ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Please release me, let me go...

Several fringe and youth players have been released (including the wonderful Anthony Gardner ? a loan signing that was, at best, baffling ? seeing as he was injured when we signed him!).

It's a shame to see Paddy Boyle depart ? I had high hopes for him, but I guess after hanging on to Valente we didn't need another left back.

But most importantly ? where is Andy van der Waste-of-space??? Surely his should have been the FIRST name on this list! Does he have some extraordinary contract that we cannot withdraw?
James Carroll, Washington, DC Posted 16/05/2008 at 13:09:31

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Adam Carey
1 Posted 16/05/2008 at 14:09:09

I would imagine it has another year to run on it! Who, knows, he might actually play a game next season?

Andy Callan
2 Posted 16/05/2008 at 14:14:51

You can’t simply withdraw his contract; this isn’t the fuckin Kremlin lad.

Why don’t we just withdraw his head and have done with it...!!!!!!

Gordon Blair
3 Posted 16/05/2008 at 14:22:54

Andy lad, that’s probably the best idea I’ve heard in a while ;oD

Rob McGolpin
4 Posted 16/05/2008 at 14:25:11

His contract runs until 2009 ? he signed for 4 years in 2005; says so on the website.

John Lloyd
5 Posted 16/05/2008 at 14:23:33

Andy who?s pissed on your bonfire today??

Bit over the top on a couple of these comments....burning Goodison & Walton on the other one, chill out lad, its friday afternoon. Knock off & go the boozer......unless your barred for decapitating the barmaid & burning it down!! Ha ha!

Vincent Steele
6 Posted 16/05/2008 at 14:53:53

What a shout by Andy. Kremlin, withdrawal of head had me in stitches!

Keith Glazzard
7 Posted 16/05/2008 at 16:13:55

Will the truth ever be told about this non-player? Li Tie was a strange case too as I recall.

As he has to be with us for another season, is there any possibility at all that AvdM might one day walk out of the shower and carry on like nothing had ever happened? OK, Dallas was fiction, but real life - if that?s what football is - can be stranger. We would then at least have one more decent player at no extra expense.

Seamus Murphy
8 Posted 16/05/2008 at 16:20:59

Why do people keep going on that the Anthony Gardner signing was baffling????
Its quite obvious he was brought in as COVER FFS. It turned out that we didnt need him in the end as none of Jags, Yobo or Lescott got injured but I bet if we had of had the injury problems in defence that we had in midfield and had NO COVER ? you would all be crying about how "Moyes should have planned for this blah blahblah".

Think about it FFS.

John Middleton
9 Posted 16/05/2008 at 16:29:07

Looks like Gera is signing anyway, guess that puts pay to the Joquim rumour for the right side of midfield. Nice signing on a free and will be decent depth.

Mike Allison
10 Posted 16/05/2008 at 16:35:01

Where does this Gera information come from? I’ve thought we should sign him for a couple of years now.

Dan McKie
11 Posted 16/05/2008 at 16:40:14

I havent seen anything about Gera either but he is a good player (first 11 im not sure) but we need to bolster the squad aswell as make a couple of improvements to the first team! I for one would have liked to be able to stick Gera on round January time this season but we just didn't have that kind of depth!

Andy Hudson
12 Posted 16/05/2008 at 16:42:58

Its on teamtalk.com.

I dunno what to make of this transfer. One the one hand he’s a decent player, scores a few goals and is free.

On the other hand he’s 29, playes right midfield, isn’t very tall.

Is this a great piece of business to compliment the 2 world class midfielders we hope Moyes is going to bring in, a replacement for Arteta, or just the 1st signs that we’re shopping at the bargin bin again this summer?

I’m hoping its Moyes snapping up a good squad player for free, but I hope we are still able to bring some real class in as well

Dan Mckie
13 Posted 16/05/2008 at 16:45:28

Just seen it on the Rumour Mill here! Hope it comes off, he is one of those players that a lot of teams have looked at but never taken the plunge so hopefully it will prove to be ?a rabbit out of the hat? like Cahill, Lescott, Arteta, Pienaar etc.....

Mike Allison
14 Posted 16/05/2008 at 16:47:30

It's just appeared on Rumour Mill with him having the medical today. I think it's an excellent signing, he can play in a variety of attacking midfield positions. We need depth in midfield, and he?ll provide it. He?s also 6? tall and nips in at the back post occasionally. I think we still need three midfielders, one of whom should be Fernandes, one a box-to-box (Bradley?) and another a left footed wide man. I?d be happy if that?s all we brought in this summer, although if anyone leaves (ie Carsley) they?d need replacing.

Andy Hudson
15 Posted 16/05/2008 at 16:48:43

Just been on the West Brom website and these are Gera’s stats for the season:

League Apps: 33 (plus 10 sub)
League Goals: 8

FA Cup Apps: 4 (plus 1 sub)
FA Cup Goals: 1

League Cup Apps: 1
League Cup Goals: 1

Overall Apps: 38 (Plus 11 sub)
Overall Goals: 10

Their website doesn’t include assists unfortunately, but his goals to appearances stats aren’t too bad for a midfielder.

I still think he’s only a decent squad player though... but it gives Moyes more options in midfield and thats no bad thing!

Andy Callan
16 Posted 16/05/2008 at 16:54:59

John L - all in a days work bud.

Made me laugh anyway.

Andy Hudson
17 Posted 16/05/2008 at 16:57:10

Mike Alison I stand corrected he is 6 foot as you stated... I thought he was smaller but wikipedia confirms what you said.

heres a youtube vid of what we can expect from him... i didnt watch it all but shows him scoring a few goals with his head as well as his feet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwqVf9tlvEs

Will Bruce
18 Posted 16/05/2008 at 18:54:34

Oh God...I thought Andy van der Twat's contract was up this summer!!... Oh well, we can all look forward to his pre-season press conference I suppose.... Another new haircut and...?You have not seen the best of me yet?... I need another beer!

Andy Crooks
19 Posted 16/05/2008 at 19:49:03

ADVM could be a genuine world-class player; unfortunately there appears to be something wrong with his head. Give him one more chance as it seems we?re stuck with him anyway. If DM sorts him out he just might prove us all wrong.

Dan Mckie
20 Posted 16/05/2008 at 20:35:24

Deep down I hope Moyes has said to Andy VDM that he blew it for this season but if he gets his head down and shuts his mouth then its a clean slate for next season! I really cant see the sense in keeping him otherwise for either party!