Steve Finnan.. too old?

[stanley75]

Love to play you lot at Fantasy football or League manager or similar. Is there anyone you wouldn't just put on the books?

I was a fan of his in his prime. How do you think he ended up there in the first place. And he has got no younger/faster/better since. Streuth!

[Hoopaman]

Play josh Parker and stick with him all season.

[James1979]

Bloody hell, he's 34 not 64! He's not going to be chasing wingers with his zimmer frame or in that car you see the elderly use! he'd be great signing and can play left back too I think. Josh parker should be used from the bench imo, we need experience and quality to go up next (or is it this now?) season

[stanley75]

I don't have a down on Steve Finnan in particular or 34 year old players in general. But Steve Finnan is personally clearly too old to play a constructive part in a promotion seeking championship team. His lack of pace was obvious on Saturday. Chelsea aren't especially quick. I liked him at Fulham but that was 10 years ago. Did well at Liverpool but then the injuries and the age started kicking in and he has drifted through free transfers and short term contracts ever since (I think). I am prett sure he had a previous mooted transfer turned down due to a failed medical. Just as he has come up on a free doesn't change the fact that he is at the end of his career - that's the reason he is free ffs. We don't need more retirees sitting on the bench bleeding the clubs wage pot from better uses thanks.

[James1979]

Reason he's free is pompey need to clear wage bill and he's out of contract, no? Playing chelsea is a lot different to the teams we play on a regular basis. We could do with some experience in the team/squad. Provided his wages aren't ridiculous, he'd be a good addition imo.

[luke_qpr832]

Reason he's free is pompey need to clear wage bill and he's out of contract, no? Playing chelsea is a lot different to the teams we play on a regular basis. We could do with some experience in the team/squad. Provided his wages aren't ridiculous, he'd be a good addition imo.

[G.T.P]

Worth a year to help us get up

nodding in agreement here.

[stanley75]

Shaking my head over here, But about to give up on it as we will ahve to agree to differ. But my parthian shot is that this whole debate seems to stem from him being on a free. But that still makes him a burden on the wages and there are far far far better players to help our defence than a 34 year old journeyman that can't get a job anywhere else. There's lots of players I'd have on the books as a free resource (ronaldinho could probably do a job in the CCC for example) but I thought we were talking about a real player in a real team in the real world making a real challenge for progression? If not then why not have him. But that's not what it is is it? I don;t want a 34 yr old journeyman who can't get a job anywhere else as my preferred RB ta.

[James1979]

Being on a free is part of it but its a benefit yes. "can't do a job anywhere else".....bold statement. Portsmouth haven't offered him a contract, so therefore he might as well retire!?? A journeyman? Again a bit of an overstatement. How many clubs so far?
You also have said 34 twice now....we get it, he's 34 but that is not that old in football. How often have we seen him play last season? At the end of the day, I trust warnocks judgement but if we got him I'd be pleased

[G.T.P]

I don't have a down on Steve Finnan in particular or 34 year old players in general. But Steve Finnan is personally clearly too old to play a constructive part in a promotion seeking championship team. His lack of pace was obvious on Saturday. Chelsea aren't especially quick. I liked him at Fulham but that was 10 years ago. Did well at Liverpool but then the injuries and the age started kicking in and he has drifted through free transfers and short term contracts ever since (I think). I am prett sure he had a previous mooted transfer turned down due to a failed medical. Just as he has come up on a free doesn't change the fact that he is at the end of his career - that's the reason he is free ffs. We don't need more retirees sitting on the bench bleeding the clubs wage pot from better uses thanks.

surely anyone whos played in the premiership and the fa cup is good enuff the following season to help us get up??

[stanley75]

GTP - sorry mate but that is a very silly thing to say. He is playing out a career at the team that has been nailed to the bottom of the Prem all year and would have dropped without the pts deduction. Pompey will be down with us next year and don't want him to help them out in the CCC. Why on earth should we. Firesale or nay they had him on a one year contract to get rid precisely for this reason.

[sirpiechucker]

Depends on his wages.

Personally I'd like us to have him or Volz in the squad with a younger right back who is still learning his trade. Volz or Finnan would make fine deputies for a younger (quicker) full back and at the same time would be able to teach the player a thing or two.

Should we pay £20k pw for a substitute full back? No but if he is on less than £10k pw I think his experience alone would be worth it.

[stanley75]

Sir Pie - that's pretty much what I was trying to say, put better. Finnan is too old to hack it as our Right (or some have even said left) back. Just coz he is on a free doesn;t alter that fact. We have limited resources and we should focus them on players that will get us where we want to be. Finnan aint it so isn't our RB. If he comes in on the cheap and doesn't draw resource from where its needed then I'm fine with him being around for his experience. He has been in a promotion winning team amd he has done the lot. I can see that could be inspirational. But not as our RB and not if he is going to take money away from other better causes.

[James1979]

I'm not sure that was what you were saying atall, you were saying he's too old and not good enough for any club, whereas sir pie is saying he would take him....but hey life's too short.

[stanley75]

Quite. Life is too short but since I started...If you read back up this string I said the same thing. The question was is he too old and the answer is yes. But it is of course nuanced by the fact that money. If he was a totally free good we could put him and anyone else on the books just for the sake of it. Problem here is that he has only attracted interest (and is only being discussed here) coz he is being released as free. That doesn't make him a free asset. I said that if he didn't take resource from anyone else then of course why not. Of course he will though in which case he is not good enough. If he was next to nothing then I suppose so but what is the point? Too old.