Sako....Again

Today came the suggestion that transfer target Bakary Sako has gone on strike after Wolves blocked his move to Forest. Some Forest fans have atken to the usual social media platforms to laugh at this, and suggest we redouble efforts to sign him.

But hang on. If one of our players did this, and at the moment Wolves are suggesting he isn’t on strike, then we’d be asking for him to be hung drawn and quartered. We’d want to the board to leave him to rot and call him a money chasing judas and all the rest. You know like everyone did with Guedioura when it turns he wanted to leave.

What it would mean is that they want a player who doesn’t honour a contract he signed. Who doesn’t deem that its worth the paoer its written on. Whats to stop them doing it again at some juncture?

Additonally it indicates a “moody” player. A player who will sulk if things not going their way. Everbody loves to hate the moody player. We’ve had a few of those in the past too, and fans get on their backs.

I find it amusing again the double standards. I explored that last week in the way we accused Wolves of greed, of holding for larger sums, whereas if we did it it would be the “right” thing to do. This week we applaud a player trying to force through a move to us. Seeing it as a player wanting to play for us. Whereas if any of our current crop did the same and went on strike no-one would support him.

I’m of the opinion that you have to honour Wolves opinion if you’re the chasing club. If they value him at x price, then you have to pay it. I don’t agree with their vlautation, and the way they keep chopping and changing their demands, BUT they won the player. Therefore you have to pay what they want. And as iI said, turn it round then we’d be the ones applauding the club for trying to maximise revenue. In this day and age thats vital.

I also lament player power taking over, whereby players can force through something like this through their own sheer bull headedness. Remember Pierre van Hooijdon? H went on strike and would anyone welcome him back? Ok his reasoning for striking isn;t the same exactly, but prinicipal is the same. A player trying to take action into his own hands and force the clubs hand into selling them. You neither want a bad apple in the bowl, nor do you want to pay them wages (even if you fine them) Sako is too valuable to them to rot in reserves when his value would just depreciate.

But we forget that when its a player at another club. Apparently to some it even shows ambition. To me it signals trouble. A player with no lyalty, and no qualms about screwing their club over to benefit themselves. Do Not Want.

Two Sides to Bakary Story

The Bakary Sako saga has been entertaining as it reached a close today with the new he won’t be leaving. What’s entertaining is the fall out on either side of the debate about this almost transfer.

Forest fans are aghast that a League One club is demanding such high fees for a player. This of course has its merits. It’s not like it'd be for a promising up and coming player either to embellish the fee. No he’s at his best right now. Wolves paid £3mill for him when as a Championship club entertaining notions of promotion to the Premier League, before plummeting through the Championship trap door. They apparently in the summer wanted to make a profit on him, which for me is a strange situation when they aren’t the same club with the same turnover as before. If the situation changes then surely the market rates do? Do I still think a house bought before the banking crisis is worth the same just because I think it is? No the market dictates value.

Wolves’ fans are suggesting we are stupid and mucking around and that if we really want him why not pay the price they are demanding or shut up. Which is a valid point if you just fail to ignore something called common sense.

Say I have an apple. It’ a very nice apple. Apples aren’t in season anymore and we wanted that apple at that time but decided not to pay the price for the apple. Apples have a value as does everything, and sometimes they go for more or less, but generally people what they think that apple is worth. The apple we wanted is now suddenly more expensive and they wanted an Orange in return for it too. Would you buy the apple? No. No-one would. It’s the same apple, nothing’s changed, just now they seem to think it is worth more because... well I’m not sure why.

It’s completely laughable and borderline retarded to say we clearly aren’t that rich if we are unwilling to spend a figure we deem too much for something. If you blindly just go and pay what a vendor demands for a price without first checking whether what you’re buying is worth it your stupid.

Wolves clearly think Sako is key to getting promote. And he must be if we want him, but a League One club valuing a player so highly? We aren’t poor because we refuse to pay too much for something. That’s such a stupid statement. I’m clearly poor because I’d refuse to pay £5 for a can of coke.

And now I get to frankly the most ridiculous part of this whole silly charade. Where each clubs fans start proclaiming each other’s clubs joke. Wolves fans (Wolves are in league One, that’s below the Championship) that they are better placed club for Sako and are a bigger club. That’s a kind of logic you don’t argue with, because the purveyor of it is as stupid as to not bother wasting your time on.

We aren’t blameless here of course. Forest fans have suggested Wolves are holding the player to ransom. Wolves of course don’t have to sell us Sako, as if a Premiership club came in for one of our boys (like with Guedioura) we’d cry foul of any low bids. Sako has a contract with Wolves. And if the boot was on other foot then we’d be demanding the club don’t sell. How it’d signal a lack of ambition.

Also all week when he looked like he was off Wolves fans were laughing, saying Sako is over rated and not worth that much. Now they keeping him, we were miserly and cheap and should go away and leave the best player ever to walk the earth alone.

Now I made the point that we laugh at Wolves fans saying Sako is better off there? I remember some Forest fans (and some who have claimed that comment is stupid) saying exactly the same thing when Guedioura went to Palace. What’s the difference here at the end of the day?

The problem for me is that Wolves fans are saying the player isn’t for sale, yet Wolves were clearly in negotiations with us about the right place. If he isn’t for sale then none of this would have happened. Clearly he is for sale, but bizarrely for a price that’s going up. In August he was available for around £3mill. Now it appears to be £5mill AND Jamie Paterson on loan (ha ha fucking ha) The West Midlands clearly is a hot bed for hilarity if that’s Sako’s worth. It isn’t. Not even slightly. Wolf’s board clearly thought we’d offer them the stupid money and they could run to the bank.

Sako isn’t worth that much. There are other players available for less money. The problem is will Wolves regret not taking this larger offer when they had the chance. It’s happened to us a few times, and you end meekly selling for cheaper later on.

Latest Round of Transfer Gossip

Several new names have been linked and connected with Forest as we begin to approach the end of the transfer window. The fact it has been said we feel we need 3 more players, and are in the market for some has sent tongues wagging as to who they may well be. Here is a roundup of the names linked.

Gabriel Tamas
29 year old and 6’2 central defender Gabriel Tamas, a Romanian international has been linked. The West Brom defender has been linked with moves away from the Hawthorns all summer but has constantly distanced himself from such rumours. Now the window is coming to a close maybe that could change. Tamas is somewhat a controversial figure, he was banned from the Romanian team for a short while after being caught out drinking with Adrian Mutu before a game in 2011. If we are in for him it would signal the definite end of the chase for Wes Morgan.

Bakary Sako
A name previously mentioned there were strong hints today we were in for him. What would be another left sided midfielder, though more attacking than some, he is currently at Wolves, for whom he was a big purchase last season following relegation from the Premier League and was meant to help fire them back up. Now in league One after their successive relegations Sako would be surely be keen for a way out of playing in the third tier. He is both eligible for France and Mali at international football.

Grant Leadbitter
Another rumour that won’t die is Grant Leadbitter despite a number of bids being turned down, it seems we may just go in with a high offer as Billy see’s him as integral to our plans. Guedioura is not the man Billy wants in the hole in front of defence and would like a more McKenna esque, ball shielding, water carrier type role player. Leadbitter is his man for this. Whether this goes through is another matter. Boro have made it clear they don’t want to sell, and the indication is they don’t need to, but every player has his price right?

Jason Holt
Same old names all summer, which shows either the WUM ITK accounts are nothing but consistent or there is actual truth. After low offers for the Hearts midfielder were turned down (it appears we were testing just how impoverished the Scottish side are) we may go back with a more realistic market valuation of the player, rather than a hoping to pinch on the cheap. Hearst have clearly played this game well, holding out for a good price for one of their sought after players, rather taking the money and running.

Shane Long
It what appears to be lazy journalism we have been linked with West Brom striker Shane Long, who started last season very well. West Brom have just signed Anelka and Vydra who might take a more prominent role, but that forgets that Odemwingie and Lukaku have both been removed from that pecking order, meaning surely there is a role for Long, as even with Anelka, he is getting on and won’t play as often. I can’t see this one happening, Long has something to offer at the top flight, and his wages would be inflated. However, he has one year left of his deal, and Forest might see this as a potential cut price transfer.

Potential Transfer Targets

I usually hold off a little longer, but with the end of the season comes people immediately chucking names round with reckless abandon. The most common names people suggest are those from the Championship relegated teams. Bristol City and Wolves squads having numerous potential signings. I’d mention Peterborough too, but somehow I don’t think they’ll want to do business with us anymore.

Christophe Berra

Christophe Berra
The big commanding Scottish defender is actually available on a free, his contract is expiring. Berra has played in the top flights of both Scotland (who hasn’t) and England with Wolves. An aerial big strong presence he could be used in an instead of Elliot Ward (who if you believe the rumours, Davies has said he won’t be signing, mind you the rumour also mentions health spa’s) I personally like Berra, we may have to act fast as his ex Wolves boss Mick McCarthy is wanting him at Ipswich (and maybe to replace Chambers) Rangers too were sniffing round but apparently can’t his wages, what with being lower league Scotland now. Whether it happens is another matter. It’s more a theoretical signing and an illustration of what’s out there.



Richard Foster
Scottish international, although limited caps wise, and only has a short term left on his Bristol City contract he is versatile. However in the same Halford is do we need multiple versatile defenders. That said versatility is a bonus and to have someone else who can fill in anywhere at the back on in midfield would be handy if he was available. However, this is only a player I’d look to sign on a cut price deal, rather than seeking out. May not be as expensive as some wages wise, and is relatively experienced.

Albert Adomah

Albert Adomah
A former target anyway, the pacey right winger (and what have we all said we’ve needed since McCleary left) might see his future away from League One. What kind of fee he commands is another matter. He has two years left on his contract. Now fees may not be an issue for Fawaz, and he is what we are crying out for a player of his ilk will be in demand. He has two years left on his deal so won’t be on the cheap, like some we may mention who have 1 left on deals. A bid in the region to test Bristol City’s financial resolve and to see if Adomah starts agitating for a move might be clever. Possibly rising to as much as £1-1.2 mill, no higher, as there are other choices out there. But certainly one to consider.


Greg Cunningham
Its funny the amount of ex targets are on this list. Cunningham of course spent a good proportion of last season at left back, and though he took a while to settle by the end of his stint he was doing enough to have a few fans wanting him signing up. Now he does have an extended contract with Bristol City, but again, we could seek to take him off them, or he might want to go, especially as he knows our club. Oh and he’s a left back. We know all about them. No, we don’t, we don’t ever have one. Not even Dan Harding.

Tom Heaton

Tom Heaton
The fact he came through Manchester Uniteds system and was around there for a while and the fact he has England U21 call ups alone; Heaton has an ok pedigree at this level. Apart from his time with Bristol City, with whom he signed a one year deal with the option of a second (that I’m not sure is/has being taken) means he may be available free or even cut price. Now I’m not saying Darlow isn’t good enough, but he’s a young keeper, and they will have a dip in form. Al-Rashidi and Evtimov are complete unknowns in a first team context. Billy also may well simply fancy another man between the sticks, not that Heaton has to be him, as I said this is just looking what the relegated teams have to potentially offer. Could be good competition for Darlow.


Adam Hammill
Another of those names of players we chased before but never got is Adam Hammill. He went from Barnsley to Wolves when we were after him, and to be fair back then Wolves were in the big time. Now after they have dropped through two divisions he might well be re-evaluating those options. Likely is as well as a player signed in the top flight and now being a League One club the club might seek to offload him. Hammill is still relatively young; the right side of 25, and is as we said with Adomah that tricky winger we are crying out for. But, and it’s a big but, Hammill was done for assault outside a Liverpool nightclub last October. Do we want this type of player at the club? If anything happened again would we be stuck with a Marlon King?

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake
Back to Wolves again and fairly established striker certainly at this level is United youngster Ebanks-Blake. He’s one of those players who will have barren patches that make you think his good years were flashes in a pan, but then he’ll come good again. At 27, he also isn’t too old to take a punt on, and he is a physical presence like we had with Marlon. The chances of taking him are good. He’s been at Wolves a long time, and might have wanted a move anyway, but with their drop and former top flight experience you have to think he’s certainly worth an enquiry. He is currently recovering from a long term injury though.

Bakary Sako
Like a pacey Andy Reid, this guy is a left sided midfielder with a left foot that could be a wand. He can certainly strike a ball and has been a rare high point in Wolves season. He looked against us at the City ground. But players of his type are mercurial talents. Can he do it across a whole season? I’ve only seen him in patches this season, and like a Taarabt or so he could be more of a hindrance on a field when not performing. I wouldn’t imagine he’d be cheap either.


Notable Mentions:

George Elokobi – just back from long term injury, so too risky fitness wise

Kevin Doyle- Would surely want too much money and a top flight move

Stephen Hunt – Talented but also trouble. Also how many slightly chubby Irish players do we want?

Stephen Ward – Linked previously, not convinced

Paul Anderson – You had your chance here, jog on.