CONFIMRED - Ali Al Habsi

[winchester_royal]

Al-Habsi is a decent keeper who would certainly do a job for the next couple of years if it came to it.

With what is a limited budget we'll have to prioritise certain positions on which to spend transfer fees, and for me personally I'd rather take a slightly above average keeper and be able to spend money on getting a couple more good outfield players in, rather than blow the whole budget on bringing Myhill in.

[PeterReadingborn59]

RFC need to have three recognised goalkeepers so Al could join as second choice as Taylor did recently, so RFC is probably still looking for a long term first choice keeper to possibly be supported by Al and Stuart Moore and Beasant if badly hit by injuries

Would cover for the trip to Thailand

[melonhead]

Al habsi Def good enough for 1st choice

[RG30]

Not convinced myself but happy to be proved wrong.

[Ian Royal]

Slightly meh, but he'll do and we may still get better.

LW and/or LB now please, then I'll be satisfied.

[Royalwaster]

Not scored a single goal in his career so far, so can't be any good:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Al-Habsi

[Armadillo Roadkill]

Easily good enough as a goal keeper, widely seen as a really good influence, hard worker, plus who knows what financial / profile benefits there may be from courting those Omanis that were sniffing around a while ago.

In for me.

[melonhead]

Slightly meh, but he'll do and we may still get better.

LW and/or LB now please, then I'll be satisfied.

I think they may use the loan market/yoof for these and concentr8 on another striker/attacki8ng player

[RoyalBlue]

Al-Habsi is a decent keeper who would certainly do a job for the next couple of years if it came to it.

With what is a limited budget we'll have to prioritise certain positions on which to spend transfer fees, and for me personally I'd rather take a slightly above average keeper and be able to spend money on getting a couple more good outfield players in, rather than blow the whole budget on bringing Myhill in.

Two positions that you skimp on (slightly above average) at your peril: Striker and goalkeeper. If we had only had a slightly above average keeper last season we would have been looking forward to commencing our League One campaign later this summer.

[melonhead]

why do you think the more expensive keepers we are looking at are better?

[From Despair To Where?]

Not scored a single goal in his career so far, so can't be any good:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Al-Habsi

Oh really????? Can't believe you forgot this one. Nice header at the far post.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e0m50AdsJA

[Royalwaster]

Not scored a single goal in his career so far, so can't be any good:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Al-Habsi

Oh really????? Can't believe you forgot this one. Nice header at the far post.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e0m50AdsJA

Wow - he's good enough for Wembley! Sign him up!

[winchester_royal]

Al-Habsi is a decent keeper who would certainly do a job for the next couple of years if it came to it.

With what is a limited budget we'll have to prioritise certain positions on which to spend transfer fees, and for me personally I'd rather take a slightly above average keeper and be able to spend money on getting a couple more good outfield players in, rather than blow the whole budget on bringing Myhill in.

Two positions that you skimp on (slightly above average) at your peril: Striker and goalkeeper. If we had only had a slightly above average keeper last season we would have been looking forward to commencing our League One campaign later this summer.

Well, tbh, I think Al Habsi is quite significantly better than average.

And I don't think we'd have been in the position of peril if we'd had better outfield players in the first place.

If you need goalkeeping heroics consistently throughout the season then something is going wrong further up the field.

[Bob1871]

Potentially signing a goalkeeper with years of premier league experience, can't see how anyone can expect anything more. Some will talk of a handful of howlers that he has made, every goal keeper makes mistakes, just take one look at Feds he has a closet full.

I think a lot need to remember that there isn't massive money to spend, the more experienced players we can pick up on frees to mix with the younger players already at the club can only be a good thing.

[Royal Ginger]

I quite like Al-Habsi. Not indifferent to Federici in some ways in that he'll pull of a string of spectacular world beating saves before letting in a howler.

Pure speculation: IF the Myhill chat has some grounding in reality, would Al-Habsi not make a decent stop gap until January when Foster should be back allowing a re-evaluation then?

[SCIAG]

I'd be happy with Al-Habsi. He's not the goalkeeper he was a few years ago but I think he's still good enough for the Championship.

[Forbury Lion]

FFS. Why spend 6 years developing Andersen if, when in line to become first team GK, he's not good enough? And then sign fucking al habsi?

I don't think we developed him over those 6 years, if anything due to the lack of games we've probably sent him backwards.

[paultheroyal]

We are being linked with the Ex Wigan goalkeeper after his release and now available on free transfer.
Not my favourite choice compared with some of the others speculated but perhaps more believable

Well played Hatty9.

Lots of ITK's this year.

[Forbury Lion]

I wouldn't rule out signing two goalkeepers.

[CholseyRoyal]

I quite like Al-Habsi. Not indifferent to Federici in some ways in that he'll pull of a string of spectacular world beating saves before letting in a howler.

Pure speculation: IF the Myhill chat has some grounding in reality, would Al-Habsi not make a decent stop gap until January when Foster should be back allowing a re-evaluation then?

I am sure that is Clarke's thinking. Use Al-Habsi as a stop gap until West Brom get a new GK to free up Myhill. They may may hold on until January until Foster is fit before letting Myhill go so it is prudent for us to get someone else in now.