Portsmouth News 24/7Writer: pompeyrug 
Date:Friday July 6 2007
Time: 1:57PM
UK time is: 07:49:46
Choose your club
Other Sites
Network Navigation
Vital Partners
'If It's Football, It's Vital'
Move not as imminent as Utaka thinks
Many media outlets are claiming that we have had a bid - said to be £6.7million - rejected for Rennes striker John Utaka - who has already expressed his desire to play for Pompey, with he himself claiming that a move 'was close'.
Rennes manager Pierre Dreossi said to France Football 'John Utaka could leave us but, for the moment, the offers are insufficient.
'€10million (£6.7million) from Portsmouth is not enough'.
Today is seeing a move to Pompey for the Nigerian heavily favoured in the media and Pompey's move for David Nugent claimed to be 'getting closer,' with Fredi Kanoute also said to be 'closing in' on a move to Pompey by the media circus.
How much Pompey will be willing to pay for the Utaka? This is something only they know, but my thinking is if we are asked to go much higher than £7million - possibly £8million maximum, depending on how much Harry Redknapp really wants him - this will be a no go.
We are getting closer in our hunt for strikers though, so I still expect to know what will happen with Nugent by the early part of next week - at the latest. And believe that we will have at least one striker in place by the time we face Yeovil a week on Saturday, hopefully.
PLAY UP POMPEY!
Seconds Out! Vital Boxing is here!
Vital F1 Prediction League - Join now for Monaco
Your Comments
Why am I not surprised! Groan....
Tantona
I think they were hoping if they stalled we would let them have Niko. But as Harry has already said no, i cant see that happening. It'll be around 7 million or nothing at all i reckon. As for Nugent. i like him, he is excellent, but if he only stalling hoping Everton will come in late then do we really want to wait for ever? i think we should put a time limit on it, and if he doesnt want to wear our shirt, put that the extra cash toward Utaka and get someone who wants us, as much as we want them.
Midge
exactly mate as much as being a footballer is a job for most, we still only want players here that want to wear the shirt... i think having the weekend to decide for nugent is plenty enough time... kranjcar is a world class talent in the making, so rennes can covert him all the want - we cannot give in and we wont...
pompeyrug
Well said midge, its make your mind up time surely ?
They either want to come and play or they can go elsewhere for me.
There are still some options around, but the season will soon be upon us.
Owenspompey
my mate in media street says the Rennes issue is more about payment terms and not the sum or Krunchie.
russellm
Don't know too much about Utaka, but from what i've heard he would give us loads of options up front.
With Lua and Benji and Utaka all floating in different positions, What a potential nightmare for the oppositions defence!!!
So long as they remember they have to put the round thing in the net from time to time...
pentonpompey
oooh, can you imagine it? Nugent, Benjani, and Utaka...a threeman attack force?, with LuaLua coming on with 20mins to go to destroy whatevers left of oposition defences? Excelent. (im in dream world again, arn't?)
pompeycarpet
Pompeycarpet, take your medication quickly, you really are in dreamland mate, in reality we will be lucky to see Harewood and Mido up front, never mind we can all dream cant we!!
Owenspompey
Utaka is a wide right player ( so says wikipedia) so this means assuming 442 formation Gary O moves in field? So who makes way? Surely not Pedro or newly signed Muntari woh woh Muntari woh..gotta stop singing that. So how does he (Utaka) fit in? He wont stay as a bencher. I cant see it my self but do people think it will be a 433 formation,
russellm
The way Harry thinks we could end up with 4-5-1 with Muntari and Utaka wide and just Nugent !! or Benjani up front,with Pedro,Gary and one other in the centre of midfield.
Matty would be at left back if we played like this.
Owenspompey
Nothing is straight forward these days but if wants to go, he'll go & they can't hold out for a silly price. Can they?
As for team selection & formation, we need to have as many strings to our bow as possible.
storagematt
thanks storage mate, you took a risk with that one :-) danger is your middle name storagedangermatt thats you that is
russellm
YOU CAN ONLY HAVE ONE STRING ON YOUR BOW TO ENSURE THAT THE ARROW SAILS SWIFT AND STRAIGHT.
Lysimachus
GAH CAPS
Lysimachus
LEST WE SHOOT OURSELVES IN THE FOOT
russellm
God no, please no one up front tactics this season Owenspompey!
You just know whenever there's a big away match coming up that Arry's going straight on the bloody defensive. Have a go at them damn it! Yes, there's the old argument that once in a blue moon you might hold out for (gasp!) a point, but the problem is that the big four are used to playing against teams with one up front now - every man and his dog does it when they go to the big teams.
Surprise the buggers and play an aggressive attacking formation showcasing the new strike talent that we hope to have in place by then!! Might even get a cheeky three points now and again!
Tantona
Tantona furthermore as a travelling fan with 442 formation ( perfectly feasable with a goal scoarer) i would be pleased that my team had at least played positive football. the problem last season was we carried no goal threat and the home teams ew it. I must admit i never understood why it was a given for Harry that a team you have beaten well at home arent there for the taking away.
russellm
Have Your Say
Recent Articles
On this day in history...25th May (Saturday May 25 2013)
On this day in history...24th May (Friday May 24 2013)
David Connolly joins the crusade (Thursday May 23 2013)
Not short of an option or two! (Thursday May 23 2013)
On this day in history...23rd May (Thursday May 23 2013)
On this day in history...22nd May (Wednesday May 22 2013)
Reaping the benefits of 1st team football (Tuesday May 21 2013)
On this day in history...21st May (Tuesday May 21 2013)
Scunny winger becomes latest Pompey signing (Monday May 20 2013)
Winger signing imminent? (Monday May 20 2013)
Archived Articles
Vital Members League (view all)
| 1. | pompeyrug | 71 |
| 2. | eastneydave | 53 |
| 3. | storagematt | 37 |
| 4. | mslorna48 | 31 |
| 5. | Jimsmithswig | 25 |
| 6. | Pompeytim | 20 |
| 7. | blueballoo2000 | 17 |
| 8. | nagoyablue | 15 |
| 9. | PompeyJake | 13 |
| 10. | PFCblue | 10 |
League Results (view all)
| Latest Results | ||||
| Shrewsbury | 3 | - | 2 | Portsmouth |
| Portsmouth | 3 | - | 0 | Sheff Utd |
| Brentford | 3 | - | 2 | Portsmouth |
| Portsmouth | 0 | - | 0 | Stevenage |
| Portsmouth | 1 | - | 0 | Tranmere |
| Preston | 1 | - | 1 | Portsmouth |
League Table (view table)
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 18. Stevenage | 46 | 15 | 9 | 22 | -17 | 54 |
| 19. Oldham | 46 | 14 | 9 | 23 | -13 | 51 |
| 20. Colchester | 46 | 14 | 9 | 23 | -21 | 51 |
| 21. Scunthorpe | 46 | 13 | 9 | 24 | -24 | 48 |
| 22. Bury | 46 | 9 | 14 | 23 | -28 | 41 |
| 23. Hartlepool | 46 | 9 | 14 | 23 | -28 | 41 |
| 24. Portsmouth | 46 | 10 | 12 | 24 | -18 | 32 |
Breaking League News
| Howe: Working under constraints
» Bournemouth : 26/05/2013 07:48:00
|
| Cherries linked with move for Dunne
» Bournemouth : 26/05/2013 07:12:00
|
| Then There Were Eight (Interested In City)
» Coventry : 26/05/2013
|
| Familiar Faces In U's Return?
» Colchester : 25/05/2013 11:56:00
|
| Dunne Expects Late Transfers
» Colchester : 25/05/2013 08:49:00
|
| On this day in history...25th May
» Portsmouth : 25/05/2013 08:00:00
|
| Max rescues England
» Crewe : 24/05/2013 22:53:00
|
Current Site Poll (view all polls)
|
|
1 © - All content copyright Vital Network Ltd, not to be reproduced without explicit permission Copyright Issues
Cookie Policy
At Vital Football, we along with most other modern websites use small files called 'cookies' to create the most secure, effective and functional website possible for our users. Without these files our business model, based on advertising, breaks down and we would be unable to continue to provide the services that you are here to utilise. By continuing to use this website after seeing this message, you consent to our use of cookies on this device unless you have disabled them. For full details please read our Cookie Policy which can be found here. However, if you would like to disable cookies on this device, please view our Cookie Policy which contains an opt-out tool for disabling advertising cookies. Please also visit our information pages on 'How to manage cookies' if you would also like to block all other types of cookies. Please be aware that parts of this site will not function correctly if you disable cookies.