Martin Woods

[coventryrover]

According to the Daily Mail - never knowingly correct - QPR and Preston are after Martin Woods.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1293519/Preston-QPR-chase-Doncaster-midfielder-Woods.html

Obviously paper talk is paper talk, but if true what do people think.  I dont think he captured the form of the first season in the championship last season but can still be a quality player.  

However do we cash in now, after apparently rejecting a £500k offer in Jan?  I would see how much is on offer.  If Rovers  sell him the money could be put towards Keogh.

All hypothetical as it is the silly season.  The world cup is all but finish so transfer speculation in the press is bound to increase.

[Spankster]

I think we should keep him, his season went downhill after he was sent off at plymouth then his injury, however i believe we are a better team when he is on the pitch, he is always my first choice to take a dead ball free kick just outside the box.

What a season we have in front of us, can't wait  

[Glyn_Wigley]

Spankster wrote:

his season went downhill after he was sent off at plymouth then his injury

However, if the coaching staff can't see him hitting his heights again (especially after an injury), now might be the right time to cash in on him and re-invest...

[BillyStubbsTears]

Spankster wrote:

he is always my first choice to take a dead ball free kick just outside the box.

Aye, cos of all them direct free kick goals he's scored. Like that one against...errr...and that other one against...ummm.

I'll get back to you.

[Rios]

Of our saleable midfielders, he'd be the one I'd cash in on.  I always thought he'd be the Stock replacement but he's never really stepped into that role in the same way that Oster or Gillet did.  We are a better team when he's on the pitch but he could be replaced relatively easily with a cheaper lower division player (Taylor at Oldham?)

[BillyStubbsTears]

Spankster wrote:

he is always my first choice to take a dead ball free kick just outside the box.

Aye, cos of all them direct free kick goals he's scored. Like that one against...errr...and that other one against...ummm.

I'll get back to you.

[Yargo]

Whats gone wrong? Isnt it obligatory of Rovers fans to draw attention to that video whenever his name is mentioned?Some are slacking

[Jonathan]

I'd keep him as the fact that he's naturally left sided gives us balance. I don't think he's irreplacable, but I'd rather we didn't sell any players that are strong contenders for the first eleven (which Woods is) unless we have a replacement lined up of equal or better quality. He is our only left footed midfielder and we have to have at least one!

[en aitch]

Just a minute ..... Fabio Capello ..... 23 squad members, left sided and creative - oh it's ok we've got Ashley, and Gareth Barry (in the holding role).

I agree, Martin Woods is a grafter and I'd keep him (and try to tie him to a longer contract), but whoever is our \"Free kick from just-outside-the-box specialist\" needs to practice harder.

[coventryrover]

Isnts Woodsy a jock?

[billywhitehurst]

If it meant getting a top class centre half, I be happy to sell.  The loss of Big shack was felt last year and for me he had as big an influence on the side as king billy, if not more so.  Midfield is an area where I am not remotely concerned, SOD can find midfielders to fit his system with relative ease it seams.  A top class centre half is harder to come by.

[graingrover]

why would he want to drop down to the level of QPR or Preston... I see him as being happy at Rovers and ambitious.

[scuzzer]

BillyStubbsTears wrote:

Spankster wrote:

he is always my first choice to take a dead ball free kick just outside the box.

Aye, cos of all them direct free kick goals he's scored. Like that one against...errr...and that other one against...ummm.

I'll get back to you.

Bang on BST, my head disappears into my hands as quickly as the ball hits the back of the stand from every direct free kick Woodsy takes. If he's the best we've got for that job the rest must be chuffing awful.

I'd still rather keep him as part of the squad but would rather give Sully free kick duties.

[Wellred]

scuzzer wrote:

BillyStubbsTears wrote:

Spankster wrote:

he is always my first choice to take a dead ball free kick just outside the box.

Aye, cos of all them direct free kick goals he's scored. Like that one against...errr...and that other one against...ummm.

I'll get back to you.

Bang on BST, my head disappears into my hands as quickly as the ball hits the back of the stand from every direct free kick Woodsy takes. If he's the best we've got for that job the rest must be chuffing awful.

I'd still rather keep him as part of the squad but would rather give Sully free kick duties.

So instead of Woods hitting it over the bar we would have Sulli hitting it out for a throw in?

[wilts rover]

Woods and copps are the two most creative players we have and thereby the most difficult to replace. I seem to remember that at the time Woods got the injury he was top of the stats for pass completion, assists and shots - and wasnt he also top of all the Sky stats for the Championship? Whenever he plays well, the team play well - whether or not he plays well often enough, thats up to Sean O'D.

[DonnyOsmond]

I heard Woods is good at free kicks in training.

[northern soul]

Or perhaps that is why we have the 2 lads on trial, both midfielders, both looked OK at Askern, but need to see a bit more rather than just that game. If Payne is out of contract, would you take him and a CB for woods?

[kittyslass]

DonnyOsmond wrote:

I heard Woods is good at free kicks in training.

Didn't we used to hear Guy could goals away for fun \"in training\".

[Chris]

Woods' contract expires in a year so if we can't get him to sign a new one he should be sold.

[ravenrover]

I've heard that his injury has flared up again so maybe the speculation is irrelevant.

[DMnumber4]

He's the most one footed player since McIndoe, except doesn't have the pace and ability to beat a man or score as many goals.

Yes he adds balance, but he can be a liability (nailed on point lost at Plymouth, handball at Scunny and the penalty miss at Newcastle!) on occasions.

His injuries are also a concern. Would I let him go? If the price was right  

[Snods Shinpad 2]

Chris wrote:

Woods' contract expires in a year so if we can't get him to sign a new one he should be sold.

Same applies to O'Connor and Stock. We really need to get it sorted one way or the other before the season starts.

Potentially £3/4 million worth of talent/income at stake.

We can't afford to dither on this.

[george-friend]

tell them to give us 650 000 and they can have him but we want it upfront.

It baffles me where preston get all the cash from...     :dry:

Oh and for the record i really hate woods as a player and belive he is a liability,if the right money was offered then take it,we have gillett,stock,wilson,oster,sheils,coppinger who are all better than him imo.

 

[roversdude]

Dead ball specialist - i suppose if the pen at newcastle had been taken from half way line it may have been on its way down by the time it reached the goalline, it may also have bent enough to be nearly on target - take the money (not based on one penalty miss I must add)

[VikingJames]

I thought Preston had no money?  

[mushRTID]

If selling Woods meant a permanent deal for another top class striker to partener Billy then I would be ok with it. Especially as when he signed it was rumoured he was our top earner, it could also free up a good chunk of cash for the striker.

And if QPR are interested we should haggle like never before, we might get a million out of them!

[VikingJames]

I'd say we're more in need of a quality centre-back than another striker.

If Woods was sold, I'd hope that the money would go towards buying/loaning a defender.

[silent majority]

Rigoglioso wrote:

VikingJames wrote:

I thought Preston had no money?  

They were under a transfer embargo a little over a week ago.

They have very wealthy owners, in fact the people who own Blackpool Pleasure Beach no less. However, they have so far only had part shares of the club and its the other owners/shareholders who have the financial problems. From what I understand this is a blessing in disguise for the ambitious ones who want to invest money and move the club forward.

[mushRTID]

But dont forget we have our original budget too which could be used for the defender and the spurs centre back is rumoured to be coming.

Signing Billy only gets us to last seasons squad remember, a partner of equal quality would push us onto the next level.

[Chris]

Preston recently spent £400,000 on someone from Peterborough. They probably would be prepared to pay roughly £600,000 (which is what we will probably want) but they seem to be a very poorly run club. I could see them struggling this season.