Stoke City: Could Rangers 'Braveheart' Steven Naismith be on his way to the Brit?
RANGERS rebel Stevie Naismith looks to have added his name to Tony Pulis's "400-strong" shortlist of summer transfer targets.
The Potters are among a clutch of Premier League clubs reported to be monitoring the 25-year-old, who favours the Mama Sidibe-cum-Jon Walters role behind a main striker.
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IN DEMAND: Rangers player Steven Naismith
"Stoke, West Brom, Everton, West Ham and Southampton are also interested in Naismith, who is nearing fitness again after he snapped a cruciate last season," reported the Scottish Sun.
The 5ft 10in Scotland international accepted a 75 per cent pay cut in March to help out stricken Rangers, but has now made it clear he wants out of Ibrox.
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But does Naismith have the Stoke "DNA" that Pulis looks for in all his signings? Would he pass the manager's "Salif Diao" test?
The answer appears to be a resounding "yes". This latter-day "Braveheart" could pass for Diao's twin brother, admittedly in a Danny DeVito/Arnold Schwarzenegger sort of way.
Naismith has never complained, whether playing for club or country, to being shifted around the park to play as a striker, on either flank or in central midfield.
And he gets an even bigger tick for the teeth-gnarling tenacity which has made him stand out like a wolf among kittens, even in the unrestrained bloodletting of an Old Firm derby.
"He is a resounding presence: sniping, committed, unabating," wrote The Glasgow Herald, conjuring up an image resembling Glenn Whelan upbraiding Abdoulaye Faye for wearing flip-flops in the Chelsea changing room.
"The measure of Naismith is his refusal to be cowed, in his spirit of defiance as much as his dynamism and astute running.
"Naismith is as likely to holler criticism to one of his team-mates as he is to an opponent, because it stems from his desire to be triumphant."
It was while discussing talk of a Stoke move for former England international Michael Owen that Pulis half-joked that his little black book of possible signings may not be so little after all.
The 32-year-old former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Manchester United striker appeared to have snubbed Stoke yesterday when it was claimed he was on his way to mega-rich Dubai club Al-Shabab.
Then the Arabs claimed the "deal" was off because Owen was "on the downhill". Maybe they mistook him for a racehorse trainer.
But the fact remains TP is keen to do a pay-for-play deal for the injury-plagued Owen, and the fact his Manor House stables are just 30 miles from Stoke could yet be enough to ensure he is seen in harness at the Brit next season.
PETER SMITH
Comments
by Pottedrengen
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 5:54PM
“Now that I've seen a few videoclips of Ness I will have to retract my prejudical view on skill, vision, and brain matter. The boy obvioulsy has plenty of just those things and looks a tremendous signing.”
by DJofTNE
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 4:56PM
“Lets sign Ness, a player that could get nowhere near the British football team for the Olympics, quick TP get him now !”
by Davejjohnson
Monday, July 02 2012, 8:22PM
“Seems like a lot of people use the arrows Knob since a comment from STHolder has 21 Green ones. You may not be familiar with the Green ones, they are the ones that other people sometimes get.”
by Davejjohnson
Monday, July 02 2012, 8:19PM
“You use them Knob, I've watched them appear on my posts when you come on line. Yes Stoked, America's leading pundit had never heard of John Barnes. No surprise though, I doubt very much he had heard of many Stoke players until he jumped on our Premiership bandwagon.”
by soccerfoot11
Monday, July 02 2012, 2:37PM
“so, there you have it. One more instance of proof of what a clown johnson is. he is the advocate and lover of the red arrows !! who actually uses those arrows besides the group of clowns headed by johnson. come on now, own up you know who you are !
too funny!!!”
by stoked
Monday, July 02 2012, 11:25AM
“Did Soccerfoot not know who John Barnes is?
Now that just has made me laugh”
by Si1963
Monday, July 02 2012, 10:46AM
“I think Spain must have called Tony Pulis for some advice as it was just like watching Stoke City :-)
Great game last night.
Come on Stoke get these players signed up. If they are good enough for Rangers surely it's got to be good news if we can get them for free.
Does anyone know who has left Stoke in the summer?”
by Davejjohnson
Monday, July 02 2012, 8:06AM
“If you take him seriously Mel then you really have lost the plot.”
by stonemel
Sunday, July 01 2012, 11:21PM
“As I have said I agree with a lot of what Soccerfoot says. You'd know alot about red arrows Dave!”
by Davejjohnson
Sunday, July 01 2012, 9:36PM
“Perhaps also StonedMel you could point out where I said that you criticize the player. What I said was if we signed Messi you would find something to moan about which you would because you are a bitter man who hates our manager. When it comes to drivel I bow to StonedMel, the master.”