It takes a certain type of transfer rumour to warrant a blog all of its own writing, irrespective of the likelihood of it ever happening in the first place.
Nikola Zigic. 6ft 7ins of skinny-streaked contention.
The notion of attaining the services of a striker from a rival West Midlands club (albeit an out-of-contract one) is always one to get the fans tweeting, as has been the case in the last 24 hours.
That the player in question dangles somewhere between the cult and the comedy makes this particular snippet of gossip all the more titillating.
The chances are that the rumour of a done deal being revealed in early August is the most ridiculous in recent history. It has to be hasn’t it?
Given his notoriously extortionate wages and our recent history with high profile players, signing Zigic would be a disaster.
But there again, with the beanpole unable to command a lofty salary these days and being settled in the area, might he just be an unlikely answer to the striking conundrum we currently face?
Playing 4-5-1 with Jacobs buzzing behind Dicko has always looked so aesthetically pleasing, but when one or two more anaemic performances inevitably follow (Peterborough and Gillingham away spring to mind), an alternative option like this might just be a masterstroke.
With athletic and accurate wingers in plentiful supply at Molineux, could a bit of Chris Iwelumo history be repeating itself, who was similarly undesirable at the time we bought him, but feasted on our wingplay like a ravenous beast.
If Zigic scored a bucket load of goals before December like Big Chris so famously did, then might there be method to such madness?!
It would be ironic for Wolves to sign a player who has spent the last couple of years extorting an astronomical wage out of a club who were simply unable to shift him off the books.
If my memory of infuriatingly repetitive WM phone-ins from last season was accurate, the consensus from Blues supporters seemed to be he was a lazy oaf, but the team was more threatening with him in it.
I think we definitely need a big sod up front, but would prefer Wood from Leicester if that’s a goer.
Funnily enough, I thought Clayton Donaldson would also have fitted the mould perfectly, but he’s somehow ended up at Blues. I think they’ve played a blinder with that signing.
I agree about Donaldson, Thomas.
Strong, quick and skilful, he would have been a perfect fit for us.
No, he’s shit.
Yes Thomas, Donaldson banging ’em in for Blues in pre-season. Mind you, Leon Clarke has probably bagged more?! He could be KJs biggest signing of all if he knocks in a few this season. That’d be ironic as I’d written him off. Thought he’d be sold during pre-season but maybe difficulties in finding a striker have perversely unearthed one from our own squad
Everyone knows how efficient players like Zigic is when they are used right. He’s probably one of the strongest players in the air in England besides Crouch. As a footballer he’s strikingly similar to Niall Quinn. If it turns out he’s the next in line in this year’s transfer saga we’ll have a player with extreme qualities, and in a team like wolves, with great wingers, he’ll score a lot more goals than for bham. The question is how he’s fitting into our style of play when the pace of the game is on its highest. Exciting
Nikola Zigic, sounds like one of those e-lite cigarettes. Not heard anything you guys have been hearing, but King Kenny is full of surprises himself so why not. We now have another guy who can chip em in to the box at will in Van La Parra and unless Leon is on the pitch we are relying on Dave Edwards or Danny Bhatt to get onto them. So lets get someone up front whose height and heading ability is their trade and perhaps stick a few more of these away. My opinion and my opinion only is that we do lack a tall good solid head to aim for, my dream team would be complete with Tommy Rowe fit, Van La Parra chipping em over and a bona fide striker who can mix it up in the box. I have to be honest, never heard of him (Zigic) but then again, never really took much notice of MacDonald until he arrived in our pre-seaon friendlies, now I must be his biggest fan.
Let the mystery unfold.
In KJ we trust!
To quote Wayne from Wayne’s World, “Oh Jesus God no”.
For no other reason than I have 2 blouse mates who have for years been beaten over the head with Zigic on a regular basis. I’ve got pretty thick skin when it comes to banter, but I’ve dished out so much abuse on this subject that I don’t know what I’d do if the tables were turned.
You can all discuss the merits of a tall striker all day long, but we all know football is really about taking the piss out of your mates, and for that reason – I’m oot!
Sorry movie fans, I meant Waynes World 2. The bit when they’re taking the piss out of The Graduate. Tsk.
If this one goes through I’d expect it to be Claridge-esque in its unravelling.
But I honestly think its someone’s idea of a wind-up.
My initial reaction is that I wouldn’t touch him with a 6′ 7″ bargepole.
Rumours about his laziness and general attitude would seem to suggest that he would fit into the present Wolves set up, so carefully nurtured by Kenny Jackett, like a square peg in a dodecahedron shaped hole.
However, he has all the physical attributes to make an impact on Division I defences.
A certain lanky Irish feller, whose name escapes me, didn’t look a likely candidate to turn out to be one of our greatest strikers but seemed to manage OK.
I think that we all know that KJ, KT and – in particular – JM aren’t going to risk the precious War Chest (whatever happened to that by the way?) on something, or somebody, that they haven’t researched thoroughly.
Until such time as they do, they have my trust.
Just read more about the big lad.
Apparently he gets £70K a week at Brum!
Jez will be choking on his meat pie at the very thought.
That’s what I’ve been winding my bluenose mates about, It’s over £3.5m p/a! And he’s shit!!
They tried getting me back last year over the ‘Bomb Squad’ (or ‘Group 3’ or whatever they’re called this week), but thankfully I could point to the league table and blame previous crap managers.
A poor mans Stefan Meierhofer ?
With the wages Zigic was on, I’d say a rich man’s Stefan Meierhofer…
On a more serious note, what song would we sing for him?
“He’s tall, he’s strong
His payslip’s rather long
Zigic, Zigic”
Or
“Chim chiminy, chim chiminy, chim chim chiroo
He’s a big bastard, he earns more than you”
Zigic, well. Not the player of any Wolves fans dreams by any stretch of the imagination.
Just read that Villa may go for Danny Batth for £5 million to replace Vlaar if he goes to fill the gaps left by Liverpool & Man Utd’s rape & pillage of Southampton’s first team squad.
Shows how hard its going to be for Wolves to make not just a sustained challenge to get into the Prem, but eventually stay there when its money that now does all the talking. ( If there ever was a time when it didn’t.)
Sad but the facts of life in modern football, hope Batth stays & fulfills his ambitions with a young Wolves side. Any fan worth their salt has to be prouder of a team like Wolves who home grow players & hunt for bargains rather than panic shop for the `Hollywood` style modern celeb footballer. ( A couple of the bomb sqaud excepted).
Just imagine if Batth went would Kenny stoop to the bomb squad & resurrect Roger Johnson’s career?
Looking forward to the season, its not going to be easy but I was sufficiently cheered & healed by the team last season not to expect a repeat of the debacle of the previous double relegation seasons.
Devil’s advocate time, boys and girls.
Batth is an asset to the company of Wolverhampton Wanderers, to be used and sold for a profit if possible…………………..probable view of greasel the accountant.
Batth is an asset to the football team of Wolverhampton Wanderers, to be used to his full potential to assist the football side of the company to get better, get promotion, and thus increasing not only his own value, but netting much more in increased revenue for the footballing AND accounting side of the club………………..probable view of Jackett the football manager.
Conundrum.
Doe he get sold for an instant profit, but to the detriment of the football side, or does he stay and play, without the guarantee of long term more profit?
To me, as a fan, its a no brainer.
He stays and plays and we get better, bringing delight to untold thousands around the world.
And, just as important, he honors his contract.
As a side note, five million for Danny Batth is an insult, especially at today’s inflated prices.
Aston Villa can kiss my arse at that.
Shit, I wouldn’t sell them Wardinho for 5 million!!!
greasel and morgan have GOT to bite the financial bullet and pay off those not wanted on voyage, free up some player vacancies, and hold up their hands and admit their mistakes, but also acknowledge that they have learned from them.
Eight days and counting, cant wait!
Get the prediction blog up there, Thomas me boy, although there will be no prizes for MY first prediction of the season!!!
I just been spring cleaning, or whatever its called at this time of the year, and came across an autographed painting of Sir Bully, which has now found its rightful place on the wall of my shrine/office!!
Footie season is nearly here!!
Bring on the dancing girls, and fuck off w.b.!!!
Totally agree Batth should stay, but how many players actually honour their contracts? Well other than the ones who the club want rid of, and no other club wants.
I should’ve added Arsenal & Spurs to the raid on Soton, when and how can these glory boys have their financial clout zapped?
Maybe never, like the maybe never enjoying a decent England football team. I think they got the competitions wrong this summer. To get gold our glorious team of Prem primped glory boys should have gone to the Commonwealth games & competed in the lawn bowls.
As for Kenny’s Wolves, I agree with the above, we’ve got to off load the bomb squad as soon as humanely possible because they have to be a big drain on resources, and on the success of the side.
I just wonder as well how much Kevin McDonald would fetch after his performances last season?
Please, not Zigic, I don’t rate him. Agard, yes please, Chris Wood, KJ knows him of old, so that has to be good as a starting-point. Danny Batth should stay,
I’ve just clocked onto the Batth story..if ever there was a young successful player tagged to the KJ new era then it’s DB..
Yes he is still learning and makes mistakes but I’ve always thought he
Is England potential like Rio was early days..
His attitude is fantastic if you cut him gold and black comes out of his veins and to loose him would be a travesty ..and to Villa my stomach churns..
He’s only 50% made as a player as he’s young and needs the premier to shine..
I truely hope he still shines with us..
FO everyone..