Sven-Goran Eriksson's admission that a squad of 23 - including a trio of goalkeepers - is about as big as is feasibly sustainable for a team that has no European football to look forward to can only add up to heartbreak for a posse of the current players.
Sven has gone about changing the numbers with an almost missionary zeal and few can doubt that he means to revolutionise the topography of the City changing room. That kind of surgery does, however, come at a cost and the `For Sale' sign will soon be hoisted over Carrington with up to nine players likely to leave either in this transfer window or the next one in January.
OUSMANE DABO (free): The arrival of so many midfield players and the retention of home grown Johnson and Ireland mean his opportunities will be severely limited. The 30-year-old arrived from Lazio with a big reputation but hasn’t really lived up to it and found the pace of the Premiership difficult to come to terms with. Only played ten games last season and none in the last three months and has not been amongst Eriksson’s first choices in the warm up matches. Main draw back to his sale could be his wages that may be a bit rich for some clubs.
PAUL DICKOV (free): In the last year of a two year deal and still immensely popular in the stands and particularly in the dressing room. The 34-year-old Scot, who is already a member of the Blues Hall of Fame for his Wembley heroics against Gillingham, is happy to stay and fight for his place before taking his coaching badges at the end of the season. He would, however, be fourth or fifth choice striker and is in demand from Championship clubs. Preston, Coventry and Charlton would be three of those interested if Dickov decides he is fighting a losing battle at City.
MARK LAIRD (free): Now 21 and yet to make his debut for the club he may be loaned out if there are no permanent takers. A popular midfielder who made it on to the pre-season tour of Sweden where he saw action, he now finds the likes of Ireland, Johnson, Fernandes, Elano, Hamann, Geovanni and Petrov all blocking his path to the first team. He spent a month on loan at Northampton last season and was on the bench for the final match of the season at Spurs.
ISHMAEL MILLER (£1m): Has the physique to be a dangerous player either out wide or through the middle but perhaps not at Premiership level. The 20-year-old former Academy product featured regularly through pre-season. Has made three starts for the first team as a wide midfielder and was interesting both Watford and Preston in the early part of the summer.
DANNY MILLS (free): Now 30 the former England right back was out of favour with former boss Stuart Pearce and has not found life any easier under Eriksson despite the Swede handing him 19 England caps during his tenure as national boss. Mills suffered a stress fracture of his foot whilst on loan at Hull last season and has two years of a lucrative contract still to run so might not be too keen to go anywhere. He has started 47 games for the Blues but now finds himself behind Micah Richards, Nedum Onuoha and Vedran Corluka to be first choice right back. He can expect several loan enquiries.
MATTHEW MILLS (£250,000): Came from Southampton on the same day as Georgios Samaras arrived but has never managed to make the break through expected. Did feature as a substitute in the opening game of last season at Chelsea and has one start to his name but way down the defensive pecking order and unlikely to be one of the eight defenders Eriksson wants on the books. Spent some time on loan at Colchester last season and he may interest them on a permanent basis although they would have to give the Blues their quarter of a million back.
GEORGIOS SAMARAS (£3million): The Greek international has started 32 league and cup games since his move from Heerenveen a season and a half ago and scored a respectable eleven goals but continues to frustrate Blues fans. The 22-year-old is an immensely popular member of the squad and a likeable character who wants to stay and show that Stuart Pearce was right to spend £5.5million on his services. However, it is clear that he is behind Bianchi, Mpenza, Bojinov and Corradi in the current pecking order and Middlesbrough, Rennes and Lens have already expressed an interest. The Blues want some cash back and are unlikely to loan him out unless it’s to a club abroad.
KASPER SCHMEICHEL (£500,000): Coventry City have already made an enquiry for his services and he is wanted man too in Scotland. Hearts, Aberdeen, and Falkirk are all reportedly interested in the Danish under 21 international who is desperate to play first team football after being on loan at Bury and Falkirk last season. The 20-year-old played in the Thomas Cook Trophy match against Valencia on Saturday and may have to stay a little longer after Andreas Isaksson and Joe Hart sustained injuries.
DARIUS VASSELL (£1.5m): Former England international has shone only intermittently following his move from Villa. His work rate has always been impressive but his goal record not so though he could correctly argue that he has been played out of position in wide midfield role for much of his stay with the Blues. Like Samaras now finds himself well down the strikers’ pecking order and the arrival of genuine wingers means less likelihood of him fulfilling one of those roles either. Turkish side Besiktas have already made a bid for him that was turned down but City may now be ready to listen to offers.
Would you mind letting any of these players go - and are the prices right? Have your say. Tweet
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Keep Vassell for back up. Sell Corradi instead of Samaras as Corradi is old and slow but Samaras is still young. Maybe he can perform but if not by December, let him go. The rest should not be off for free. They were paid to sit around for almost the last season so by right get some money back.
Would only keep Samaras if pushed, there is potential. Others can go. Problem is whether they are wanted. D Mills has been available 2 years and counting
who would pay anywere near 1 mill for miller after the performance at shrewsbury, the biggest cheer he got was when he went off
off off off off off off off off off........
Agree we need to get shot of most of this dead wood. Would still prefer to see Samaras loaned out to get some confidence to see what difference that might make, but the sooner the rest go the better. This is a new era and the names mentioned simply don't cut it.
Would like to see us keep Samaras, and let Corradi leave instead. Hamman must be in the mix for an exit too?
I would add to that Bernard`I can`t get the ball so I`ll foul them or fall over` Corradi and Dietmar`couldn`t catch an old lady on a Zimmer frame`Hammann.
does any one know why mpenza has not played
Why sell samaras? Yes ok, he had a bad season but didn't all the squad. He came to us with so much potential and scored six in nine games. Not bad when you consider he was still getting used to the prem. If he can get the right support from the midfielders he may well come good. We should give him until at least jan.
I'd keep Samaras, has shown glimpses off talent which Sven may be able to conjur out, but the rest should go ASAP even if we have to pay some of their wages at new club. It would be cheaper than having them around every week and those listed (ex Samaras) are probably trousering £120K per week between them or £6 million in a year
Keep Vassell as a backup winger/striker. He is one of the fastest players in the premiership, and his pace still scares the hell out of a lot of defences.
I'd like to see all of them and more shipped out
urgently - it can't be good financially or for morale to have a dozen freeloaders with no chance of getting a game, clogging up the place. Agree with the suggestion of keeping Vass, he may not be perfect but he's good back-up and he has some strenghths, even if Pearce refused to play to them.
SAMARAS CAN GO OUT ON LOAN TO A CHAMPIONSHIP CLUB TOUGHEN HIM UP A BIT IF HE CAN SCORE GOALS THEIR IT WILL GIVE HIM SOME MUCH NEEEDED CONFIDENCE.VASSELL SHOULD BE KEPT USEFUL IF WERE WINNING KEPP TIRED DEFENDERS ON THERE TOES SAME FOR DICKOV,SEND MILLER AND LAIRD OUT ON LOAN THIER ONLY YOUNG AND A SEASON IN A FIRST TEAM WOULD PROVE USEFUL,CORRADI MAY COME GOOD BUT HE WILL HELP BIANCHI AND THE OTHER ITALIANS SETTLE,DABO HAMAN MILLS THE OTHER MILLS CAN ALL GO
Personally' I'd keep Laird - he's has got some promise, Samaras - just short of confidence I believe, and definitely Kasper Schmeichel he will become a great keeper, far different than his dad for sure, but he has immense potential. The rest, as well as Hamman, are obviously not going to feature, so should be sold for whatever we can get for them!
Bexar SGE said in an interview he was injured. Don't know if that is still the case though.
Exactly how long a contract is Danny Mills on. He seems to have been with us forever and always seems to have 2 years + remaining. Seems a bit like our previous £60 mil debt, it never gets any smaller.
still think there are more to come, vassell. m.mills. miller. schmeichel.corradi or samaras. sun. you never know danny. the way things are going on at england with their defence. steve- might be giving you a call.
We certainly need a clear out.
I would however hope that SGE lets the start of the season start with a nucleus of the players we had last year. Let the new players earn their place and let the existing players show their worth.
I'd rather we got rid of Corradi than Samaras. I hope Sven is shrewd and uses Hamann effectively because like it or not the guy has played at the top level and is undoubted quality!
bexar....Mpenza is injured currently. as for those listed, can't say I would keep any of them except Samaras and Vassell. Samaras I would send to France or Holland on loan for the season to regain his confidence, and Vassell just needs a striker alongside him that can find the right pass, and drop deep to feed through to him. remember how succesful he was when we first signed him playing alongside Cole, the first half of that season he had a good scoring ratio until COle got crocked, and he is still only mid twenties, probably not on huge wages, and like other said, has bags of pace.
Why do you Corradi to help Bianci? Both SGE and the Aussie guy should be more helpful. Sell him while people are convinced that he can still contribute. Get some money back from his investment.
Bexar: Mpenza is injured - can't remember what exactly but know it;s not serious, and remember reading Sven saying he knew all about him and he was in his plans for definite so he didn't need to rush him back.
Get rid of the lot, and take Hammann and Corroded with you. Samaras is the one that I believe has the talent to succeed. But we will have 4 quality strikers. Assumng that Bianchi and Bojinov make the grade then that leaves 2 places. Assuming that we will still see a proven Premiership scorer come in as we need, then that leaves one place. Out of the existing strikers Mpenza was easily the best last season, with Vass next, so that leaves no place for Samaras, Corroded or Dickov. Unless Sturridge is to be blooded?
Out Now - Dabo, D Mills, M Mills, Dickov, Corradi, Iskasson (subject to new 'Keeper signing and Hart fitness)
Season Loans - Miller, Laird, Sturridge, Etuhu, Logan - reassess all on return
Keep - Vassell, Samaras (until Jan and see if confidence returns if not loan from Jan to end of season), Hammann (for last year of contract then release), Schmeichel
Should free up hefty wages and also maintain gaps for true top talent from academy to still push through. Loans for Sturridge and Logan in particular would toughen them up as these two look most likely to make it to prem standard. Loans for the others would convince clubs to pay money for the ones not quite up to it which would give savings on thier wages for now and also enable the transfer fees gained to be put back into the academy.
Bexar: Emile Mpenza is injured. Think we should keep Vass for his tremendous work-rate and pace.
I'll be gutted if Samaras is sold, especially if to another Prem side. He is clearly a very talented player but needs to be toughened up, maybe on loan. I think once he hits his true potential he will be a prolific goalscorer. Even Drogba and Henry took a while to get going!
I would also like to see Vass stay at the club as a valuable squad player. He has a never-say-die attitude that you need in some games. If only Svennis could get him to stay onside...!