30th July 2003: Friendlies, who
cares? Well, it would seem Mr Megson for one after seeing a post match
interview saying that we have absolutely no chance of promotion if
we play like we did at Wrexham.
He's perfectly correct, of course, but friendlies are notoriously
poor predictors of the coming season. Does anyone really think that
we should take serious note of Arsenal losing to Peterborough last
week, or Wolves getting thumped 6-1 by Morecambe? Obviously, the latter
result is a source of much mirth amongst Baggies fans, but I don't
think it would've happened in a competitive match. Friendlies are
about getting fit and, more importantly, staying clear of injury -
no sensible professional footballer is going to risk getting injured
in an irrelevant pre-season friendly, and so the commitment is never
there. I think GM's comments are a bit of psychology aimed at all
the pundits predicting the Baggies to walk Division One.
I'll make no further comment about Sakiri or Gaardsoe until the deals
are done, but a quick word about Russell Hoult. In my opinion, he
has no right asking for a new contract when there are still three
years remaining on his current one, and talk of being forced out is
simply ridiculous. He, like every other player in the squad, took
a wage cut on being relegated - sound business sense on behalf of
the Albion, and every other player is living with it - so should he.
Indeed, after a superb first half of the season, his form dipped after
Christmas (the Everton game, in particular, sticks in my mind), and
he needs to re-evaluate his worth. We have a perfectly able replacement
in Joe Murphy who is desparate for first team football, and if Hoult
continues to whinge, he'll be playing in the reserves before too long.
To be honest, if someone bid over three million for him, I'd sell
providing we got in another second choice 'keeper. Put up and shut
up, Hoult - or is it really your agent talking? If so, get a new one
- he's doing you no favours.
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