Joleon Lescott

[Jimmy Bone - Superstar 2]

Watched Man City tear Spurs apart on the telly today and thought that Lescott looked like what we could do with to add some experience, leadership and stability to our defence.

Is he a realistic option to try to get hold of in January or far too expensive on the wages front?

[Move Klose 303]

On his wages, no chance

[Jimmy Bone - Superstar 2]

Are we not now at a stage where we should be looking at the next level in players wages if we want to remain a Premiership side?

[Juggy 0]

Depends how much of his wages we would have to pay, but I think we''d have some stiff competition for a loan deal.

Think he''d have some pretty serious options, possibly even somebody like Everton, Liverpool or Spurs would want to take a punt on him.

[Juggy 0]

"Are we not now at a stage where we should be looking at the next level in players wages if we want to remain a Premiership side?"

The next level is one thing, Lescott is said to be on £90k a week (around £4.6m per season).

We can''t afford to pay players that sort of money. If we could pay 50% of his wages in a loan deal however....

[Jimmy Bone - Superstar 2]

What''s the thinking about him and if he is what we need?

Let''s just imagine that we can afford to bring him here, is he what would help move us forward next year?

[Juggy 0]

I think we should worry more about this year.

We need a quality centre back, he is a quality centre back, but there are other quality centre backs around.

If we can get Lescott on loan in January then great, but bet we could get much better value in the market in Europe for a permanent.

[Jimmy Bone - Superstar 2]

You''re probably right.

The point I was making though is that I think that someone of that ilk is what we need at the moment,as much for leadership as his qualities as a defender.

We really seem to be missing a leader at the back particularly without Bassong, I don''t think that Russell Martin is a particularly good leader either.

[Zak Van Burger 0]

[quote user="Jimmy Bone - Superstar"]Are we not now at a stage where we should be looking at the next level in players wages if we want to remain a Premiership side?[/quote]IMO "No" we''ve already done the "next level" thing, what you are advocating is jumping several levels up to Champs League type wages, fair enough if you have the players and potential to mount a serious challenge I suppose but not to be considered if your aim is simply "to remain a Premiership side". FWIW Villa had a £70m wage bill last year and narrowly escaped relegation, big wages is no guarantee of success by any means but it almost guarantees disaster if you are subsequently relegated and can''t ditch the players.

[Green and Yellow fellow 0]

I was thinking a different Man City defender who can''t get a game. Micha Richards. God knows how much he''s getting paid, but he''s not being played, English and may want a late bid to be called up to the world cup. Would be a quality signing for a bottom half team in the EPL. We could also do with a decent RB after the weekends showing..

[iron_stan 0]

yeh a loan deal for micah richards would be a great move, cant see him coming here though, we''ll probably end up with viv richards insteador cliff

[| wolfswinkel | 0]

Lescott is awful! Never want to see him in an ncfc shirt one of the most awful and overrated players I think I''ve ever seen!

[wcorkcanary 4,329]

Micah Richards seems to be the classic overpaid player, nightclubs,bling, cars ,etc etc, got his deal after a few good performances but where is he now? man city, i know, but why isnt he playing, could easily get a place in the ''bad boy 11''..captained by jermaine pennant, with joey barton centre mid. Or maybe he''s got a film conract..''i spit roast on your grave'' maybe. No thanks, poss J Lescott,but the money....on those wages we could BUY a decent player.

[killercanary29 0]

WAGES!!!! plus why would he want to come here?

[Jimmy Bone - Superstar 2]

In my original post I wasn''t necessarily saying that we should buy Lescott, or even that we would be able to if we wanted to. I was just highlighting that having watched him against Spurs and looking at his current situation at Man City that someone of his ilk is what we need at the back to shore us up.

If these sort of players and their wages are always out of our league then we probably aren''t much longer for this league!

[Europe_93 11]

I''ve mentioned lescott before. A loan deal may mean we don''t have to pay all of his wages, as for a reason, if he stays put, he won''t be going to the World Cup.

On form he is easily worth a place in the squad, he was exceptional when we beat Spain