even though it would mean a drop down from the Championship to League One, he has close ties with Leicester plus whether we like it or not they are (now) a bigger club with a better stadium blah blah blah.

We have signed a player though, but he has not exactly been a wow signing. Marlon Broomes from Stoke City - who didn't even play one game for them in the 2007-08 season and who has also spent a year out with injury.

And this coming season we have been installed along with Barnsley as one of the favourites for relegation. Of course so were Hull City last season and look where they are now. And the stadium capacity has still not been increased at all, meaning next season we will have the smallest stadium with the lowest average attendances in the Championship. Which is ridiculous. Chairman Karl Oyston reckons he has told the rest of the Board of Directors that for the club to progress the capacity has to be increased. They have though put up a sign where the South Stand should be and where there is a wasteland, advertising office space, a bar/restaurant and hotel with hospitality suites overlooking the pitch for match days in the new South Stand. Which is all well and good but there is still nothing doing about actually building the damn thing.

Of course we have been and got our season tickets for next season but right now I don't feel confident about our chances should we lose any more players!

[Art Vandaley]

Thanks for the update! Where have you been??

[Bispham Seasider]

Aye well there are all sorts of rumours at the moment about players leaving, even Grayson and the Leicester City job which has again come up because Leicester have been refused permission to speak to MK Dons manager Paul Ince, and multiple rumours about players we have with which has probably reached 20+ now.

Right now though we are getting short on bodies in the squad! We have 23 players. However, that includes Wes Hoolahan (who most people think is about to sign for Norwich City this week), Kaspars Gorkss (who QPR have confirmed they have put in a bid for and considering they are now apparently a wealithier club than moneybags Chelsea, probably little we can do to stop him leaving), plus it also includes two players who are yet to re-sign Andy Morrell and Claus Bech Jorgenson. They were both offered new contracts, but on the basis that they will both almost certainly be squad players this coming season rather than regular starters. And neither has yet committed themselves, and maybe would prefer a move to a League One club where they would be virtualy guaranteed a place in the starting line-up. Also in that 23 man squad are four players who are on their first professional contracts and who were in the Youth team last season (Ashton Bayliss, Dominic Merella, Danny Mitchley and Ross Lloyd) plus Matty Kay whose one and only appearance for us came in Novemver 2005 as a 16 year old in League One when he was on the pitch for about 2 minutes and didn't even touch the ball! Also Simon Wiles who has only played a handful of games and that was at League One level not the Championship and who many expect to leave for a League One or League Two club, and Canadian Michael D'Agostino who is also a new pro, we sent him out on loan to Cheltenham Town (League One) last season where he made 21 appearances (nearly half of which were as a sub).

So take out the inexperienced players plus Hoolahan and Gorkss and we are left with a squad of 14, then if Morrell and Jorgenson don't re-sign and that would leave 12 experienced players at the club! Gulp.

Some of the players we have been linked with are very good players (at this level or below) inlcuding Liam Dickinson of Stockport County (promoted from League One to League Two) who has attracted interest from quite a few Championship clubs, but I doubt we will get him. Others include Andy Wilkinson and Carl Dickinson from newly promoted to the EPL, Stoke City (but again both players will want to try and stay with the opportunity of playing in the EPL), Noel Hunt from Dundee United (but again other Championship clubs are after him) and Chris Taylor from Oldham Athletic - one player who I really do hope we sign as he would be a superb signing in my opinion and go a long way to cover the loss of Wes Hoolahan (who also recently won his first full cap for the Republic of Ireland in a friendly against Colombia held at Fulhams ground in London for some reason!).

Getting back to our squad it breaks down as

Goalkeepers - 1 (Ouch!!!)

Defenders - 7 (with Gorkss presumably to leave and Ashton Bayliss a new pro)

Midfielders - 11 (the one area of the pitch we have a lot of cover. However, that also includes Wes Hoolahan, Claus Bech Jorgenson, Matty Kay, Ross Lloyd, Dominc Merella, Michael D'Agostino and Simon Wiles!!)

Forwards - 4!!!! (Big ouch as the four are Ben Burgess - our top scorer last season but not a prolific scorer, Stephen McPhee - signed toward the end of last season, bit hit and miss, he did well when paired with Paul Dickov, Andy Morrell - may well not stay, and even if he does he will soon be 34 and is way past his best. And our only other forward is the young Danny Mitchley who has been a prolific scorer for the Youth and Reserve teams but he is still only 18 years old, and it is a huge step up to Championship football.

We need (in my opinion anyway) before the season -

Two goalkeepers
One or two defenders
Two, maybe three midfielders
At least two forwards

And most need to be players who would be "starters" and not just squad players.

In other news!!!!!!!!! The club are off to Latvia again for two matches soon taking on FK Jurmula on 14th July and Skonto FC (who hammered us 4-0 last season so revenge is needed!) on 15th July. The club are also trying to sort out a short tour to Northern Ireland after that.

And we have a whole one home pre-season friendly, when we play Scottish Premier League club St.Mirren at Bloomfield Road on 29th July. And of course the annual pre-season friendly at local Fylde coast neighbours Fleetwood Town FC, who last season were promoted to the Conference North (two divisions below the Football League). They are doing a lot of building work to bring it up to Conference standard so the match will be limited to 1,500 - we usually take about 2,000+ to the game - last one I went to there were about 3,200 there. It is more of a PR exercise and to help out Fleetwood get them some dosh from gate receipts as they let us use their ground for the Reserves to play their home games.

Pre-season fixtures so far -

Saturday 12th July - Fleetwood Town at Highbury stadium, Fleetwood
Monday 14th July - FK Jurmula at Slokas Stadium, Jurmula
Tuesday 15th July - Skonto FC at Skonto stadion, Riga
Saturday 19th July - Wrexham at the Racecourse stadium, Wrexham
(Sometime between 19th and 29th the NI tour is expected to be!)
Tuesday 29th July - St. Mirren at Bloomfield Road
Saturday 2nd August - Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park, Tranmere, Birkenhead

The Carling Cup First Round draw took place this week and we have been drawn away to League Two club Macclesfield Town, also based in the North West in Cheshire, and should be a pleasant evening out!

And tomorrow (Monday 16th June) the new league fixtures are due out.


I forgot to say - come on Houston!! Subscribed to msltv again this season! I see LA Galaxy and Toronto have improved remarkably this season but Houston ---gggrrr stop losing. 2-0 at home to New England on Thursday...... Toronto I don't mind them improving, as I think their fans deserve it, they seem a decent bunch (like Houston are!)

[Dynamogal]

Thanks for the updates, Bispham! Glad to see you're back from the winter hibernation - LOL :D

Wow, losing Kaspars and Wes would not be good. Both players are key at their positions. How hard do you think Blackpool's owners will work to keep them on the squad? In other words, will they show them the money???:p

[Bispham Seasider]

Most fans are resigned to losing Wes Hoolahan, who is rumoured to have already signed for Norwich City, but for some reason the announcement is being delayed.

With Kaspars Gorkss, there has been a delay apparently so my hope is that somehow we manage to keep hold of him.

With Hoolahan, should he go/have gone then one of the best replacements for him (in my opinion anyway) would be Chris Taylor from Oldham Athletic in League One. The one thing Wes has always suffered from (and will continue to do so, is that he is totally one footed. He is a left footer who just seems completely unable to use is right peg, and he does get caught out at times on the ball because of it. That is not to take anything away from the Irish Magician though as he is a superb player. However, Taylor is at least more of a two-footed player. He is young and has a growing reputation, the trouble is though that ldham won't want to let him go and it is down to whether Blackpool would be prepared to fork out probably at least £400,000 for him, which unfortunately I can't see happening.

[Art Vandaley]

I saw Wes play in an Irish friendly about 2 or 3 weeks ago. He played really well. It was the first time I was able to see a seasider in action.

[Bispham Seasider]

Unfortunately though I doubt we will ever see him playing as a Seasider again if all the rumours are true. But we have to move onward and (hopefully) upward.

In a summer of what seems to be daily rumours, the latest player linked with us is Nadjim Abdou a 23 year old French midfielder who left Plymouth Argyle at the end of the 2007-08 season when the player and club could not agree terms over a new contract. Apparently Plymouth would not meet the amount he wanted so let him go. The trouble as always is though that there are other Championship clubs after him.

[Bispham Seasider]

Today Blackpool were linked with a move for Cameroonian international Joseph-Désiré Job who played for Middlesbrough in the Premier League from 2000 to 2006 and who is currently playing his trade in Ligue 1 in France with Nice.

According to the Sunday Mirror Job will arrive at Bloomfield Road next week on a free transfer.

[Dynamogal]

Today Blackpool were linked with a move for Cameroonian international Joseph-Désiré Job who played for Middlesbrough in the Premier League from 2000 to 2006 and who is currently playing his trade in Ligue 1 in France with Nice.

According to the Sunday Mirror Job will arrive at Bloomfield Road next week on a free transfer.

What position does he play? Forward?

[Bispham Seasider]

He is indeed, and if true would be in my opinion anyway a good signing. Someone who has played in two world cup finals, the World Club cup finals, and who is currently playing top-flight football in France. He would do very well at Championship level I would have thought and should he sign would also show real intent by the club as he won't come cheap and could well be a very astute signing if Larry can get the best out of him. Of course it could all be just sunday tabloid paper talk but we shall see soon.

It has also been rumoured again today that we may well be getting two season long loans with two brothers - Joe Martin from Tottenham Hotspur(18 year old midfielder who played the last game of the 2007-08 season for us as part of a 1 month loan) and his brother David who is a goalkeeper at Liverpool. Their father is former West Ha United player Alvin Martin and when asked today on radio if they were coming here said "I can't really say at the moment, but there should be an announcment by the end of the week" .

I don't know much about David Martin but Joe really impressed Blackpool fans with his one appearance, plus he has really praised both the club and the fans and seems very keen to come back for a season. He seems destined to have a big future ahead of him and if we can get him for a year it would be a great move.

He (Joe) said about his professional debut at Bloomfield Road -

"That last game against Watford was brilliant and something I'll remember for the rest of my life. To make your debut in a match like that, when there was a sell-out crowd and so much riding on the outcome, was terrific. The manager seemed pretty pleased with how I did and hopefully I can come back here next year and help the club stay up, if not better. It's up to Tottenham whether I come back. They hold all the cards. But if there is a possibility of it happening then I would love to return to Blackpool. I am really glad that Blackpool stayed up because they are a brilliant club."

[Bispham Seasider]

News about some of the ELEVEN players Blackpool released at the end of the 2007-08 season -

Keigan Parker signed for League Two club Huddersfield Town a few weeks ago, where I would think he will do well.

Michael Jackson, who was our club captain, today signed for League Two club, Shrewsbury Town who also signed Grant Holt from Nottingham Forest. Holt spent a shot time on loan at Blackpool toward the end of the season.

Marcus Bean signed for League Two club Brentford.

The rest don't seem to have been picked up by any club yet.

[Bispham Seasider]

Finally the news which every Blackpool fan has been expecting for weeks was confirmed today when Wes Hoolahan's move to Norwich City was confirmed.

The deal included the 'Pool getting keeper Matthew Gilks in part-exchange. I must admit I know little about Gilks. However, Norwich have one of the best keepers in the Championship in David Marshall and Gilks was never going to oust him. He was originally from the North West though as Norwich signed him from Rochdale. At least we now have two keepers!

Whilst I am dissapointed to see Hoolahan leave, we have all known for a long time now that he was off and I am glad it is all now sorted and we can move on. We are still waiting for some "quality" signings though.

So far since the end of the season we have let 11 players go, sold Hoolahan, got another three players still not having signed new contracts (Morrell, Jorgenson and Wiles) and Gorkss who may well also still be leaving, and we have signed a back up keeper (Matthew Gilks) and a 30 year old defender who hasn't even played first team football for a year (Marlon Broomes).

[Dynamogal]

Oy - and where's the good news??? :eek:

[Bispham Seasider]

I wish I could find some! :(

Karl Oyston apparently said today that he was off to Latvia to discuss building of the South Stand with Valeri Belokon (yet again). Trouble is we've heard all that before, last summer they had the "Latvian Summit" yet nothing was done. When I finally see seats in a new south stand, then I will believe!

Oyston also reckons that we are close to signing 1 or 2 other players. The Blackpool Gazette hasn't been able to get hold of Simon Grayson all week because he has apparently been so busy trying to get new players in. Oyston has also been quoted as saying the club are looking at signing "quality not quantity". So that would mean losing the most skilful player to have played at Bloomfield Road since the early 1970s (although he - Wes - was always going to leave anyway. Money talks) and so far we have signed two free transfers -

Marlon Broomes who could not get into Stoke Citys team at all last season, didn't play one game and who spent much of the season before that injured. And Matthew Gilks who Norwich City signed last summer from Rochdale but who has not made even one appearance for Norwich since. Mainly due of course to Marshall their keeper being so good but still that is two players signed so far, neither of whom played first team football last season!!

Grasping at straws though, the club have not denied making an approach for Joseph Desire Job, something they often do especially when a national newspaper reports it followed by the Gazette having it as a back page story. Plus apparently the club have made an offer to Paul Dickov and he is supposedly mulling over it. That is pure speculation though. Dickov clearly enoyed his time with us and has had nothing but praise for the club. However, he has apparently been offered contracts in Australia (I think it was Perth Glory) and either one or two MLS clubs, plus a number of other Championship clubs may still want him.

[Bispham Seasider]

More rumours!

Rumoured players coming in include Alex John-Baptiste a 22 year old defender from Mansfield Town, who in my opinion would be a decent signing.

Yesterday someone reckoned Joseph Desire Job had definitely signed, but I still can't see it myself even though I would love him to play for the 'Pool.

Karl Oyston is apparently in Austria with Belokon not Latvia, at Euro 2008. Not bad really as a few weeks ago the two of them were in Portugal at a meeting of Football League Chairmen. Supposedly discussing the building of the South Stand - yet again. Just stop discussing and try building it.

Simon Grayson was also in Norway last week doing more work for his coaching badge and apparently checked out some players while he was there.

[sephjnr]

How about putting some bloody tarp over the East Stand, then? Preferably before August 9th :D

[Bispham Seasider]

I wish they would mate believe me. Some 'Pool fans don't really care but I find it ridiculous that in the 21st century we treat away fans to the delights of a "temporary" stand that is bowing all over the place, with no roof, that in the rain gets muddy around it. And where the only facilities are a burger bar and outside toilets. It is pathetic.

City did superbly last season and probably shocked some, fully deserved though. Do you think you will be able to do the same this season?

One thing about the GK stand - the club did get planning permission to extend it up to 2,937 seats back in April though they have yet to install the seats.

[sephjnr]

It's going to be tougher- we've made one signing from Ipswich of an ex-Yeovil jobber who seems to be apt at keeping physios in work, and we're resonably certain of losing Nick Carle to Palarse (we only got him in January, no goals and tackle-shy but very good at finding space and using it) but no bugger's confirming price or swaps. Aside from that, sod all. I expect a nice couple of wins to start but a very lop-sided season of overachievement from the midfield to make up for the utter failure that will be Trundle and Adebola... if we're lucky enough to avoid using 4-5-1 all the sodding time.

Top 10 is a must if we want to keep growing as a team.

[Bispham Seasider]

Top ten!! We can only dream of such dizzy heights! Quite a few 'Pool fans even now think we are going to be relegated!

More transfer rumours -

Martin Devaney - Barnsley player, who has one of the wonderful "release clauses" has been linked with a move to Blackpool.

Also -

to add to Alex John-Baptiste yet another double barrelled named player - Gifton Noel Williams who is currently playing in the Spanish second division has today been linked with a move to Blackpool.

Paul Dickov is apparently due to let Simon Grayson know soon whether he will come back.

So if somehow we actually managed to sign Job, Baptiste and Williams, it would mean the team could include

Gary Taylor-Fletcher
Joseph-Desire Job
Alex John-Baptiste
Gifton Noel-Williams

(Not that we will get the three of them but still it would be odd!)

[Art Vandaley]

All the more reason for me to make it out to a game! Up the Pool!