Latest speculation round up

Last updated : 17 June 2003 By Michael Morris
Waiting to speak to Lennie
Still nothing concrete to report as far as players coming in.

The two players linked that can be confirmed as interesting Lennie are John Robinson and Spurs Gary Doherty. Robinson is said to be a possible target for Brighton as well. Doherty's current boss Glenn Hoddle was sat close to Sam at the tennis at Queens Club last weekend. Thats how tenuous the links are turning out to be.

Lennie and Sam are London based at the moment (Lennie is actually in France on holiday) so sightings in Cardiff of Dion Dublin etc are worthless as there is no one here for them to talk to.

The Gary Speed rumour from yesterday appears to be based on a story written on a slow news day in Newcastle over the weekend, an equally as slow news day in South Wales saw it get back page headlines and possible clarification from an alternative source yesterday could be wrapped up in the same scheme.

Wimbledon's Nigel Reo-Coker, a name linked several times to City appears to have joined, or is about to join Portsmouth.

It looks as though Sam and Lennie have set their sights on the players they want and are keeping their dealings very close to their chests. While the rest of the world comes up with link after link, guess after guess they are sticking with their softly softly approach to getting the players they want.

As for players going the other way and leaving the club it looks like the claim that Fan Zhiyi was moving to Newport was an elaborate game of "Chinese Whispers".

Newport it seems are interested in signing a young Chinese player and Fan was helping with the introductions. This of course was construed to mean the 106 times capped Chinese international was moving to Spytty Park. Unless Fan gets an offer from a British club he looks set to return to China.

There is no further news on Leo or Gavin Gordon and Oxford Utd.

Other names in the paper today, Andy Jordan is talking to Swansea and Cheltenham Town. Mark Walton is linked with Forest Green Rovers and Bath City.

Des Hamilton and Layton Maxwell don't appear to have made much effort to find other clubs and one assumes they will look to stay at NP and do either one of two things, try their hardest to get a place in the team or sit back and take the money. I hope they opt for option 1.

There's no confirmation from QPR on Gareth Ainsworth, a story in the Echo last weekend said that Ainsworth was hoping Lennie would make him an offer, while QPR's official website claim Ainsworth will sign for them in the next few days.

Andy Legg says he's waiting to speak to Lennie when he returns from holiday. Legg, the club say, has been offered a one year deal but Legg himself says he's not been informed of the terms of the contract.

There's been no mention of Steve Jenkins for a couple of weeks. He like Ainsworth was hoping for a contract from Lennie. It may or may not come. He has not been linked to anyone at the moment.