CONFIRMED Alex Baptiste........

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Reedy1889

Reedy1889

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Poised to join so says reliable sky sports journo.

Just recovered to full fitness after a leg break in pre season.

Thoughts?
 

Another ageing, past his best player, no doubt on high wages since he's coming from free spending Middlesbrough and recovering from a serious injury.

I really hope it's a bullshit rumour.
 
He trains with a mate of mine who has a gym in east Markham ,when I used to train there he was at Blackpool and used Luke to get fitter on top of the fitness training he was getting there. A really nice fella ,had a couple of nights out with him in Donny and Lincoln on stag nights and also he would join in charity stuff with the Gym ,really great lad. Luke , my friend, has just finished working with David Dunn at Oldham ,he is an ex pro and has always told me that Baptiste is one of the best defenders he has come across. Could be a good one if he is over the leg break.
 
sitwell said:
He trains with a mate of mine who has a gym in east Markham ,when I used to train there he was at Blackpool and used Luke to get fitter on top of the fitness training he was getting there. A really nice fella ,had a couple of nights out with him in Donny and Lincoln on stag nights and also he would join in charity stuff with the Gym ,really great lad. Luke , my friend, has just finished working with David Dunn at Oldham ,he is an ex pro and has always told me that Baptiste is one of the best defenders he has come across. Could be a good one if he is over the leg break.
Click to expand...

Ties in with what Holloway said when he was Blackpool boss

" Blackpool manager Ian Holloway expressed his belief that Baptiste can play in the Premier League: "Baps has played at left-back, right-back and centre-back and he has been different class. I believe he can play in the Premiership and I have told him that. I am working on the areas that he needs working on, but as a defender I don't think I have had a better one and I am delighted he has signed."
 
Reedy_22 said:
Ties in with what Holloway said when he was Blackpool boss

" Blackpool manager Ian Holloway expressed his belief that Baptiste can play in the Premier League: "Baps has played at left-back, right-back and centre-back and he has been different class. I believe he can play in the Premiership and I have told him that. I am working on the areas that he needs working on, but as a defender I don't think I have had a better one and I am delighted he has signed."
Click to expand...
Says a lot about how Blackpool was being run though ,when a player pays a personal trainer for more strength and fitness work in his own time because the club wasn't up to it.
 
Ageing? Check
On his way back down the leagues? Check
Had a recent serious injury? Check
A centre half under 6 foot? Check.


What could possibly go wrong?


Seriously though. I don't know how to feel about this one. If he signs, I'll judge him when I see him. He was part of that Blackpool PL team that overachieved.
 
1danewhitehouse said:
Ageing? Check
On his way back down the leagues? Check
Had a recent serious injury? Check
A centre half under 6 foot? Check.


What could possibly go wrong?


Seriously though. I don't know how to feel about this one. If he signs, I'll judge him when I see him. He was part of that Blackpool PL team that overachieved.
Click to expand...
Judge him when you see him, thats radical for this site :eek:
 
sitwell said:
Says a lot about how Blackpool was being run though ,when a player pays a personal trainer for more strength and fitness work in his own time because the club wasn't up to it.
Click to expand...

We did and are still doing exactly the same, I know of one player that worked with my triathlon coach for S & C and also the nutritional side. This was under Clough, but he is still working with him now, under Adkins.
 
tazzy said:
So we bring in someone to give us a lift and still we have fuckers moaning before he's kicked a ball
Click to expand...

We're signing a player who has not played any first team football all season. Another player undoubtedly on a large contract at his parent club, and thus eating away at funds. It's hard to be excited.

I really hope he does well, but I have reservations that we are continuing to make the same mistakes time after time.
 
I was just catching up on reading the internet and found in the Middlesbrough Gazette......

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fit-again-boro-defender-alex-10971147

Middlesbrough FC defender Alex Baptiste is closing in on a loan move to League One side Sheffield United, according to reports.

The 30-year-old endured a nightmare start to his Boro career in July after suffering a double leg fracture in the first half of his debut against York City in pre-season.

The former Bolton and Blackburn defender has been sidelined ever since, but made his comeback for Boro's Under-21s against Leicester last month.

Baptiste - Boro's first signing last summer - was expected to feature for the Under-21s against Manchester United last night , but afterwards Paul Jenkins revealed he had been withdrawn from the squad at 4.30pm.

Reports today suggest that is because Boro have agreed a deal with the Blades to send Baptiste on loan to Bramall Lane for the rest of the season.

Last month, Baptiste admitted being on the treatment table this season has proved to be "the toughest time of my professional career".

In an interview with the club's website, he said: “I haven’t really had a big injury like this before, but it’s coming to an end so I’m looking forward to what I can produce.

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget about it – it’s just the way football is. It wasn’t a bad challenge or anything it was just wrong place at the wrong time, but it’s not fresh in my memory.

“Training has been full-blooded so I’ve just been getting on with it really.
 
Last edited:
Smirth said:
We're signing a player who has not played any first team football all season. Another player undoubtedly on a large contract at his parent club, and thus eating away at funds. It's hard to be excited.

I really hope he does well, but I have reservations that we are continuing to make the same mistakes time after time.
Click to expand...

Yes, i'm all for giving people a chance, but when you consider the position we're in, the failure to address the key issues in the defence in August and January, deciding to take a punt on a expensive loanee in March is a little bit late. I'd personally be looking to bring in young, hungry players, either from the U21's (or 18's if they're good enough) or loaning in young players with a deal to buy at the end of the season.

This doesn't really serve a purpose other than being an expensive waste of time.
 

Used to see him out in Mansfield quite regularly, you could pretty much guarantee to see him if Blackpool had been playing away at any Midlands club within an hour of Mansfield.

Spoke to him once or twice and had a photo with him when I was pissed up, nice youth, but doesn't really say much about his football ability these days!
 
"We need players who can play 50 games a season". This gent does not sound like he fits the bill, also isn't he a right back?
 
He'll need time to get match fit, but then so did Gary Hooper (who pigs were moaning about when he first came in)
 
lazyfecklessblade said:
"We need players who can play 50 games a season". This gent does not sound like he fits the bill, also isn't he a right back?
Click to expand...

Centre half by trade. Was used at full-back in emergencies.

Still only 30, must have something given he was Boro's first summer signing.
 
CB who can play both full back positions.

I could see him replacing McEveley in the long run in the 352 formation but if he signs in time for tonight, he might play Basham's position with Bash in midfield.
 
lazyfecklessblade said:
"We need players who can play 50 games a season". This gent does not sound like he fits the bill, also isn't he a right back?
Click to expand...

Well we need a right back after Clough does us over, hints to Adkins that Brayford at CB is a good idea, Adkins agrees, but forgets that he sold all the other right backs
 
He was a centre half but certainly played for Blackpool at right back under Holloway for the most part. Hardly a 'hit the ground running, straight into the 1st team' signing so can't see it.
 
As DerryBlade wrote on BM:

"Nigel Adkins said after our JTW failure

“We identified young, hungry and ambitious players"
Please explain what has changed?"
 
mosbolad said:
I was just catching up on reading the internet and found in the Middlesbrough Gazette......

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fit-again-boro-defender-alex-10971147

Middlesbrough FC defender Alex Baptiste is closing in on a loan move to League One side Sheffield United, according to reports.

The 30-year-old endured a nightmare start to his Boro career in July after suffering a double leg fracture in the first half of his debut against York City in pre-season.

The former Bolton and Blackburn defender has been sidelined ever since, but made his comeback for Boro's Under-21s against Leicester last month.

Baptiste - Boro's first signing last summer - was expected to feature for the Under-21s against Manchester United last night , but afterwards Paul Jenkins revealed he had been withdrawn from the squad at 4.30pm.

Reports today suggest that is because Boro have agreed a deal with the Blades to send Baptiste on loan to Bramall Lane for the rest of the season.

Last month, Baptiste admitted being on the treatment table this season has proved to be "the toughest time of my professional career".

In an interview with the club's website, he said: “I haven’t really had a big injury like this before, but it’s coming to an end so I’m looking forward to what I can produce.

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget about it – it’s just the way football is. It wasn’t a bad challenge or anything it was just wrong place at the wrong time, but it’s not fresh in my memory.

“Training has been full-blooded so I’ve just been getting on with it really.
Click to expand...

meanwhile, over in the Rumour Mill forum http://www.s24su.com/forum/index.php?threads/alex-baptiste.45226/ ;)
 
lazyfecklessblade said:
"We need players who can play 50 games a season". This gent does not sound like he fits the bill, also isn't he a right back?
Click to expand...

Alex Baptiste is a good model professional . My view he would be coming on loan but not with a view to a perminant signing . This deal short term would be beneficial to SUFC , Boro , the player , and Adkins .

No doubt Boro would prefer him having real game time than U21 under his belt . Also any deal would have to be Boro sorting out the wages . IMO just what we need at CB , and helping us for the rest of the season . Good bloke , good deal , if it comes off.

UTB
 

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