Kirovski: Birmingham vs West Ham 5/11 [R]

Put Jovan in!!!!














in goal!!

 

Live Commentary

 

ooh, looks like a heckuva game, with 4 goals in the last 25 minutes

West Ham opens the scoring in the 66th minute, with BC equalizing in the 80th, and everyons'e 2nd favorite Birmingham player, Stern John, putting BC ahead in the 88th.

Paolo Di Canio pulls West Ham level in the next minute but the Hammer's can only manage the draw. Was it enough to stay up? I'm not saying.

 

Jovan

when is Jovan gonna give up on his Euro dream. he can't even get a game for a relegation struggler.

 

Re: Jovan

When clubs over there wake up and realize he will never reach his potential and pay him big money to sit on the bench.

 

I don't understand how someone came on the scene. Made a big splash, then faded into obscurity. Never even making the sub bench in such a quick time. It is beyond me.

 

I think Jovan's been rather unfortunate at Brum. Steve Bruce seems to be a fan of his, but limited his options. When Jovan got his chances, he performed well. I think he should be hoping for a loan deal to one of the newly promoted clubs. Save a little off Brum's wage bill, give Jovan a chance somewhere else, but at little risk to the new club.

He'll be no more than a bit player at Birmingham.

 

It would have to be to a first division or lower club because Premiership teams can't loan players to each other. I doubt Birmingham would have any interest in loaning him at all. He's a good backup attacker who can come in and make an impact whenever the club is having an injury crisis.

 

Maybe Jovan can help the Hammers regain their EPL status...especially since they'll probably have to part with Cole, Sinclair, James, Defoe, Kanaoute, etc. which could help Jovan be the star of the 1st division

 

Really? As a league rule? Or just as common sense? I know players get loaned out to other 1stD teams in Spain all the time. Why not England? Is that really true?

 

He was getting a bit into the mix, and then Bruce went out and got Dugarry. I don't think he's gotten a minute since then.

 

Jovan and Duga both play the same position (not quite a striker but not quite a midfielder). They have the same strengths (ball control, "tricks" and distribution) and the same weaknesses (don't score enough, tend to go AWOL, don't help out enough in the tactical parts of the game).

They both suffer b/c many managers won't accommodate a luxury player who doesn't score a bucket of goals. And they both have spent most of their careers riding on the pine, stepping down a level or 2 to get playing time, and/or being the object of fan ridicule.

In fact, I can't think of any player who so closely mirrors JK -- it's JK's bad luck that Duga is clearly above him in talent, pedigree, and effectiveness.

It's easier said than done, but IMHO I think JK needs to find a mid-level team in a not so strong league (Portugal, Holland, France, lower 1/2 of the Bundesliga, England D1, Mexico? Brazil? Argentina?) that will:
1) guarantee him a starting spot
2) give him a free-roaming role behind 2 strikers
3) give him no real defensive duties
4) play the ball to his feet
5) let him create, and,
6) keep faith when he has a few bad games

It's a tall order, but I saw Steve Bruce do that for JK at Crystal Palace and JK played some great ball. I think (and Steve Bruce obviously agrees with me to some extent) that JK can do it at a (slightly) higher level. If anyone can think of such a team, let's hear it and we can start a Jovan for Bordeaux (or whatever). West Ham isn't a bad suggestion -- any others?

 

Uh, count out Portugal. did he ever get a game there? And, quite frankly, I see holland and france as steps up from Port.
Maybe JK's lot in football is to be a bit player. It's hardly a condemnation to hell. a nice living doing what he loves.
Now, in MLS, I think he'd be a valuable commodity, esp. as he could fill an aging preki-esque role (preki still scores a bit more, but they both play a kind of withdrawn third forward role)

 

And what an inspired move by Bruce it turned out to be. I was one of the folks who thought Dugarry would be a complete flop at B'ham but he ended up - along with Upson - being essentially the difference between them staying up and being relegated.

 

I suggested a mid-level team in a not-so-good league - I may be mistaken but I thought JK was riding pine for one of the big teams (Sporting?) in Portugal.

I agree that JK's had a fine career -- much better than mine certainly! Even by the standards of former Man U trainees, he's probably middle of the pack. (Everyone mentions Giggs and Beckham, but there are lots of ex-ManU trainees and former starlets plying their trades in the lower divisions)

My favorite Kirovski moment was overhearing two big, drunk Eagles supporters commenting sort of sympathetically that Kirovski was "too European" for Crystal Palace -- that he was made for something more refined than Bradford on a cold, wet day.

I'd like to see him playing in dainty balls for some Cote D'Ivorian forwards for some mid-table team in France -- the football seems pretty open and geared towards his, shall we say, cavalier attitude. I'm afraid he'll end up at Hibs or Dundee watching long hoofed clearance sail over his head.

 

Truer words were never spoken ... well, they have been, but good post anyway.

Good luck to Jovan.

 

Did Jovan sign a one-year deal with Birmingham last summer/fall? I.e., is he still under contract for next season?