Non - Matt Ritchie

AFCB Lost in Brum said:
We have...

Cook (29 and 8 years at AFCB)
Smith (29 and 6 years at AFCB)
Gosling (30 and 6 years at AFCB),
Stanislas (30 and 6 years at AFCB)

We're not short of experience.
Click to expand...

AFCB Lost in Brum said:
Discussing Ritchie's return is ALL about nostalgia.

This site is obsessed with old players returning, it always has been.

Look at the discussions on who the new manager might be - some wanted Steve Robinson instead of managers who have proven experience of getting out of the Championship and staying in the PL.

It's heart over head stuff.

Ake on loan to us - the best, most consistent player to ever wear the shirt - in the Championship, would be a forwards move, a declaration that we're aiming to win promotion. Other clubs would know we meant business.

The return of Ritchie, Pugh, Arter, etc suggests we've run out of ideas. Other clubs hearing the news would be 'meh'.

And for someone who has persistently and relentlessly berated our apparently terrible transfer policy and 'old boys network', I find it remarkable you'd be agreeing with bringing these old players back.
Click to expand...
I see and do take your points Brum. But with respect, Matt Ritchie is a different kettle of fish to Arter, Pugh and most of that promotion side who've departed. None of them have been fairly regular for a midtable PL side recently.

I don't want to reunite the whole 2015 side. I do want players who have something to offer us in the here and now in the Championship. And I expect we'll mostly see raw kids signing.

So given where our squad is that, the lack of wide options currently, and I'd maintain that we lack some experience (Stanislas? We'll be lucky to see 20 games) - IMHO Ritchie has a lot he could still offer us. Any player of his CV would be the same. That Ritchie knows the club already is just a bonus.

Mind you I have no idea what salary etc he might command and it might be beyond us.
 
My only concern with Ritchie is I feel we need someone with genuine flair and unpredictability in the final third. There’s no doubt about his quality. He is very efficient and hard working.

If the numbers are rights I’d have him back in a flash but I’d also want another wide attacking option too. Especially if Matt will be playing a deeper role
 
If Matt has looked after himself, then I think he would be truly effective at Champ level. I have no qualms about him coming back. We need to find a better balance of proven and unproven talent, and that balance was completely out of alignment last season.
 
:idea::idea:

Just remembered where the rumour came from now, swap deal for Wilson.

So Gayle and Ritchie if it were to happen, would be a good bit of business for our club.

Also Shelvey, be good bit of experience in our midfield, but that won’t happen.
 
Ritchie is the best winger the championship has seen in the last decade, he is only 30 and never had any pace any way. He’d be a hell of a signing and a real statement of intent.
 
Topfarrier said:
It's all been downhill since Ibe left.....BRING HIM HOME!
Click to expand...
An ironic reference to the tendency of our fans to want us to re sign ex players? If Ritchie had never played for us before would you want him here? He is quality and more importantly he has passion that we were sorely lacking last season.
 
kirsikka said:
Genuine question. When Steve Fletcher came back it was an obvious positive for the team. He made a big impact on and off the pitch.

However, out of the multitude of many other players we've brought back down the years who else has been a success on the pitch? A few have been alright but off the top of my head I can't think of anyone who really scaled their previous highs and met the expectations we had before they came back.
Click to expand...

Pitman
 
northstandmark said:
I see and do take your points Brum. But with respect, Matt Ritchie is a different kettle of fish to Arter, Pugh and most of that promotion side who've departed. None of them have been fairly regular for a midtable PL side recently.

I don't want to reunite the whole 2015 side. I do want players who have something to offer us in the here and now in the Championship. And I expect we'll mostly see raw kids signing.

So given where our squad is that, the lack of wide options currently, and I'd maintain that we lack some experience (Stanislas? We'll be lucky to see 20 games) - IMHO Ritchie has a lot he could still offer us. Any player of his CV would be the same. That Ritchie knows the club already is just a bonus.

Mind you I have no idea what salary etc he might command and it might be beyond us.
Click to expand...

We'll agree to disagree.

I was wrong about the return of Fletch, so if Ritchie returns I hope to be wrong about that too!
 
He literally left to double his wages at Newcastle. Why on earth would he come back to us to take a significant pay cut and play in the Champ whilst he's still getting games in the Prem?

He's under contract until 2023 so there'd be a considerable outlay on the fee. Meanwhile, we've just released two experience pros who in my opinion still had just as much to offer at this level so splashing out on Ritchie would be ridiculous.

Loved him in his day, but we need to move on.
 
We need Francis and Ritchie together attacking down the right, they were great together.

As were Daniels and Pugh on the left.

But that was a few years ago, so best remember them then at their best.
 
tomafcb123 said:
He literally left to double his wages at Newcastle. Why on earth would he come back to us to take a significant pay cut and play in the Champ whilst he's still getting games in the Prem?

He's under contract until 2023 so there'd be a considerable outlay on the fee. Meanwhile, we've just released two experience pros who in my opinion still had just as much to offer at this level so splashing out on Ritchie would be ridiculous.

Loved him in his day, but we need to move on.
Click to expand...
Doubling his wages at the time put him on 45k a week, not inconceivable that if we shift a few out (Callum) then we would go for him.
 
borisatha said:
The average age of our team was the 2nd youngest behind Man U last season.
I think we could do with a couple of older players especially as we’ve lost a couple of old gits.
Click to expand...
I agree .... a few older heads from the prem would probably have stabilised the side last year.

We bought young talent (hoping it would improve), which it often didn't along with Championship hangers on.
 
docmandu said:
I agree .... a few older heads from the prem would probably have stabilised the side last year.

We bought young talent (hoping it would improve), which it often didn't along with Championship hangers on.
Click to expand...

We had experienced heads, the only problem they were all in the treatment room at the same time and hardly played any games.
 
I'm still convinced that EH was trying to replicate how Ritchie played for us with the Wilson signing. Sadly, it didn't work out that way. In the championship, a left wing of Stacey and Ritchie sounds very good indeed. Not one for signing players just because they've played for us before, but this is one I'd snap up given the chance. As mentioned above, if we were still in the Prem, no. But the goalposts have moved now.
 
We HAVE TO MOVE ON.....THAT was a great Era we came through.....
.....THIS one needs a complete Overhaul to start.... and the best way to bugger that up is to rest on the Emotions of the former and get ageing players back....
....." that's not how Eddie did it" ... " he wouldn't let us do that " ...echoing across Kings Park every morning!
 
Neil Dawson said:
I think you have to divide this between people who weren’t effective regular championship players last year (Pugh and Pitman) and people who did play regularly at that level or higher.

I wouldn’t see Matts return as nostalgia I’d see it as squad improvement. If Man C offered us Ake back on loan for a year we wouldn’t be stood here saying ‘err, sorry we are moving on now’
Click to expand...
You are totally spot on, Matt is a player who gives his all 100%. He is a great crosser of a ball, good at free kicks penalties & scores. Also gives other players some stick if they are not trying, what they could have done with last season. He would be a massive improvement to our side. He trains hard & is fit for the roll he would be required to do. I for one would like to see him back at bournemouth. The geordies love him ,he is well respected in the north east.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

;