Sidwell passes medical at Fulham

[FatFreddysCat]

Just on SSn  :54:

[Tom]

Thanks for the update Freddy. Will he move right into the starting lineup?

[Me-ate-Live, innit??]

 Freddy -quarter -swetty,   before he went to Reading you said you did not want him at Fulham because he was special one, is he any less special one now :038:


..........get a load of this :


Jason Burt
By Jason Burt 9:25PM GMT 06 Jan 2011

Jason's Twitter

His move to West Ham United was agreed before Christmas — loan fees and wages were not a problem and there was also the happy coincidence that Sidwell came from a West Ham-supporting family and wanted the move to happen. It appeared to be a certainty. Sidwell certainly thought so.

Except West Ham had already reached their quota last summer and so had to make a decision — did they sign Sidwell to bolster their midfield and, as a result, have to drop another highly paid professional off their list, or did they hope that one of those players surplus to their requirements would be sold in the first week of the January transfer window?

Given the club's debts and financial commitments they could not risk paying for a player who would be kicking his heels for the rest of the campaign (with £38,000-a-week Benni McCarthy in their ranks it could be argued there was enough of that already going on at Upton Park). After all, Sidwell is paid £45,000 a week by Aston Villa.

Much was made when the Premier League introduced its 25-man rule — including eight home-grown players – although most clubs comfortably came within the guidelines, with some, such as Chelsea, easily under-shooting. West Ham, with an older, more experienced and well-paid group, were always in trouble and so the Sidwell deal has fallen by the wayside.

Instead the 28 year-old will now join Wolverhampton Wanderers on loan until the end of the season. Indeed he was their guest for the victory over Chelsea on Wednesday.
Wolves had also agreed terms with Villa last month for the player but had resigned themselves to losing out on him after he passed his medical at West Ham.

The Premier League's bottom-placed club will now restore Valon Behrami to their ranks after the suggestions that the failure to sell him back to Italy had scuppered the move for Sidwell. In a difficult market, the new rules have certainly complicated matters further.

[FatFreddysCat]

Freddy -quarter -swetty,   before he went to Reading you said you did not want him at Fulham because he was special one, is he any less special one now :038:


..........get a load of this :


Jason Burt
By Jason Burt 9:25PM GMT 06 Jan 2011

Jason's Twitter

His move to West Ham United was agreed before Christmas — loan fees and wages were not a problem and there was also the happy coincidence that Sidwell came from a West Ham-supporting family and wanted the move to happen. It appeared to be a certainty. Sidwell certainly thought so.

Except West Ham had already reached their quota last summer and so had to make a decision — did they sign Sidwell to bolster their midfield and, as a result, have to drop another highly paid professional off their list, or did they hope that one of those players surplus to their requirements would be sold in the first week of the January transfer window?

Given the club's debts and financial commitments they could not risk paying for a player who would be kicking his heels for the rest of the campaign (with £38,000-a-week Benni McCarthy in their ranks it could be argued there was enough of that already going on at Upton Park). After all, Sidwell is paid £45,000 a week by Aston Villa.

Much was made when the Premier League introduced its 25-man rule — including eight home-grown players – although most clubs comfortably came within the guidelines, with some, such as Chelsea, easily under-shooting. West Ham, with an older, more experienced and well-paid group, were always in trouble and so the Sidwell deal has fallen by the wayside.

Instead the 28 year-old will now join Wolverhampton Wanderers on loan until the end of the season. Indeed he was their guest for the victory over Chelsea on Wednesday.
Wolves had also agreed terms with Villa last month for the player but had resigned themselves to losing out on him after he passed his medical at West Ham.

The Premier League's bottom-placed club will now restore Valon Behrami to their ranks after the suggestions that the failure to sell him back to Italy had scuppered the move for Sidwell. In a difficult market, the new rules have certainly complicated matters further.

I've heard part of the contract is he dyes his hair  :54:

[Me-ate-Live, innit??]

by Simon Johnson .............

Fulham have convinced Steve Sidwell to join them, stunning Wolves who were sure they had won the race to sign the midfielder.

The 28-year-old was at Molineux on Wednesday to see Wolves beat Chelsea ahead of a potential loan move.

But Sidwell, who was also wanted by West Ham, has since been swayed by Fulham's promise of a permanent deal, believed to be a two-and-a-half year contract.

Fulham, who host Peterborough in the FA Cup tomorrow, just need to agree a fee with Aston Villa, but it should be no more than £2million as Sidwell is out of contract in the summer.

The player is understood to prefer a move back south as his family home is in Surrey.

[os5889]

Who's he going to displace? Can't see him getting in ahead of Murphy and Etuhu

[Bilet]

Good signing. But can't see him replacing either Murphy and Etuhu. Kind of clashes with Hughes quote about only buying players that will go straight into the team...

Almost certain that Dikagcoi leaves now then, can't see us get any bids on Greening...

[os5889]

Also he's special one and ex Chelsea, will he have any friends?

[FatFreddysCat]

Let's not forget until the last three games how poor etuhu has been, and Murphy is either very good or very bad. He'll come on as a sub for Murphy a fair bit i would imagine and eventually take over.

[MrFFC]

Good signing. Decent player and will make Murphy up his game i think

[Abbotsbury White]

He'll certainly be an option for Murph,canny teams know close murphy down quick and you basically stop us creating anything sidwell will give as options,he also is younger and can get into the oppo box in scoring positions,a good signing for the next few years,

[fulhamguy]

£2 mil is a snip for Sidwell, good box to box midfielder with years left in him. Unlike our other midfielders.

[Burt]

They (SSN) have just announced that Sidwell is undergoing the second part of a medical and things are drawing to a conclusion...

[Basil]

What time is the cut off point for him to play tomorrow?

I am alright with Sidwell providing his wages are not excessive and therefore causes internal discontent.

[Abbotsbury White]

Also he's special one and ex Chelsea, will he have any friends?

He was at chelsea when they were buying everyone to stop other teams buying them he was on top dollar and hardly ever played so he actually took their money and contributed little that makes him a star in my book  :dft010:
Cant do much about the ginge tho :027: :027:

[Blingo]

What's the problem with the colour of his hair? I'd like to see some of you lot say something about it to my eldest sons face. :dft007:

[jarv]

Hope he goes straight into the team. Questions about replacing Murphy/Etuhu....I think a slight change in formation might see all 3 in some games. Most teams play 2 defensive midfielders and one attacking. More protection for the back 4, particularly central defense, allows full backs to go forward more often.
He was excellent at reading, hope this happens.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

Hope he goes straight into the team. Questions about replacing Murphy/Etuhu....I think a slight change in formation might see all 3 in some games. Most teams play 2 defensive midfielders and one attacking. More protection for the back 4, particularly central defense, allows full backs to go forward more often.
He was excellent at reading, hope this happens.

I still think we should play this formation:

                 Stockdale

Paintsil     Hughes   Hangeland    Sally

                    Baird
               Murphy Etuhu

Dembele                           Clint
                    AJ

[Burt]

SSN just said that they have spoken to Hughes and the expectation is that the deal is more or less done.

[Me-ate-Live, innit??]

I hope he does not go straight in ........he cannot be match fit with so few games
..................and you must wonder why, a fit 28 year old has not had many game and why a couple of kids
have kept him out of the Villa 1st team ......................................doncha ??????????