Everyone likes something for nothing (including prem managers)

So while browsing my morning papers (online don’t ya know!) I came across the guardians 123 players released article, this makes for quite interesting reading as there are some quality players who as of from this week are without clubs. Obviously there are some which everyone expected like Jonathan Woodgate and Patrick Viera, due to endless injury woes and in Viera’s case loss of his legs but there are some real gems in here that would be a decent signing for a fee let alone a free.

Baz has picked out his top 3 players from the list and if these guys are still without a club come the start of the season I will eat my hat (and I have not done that since my school days)

Nigel Reo-Coker

Nigel is a bit of an enigma, on his day he is a fantastic  box to box hard tackling all round midfielder with a great range of passing too yet at other times the team may as well be playing with ten men (ask Alan Pardew a week before he got the sack at West Ham)To be fair there can be factors which came into when Reo-Coker was not playing well, he was singled out by the boo boys at West Ham which must of affected him, then was repeatedly played out of position at Villa, everywhere from right wing to full back.
There is no doubting he is a top player on his day though and I think he just needs the right manager to put some faith in him and he will be a valuable asset to any team outside the top 6.

Best team for him: Fulham: if Martin Jol could get Reo Coker playing with confidence again his energy could be vital for Fulhams midfield especially with Danny Murphy’s legs on their way

Jason Koumas

This one puzzles me as to why Wigan let him go, throughout his career he has been quite a consistent performer and has had a great season for Cardiff. I remember watching Koumas at Tranmere  early in his career and his range of passing was incredible. He was also part of the reason Cardiff got the playoffs this season often over shadowing marquee signing Craig Bellamey. Any team in need of some creativity in midfield could do a lot worse than pick up Koumas on a free. At 31 he is a very experienced player too and with his range of passing he is not reliant on pace.

Best team for him: Norwich City: Norwich are going to need all the experience they can get been back in the top flight and Koumas could be that man. They have also invested heavily in their forward line who will need ammunition from creative midfielders such as Koumas

Lee Bowyer

This was a toss up between two Birmingham players Lee Bowyer and Sebastian Larsson, many would choose seb here as he was age on his side and has a more creative flair to his game but I feel if he signs for a club of similar level of Birmingham he could go missing if things are not going his way. Bowyer on the other hand does not stop running (I can testify this from my days watching him in a Leeds shirt) and was arguably one of Birmingham’s better players this season contributing highly to their Carling Cup victory run. Bowyer would be ideal for a team in need of some steel in midfield, he can play on the right and drift into the centre and will also chip in with a few goals for you, and personally I would love to see him back at Leeds but think he’s got another season in the Prem left in him

Best team for him: QPR: I know QPR have money but weather players will want to go there is another matter. If they manage to keep hold of the brilliant Adel Taarabt then they will need someone prepared to put their foot it and put the leg work in to let Taarabt roam free, I think Bowyer is that man.

Agree? Disagree? Let me know

Big Baz