Wayne Bridge as back-up for Luke Shaw

[Colinjb]

Another idea i've been toying with.

 

Luke Shaw is an exceptional talent but needs support and time in order to reach his full potential. We therefore need strong experienced back up that will understand the situation and will step in when required to cover. And we need someone better then Danny Fox, sadly he is something of a liability.

 

Who better then former England international, Saint and one of the best championship LB's last year Wayne Bridge? At the back end of last season he proved he could still cut it in the Premier League at Sunderland... so I am not too worried about him being able to step in if needed.... certainly in comparison to our other options. Also as a fan he may be able to tolerate being second fiddle to a certain extent as it will at least allow him to nurture a promising youngster while also continuing his playing career in the top flight. It could even be a gateway into coaching and a career after his playing days end.

 

Am I losing it? Or does this have a certain kind of logic to it?

Edited 6 June, 2013 by Colinjb

[once_bitterne]

Yay, it's the start of the 3rd Annual Let's Get Wayne Bridge campaign.

 

No. HTH.

[Colinjb]

Yay, it's the start of the 3rd Annual Let's Get Wayne Bridge campaign.

 

No. HTH.

 

No campaign, just a thought that I feel has merit. He wouldn't be first choice, that is clear but where else will we find someone better then Fox that may be willing to play second fiddle?

[trousers]

Am I losing it?

 

Do they still allow rhetorical questions on here...?

[Turkish]

'Arrry wants him at QPR. In fact he wants him so much he's reminded everyone he'll quit again if he isn't allowed to sign him.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/jun/05/harry-redknapp-board-qpr-transfers

[Gingeletiss]

I like Bridge, but why would we be wanting to pay a player £80K a week plus, as a back up, it will not happen, Twitch will get his man imho.

[Turkish]

Yay, it's the start of the 3rd Annual Let's Get Wayne Bridge campaign.

 

No. HTH.

 

He'd be perfect for the 90th minute time wasting sub role, yes?

[Dig Dig]

I like Bridge, but why would we be wanting to pay a player £80K a week plus, as a back up, it will not happen, Twitch will get his man imho.

 

Wayne Bridge will not be getting 80K a week anywhere once his City contract runs out.

[melmacian_saint]

Shotgun not paying his wages.

[Olallana]

I can see and understand the sentiment of it but would be two steps back for the club imo.

[St Louis]

Wayne Bridge will not be getting 80K a week anywhere once his City contract runs out.

 

You are right, he will be getting £95,000 a week when 'Arry gets his hands on him!

[Gingeletiss]

Wayne Bridge will not be getting 80K a week anywhere once his City contract runs out.

 

As above, he will at QPR..........

[bender]

There are enough thick clubs out there willing to pay him a large salary in his twilight years. A lot of my friends are Brighton fans and they said he was offered some big deal in the American league.

 

Last season I think Brighton were paying him about 10k of his salary and City were paying the rest. My Brighton fan friends were convinced he would take a massive drop and stay with Brighton come the end of his City contract. LOL.

[DuncanRG]

If we could bring his wages down I'd consider it but it would seem kind of odd.

[Saint Garrett]

Would take him as backup as long as his wages were circa £25/20k. Better than Fox.

[Turkish]

Sad what happened to Bridge. Was a very good player when he went to Chelsea but seemed to lose something when they signed Ashley Cole and was never the same player. I guess he had a great life, earnt a lot of money, played for some big clubs and won quite a few England caps. he should have left Chelsea in 2006 when they started loaning him out but then i guess by then he had a few million in the bank and a few medals on his shelf so was happy just to live the lifestyle then.

[UpweySaint]

It depends on the alternatives and the wages of course but we could do worse and it'd be a nice touch him coming back for the sentimentalists out there (myself included).

 

If he still has a couple of seasons in him he could compete with Shaw before he's ready to be clear cut first choice and the likes of Targett can come through as back up. My worry is over reliance on Shaw where he seems to have picked up a few niggling injuries, hopefully we can look after him until he matures physically.

[tajjuk]

On a free with decent wages then yeh I think it would be a good sining. i'd certainly be more confident in him than Fox.

 

As Turkish points out though he was happy to sit on big wages not playing at both City and Chelsea, he went on loan a few times but still picked up those wages. It depends if he has a desire to play or just wants money.

 

I would reckon that girl from the saturdays would want to live in London.

[Dig Dig]

As above, he will at QPR..........

 

He really won't

[Appy]

If his missus will be at the games I am sold.

[This Charming Man]

If his missus will be at the games I am sold.

 

What he said.

[Chez]

better than Fox, but are we able to offload Fox?

[the saint in winchester]

Was just reading the 'Redknapp to quit QPR if he can't buy Bridge' on another website, and was so surprised he is a free agent I stopped reading that page to come and write on here.I am as enthusiastic at Colin (OP). Yes, has to be within our wage structure and he must recognise he will be competing with Shaw, but I'm a massive 'yes' to the option.Sure, Harry might offer him silly money, but he's a Winchester lad and I'm confident he would relish the chance to come back here. As Jose says "life is short, you need to go where you are loved."Come home, Bridgey. You know it makes sense.

[the saint in winchester]

Was just reading the 'Redknapp to quit QPR if he can't buy Bridge' story on another website, and was so surprised he is a free agent I stopped reading that page to come and write on here.I am as enthusiastic as Colin (OP). Yes, has to be within our wage structure and he must recognise he will be competing with Shaw, but I'm a massive 'yes' to the option.Sure, Harry might offer him silly money, but he's a Winchester lad and I'm confident he would relish the chance to come back here. As Jose says "life is short, you need to go where you are loved."Come home, Bridgey. You know it makes sense.

[St Louis]

He wasn't happy on the bench at City, so was loaned out.

 

What makes people think he will be happy to sit on our bench and on a fifth of the wages?

[the saint in winchester]

Was just reading the 'Redknapp to quit QPR if he can't buy Bridge' story on another website, and was so surprised he is a free agent I stopped reading that page to come and write on here.I am as enthusiastic as Colin (OP). Yes, has to be within our wage structure and he must recognise he will be competing with Shaw, but I'm a massive 'yes' to the option.Sure, Harry might offer him silly money, but he's a Winchester lad and I'm confident he would relish the chance to come back here. As Jose says "life is short, you need to go where you are loved."Come home, Bridgey. You know it makes sense. And bring ALL the Saturdays with you. I'd be 'all fired up' at that.

[Saint86]

I think bridge could do a good job for us, he was the best fullback in the championship last year, and look how jayrod and clyne have stepped up from that level. Plus we all know that bridge can hack it in the prem anyway.

 

His wages would be the key factor.

 

Another point to consider, is which young players are we going to sign to be an understudy to an 18year old? I think this is key, because unless we stick with fox (shivers) then bridge is exactly the kind of player we will be targeting - older player with experience to impart on the youngsters. Also, who better to persuade the young shaw to stay at saints than someone who went to chelsea and city and wasted his career....

 

He also comes back to Shefield English now and again, so still has roots here. I also would like to think that he would be interested in repaying the club and fans where he made his career... perhaps that is expecting too much.

 

The other issue ofc is Nicola's view of all things pre-take over are bad, and should be shunned or just never mentioned

[Miltonaggro]

Would be perfect IMO, if the side needs something it's a seam of top class experience to inspire and bring on the youngsters - who better than an ex Saints, Chelsea and England full-back to mentor Shaw...

[Window Cleaner]

I can see at least 2 reasons for this not happening

 

Too old and not good enough, think we'll be signing a first choice LB anyway..

[Appy]

I can see at least 2 reasons for this not happening

 

Too old and not good enough, think we'll be signing a first choice LB anyway..

 

We already have a first choice LB.

[ART]

Bridgey always said he wanted to finish up back at the club. I believe he would be a good addition and back up and have much to teach the Academy boys. Lets not forget he plays at left back and in the middle and is a great crosser of the ball like Luke. If his terms could be worked out I think it would be a good move. I don't want to see us go from being a near UK team to that of 90% foreigners.

[RobM]

Since we're a forward-thinking, progressive, ambitious club with a few quid to spend, the thought of signing somebody who isn't better than we have already doesn't interest me. Neither does the thought of signing somebody who is happy to take their wage to sit on the bench.

 

If they aren't going to improve our first team, now or in the near future, don't sign them IMO.

[Colinjb]

Since we're a forward-thinking, progressive, ambitious club with a few quid to spend, the thought of signing somebody who isn't better than we have already doesn't interest me. Neither does the thought of signing somebody who is happy to take their wage to sit on the bench.

 

If they aren't going to improve our first team, now or in the near future, don't sign them IMO.

 

He would be better then Danny Fox.

 

Do we sign someone who can help Shaw, or someone who will fight tooth and nail for his first team place, potentially encouraging him to leave?

[The9]

He'd be perfect for the 90th minute time wasting sub role, yes?

 

No wonder he was at Brighton.

 

Too expensive for what we'd get, surely ? Especially if we're doing that "signing backups" thing. We'd be better off buying some random eastern european left back and paying them a third of his wages.

[The9]

We already have a first choice LB.

 

As we did in 2011/12, when it was Fox.

[david in sweden]

better than Fox, but are we able to offload Fox?

 

well even Forecast went ....eventually.

 

........" everything comes to he who waits ......"

[ART]

If we are a forward thinking club, why do we have Jason Dodd and Paul "Willo" Williams on board? Bridge has so much to bring to the club in more ways than playing as backup to Luke Shaw

[kwsaint]

I though that the backup to Luke Shaw was Matt Targett

[Matthew Le God]

I though that the backup to Luke Shaw was Matt Targett

 

Still Danny Fox at the moment. Even Clyne would probably be ahead of Targett in the pecking order for left back cover if we get another right back.

Edited 6 June, 2013 by Matthew Le God

[The9]

If we are a forward thinking club, why do we have Jason Dodd and Paul "Willo" Williams on board? Bridge has so much to bring to the club in more ways than playing as backup to Luke Shaw

 

Probably because they were both experienced professional footballers who can pass on their experience? Maybe? I have no idea what you think Bridge will bring that will be so superb at the likely cost of employing him for as long as he's still a full-time professional footballer.

[SNSUN]

No thanks, and I maintain that we need a good, if not first choice, left back to fully challenge Shaw for the spot. The challenge is good, it's a long season with a lot of chance for rotation, and we've already seen the niggling injuries Shaw picks up from time to time.

[Sour Mash]

Seems like Bridge has gone to Reading.

[Ivan Katalinic's 'tache]

Seems like Bridge has gone to Reading.

 

Should make Adkins even more popular with Brighton fans...

[SW11_Saint]

Should make Adkins even more popular with Brighton fans...

It has. Quite funny reading their "North Stand Chat" forum. They really need to move on...

[Colinjb]

Seems like Bridge has gone to Reading.

 

Bang goes the thread then.

 

Good luck to Bridgey.

 

Reading the North Stand Chat forum, those Brighton fans really loved him. "Best left back in our history in my opinion."

 

And yes, they really hate Nige'. Move on lads, move on!!

Edited 6 June, 2013 by Colinjb

[The9]

I'm looking forward to Adkins also signing Hammond soon then too, and hopefully half their team purely to sit on Reading's bench, that would amuse me.

[cellone]

Is Arry off then?

[Appy]

Arry has got his story in early for when he jumps ship.

[damers]

Bridge has signed for Reading. Poor old 'arry

[JRM]

fair play to Bridge teaming up with Adkins , rumour Billy Sharp is going to join them as well, as much as Reading annoyed me thinking they were a bigger club than us and boasted at taking some of our catchment area I'd probably want them to do well next year.