Steven Whittaker on 4 year deal!

[ricardo 7,395]

[quote user="lake district canary"][quote user="ricardo"][quote user="crabbycanary"]

 user="ricardo"]Never seen him play and know bugger all about him but if this is the replacement for Naughton then I am very much underwhelmed.

 

Why do you say this Ricardo? He''s achieved more than Naughton had done, when he first joined us.

[/quote]Spurs want £6 million for Naughton. I wonder why that is?The failure to sign Naughton last January was a big mistake IMO. We baulked at £4 million apparently. Stupid, stupid, stupid! he should have been the first priority this summer. The present squad looks weak at fullback so I hope the new guy is just a bench warmer and not the starter[/quote]

 

 

But this kind of thing has been discussed ad nauseam on here recently.   If we buy £4-£6m players they are going to want wages to match.  We can''t yet sustain much higher wages than we are paying at the moment.     That''s why we need to keep Holt.    I just don''t think the penny''s dropped yet - or have I missed something?

 

 

 

[/quote]I would doubt that Naughton would be on anything we could not afford. If we can''t afford a player of his ability then we won''t be troubling the Premier league for many more seasons.

[Syteanric 1]

[quote user="Alan_Grey"]  Hopefully this, rather than just an insult, will inform you as to why your post is wrong.[/quote]oh the irony!!!![quote user="Alan_Grey"]It''s very annoying when people talk such utter horse sh**.[/quote]

[CanaryOne 0]

If he is Naughtons replacement then its a downgrade , if you downgrade our squad we will get relegated . Simple as that really , we either strengthen or we will go down .

[Syteanric 1]

[quote user="Ncfc"]If he is Naughtons replacement then its a downgrade , if you downgrade our squad we will get relegated . Simple as that really , we either strengthen or we will go down .[/quote]not sure i agreeNaughton was fantastic for us but realistically were we likely to get him? a similar player would no doubt cos the same too?

[Two penneth 0]

My sentiments exactly mr B. Perhaps my earlier post needs some explanation for those who lie in wait to gleefully leap on those suspected of being ''lesser'' fans.

Underwhelmed means disappointed that first signing was not more awesome.CH knows better than all of us and I hope the player proves to be an excellent signing. Can''t see how that makes me a ''so called fan. Oh and before anyone starts, by awesome I dont expect to sign Messi.

[Mr Brownstone 0]

A versatile International defender with European experience and some of you lot are writing him off before he''s even kicked a ball. What were you expecting, Sergio Ramos?

I''m sure he''ll be a valuable addition to the squad.

[Mister Chops 7]

[quote user="lake district canary"][quote user="Joanna Grey"]

The pundits had him earmarked for a lower PL team, said he is versatile, better going forwards than at the back and chips in with a few goals. Good player to have on the bench IMHO.

[/quote]

 

 

[Y] Exactly.  A good squad player.   That''s what we need to do.    Strengthen the squad.   

 

 

Some people will never be happy though.........

[/quote]Call me old fashioned, but I want us to strengthen our squad by buying players who are better than the ones we already have.Buying players to "sit on the bench" or who "will do" if our first choice players get injured does not excite me.Of course, he might be a brilliant player & better than what we already have - it''s the mentality of signing "that''ll do" kind of players that irritates me.

[PurpleCanary 5,563]

[quote user="First Wizard"]Prudence with little ambition......come on down. [:@][/quote]

 

For once I''m with Wiz on this. When Hughton announced he was only going to sign one player this summer I assumed it was going to be some one a bit more exciting and expensive than a "versatile" Rangers free agent.

[smooth 114]

He comes in with experience and that ability of winning, something that a few of our players have but Whittaker comes from a club that demands winning and that will halp us in our defensive group.Is he a starter, well I would think maybe not, but he is capable if suspensions injuries come along, and they will. Even with 10 minutes to go a solid player to bring on to help us close out games.I am happy with that, especially as we have not spent a fee on him, ok wages. But I feel it is a signing that is good for the squad and that experience will help our first 11.In regard to Naughton, with Corluka now with L. Moscow and AVB coming in they may decide to keep him. I still think 6 million is a fair price, for a 3 year deal that is 2 million a year... he will only get better and we would have that position sewn down for 3 years then. We can also make money from him as he improves. So for me Naughton and a player of his calibre to come into our defence with Whittaker would be brilliant.We will sign better players, but I believe as much as we talk about him being a squad player. He can really help bring on our young group of defenders to understand how to be tight at the back and hold the opposition out.

[Salopian 1]

I wonder what is in the mind of CH? Does he see Whittaker as a versatile player like Martin - able to do a stint anywhere in the back line, or even in the midfield, in which case we already have Martin, who can certainly play RB or CB, at least. Is the Scot more versatile, e.g. able to play on the left, where we have not seen (much of) Martin? It would be interesting to know where they each played on the occasions Martin was selected by Scotland, or was Martin a late replacement for the other?

 

Or was it a case of needing defensive cover, and in signing him on a Bosman in effect we bolstered the squad at little up-front cost?

 

Whatever the reason, Whittaker played many games for Rangers during their glory years, having first played for Hibs.He is no mean player.

 

Whittaker is not in the same class as Naughton might one day become, I suspect. Perhaps I was one of the few who felt that Naughton is quick, but has a lot to learn defensively. At least twice last year he "shepherded" left wingers inside and allowed them to score with their right foot, when he should have kept them out on the touchline, as an example. Perhaps CH also intends to sign a specialist right back. Time will tell!

[Stowmarket Canary (not Delia) 0]

Typical of this forum loads of people slagging the guy off before he''s even kicked a ball! So a lot of people haven''t heard of him, most off us had heard of emblem, cottee and Walsh look how good they turned out to be!

[Icecream Snow 761]

[quote user="PurpleCanary"]When Hughton announced he was only going to sign one player this summer .[/quote]Where does it say that?

[crabbycanary 2]

For once I''m with Wiz on this. When Hughton announced he was only going to sign one player this summer I assumed it was going to be some one a bit more exciting and expensive than a "versatile" Rangers free agent.

 

Ay? What/Who/When?

[Icecream Snow 761]

I''m under-whelmed, purely because in recent years SPL stars have proved to be sub-par Championship players (eg Kris Boyd, Kevin Thomson etc) with Jelavic being the only exception.Signing him on a 4 year deal seems pretty excessive.

[Lambo 0]

Don''t get why everyone''s so unhappy with this. We''ve signed a international defender with a fair bit of Champions League experience. It''s not anything spectacular I grant you but it''s a solid addition to our squad bearing in mind Naughton has gone back to Spurs and Adam Drury has gone to Leeds/

[PurpleCanary 5,563]

[quote user="Icecream Snow"][quote user="PurpleCanary"]When Hughton announced he was only going to sign one player this summer .[/quote]

Where does it say that?
[/quote]

 

Nowhere. He hasn''t said that. But some posters here have judged this deal without having a clue how it fits into Hughton''s overall transfer plans. If Whittaker is meant to be our first-choice right-back then that is one thing, and possibly a bad thing. If Whittaker is intended to be a versatile squad member and the new first-choice right-back is yet to arrive then that is something else. You can only assess individual transfers as part of the whole, especially since our budget (even if our biggest ever) is sharply limited by PL standards.

[Mr. Bump 0]

[quote user="Icecream Snow"][quote user="PurpleCanary"]When Hughton announced he was only going to sign one player this summer .[/quote]Where does it say that?[/quote][quote user="crabbycanary"]

For once I''m with

Wiz on this. When Hughton announced he was only going to sign one player

this summer I assumed it was going to be some one a bit more exciting

and expensive than a "versatile" Rangers free agent.

 

Ay? What/Who/When?

[/quote]Fairly confident he was joking!

[Muddy funster 0]

This.

As I have stated on another thread. It is unfortunate for him that this is our first signing and not our 4th or 5th. It allows people to comment on his transfer prowess as a whole which is unfair.

[BW 0]

Don''t know much about him, so can''t have an opinion i suggest others take this into account too. (Wiz)

[jed exodous 0]

**** ATTENTION WHOARE ALARM GOING OFF ****

 

Why not start a new thread when theres a multipage thread already going? 

 

Curse of the douche strikes again

[BW 0]

Also Holt is gone replaced with Nicklas Helenius

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,776]

Why the negativity?, This is a player that had the situation at Rangers not have happened would probably cost £2m in the trasnfer market that we''ve got for nothing. I''d call it a good piece of opportunism to get in there first as there will be plenty of vultures circling round these Rangers players that have quit.

[Buncey 1]

He''s a good player. Never quite been able to fulfil the potential he had when he first joined Rangers. However, he is still a good quality defender. He primarily plays rb these days although once upon a time he was primarily in the middle. He can play with both feet and can play football. I''m not that disappointed as I feel the money for naughton is a lot for a player who is not accomplished yet and had some work to do to improve his game. Steven is an experienced player who will make an impact from day one and barring injuries will play a significant role this season.

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

[quote user="paul moy"]Rangers must have rated him as he was handed a five-year contract last year. Let''s give the guy a chance.[/quote]

and that was his second 5 year contract with Glasgow Rangers.

He is a right back who can  play in other positions just like Naughton and Rusell Martin.

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

[quote user="ricardo"]Never seen him play and know bugger all about him but if this is the replacement for Naughton then I am very much underwhelmed.
[/quote]

I wouldn''t be surprised if we are after Naughton during the January (2013) transfer  window when the fee is likely to be reasonable given that he will only have half a season left on his contract. If we do that, Russell Martin can then become a permanent centre back.

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

[quote user="ricardo"][quote user="crabbycanary"]

 user="ricardo"]Never seen him play and know bugger all about him but if this is the replacement for Naughton then I am very much underwhelmed.

 

Why do you say this Ricardo? He''s achieved more than Naughton had done, when he first joined us.

[/quote]

Spurs want £6 million for Naughton. I wonder why that is?

The failure to sign Naughton last January was a big mistake IMO. We baulked at £4 million apparently. Stupid, stupid, stupid! he should have been the first priority this summer. The present squad looks weak at fullback so I hope the new guy is just a bench warmer and not the starter
[/quote]

May be we offered £2m....they are reported as looking  for £6m and we settle  between the two figures ?

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

[quote user="ricardo"][quote user="priceyrice"]Wahey!! 1 signing down and a very typical hughton signing - a free agent!



I just hope he hasn''t be bought in to play RB, we have seen how Martin struggled there against prem wingers, but with Whittaker it could be a disaster.


[/quote]

My thoughts in a nutshell. If he struggled defensively in the SPL he has no chance in the EPL.
[/quote]

Now what were people saying about Russell Martin not playing for Peterborough, when he joined us?

[kick it off 1,952]

[quote user="PurpleCanary"]

[quote user="First Wizard"]Prudence with little ambition......come on down. [:@][/quote]

 

For once I''m with Wiz on this. When Hughton announced he was only going to sign one player this summer I assumed it was going to be some one a bit more exciting and expensive than a "versatile" Rangers free agent.

[/quote]

I''m guessing from some of the replies, not everyone understands the concept of irony Purple, I thought it was witty though.

[7rew 0]

Shockingly I utterly agree with tangy.

Just to replace those that have left we need a right back, a center back, a left back and a striker, plus the desired replacements for Barnett, Ward, Crofts and replacements for anyone that leaves, and probably a right winger for depth as well.

There is no way that we are going to sign that many players that are obviously better than our first team. We will sign some, but most will be around the level of our other players. Whittaker definitely is around the level of our other players in our defense, not obviously better but not obviously worse either.

Frankly, I''d rather we did get the same level-ish players cheap/free, because it leaves more money for the stars.

[Yelloow Since 72 54]

This post reminds me of that when Russell Martin signed for City. It''s amazing to me how many on here think they know better than CH when it comes to choosing a FB. I like the signing of Whittaker. He has pace and experience (including internationals for club and country) and scores goals as well. Naughton is an excellent prospect, but I thought he got caught out at times. Sometimes his pace allowed him to recover, but too often it led to goals. With many young players already, I''m glad of Whittaker''s experience and versatility across the back and possibly as a DMF player as well. Leaves lots of money left in the budget for this year! Well done Mr Hughton!