[Link] Moses Odubajo - Hull City

We're not paying £4m to take him in on a trial. It's a no risk situation.

If he comes good and we've got him for nothing then it's a great bit of business. However, if he hasn't recovered from his or simply doesn't impress and we don't sign him then we've not lost anything financially.

Where's the issue ?

 

Brendan Rodgers has said that he wants to progress talks with Moses Odubajo's agents and said that when fully fit the 24-year-old is a "dynamic" player.

Hull City full-back Odubajo, who has joined the squad on their trip, did not feature in their first pre-season friendly, with Rodgers saying that discussions were ongoing about the player.

"He's not training," Rodgers revealed. "We had permission from Hull (to bring him to Austria). He's a player who's been out injured for a long period of time so at this time there's nothing concrete.

"We've invited him over to have a conversation and we'll take it from there.

"I think in terms of his profile, Moses when fully fit is a really dynamic full back who gets forward and is very aggressive. I saw him as a young player at Leyton Orient and then coming through the England system and through to Hull where he had a great season in the Championship. It was unfortunate for him that in the season they get to the Premier League he suffers the injuries. It's been difficult for him.

"Myself and his agents and the club have had a conversation and we'll look to progress that and see what happens in the next week."

Rodgers admitted that the player's injury problems in recent years had to be considered when weighing up a deal but pointed to a high-profile example of how to come back and succeed.

"I think you have to. You always have to be but there's a great inspiration here in Craig Gordon. Craig was out for a couple of years. He came back initially to train, got himself a contract and has gone on to be absolutely outstanding. There's a great role model for Moses and other players."

 

no real serious issue other than its time we could be better spending on looking elsewhere for someone who offers more of a guarantee they can last a season.

if this kid was/is so highly rated he wouldn't be with us on trail even with his lack of play time lately.

People weren't happy with Flanagan due to his injury history (wife beater aside), he was once highly rated by Liverpool who are far bigger then hull, so what makes this guy any different? ( again, wife beating scummery aside).

One is 25 one is 24 neither of which have played much football these last two years, both highly rated in the English league set up but we're happy with one and not the other?

 

Where do you start ?

There have been far bigger players than this guy going on trials. Why would anybody come here for one ? Maybe because we offered and he see's us as a step up in his career. Bearing in mind they did want to keep him.

The main reason folk didn't want Flanagan was not because injuries etc, it was because he's a wee scummy *.

Do you honestly think because we have this guy in that we're not actively looking at other targets ? Really ?

 

There are no guarentees of anyone staying fit, look at Paddy Roberts.

Odubajo seems a talented player, a footballer with skill, pace and creativity someone Celtic would have no chance of signing usually so worth a look and if he's fit and capable get him signed - his options the now will be limited as EPL teams dont need to gamble on him as they have plenty of money to sign anyone so those teams arent going to sign him and we can compete wage wise with Championship teams - so we are in with a chance before he possibly proves himself and ends up out of our reach.

Flanagan's different as he's really only a steady hardworking player and likely would have more been back-up for us in the full-back positions, I preferred him as a left-back also. I think being right-footed he suited playing there more with people mostly cutting into his good side and also he's not technical enough on the ball to go down the outside or cross so he suited more playing around the half-way line and passing inside or down the line. I would have taken Flanagan last year as back-up to Tierney and the right back positions but after another season of barely playing and a spell at Bolton that wasn't good enough to interest other Championship teams on a free plus with us playing wing-backs mostly now in a 3 at the back he's not suited to that as we need them to attack last year we were playing 4-2-3-1.

 

we've not been great at hiring defenders under Rodgers, we were shown to be putting all our eggs in one basket with that lad from south Africa, Gamboa isn't fancied even though he was one of Rodgers first signings and for now the less said about compper the better.

If he signs then no biggie, he's a free and probably on a reduced wage due to his history. I just believe there has to be better options then giving a trail to lad who hasn't kicked a ball for two years.

also Rodgers attempt to use Gordon as a way of justifying this move is a little silly, Gordon isn't being asked to run the length of the pitch and bomb up and down every match like this kid might be on two suspect knees.

 

Fair enough points there. just think given our history of trying to bring in defenders so far when I hear about this lad I'm a little sceptical it will work out if for argument sake this trail resulted in him signing

 

That's good enough for me..

Sounds a goer..

 

Why do you keep mentioning both knees?

Gordon’s knee injury was his last major one but he was out constantly in the years before with different injuries.

Pretty sure his wrists/arms were made of glass at one point as well.

Our medical team have turned around Broony, Lustig, Gordon and Forrest’s careers. I trust them more than panic merchants online.

 

Does this point to us playing 3 at the back on a consistent basis ? Well even more so than last season ?

 

Love his comment about the ‘potential upside’. Massive thing in American sports with Drafts when they’re scouting potential. Sometimes you just have to take a risk.

If Odubajo never had any injury problems he’d be having a similar career trajectory to Trippier, Clyne, Davies etc down there probably.

Got the chance to sign a potential star who’s had some injury problems for nothing is a no brainier for me. Especially when we’ve got the experienced Lustig if it was to go wrong.

 

this kid on trail in two years had three knee injuries, two of which were serious, one in each knee, hence repeating it.

Also were we not plagued by constant niggling injuries the season just gone? I agree that they have likely turned around the fitness of the guys you mentioned but our squad still had injury issues at points this season which was more telling then it was the season before.

 

For me he's worth a gamble, especially the way we mostly play now he'd be able to compete with Forrest on the right which is something we need. Its possibly the chance of a Sinclair or Ledley level player that if he is fit enough to play we'd have no chance of signing again.

I'd gamble on a guy like that, we either lose maybe £2million on him if he is * or we get a £6million+ player and are laughing.

 

The funny thing is,if he's signed I'll be eager to see him play like most on here now.

Really I'm just arguing with myself out loud on a public forum, need checking into a hospital for the state out my brain really.

 

Not that it really makes a difference but where are you getting the 3 serious injuries in both knees from? From anything I’ve read he done his knee in a challenge in a preseason game two years ago then he got rushed back and done it in training again although not as serious because the surgery he had reinforced the ligaments?

Every team has niggling injuries, especially a squad that had 2 weeks off and play 60 games a season.

 

Just popped up on STV there while I was reading this thread. The difference this guy could make to the team is very exciting to think about.

 

I don't even think it's that massive a risk on a free. We know he's quality when fit and it's just integrating him gently after such a long lay off..

We'd of been well priced out if it wasn't for injury, which is why I find it strange why so many are opposed to even having a look at him. We're no stupid, this has obviously been in the pipeline for a wee while him coming away with us..

Yep, Lustig as capable backup, isn't too shabby is it..

100% I think Brendan wants to play the 3-5-2/3-4-3/3-1-3-2-1 more often but hasn't quite got the blend right with personell, yet..

No doubt a strong quick right hand side will take the pressure off the predictable left with KT and also shooders in front on the right..

 

See when you hear him talk about him you wonder why he put up with Lustig for so long. As much we love Lustig he is the least dynamic player ever.

 

apologies on my part, looks like it's all on one knee, first a dislocation damaging ligaments, then a fracture and then another refracture after a slip in training.

Also given that our squad has had less time off and potentially to play even more games, as unlucky and freaky his injuries have been he hardly sounds like a guy who's body is going to be able to handle our rigorous demands.