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

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

I had the impression that Leeds were attacking Milwall's defense all wrong as well. To my eye, they kept going to the same well with Beckford and Zak ate it up. Good play on his part and poor planning on theirs.

I didn't get to see the Scunthorpe game either, so I wouldn't want to comment.

Zak needs to move to a more challenging level to learn as does Jermaine.

If Whitbread is less of a player at the moment than Califf or Demerit, it's only due to lack of experience IMO. The U.S. could certianly be making better use of him.

 

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

Sometimes the club contacts the team first, maybe Rangers was just turned away. Milwall values him and maybe Rangers weren't even in the ballpark.

 

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

wow, they were off.

 

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

true that in the article he doesn't categorically deny a move to Rangers as the title of the article suggests. Ancelotti said he had not agreed to tersm with any club and was introduced as Chelsea's manager the next day.

 

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

From earlier today:

EDIT: for some reason my hyperlink isn't appearing so ...http://www.millwall-mad.co.uk/news/loadnews.asp?cid=TMNW&id=449182

 

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

The article says they "are set" to offer. as in, have not yet offered.

 

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

Which during the silly season often translates to "my cousin's neighbor's barber cuts the hair of the best friend of the nephew of the Manager of the club, and he says...."
Its all fun, but we can't take things too seriously. My philosophy is that if you see a lot of transfer rumors about a player, all you can really deduce is that clubs (not necessarily those listed) are interested in him. Though I do love digging through the layers of transfer gossip speculation BS (and I don't mean Big Soccer).

 

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

Well I am hoping he makes a move to bigger club and gets playing time. He is another talented CB that will be able to push Gooch and Boca.

 

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_5364718,00.html

now something slightly less glamorous, but belgian side Genk are in the pot now. Id prefer him still go EPL or Rangers

 

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

The question isn't whether an EPL club or Rangers would be better than Genk. The question is whether an EPL club or Rangers would want Whitbread.

Zak is obviously overdue for a move up, but EPL might be a little too much. We'll see. I am very interested to see how the market values Whitbread -- I don't know what to expect here.

 

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

Agreed. I'd actually prefer to see him move to a CCC side thats got a pretty good shot at promotion, I'm afraid if he moves all the way up to EPL or goes to Glasgow he won't see the field. Anyways, he's still young enough for a defender to spend a year or two in the second division and either earn promotion to the EPL or show an EPL team that he's worth taking a shot on. I can't really see any EPL teams playing a young American CB who spent the last several years in the third division.

As for Genk, I don't know much about them but it sounds like he's pretty settled in in England now so I don't see why he'd move to Belgium now where he'd have to learn a new language when he's got a pretty good shot at moving a step closer to the biggest league in the world.

 

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

i wouldnt be opposed to a CCCL contender, obvious most likely pick is west brom. They dont have to sell, and theyre not going to. they actually improved with the signing of Menseguez (absolute baller, huge bargain). He combines with a very imposing midfield for that level with Vallerjo (premiership quality), Koren, and Greening (both CCCL quality). Miller will be back from injury and is notorious for laying siege to the league from the last promotion campaign, so they got their 20+ goalscorer. They would have probably survived last year if it wasnt for one hole, and maaan was it ever a hole: centerback. Meite was possibly the worst CCCL centerback ive ever seen. Olssen is worth keeping around he is good. Zuiverloon needs to get back to his earlier season form again. They will lose Robinson but i think they will see that Cech is actually better.

West Broms nearest competition should be Newcastle, QPR, and Ipswich and they look vastly superior to the aforementioned at this point (and hopefully Freddie Sears goes on a tear for Wednesday to sneak into the playoffs )

 

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

''so I don't see why he'd move to Belgium now where he'd have to learn a new language''

Not necesarely, in Genk most people have a good knowledge of the english language

Jared Jeffrey is in the same boat in Bruges (not that far away from Genk), he never had any complaints about not understanding local people

That's why I'd like to see Freddy Adu move to PSV Eindhoven (not that far away from Genk neither), because I don't think that in Lisboa and Monaco people spoke good english

 

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

I think a CCC move would be fine for Whitbread too, but if the choice was between another season in the third division or playing 1st division ball in Belgium (which is a heavily scouted league), I rather he make the move to Genk. I think he has shown he is too good for the English third division, but anyone who has seen him play knows he needs to get better against quick/pacey technical players. He struggled at times against some of the players at Scunthorpe, imagine some of the talent he'd see in CL action with Rangers or in the EPL? I'm afraid he would get smoked. The CCC or the Belgian league would be a good step up, but not a drastic one, where he can learn to be a better CB.

 

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

calm before the storm...

 

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

Wasnt called in B/C ...

Giant Douche = Sunil Gulati

and...

Turd Sandwich = Bob Bradley

...Can't do their f--king homework.

 

Re: Zak Whitbread to Rangers...

Or because they did and decided that Clarence Goodson, Michael Parkhurst, Michael Orozco, et al are better.

It's hard to get too up in arms about a guy in League One while he's in the prime of his career. I haven't seen Whitbread play much, so I'll reserve judgment. If he's snapped up by a top club, then I'll raise an eyebrow at USSF. If nobody good is interested in a player of his caliber then it makes his omission from the Gold Cup roster quite understandable.

For now, he's just a third-division centerback with nobody apparently bidding on him. That may change. Until it does, relax.