In our earlier article today on free agents, we missed out a few of them, but one in particular was Nigel Reo-Coker of Aston Villa.
Reo-Coker’s contract runs out in the summer, and negotiations with Villa are said to be at an impasse, with no progress being made.
The England U21 International (23 caps, one goal) was at West Ham when Alan Pardew was manager, so Alan will know a lot about this player, who is unlikely to be offered a new contract at Villa, with Gerard Houllier now managing the Midlands club.
Like many former first team players at Aston Villa, the 26-year-old has found first team opportunities difficult to get, and that’s unlikely to change under the new French manager.
Apparently there was some news in January that Aston Villa were willing to offer Reo-Coker to Newcastle, in part exchange plus money, to take Joey Barton to Villa Park.
That would have been a terrible deal for Newcastle, and of course we are still hoping that Joey will commit his future to Newcastle in the summer.
We’re not sure if Croyden-born Reo-Coker would be a good acquisition for Newcastle, but of course he comes at a decent price, and was impressive while at West Ham, but has lost his way big time at Villa Park.
Nigel started his career at Wimbledon back in 1997 as a 13 year-old, and joined West Ham in 2004, before moving to Aston Villa and Martin O’Neill in early July of 2007, for £8.5M on a four year contract.
Reo-Coker has played 102 times for Aston Villa with one goal, he played 120 times at West Ham with 20 goals, and 48 times with 6 goals at Wimbledon.
Alan Pardew is said to be in negotiations with a couple of free agents so maybe his former player at West Ham is one of them.
What do you think?
Comments always welcome.
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36 comments so far
Klatoon
Mar 30, 2011 at 12:39 PM
Comment #1which West ham player?
Indian Magpie
Mar 30, 2011 at 12:39 PM
Comment #2Guthrie and Gosling are beter than him and smith too, waste of space.
Indian Magpie
Mar 30, 2011 at 12:40 PM
Comment #3REO – COKER
Klatoon
Mar 30, 2011 at 12:43 PM
Comment #4Reo-coker plays for ASTON VILLA yet Ed’s title says we are after a West ham midfielder???????
Davies
Mar 30, 2011 at 12:43 PM
Comment #5Not fussed about this lad. Didn’t he have a punch up with MO’N at Villa’s training ground?
Not the kind of fight we’re looking for.
Sir Erec
Mar 30, 2011 at 12:43 PM
Comment #6hope not.
toonturtle
Mar 30, 2011 at 12:45 PM
Comment #7I think he’s spat his dummy out at West Ham and Villa.
Indian Magpie
Mar 30, 2011 at 12:47 PM
Comment #8May be Ed got confused with the attire as did i
GeordieToon89
Mar 30, 2011 at 12:50 PM
Comment #9Reo-coker is a good player when hes actually playing plus hes a leader on the pitch aswell and he can play in a few different positons hes better than Guthrie/Smith/Perch and for free would be a good piece of business and would only add competition for places which we need next season i say sign Taiwo, Coker, Larsson, Elmander on frees then sign a few good youngish players like Gervinho, Wolfswinkel, Doumbia, Jarvis, El Arabi, Wickham…
just got to think if we go and sign say Doumbia and Gervinho with no other replacements wer going to be stuck in the crap in january when the African Cup of Nations is on as we’l lose them along with Tiote so we need to sign back up squad players
supervil
Mar 30, 2011 at 12:53 PM
Comment #10Honestly, @GeordieToon… lower your expectations!
Do you know how much it would cost to buy all those players? You’re talking £60mil. Gervinho, Wolfswinkel, Doumbia will go for 15mil or more, put Whickham around that too, Jarvis will be looking at 10mil… we won’t get these players either, the bigger clubs will snap them up.
Lower. Expec. Tations.
Klatoon
Mar 30, 2011 at 12:58 PM
Comment #11All those saying we shouldn’t him in on A FREE,..Who would you rather have coming off the bench as we are being over-run in midfield by a top side; Guthrie/Smith/Perch or Reo-Coker?
toonturtle
Mar 30, 2011 at 1:00 PM
Comment #12I would be happy if we picked up a couple of the decent free agents in the summer, like Larsson, Elmander and Reo-Coker. Proven premier league players who can add competition to places. Then attempt to bring in some quality.
supermacnumber9
Mar 30, 2011 at 1:00 PM
Comment #13Nigel Reo-Coker’s contract expires at the end of the season, so he’s a free transfer & AP knows him – so what’s the problem, he is PL standard & we need a bigger squad – sign him, if he doesn’t win a place we can sell him for a profit (which I am sure has occured to the management)!
supermacnumber9
Mar 30, 2011 at 1:06 PM
Comment #14Taiwo is to sign for Benfica – shows that the roundabout has started – if we hang about we will end up with the dregs!
skutball1892
Mar 30, 2011 at 1:10 PM
Comment #15Strength in depth and all that. Like other people have said, the alternative is Perch/Smith. But personally I think they’ll both be sold in the summer, leaves us with Gosling/Tiote as holding midfielders. Bring him in as a squad player, could be very handy coming off the bench.
supermacnumber9
Mar 30, 2011 at 1:20 PM
Comment #16if we are promised 6 new players then it looks like they may be –
Larsson, Elmander, Gera and Reo-Coker on frees
Gervinho & Ireland bought
could be worse, not my first choice but a solid improvement – but (having spent well below £35m even including wages) will it encourage senior players to stay? will it keep the fands happy?
Sir Erec
Mar 30, 2011 at 1:21 PM
Comment #17Stop with all this talk of how we are going to bring in Von Wolfswinkel, Doumbia, Gervinho & Wickham. You are only setting yourself up for disappointment. It would already be a miracle if we managed to get on of those players seeing as how much other interest they have attracted, let alone the whole lot of them.
dave 1961
Mar 30, 2011 at 1:21 PM
Comment #18footballs running out of money paying interest payments, these prices depend on many thing’s and one of the biggest is how many buying clubs will we see, also the new squad system dictates who you target. its no longer the case that a team just go out & buy, they have to wheel & deal, and many will find they have to sell, before they can buy, this squad system is the reason for the strange results we are getting, & the closer to your finished squad you get to the more difficult it will be. and finally I fell myself getting angry for Saturday, I will vent my anger at the ref & wolves players, so lets store our anger for the wolves.
Brutooon
Mar 30, 2011 at 1:27 PM
Comment #19Guthrie, Barton, Tiote, Ireland are way better than him
Swap him with Smith then thats a good deal
gorskino10
Mar 30, 2011 at 1:30 PM
Comment #20Larsson (Average not good enough)
Elmander (Good-ish but as a sub he doesnt score enough)
Gera (Too old good backup wont start)
Reo-Coker (Better than Guthrie but ONLY sub wont take Barton or Tiotes place)
So WHATS the point of signing these overated, average players? they will cost us ALOT of money in wages and fees to players/agents.
And if NONE of them are on par or even better than we have whats the point our team isnt at its peak that all we can get is worse type of players technically this squad was a championship level team.
Ireland – dont get me started on him used to be good now an average player, terrible attitude, Injury prone, hasnt done anything positive apart from going out when he should and not play, on MASSIVE wages and would cost more than Ben Arfa who is 10x the player Ireland is we are stupid if we actually pay money for him.
Only good player in that list was Gervinho, so we sign 6 players 5 are crap 1 are good, seems like we are getting these Freebies just for the sake of it and to say WE SIGNED 6 PLAYERS sort of attitude like quantity is what matters its quality that matters.
Geordiedoonsooth
Mar 30, 2011 at 1:33 PM
Comment #21Hope not he is no better than what we’ve already got
RedMissionBells
Mar 30, 2011 at 1:36 PM
Comment #22We must sign Kranjcar.
He is only 26 years old and each time he plays for Tottenham, he makes a positive impact.
Kranjcar can change games as he is good at assist and score goals.
As got Gera, I do not rate him at all. I also do not rate Elmander as he is too old and reminds me alot of Mark Viduka. Lets go for youngsters or players in their mid 20s who can help us become a top 6 team again.
Klatoon
Mar 30, 2011 at 1:39 PM
Comment #23If Taiwo is signing for Benfica its because they are selling Fabio Coentrao,so that means one of the big sides has already acquired a LB = better odds of holding on2 Jose Enrique
lesh
Mar 30, 2011 at 1:43 PM
Comment #24supermacnumber9 @14 – ‘Taiwo is to sign for Benfica – shows that the roundabout has started – if we hang about we will end up with the dregs!’
Totallt agree with you and I’m puzzled in that one minute Pards’s saying we’ll have a couple in very early in the window then in the next breath, there’ll be no early incomers and we’re in the mix with other clubs!
If that’s correct I’d guess you’re probably correct and presented with players who nobody else wants or we can’t/ won’t afford.
But, with these guys at the helm, we’ll just have to wait and see……… you never know, we may just pick up another Cheik-like gem!
Fingers crossed
dave 1961
Mar 30, 2011 at 1:43 PM
Comment #25we need a goal scorer if we don’t get one we will not move forward, we do not have anyone at the club who will give us goals for the next 2 years until some of the kids are ready to step up. fail to get a goal scorer and we will be in the same situation next season.
chuck
Mar 30, 2011 at 2:58 PM
Comment #26Geordie toon
what planet are you on ?
Elmander= ok but does`nt tick the age box.
Gera = good player, ditto.
Reo-Coker=Nah !
Larsson =very average, nah!
Out of those mentioned Kranjcar is head and shoulders above the lot, a good buy and a very versitile player, which by all accounts is what we are supposed to be looking at, no ?
Think Gervinho will be snapped up by another club or prove too costly, same with his team-mate Sow.
Wolfswinkel, no way !
Wickham, no way!
Taiwo, like him but dont expect him!
Aly Sissohko, no way !
How about Izaguerre, to replace Jose ? same type of WB, good defensively and pacey on attack ?
geoff777
Mar 30, 2011 at 3:00 PM
Comment #27I agree we have 4-5 better players than him already.
If he comes on a wage that a fringe squad player deserves … why not.
One West Ham player I think we probably sign is Carlton Cole. I just have a horrible feeling that he’s someone Pardew will like. At about the right age, price and wages. On the last day of the window things get desperate.
I really hope Carr can find someone who wants to play for us like HBA & Tiote.
Billy1985
Mar 30, 2011 at 3:07 PM
Comment #28i prefer english players too be honest because i have mates that have lost out because of all the foreign players coming over myself included. reo coker is a cracking player when he is actually playing and he has the battle that us fans love. dont get me wrong without the foreign players coming to the premier league our league wouldnt be as good but at least give our lads a chance cause we are england after all
Billy1985
Mar 30, 2011 at 3:10 PM
Comment #29geoff777 that doesnt mean CC will play terrible for us different players at different teams. look at our past like jon dahl tomasson etc he has had his moments and with the support on the field thta we has i think he will be cracking just ask yourself can we get any worse than shola?
youngtoonfan
Mar 30, 2011 at 4:11 PM
Comment #30i’d love to see krancjar at newcastle in the summer
Lowesy
Mar 30, 2011 at 4:45 PM
Comment #31In/
Kranjcar
Gervinho
Sow
Klose (free agent in summer, but doubt it)
Taiwo (if Enrique jumps ship)
Diego Forlan (maybe, just throwing it out there)
Out/
Guthrie
Smith
Perch
Routledge
Xisco
They should sign a few youngsters as well, not saying loads because we have Shane Fergie, LuaLua and Vuckic but still one or two hot prospects.
nufc.romania
Mar 30, 2011 at 7:04 PM
Comment #32i want gervinho, djalo, seb larsson and sow, and 1 defender
davis_toons
Mar 30, 2011 at 8:38 PM
Comment #33Guthrie wages wont take up too much and can be a good squad player and if he ever works harder time is on his side, he can improve – In
baro
Mar 30, 2011 at 9:58 PM
Comment #34We really need a big squad and Pardew knows him and has worked with him and he is free so why not buy him. Otherwise i’ve never really seen him play.
al
Mar 31, 2011 at 12:34 AM
Comment #35To the conga theme! DOO DOO DOOO NIGEL REO-COKER!!!!
Definately worth a free if not just to have that ringin round SJP!!
john DSOUZA
Mar 31, 2011 at 12:42 AM
Comment #36I dnt want him