Wednesday, May 21, 2008

CITY'S RETAINED LIST - IT'S TA TA TREV BUT THE JURY'S STILL OUT FOR FOWLER & JIMMY

Sinclair could always be Zorro!

With the F.A. Cup Final out of the way, Cardiff City were finally able to name their retained list which contained no real shocks but also not the cull of Dave Jones' squads of the past couple of season with 7 allowed to leave.
The Bluebirds signed the Saga Superstar Trio of Robbie Fowler, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Trevor Sinclair -collectively aged 104! -to enormous publicity last summer and no matter what the differing views of wages being paid top them,, an equally enormous hole in the playing budget too.
With the key objective of the Championship producing City's 5th successive mid-table finish, it's time to move on.
Trevor Sinclair, at 35, started the best and did get corwds behind him until it transpired there wasn't much of an end product to his play and then injuries struck - a theme of his latter years. 14 league games and 1 goal wasn't quite what City expected and it makes sense to let him go.
Robbie Fowler, now 33, came here unfit, ended the season unfit and found himself injured most of the rest of the time meaning just 10 league games and 4 goals, 2 of those were penalties. A majority of City fans, myself included, have the view it's time to go separate ways but all the soundbites are that Dave Jones believes he will be fit, will socre goals and will give him another year - maybe on pay-as-you-play terms.
The eldest stateman, Hasselbaink, is now 36 but provided the best return with 33 league starts and 7 goals. He'd love to stay but the club have - rightly- hinted he couldn't be first choice next term and more pace is needed in attack.
While the wait over Fowler and Hasselbaink goes on, City released the goalkeeping due of Michael Oakes and David Forde. The two Matts - Reserve youngsters Matt Green and Matt Smith - failed to prove they should have new contracts and are also out with Matt Green set to join Oxford.
The only other out-of-contract player is Riccy Scimeca who has been offered a new one year deal after overcoming horrific injuries and the popular midfielder is expected to sign.
There are several players with only one year remaining on the contracts and the club are expected to offer most new deals but some will be vulnerable including Darren Purse, Steve Thompson (who is officially still on the transfer list anyway) and Willo Flood. Warren Feeney, with two years remaining, may also leave.
It's a start to what may yet prove another hectic summer of ins and outs but a good start as far as I'm concerned.

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