Never let it be said that Warwickshire are not active behind the scenes. The latest in a long line of what can generously be described as ambitious transfer linkages is former England captain Michael Vaughan.
It is always difficult in these situations to be sure how much of this is pure rumour and how much of it has some modicum of fact in it. However what is inescapable is that Warwickshire have increasingly over the past year and a bit been linked with an increasing cast of stellar names, none of which currently play for them.
Unfortunately, whilst every fan likes to see their club linked with the best in the business there is a very real trap to fall into when those big names don’t materialise. Football clubs such as Newcastle, Villa and to a lesser extent Tottenham and Man City have historically self-promoted themselves as “massive clubs” and enjoy being linked with every Ronaldinio that comes along. However a regular failure to tempt these players has led to these clubs being viewed as a joke and the tag “big club” is used as a taunt by rival fans.
Warwickshire are inextricably moving in this direction. Just off the top of my head recent supposed international signings have included: Vaughan, Darren Gough, Stuart Broad, Mushtaq Ahmed, Rana Naved, Shuan Pollock, Shane Bond, Stephen Flemming, Niall O’Brien and Brian Lara. The fact that the last of them is retired seemed no barrier. This is not to mention the endless conveyor belt of county pros that pass us by like prizes on the Generation Game.
There is a growing frustration among fans that Warwickshire are linked with an array of supposed signings, very few of whom actually materialise. Of course they should pursue top quality signings wherever they can, but as with the aforementioned football clubs, the suspicion begins to take root that the club itself is perpetuating these rumours in order to attempt to please fans.
I can unfortunately only imagine the derision my Yorkshire wife will afford this latest link. I may have to lock myself away with a copy of “100 Greatest Warwickshire Players” to escape her scorn for The Bears machinations.
4 comments:
Just to clarify I meant; my wife, who happens to be from Yorkshire. Not as my mate Tim, The Great Pedanto points out one of my many wives in this case to be specific the one who is from Yorkshire.
‘English is a beautiful language my boy, why do you sully it so with your improper use of grammar?’ – Baron Von Trapjaw
It would be MASSIVE (to steal a football cliche) but i got a feeling Vaughan could well make it to the Bears, i reckon they'll dangle the captaincy carrot and Gilo will give him a few England hints.
Well if Vaughan wants division 1 cricket next year he is probably better off joining Warks.
If he wants a captaincy, which I doubt, then he may be better off sticking with Yorkshire with Gough retiring. I can't see anywhere that they have announced a new captain but I didn't look very hard.
I do find it quite unlikely that he would join Warks rather than sticking with a club that he has been with for his whole career, but I would like the opportunity to see him play wherever it is... preferably for England.
Thanks for not giving me the credit for the Newcastle comparison, I seem to remember you were quite upset when I first said it.
I would very much love to see Virgil at Edgbaston in a Bears shirt...oh yes!
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