Woody be any good?
HeâÂÂs spent more time on the treatment table since leaving Newcastle than any where else but Real Madrid defender Jonathan Woodgate is ready for a return to the Premiership.
The injury plagued defender will be back in England for 12 months with Middlesbrough currently the favourites to bring the Teessider back home on a loan deal.
Woody had some world class performances for United and there are plenty of Geordies whoâÂÂd have him back at the club.
Given UnitedâÂÂs superb relationship with Real, there would be a good case for Woody to be back donning the black and white number six shirt he left behind in 2004.
His injury record in Madrid though suggests the player is cursed with bad luck and although he is classed as one of the worldâÂÂs best defenders on his day, his arrival could be a risk for Glenn Roeder.
With just five caps to his name at England level, Woody could certainly have made a difference to both EnglandâÂÂs chances in Euro 2004 and the last World Cup but he remains a high maintenance squad member due to his injury worries.
Woodgate was also involved in two top four finishes in 2003 and 2004.
Yet the fear to every United fan must be, if he did return to Tyneside, just when would he break down with an injury?
Perhaps a pay-as-you-play option could be the answer for Woodgate?
His destination will be decided before the transfer deadline.
Whether it benefits United or conspires against them this season remains to be seen.
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Lee Ryder - Proudly born and bred on Tyneside, the Chronicle's chief sports writer has followed the fortunes of the club over the last three decades as a Toon fan and football writer.
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Would he be any good? Would he do any harm?
This surely is Fred's type of player. Free and his wages paid.
I can't see what we have to loose.
Not only would central defense be boosted but we can play Ramage and Taylor in place of the two current full backs both of whom have seen better days.
As a loan deal it would be a great move. Its very obvious that a true Top Class centre half is needed, but we don't have a lot of money. Woody is available without the financial risk (on loan), and goes beyond top class to be World Class. Not only that but Tayor could learn a hell of a lot from him.
I know his injury record is bad, but he has played pre season, and really, what other option do we have?
Huth? Waste of money, no better than Bramble, just because he's at Chelsea doesn't make him good.
Bring Woody back, on loan - it makes sense.
The capture of woody on a seasons loan would be as good a signing as Duff or anyone else we may bring in this season the guy is an outstanding defender and if it wasnt for recent injuries i think Gerrard would have been England captain as Terry would not have been guarenteed a game .As regards to his injury prone nature we must be due a bit of luck on that front ..His record whilst playing for us was brilliant and for a while Bramble started to look like the player we know he should be and just think what he could do for Taylor...Moore is leaving at the end of the season so if we took Woody for a year and it worked out injury wise then we could look to buy him next summer ..Still think a left back should be priority but to pass up on a sesons loan of arguabily Englands best centre half would be crazy ..but then again this is Newcastle.....oh and congratulations to that shower from Wearside for bringing in there world class manager ?!!*$??..looks like the derby games will have to wait for a few years yet...Jackie
I couldn't have put it any better myself, AD! Not getting Woody on loan would be nothing short of illogical. I've never rated Huth, and if we spend money on him instead of borrowing Woody for free, I will be very annoyed indeed.
I agree with all posts re Woodgate. Huth will never be the defender Woody is. I know Jonathan's injury record but Huth has not recovered from the injury that stopped his move to the smoggies, so who is to say his injury record would be any better? Look at Owen. The same thing could happen to ANY player not just Woody. Please let FS see these posts before it is too late.
I've been thinking about this, and it seems a pretty simple choice for Roeder: 20 games from Woodgate or 40 games from Huth.
Or is it? Would we even get 40 games out of Huth? He failed a medical at Boro and is frequently injured at Chelsea. Don't forget that Roeder decided against signing Campbell due to not having played enough games over the last two seasons - surely it would be a Roeder contradiction if he were to sign the unproven Huth instead of the proven Woodgate?
Woodgate for the TOON. Even if he does only play a few games he can be introduced to help bring the youngsters such as Taylor, Ramage and Huntington by helping with the coaching. I won't add Bramble in there because quite frankly sick of him and the other nugget Babayaro.
Then concentrate on bringing in Wayne Bridge and Nugent. Id be happy then though I would have appreciated Graveson but his wages might be a stumbling block.
I think Woodgate is as good as any defender in the EPL but because of his injury problems he may well be another passenger at the club.Can the club afford to carry another player.
What the hell is going on at NUFC..... We are in Europe, currently, we
do not have one fit striker. We are lucky in the fact that we have a 2
week premiership break, so at least one can recover.
I looked at the toon squad on their website. I think they have 5
defenders, which tells me they are short if (and they will) injuries
happen. They have a strong midfield albeit, then theres the striking
department, 3, shola, owen and martins, owen is a right off and shola
has a continuing hip problem (blaffles me why they didn't sort the
problem out in the Summer, but yet this is the incompetent NUFC), so
that leaves Martins.
Do you have any confidence in them there at the toon? You wanna place a
bet, I reckon they will finish below 9th position in the league and
don't win owt.
It pains me to say all this, as a dedicated toon fan, im very
disappointed, we deserve more, perhaps there is some kind of hinden
agenda concerning spending money, in light of any takeover bid.
PS Cant believe Portsmouth got 4 players on a free, quality players too,
well done Harry, Shame we were too busy watching Kuyt twelvety millions
times and seems had no intention of signing him.
We can but hope for Salvation of the glory days return. Where is Keegan
these days. SOS Keegan - haha.
I am sitting watching the transfer gossip coming in on sky sports(work can wait till after five tommorow)web site, and we have been linked with almost every striker with two legs.Some would do a job and some are bizzare but heres one that might do the trick..Portsmouth are looking to get Andy Cole from Man city...I was not his biggest fan when he was running out for us but he wouldnt be a bad third stiker for twelve months till Owen gets fit,and we could probably get him for peanuts , i know this is clutching at straws but i would rather see Cole in the box in black and white than Luque..Jackie
I agree both out fullbacks are past it, we also need a central defender of some class and a couple of strikers, we have 24 hours in which to do it! Talk about leaving it late....
We have been out hustled by the Teesiders. They get both Huth and Woody while we do nothing to help our back four.
I dont want to make any rash statements as the deadline has not arrived yet and things will no doubt happen thick and fast .BUT..Milner to villa is a strange move considering that the only decent right sided player we have is nobby and i use the word decent looslely . As the clock ticks away we still have major problems with the left and central defensive positions ,,,up front and now it seems we are creating a new problem on the right side of midfield..I am always the optimist so i wait with baited breath as big fred and glen try and add to our depleted squad and hope i will be praising the pair of them on your next blog update.......the jurys out Jackie
I think Roeder will play N'Zogbia on the right this season with Duff left and then alternate....Woody is from Boro and it was a knocking bet he would end up there...We will have the last laugh when he is sitting in the stands by xmas..Huth is not a proven defender...We will get by with what we have at the back this term.Bridge would be a great signing if the Cole deal goes through..
this is a shambles.
West ham have ragged tevez and mascherano.
Spurs have got malbranque.
Bolton have got Anelka.
Middlesbrough pip us to Woody and Huth.
We get someone who cant get a game for man utd. 7th in the league, no way!!!
Bernards return is a welcome one...Sibierski a puzzling one. Try Ramage at centre half this term Glenn..it's his natural position..