May 2010 Archives

So who's he going to be then?

Peter Crouch, Jan Koller, the white Kevin Francis . . .

Nikola Zigic is not just bigger than John Carew, but me and you and virtually everybody.

The poor soul had to duck his head to get in the St Andrew's offices to sign his four-year contract.

Apart from doing a deal for Yao Ming, the Chinese owners could hardly have sanctioned a transfer for someone bigger.

But how does a player of such (literal) stature alter the way of things at Blues now?

Predictably, it means to some that Blues have now turned into a route one side. You know, copying that lot over the road a bit, perhaps . . .

Put it this way, I don't think Alex McLeish, having determinedly transformed Blues into a team that likes to pass and keep possession, has suddenly ripped up his template for the Premier League.

If Zigic was nothing more than a limited lamp post, then he wouldn't have gone for him.

Zigic is reputedly robust, no slouch and more mobile than Crouch - and his technique is not painful to witness.

Yes, lob it up into him when need be, but he can take the ball into feet and link play too.

What always amuses me is the comment 'he's got a good touch for a big man' - no player would make it to the top in the pro ranks if he didn't have a good touch.

Although, as is so often the way with these beanpole fellas, he isn't the most dominant header of a ball.

One Premier League scout, who knows the European scene well, joked to me that 'he's 6ft 8in but jumps 5ft 6in!'.

That aside, it can't be simply intrigue that has had so many Premier League clubs on his trail over the past couple of years.

Most think he is suited to England, that he marries the physical presence and height as well as the ability on the deck.

When you look back at this season, just recall the kind of players who noticeably gave Blues defence problems: Kevin Davies, Carlton Cole, Nikola Kalinic, Bobby Zamora, Crouch. I would have included Didier Drogba, but Roger Johnson ate him up at St Andrew's . . .

Carew, too, used to. That type pose different kind of problems and Blues have not had such an option, a focal point to hold the ball and batter about a bit since Emile Heskey.

One of McLeish's laments after matches this season was often that Blues didn't keep possession in the last third often enough, that it didn't 'stick', so the pressure came back quickly at the other end.

Zigic, as well, knows where the goal is. McLeish feels that he perhaps wasn't quite suited to the way Valenica played - they had some bloke called David Villa at their disposal - but he will blossom in England.

Service will be important, from the wide areas and through the middle. Hence the attempt to vamp up the flanks, with Charles N'Zogbia still the prime target at present.

Zig - N'Zog - they could be presenting some Saturday morning kids show.

Regardless of the views of the signings so far, there can be no doubting that Blues have put up and there's no need to shut up.

McLeish and the board have had a clear vision and acted, wasting no time.

Remember that Cacau could have been in the mix by now as well. His sudden U-turn surprised and dismayed Blues in equal measure.

Money doesn't mean everything, yet just one more similar signing to Foster and Zigic and Blues will have committed more money (net) than in the last two Premier League summer transfer windows combined.

The feel good factor remains around St Andrew's and with the promise of more dealings to be done, there are grounds for optimism as Blues come off the back of a fine season, posting their highest finish in 51 years.

Funny how things come full circle.

Take the picture below. Seventy-eighth minute. Old Trafford. Opening day of the season.

Manchester United's Ben Foster pulls off a crucial fingertip save to stop Christian Benitez marking an exciting cameo debut with an equaliser.

It gave us our first glimpse of Chucho (and also showed a sign of things to come in front of goal).

And for Foster, he hoped it the start of an opportunity to stake a claim for the number one jersey at United.

Benitez has been told 'thanks, but no thanks' - and so has Foster.

After losing his place at United, and being lambasted for a couple of errors during that early spell of games, which are magnified tenfold when you play for such a club, he is now at Blues.

Foster fell out of the England reckoning too as his career threatened to stagnate.

He saw what Joe Hart did at St Andrew's, what the value was of regular football, in a tight-knit team with a good manager and good goalkeeper coach.

Nobody knew what quite to expect of Hart when he joined Blues on loan from Manchester City. But, like the side as a whole, he far exceeded our expectations - and he's going to the World Cup finals.

Foster, having taken stock, will look to emulate Blues player-of-the-season.

He has a hunger to succeed and show again why he was once thought of the man most likely to establish himself as England's first choice between the sticks for years to come.

Hart, pictured saluting Blues fans in an emotional farewell at Bolton Wanderers after the season's final game, left Manchester for similar reasons. He wanted his career to progress, he wanted to prove himself.

He would have gladly returned to Blues but his performances, which were basically error-free, made the Eastlands outfit realise what they had on their doorstep.

Imagine a few months down the line now, Foster and Hart both in the England squad, competing to become David James' heir apparent. Don't be surprised if that happens.

Credit Blues, too, for not dilly-dallying. They, sensibly, made contingency plans several weeks ago on the assumption that Hart would not be staying and Foster was identified immediately as the goalkeeper to go for.

Alex McLeish couldn't afford to hang around all summer to see what Manchester planned to do. And it still might be that they sign another goalkeeper (money is no object) and Hart, who won't settle for second fiddle, becomes available.

That was too big a risk to take and Foster could have gone elsewhere if Big Eck had decided to hang fire.

The £6 million outlay shows, too, that Carson Yeung - shock, horror - is prepared to fund transfer dealings. And the importance of the goalkeeper position is such that McLeish was told they would do whatever it took to get the right replacement for Hart.

Ultimately, Yeung will be judged on by the time the window closes on August 31, and rightly so.

He won't go crazy and let McLeish take the club down the Portsmouth route. Don't expect £40 million to be spent on fees alone.

Blues have tried for other players already, and tabled a very attractive contract to Cacau on a Bosman free transfer.

And the suspects named, they are very serious about.

I always find it puzzling that some think their targets are 'leaked', or bids have gone in under the perceived asking price just to look good.

That's not the case at all. McLeish has been very scrupulous and it is the media's job to try to find out where exactly clubs are looking and write accordingly.

You will get agents, for obvious reasons, encouraging speculation and trying to drum up interest via the newspapers and television. How many clubs have supposedly wanted to sign Kasper Schmeichel, for instance?

But there is no sham concerning what Blues are doing, and have been doing, since the season's end.

They like, for instance, Charles N'Zogbia (pictured above) and remain hopeful that over forthcoming weeks they can barter an agreement with Wigan Athletic.

And they wouldn't go in for such players in the first place if they didn't have reason to believe that they would entertain a move to St Andrew's - as Foster certainly did.

Blues host their annual awards night at the ICC on Monday.

If one can be so presumptuous, here's a few categories they may (or most likely may not) want to consider from what your correspondent has seen of Blues and the Premier League this season.

Players of the season: Joe Hart/Barry Ferguson.

Best 'ave it' goal of the season: Cameron Jerome, Liverpool, away.

Best team goal: Barry Ferguson, Everton, away.

Performance(s) of the season: Man City/Chelsea/Man United/Arsenal (all home).

Worst performance of the season: Burnley, away.

Best performances for no reward: Sunderland, away/Villa, away.

Signings of the season: Joe Hart/Barry Ferguson.

Signer of the season: Stephen Carr.

Duff signing: Giovanny Espinoza.

Hands up if your feared the worst after pre-season: Alex McLeish/everyone else.

Dreamed a dream: of European qualification.

Lived a nightmare: Second-half at Portsmouth, FA Cup quarter-final.

Unsung heroes: Cameron Jerome/Liam Ridgewell/Lee Bowyer/Scott Dann.

Dougie Bell's most composed footballer award: Barry Ferguson.

Best chants: 4-4-2/European tour.

Contrary to myth, chant that had no influence on manager: 4-4-2.

Best snog: Garry O'Connor and Keith Fahey, Hull, away.

Most Lazarus-style comebacks from injury, in-game: Roger Johnson.

Best Sinatra-style comeback: Stephen Carr.

Player deadly from two yards with head or chest: Christian Benitez.

Player not so deadly from 12 to 18 yards: Christian Benitez.

Player fans are in love with, sponsored by Franck Queudrue: Christian Benitez.

Player manager not so much in love with: Christian Benitez.

Best forward combination: Christian Benitez-Cameron Jerome.

Most dangerous attacker: Christian Benitez.

Most debated issue: Christian Benitez.

Damien Johnson scapegoat of the season trophy now that Liam Ridgewell is OK: James McFadden.

Best Bruce-Pallister impression: Roger Johnson, Scott Dann.

Best ironic long throw: Liam Ridgewell's 10-yarder, Stoke, away.

Assistant referee's most dangerous opponent: Liam Ridgewell plus corner flag.

Best goal-hanging lurker: Liam Ridgewell.

Best performance by opposition: Chelsea, away.

Best opposition players: Craig Gordon, Steven Pienaar, Carlos Tevez, Florent Malouda.

Best finish to a game: Wolves, home.

Best start to a game: Wolves, away/Everton, away (FA Cup).

Game you wouldn't pay to watch: Stoke v Blackburn.

Made up to be here award: Craig Gardner.

Peter Walton award for bad refereeing: Martin Atkinson.

Martin Atkinson award for bad refereeing: Peter Walton.

Campaign for Real English gobbledygook award: Martin O'Neill.

Vico Hui beer monster award: Colin Doyle.